The Limit

From School Library Journal Gr 6-10–With personal debt out of control, the federal government monitors spending and forces families who exceed their limit to undergo stringent measures to correct the problem. One option is for their teenage children to be sent to a workhouse where they can earn money to help reduce the family debt. Matt, a math and computer whiz, is not concerned for himself because his parents are smart enough and rich enough to play by the rules–right? But the unthinkable happens and, despite the fact that he is only in eighth grade, he is whisked off to a facility. His considerable intelligence and skills make him a “Top Floor”; he lives in luxury and is given intellectually stimulating work. Still, Matt realizes he is in a prison, and, with his hacker skills and the help of other Top Floors, determines to discover the truth. The protagonist is for the most part likable, and his actions and reactions are age-appropriate. The supporting characters, especially his parents, are not fully developed but do not detract from the fast-moving plot. Tension builds nicely as the climax nears, but most readers will guess some of the workhouse secrets before Matt and his friends do, and the denouement is unsatisfying. While the most egregious wrongs are resolved, the very idea of children being forced to work for their parents' economic sins is cheerfully accepted. This is better than Suzanne Wayne's The Bar Code Tattoo (Scholastic, 2004) but not quite on par with Margaret Peterson Haddix's Found (S & S, 2008). Fans of both books will enjoy it.–Anthony C. Doyle, Livingston High School, CA. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. From What would you do if your family suddenly went over their spending limit and you were taken away to a workhouse to help pay down their debt? Matthew Dunston finds himself in just such a situation. The Federal Debt Rehabilitation Agency gives his family no choice; thankfully, Matt scores high enough on all the tests to be assigned to the Top Floor. He likes his living arrangements, but he knows something is amiss. When Matt learns his sister, Lauren, is in the workhouse and is suffering from seizures, he knows it’s time to let the outside world know what is happening. Using all his wits and with the help of his Top Floor friends, he sets about to crack the secrets of the workhouse. From the first sentence (An eighth-grade girl was taken today), Landon captures readers’ attention and keeps it. This first-person, part realistic fiction, part fantasy should appeal to readers looking for high-action adventure. Grades 8-11. --J. B. Petty An eighth grade girl was taken today . . . With this first sentence, readers are immediately thrust into a fast-paced thriller that doesn't let up for a moment. In a world not too far removed from our own, kids are being taken away to special workhouses if their families exceed the monthly debt limit imposed by the government. Thirteen-year-old Matt briefly wonders if he might be next, but quickly dismisses the thought. After all, his parents are financially responsible, unlike the parents of those other kids. As long as his parents remain within their limit, the government will be satisfied and leave them alone. But all it takes is one fatal visit to the store to push Matts family over their limitand to change his reality forever. Kristen Landon's The Limit brings the popular dystopian thriller genre toa middle grade audience. When His Family Exceeds Its Legal Debt Limit, Thirteen-year-old Matt Is Sent To The Federal Debt Rehabilitation Agency Workhouse, Where He Discovers Illicit Activities Are Being Carried Out Using The Children Who Have Been Placed There.