Asher, Jay and Mackler, Carolyn. The Future of Us. 2011. Razorbill, 356 pages. $18.99 ISBN: 9781595144911
Plot Summary:
Mackler and Asher’s joint novel The Future of Us, is part historical fiction and part science fiction. The novel is told from the duel perspectives of best friends and neighbors Emma and Josh. Emma and Josh are juniors in high school in 1996 when Emma gets a new computer and logs onto the Internet for the first time. After Emma logs onto AOL she is invited to sign into Facebook. On Facebook she sees a webpage for Emma Nelson-Jones with a photo of a woman who looks eerily like Emma only older. Freaked out, Emma immediately shares the page with her best friend Josh. Soon the two discover that Josh too, has a Facebook page and that somehow Facebook is showing them a glimpse of their lives in 2011, 15 years in the future. While the teens can read their Facebook pages, they are unable to edit the pages, but soon they discover a dangerous game: one small change in the present can change their entire lives in 2011.
Critical Review:
The Future of Us gives the reader a great look at the early days of home Internet use. Today’s teens probably do not remember dial up Internet and the phenomenon of AOL. I was a teen in the late ‘90’s and found this book very nostalgic. The authors do an excellent job setting the scene of the 90’s with descriptions of the technology as it was then and the mentions of popular music of the time. I loved the teens’ initial reaction to Facebook, why on earth would someone post all the intimate details of their lives online. At first Emma thinks she must be famous in the future to have her own webpage, but soon she discovers that several people she knows have Facebook pages.
Genre:
Science fiction
Historical fiction
Interest Level/Reading Level:
Grades 8 and up/Grades 6 and up
Similar Books:
Papertowns by John Green
Subjects/Themes:
The Internet
Facebook
Friendships
Relationships
Author’s Website:
Annotation:
In 1996 Emma and Josh log onto Facebook, years before it is created, and are offered a glimpse at their futures in 2011.
Book Talking Ideas:
I would give this book to teens that are interested in computers and the Internet. This would also be a good book for teens who like books that deal with relationships realistically.
Why I chose to include this book:
With Facebook continuing to grow in popularity I thought that this would be a topic that would appeal to teens. Most teens I have talked to are very aware of the public aspect of Facebook and are cautious, but this book might cause teens to think twice about what they post on their Facebook walls.
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