What's a bird?

The Sky Inside by Claire Dunkle

Dunkle, Clare B. 2008. The sky inside. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 1416924221. $16.99. Trade Cloth.

Annotation:
With the help of a robot dog, Barney discovers the secrets of the domed suburb in which he lives and the lies upon which his society is structured.

Reviews:
Booklist *Starred Review* (05-15-2008)
School Library Journal Review (5-1-2008)
Kirkus Review (1-1-2008)

Martin lives in the domed suburb of HM1. He’s never seen a cloud or a bird because the air outside isn’t fit for humans to breathe anymore. Martin’s younger sister Cassie is a genetically enhanced “Wonder Baby.” Wonder Babies were all the rage when they first came out on the market. The television ads promised supersmart, charming kids, and parents were ecstatic when the “stork” railway cars delivered them to the suburbs. They read before they’re two and question their parents on their feeding schedules. That’s the problem with the Wonder Babies: they ask too many questions, questions that the suburb residents have learned that it’s in their good interest not to ask.

One day there is an announcement that the Wonder Babies have been recalled. A stranger comes to the suburb to take Cassie and the other little children away. Martin’s mother and father won’t discuss where she’s gone. Martin is determined to find her, he is her big brother after all. With the help of his modified robot dog, Martin will venture out of the suburb and discover what is beyond The Sky Inside.

Book cover image from WorldCat
http://www.worldcat.org/