Review of Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci

Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci. Published in May 2008 by Harcourt Children's

The premise of Streams of Babel is that a worldwide circle of bio-terrorists has poisoned the drinking water of a select neighborhood in New Jersey. A group of USIC agents and teenage "v-spies" (the v is short for virtual) struggle to find the terrorists and discover the nature of the poison before it kills four young people. The four young people deal not only with their sickness, but also with two deaths caused by the poison and various types of teenage identity crises.

This novel was fun to read and entertaining, and one I would recommend to my students. I felt that it would have a wide appeal as the story involves many different types of characters and avoids stereotypes. The plot is quick-moving and presented very plainly, so even reluctant readers won't be put off by the initially daunting subject matter.

The strengths of this novel lie in its presentation of varied viewpoints on the idea of terrorism. One of the four young people, Owen, struggles with the idea that terrorists are 100% evil. His inner conflict brings out many of the arguments that so-called terrorists give for their actions, allowing the reader to examine those arguments in a safe environment.

Shahzad, a young Pakistani "v-spy", was the most well-developed and truly "round" character. His struggle with the loss of his family, his assertion that he is an adult despite his age (16), and his unique perspective on terrorism all make him fascinating to read about. Also, Shahzad's voice captures the state of "half-adult, half-child" that teenagers experience.

Despite the strong development of many characters, sections of this novel lost coherence for me as the author tried to balance too many characters. For example, I felt that the character of Tyler Ping could have been left out of the novel altogether. I appreciated his influence on Shahzad's character development, but felt his voice was an unnecessary addition. Tyler's use of drugs was not presented in a way that felt realistic. Also, the plot is often too transparent and doesn't leave enough mystery. Although it is a young adult offering, one should not assume that young adults need to have the plot completely unfolded for them.

I guess it sounds as if I am saying the novel is both too complicated and too simple, and I suppose I am. However, the novel was still an enjoyable read. I look forward to seeing what Carol Plum Ucci offers in the future.

Classroom Applications

Since this novel does use some profanity and may frighten younger readers, I would recommend it for grades 8 and up, or mature 6th and 7th graders. I actually have a couple of 7th graders in mind that I think would thoroughly enjoy (and be able to handle) this novel. I would not hold this up as an example of fine "literature" to my students (at least not with regards to use of language), but would surely recommend it as an interesting weekend read. I think it could be very useful in a book club setting for beginning discussions about the world we live in and America's place in that world.

Concepts/Topics: terrorism, materialism, friendship, family, responsibility, growing up, cultural differences

Literary devices to teach: point of view, characterization

Extension Questions:
1) Cora's classmates refer to her as "Little Miss Perfect." What nickname do you think
Cora would give herself, and why?
2) Rain mentions that she hopes (or even expects) to marry Owen in the future. Do you think they will marry? Why or why not?
3) Compare and contrast Owen's "public" personality with his "inside" personality. Do you know anyone like Owen, who seems to be two people at once?
4) What does it mean to be an adult? Is it about age or behavior? First, give your own personal response then share what you think Shahzad would have to say. Explain!
5) Do you agree with Owen that perhaps the terrorists aren't all bad? Why or why not?