Yesterday

Gr 10 Up—United North America, 2063. Biological weapons and global climate change have left humanity on the brink of destruction. To protect his family, Freya's powerful and politically connected father sends his daughter and his wife back in time to 1985. Upon arriving, Freya does not remember anything about her previous life. Though she feels disconnected, she has no idea she is from the future and mostly believes the lies that shape her new life. But when she sees a familiar boy on a class field trip, she cannot shake the feeling that she knows him from somewhere. Desperate for answers, she follows Garren and questions him, and they discover that their lives and families are eerily similar. When they investigate further, they are forced to run from people who will stop at nothing to erase their memories of 2063-and of each other-forever. Sci-fi thrillers are hot right now, and Yesterday does not disappoint. Featuring a psychic teen running for her life, the novel will appeal to readers who enjoyed Rachel Ward's "Numbers" trilogy (Scholastic). The oppression of 2063 is frighteningly believable; Martin does a good job explaining how the world got so horrific in such a short time. Slow-building suspense and heart-pounding action help keep readers engaged. While the story starts a little slow and unanswered questions abound, patient readers will be rewarded and will clamor for a sequel.—Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX