Helping her mother deliver babies and advancing a portion of them to the wealthy Enclave has always been a routine part of Gaia’s life. However, after Gaia’s parents are arrested and taken abruptly from her, she begins to question many things in her life, including the practice of seizing newborn babies from their birth mothers. In order to acquire answers to her new questions, Gaia must sneak into the Enclave and find her parents

. When she makes it into the Enclave, Gaia is surprised to find things are not as glamorous as she had always been told. It was always assumed that the babies taken were being granted a new luxurious lifestyle, but it appears that those ruling the Enclave may have ulterior motives. The futuristic setting, strong female heroine, and ethical dilemmas of Birthmarked will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games.  361 pages  Ages  14 and up

Recommended by Carrie Shaurette, New York City Librarian, New York USA