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The Rules Have Changed

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

After three years abroad, sixteen-year-old Blake Pendleton returns to his old high school and is shocked to find that the world he knew has turned upside down.

Everyone at school wears a military-style uniform now and Blake soon learns the hard way that independence in any form is not encouraged. After questioning something his teacher tells him, he gets locked up in an isolation room.

Once he's released, Blake goes looking for allies and finds Ming and Gina, two students who have learned how to play along. From them, Blake learns about the school's "induction education," a mind-training program set up by the government to train students to be teachers, cops and other types of community leaders. It's brainwashing and job training all in one. Somehow, Blake and his new friends must find a way to escape their predetermined fate. But who can they trust?

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

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  • Reviews

    • School Library Journal

      January 1, 2021

      Gr 6 Up-In a near-future world, Blake Pendleton returns from a three-year sailing trip with his parents to find his home country changed. School is now a militaristic brainwashing center. Students who do not obey the orders given to them through their smartphones are punished with extended solitary confinement. Xenophobia is rampant and Blake's parents have to reapply for citizenship because they left the country for three years. He meets an Asian boy, Ming Zhao, and a Black girl, Gina, who are part of a loose organization of rebels called the "dogs." Blake teams up with them to attempt to infiltrate the school organization but at the last minute, they are betrayed and must flee the country. This is a solid hi-lo novel for students who would enjoy 1984 or The Hunger Games but don't yet have the reading skills to attempt them. The climax of the story feels rushed, but that is common in the hi-lo genre. Although the book could be seen as a possible extension of current events, a solid dystopian novel never goes out of style. No physical or cultural descriptions are given for Blake or his parents. VERDICT This topical selection is highly recommended for those who maintain a hi-lo collection.-Jeri Murphy, C.F. Simmons M.S., Aurora, IL

      Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Kirkus

      December 1, 2020
      A White nationalist government with no tolerance for dissent has eliminated free will in this contemporary thriller. After living on a sailboat in the South Pacific for the past three years, 11th grader Blake Pendleton returns to his hometown and discovers everything is different--and in the worst way. There is now a "New Order" that prizes conformity and unthinking obedience above all else. Blake immediately has trouble adapting to this militant style of learning and is punished through escalating sessions of solitary isolation and sensory deprivation. Ming and Gina, two classmates, bring Blake into their inner circle of activism as they try to undermine the New Order from within. It won't take readers much to imagine similar events happening in the not-so-distant future, particularly given the role technology plays in the story. Racism experienced by Ming, who is the grandson of Chinese immigrants to North America, and Gina, who is Black, as well as propaganda about foreigners reflect real-life policies and incidents that have made recent headlines. Blake's world represents one result of xenophobia and White supremacy being championed and legalized by those in power. This slim novel's fast-paced action is accessible and engaging. The device of having Blake reenter society after several years of unconventional living shows readers the shocking nature of extreme changes that crept up on everyone else. Blake is assumed White. A chilling glimpse of life under authoritarian rule for reluctant readers. (Dystopian. 13-18)

      COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:600
  • Text Difficulty:2-3

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