CODE OF HONOR, by Alan Gratz

The story: Kamran's brother Darius is accused of being of a terrorist, and Kamran's family are detained by Homeland Security and questioned over and over. Kamran refuses to believe his brother is a traitor--and he thinks he can prove it by helping the authorities decode clues that Darius has been leaving in his video rants against the US. If Kamran's right, there's something big--and bad--about to come down right here in the US. His problem is getting anyone to believe the brother of a terrorist.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence R; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (racism, terriorism, covert operations) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: Here's a high-suspense thriller that gives readers a look behind the scenes of the fight against terrorism here on home soil. Equally important, it also explores themes of racism against Muslims (and by extension, those of unpopular religions or affiliations). Boys especially will enjoy this high-octane read.