Undertow by Michael Buckley

Undertow by Michael Buckley is one of those books that readers pick up and cannot put down. I read it in a day after having originally chosen it due to its beautiful cover and positive reviews. This could be categorized as a futuristic, dystopian novel; after all, it focuses on the Alpha, an alien race who arise from the sea just off of Coney Island. But a significant plot line concerns efforts to integrate the Alpha into a New York public high school and that recalls the protests and violence associated with similar actions during America’s Civil Rights movement.

The main character is Lyric, whose Dad is a New York cop and whose Mom ... well, read the story and find out. Lyric also struggles with boyfriends and has a best friend, Bex, whom she tries to protect from an abusive relationship. And then there are Lyric’s interactions with the Alpha, especially with Fathom, Arcade, and Ghost – as Lyric tries to understand their principles and rituals while dealing with “fear of the other” and hatred as expressed by many classmates.

This is a great book for middle school students and reluctant readers in high school. The pace moves along; there is much to visualize due to the various “monsters,” and yet it raises important parallels to historical events, homeland security, and even domestic abuse. Undertow received a starred review from School Library Journal, where its “perfect amount of romance and danger” is suggested for fans of The Hunger Games.  While students are waiting impatiently for the sequel to Undertow, they should definitely look for Full Tilt by Shusterman, another fantasy adventure with amusement park connections.  Or choose from amongst the works of the YA writers Buckley credits with providing inspiration: Libba Bray, E. Lockhart, David Levithan, Adele Griffin, Andrew Smith and Liani Taylor.