Written by Cory Doctorow, Illustrated by Jen Wang
Anda is a normal teenage girl who loves video games. A visitor comes to her school and offers her membership in an elite clan on the most popular MMORPG. Anda is immediately interested, there’s just one catch – she has to play as a girl. Anda is a natural at Coarsegold and quickly meets up with Sarge. They begin performing missions and getting paid for their missions. But Anda discovers a secret that will change the game. The gold farmers they have been destroying in the game to take their gold are actually teenagers in China. They play the game for their job but they have no health coverage. Anda meets Raymond who is sick but can’t go to the doctor. Can Anda find a way to help someone across the world?
This book has been very popular in my middle school library. It appeals to middle school girls who can become anyone and do anything in a MMORPG. It teaches them a valuable lesson that there are real people on the other side of the screen. These people have real life problems just like they do. But if they work together they can solve some of these problems.
Review by Michelle Reed, Jefferson Jr. High Media Center
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 7+
In Real Life
Written by Cory Doctorow, Illustrated by Jen Wang
First Second
175 pages
Release Date: October 14, 2014
