Streams of Babel

I love Carol Plum-Ucci's books. So when I found this one, I was surprised that I had missed it. It is a story of four kids in Trinity Falls, New Jersey, who get sick when the water on their street is poisoned. Cora, Rain, Owen and Scott finds their lives and health turned upside down when terrorists unleash "Red Vinegar' into the pipes on their street. Owen and Scott lose their mother to the sickness and Cora loses her mother. As the four kids are quarantined the USIC races to figure out what the biochemical agent is and how to stop the terrorists from committing another act. Two teenage hackers are helping the government, one in Pakistan- Shahzad and one American - Tyler. They bring Shahzad to the US and he is immediately found out by Tyler. They team up to try and figure out who the terrorists are as they try to protect the Trinity Four. Shahzad wants to be treated like a man and Tyler is trying to make up for the fact that his mother is a spy for North Korea. When they find themselves in the terrorists lair (an apartment) their own lives are compromised by a different biochemical agent. So as the book ends, the four are sent off to an historic mansion in the Pine Barrens to wait out their sickness and Tyler and Shahzad are waiting to see how their own illness will manifest. The story is told in alternating chapters by the 6 characters. All the characters are unique and likeable and you really root for them. One good thing about coming to a series late is that you don't have to wait for the sequel- so I've already started Fire Will Fall. Carol hasn't let me down yet, so I 'm sure it will be another page turner. Check this author out  if you haven't, I would start with the Body of Christopher Creed one of my all time favorites. (I reviewed the sequel recently) Happy 4th and Happy reading my friends!