Code Orange by Caroline B. Cooney

Reviewed by Lori
Code Orange
Title: Code Orange

Author: Caroline B. Cooney

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 70170

Description:  While conducting research for a school paper on smallpox, Mitty finds an envelope containing 100-year-old smallpox scabs and fears that he has infected himself and all of New York City.

 Rubric Rating: Level 3: Laud It

Why I Read It: I quite liked the cover of this book and I read some of Cooney's books as a teen.

Lori's Notes: All Mitchell Blake wanted to do was complete his biology assignment.  Research a virus, its symptoms, treatment options, whether it can be used in bioterrorism, etc.  Mitty doesn't relish the idea of doing all of this research especially when asked to use four actual books.  When his family goes to their country home on the weekend he stumbles across four books in the library that are exactly what he needs - but they also contain something he doesn't.  Inside the pages Mitty finds some scabs from the 1902 smallpox epidemic.  Unfortunately he doesn't know whether they still carry the virus.  Doing research with his "maybe" girlfriend Olivia, Mitty realizes that he could have inadvertently given himself smallpox.  Mitty turns to the internet to find out more about the scabs and is quickly contacted by people doing medical research and the CDC. When Mitty fails to show up at school, Olivia and Mitty's best friend Derek are questioned by the FBI and discover that Mitty has likely been kidnapped by terrorists interested in using the virus to infect the US.  If he wants to save his beloved New York, Mitty must take steps to ensure that the virus never leaves his body.  This book was surprisingly good.  The action is fairly fast paced and Mitty's introspection toward the end of the novel - realizing his role in possibly re-infecting the world with smallpox - is believable.  Particularly interesting is that the book takes place after the tragedy of 9/11 and uses that as part of the atmosphere of the novel.

Recommended Readers: This book would be well placed in a high school English classroom for novel study or reader's circle.  Grade 9 and up.

Themes: Viruses, Contagion, Smallpox, Parent and Child Relationships, New York, Friendship, Class Assignments, Medical Research, Bio-Terrorism, Infection, Epidemics, Plagues and Pandemics

Cross-Genre Links:
Movie: Outbreak (1995)
TV Show: ReGenesis
Music: Breathing by Kate Bush
Wikipedia Article: Smallpox
Media Search: Epidemics in history

Possible Discussion or Essay Questions:

  • Do some research on smallpox.  When did they stop vaccinating against smallpox in Canada?
  • Are you vaccinated?  Are your parents?  Are your Grandparents?  What would happen if there was an outbreak in Canada today?
  • Childhood vaccinations is sometimes a controversial topic, list reasons why people may or may not choose to vaccinate.
  • Why do you think the author uses New York as the setting for the novel?  Would it make the plot more or less compelling if the action took place in a small rural town instead of a large city like New York?
  • Mitty and Olivia aren't quite boyfriend and girlfriend, do you think they get together at the end of the novel?  Do you think Olivia and Derek will start to get along?
  • Do we ever find out who kidnapped Mitty?  Why do you think the author doesn't reveal the country they are from?

Other Support Materials:

Other Titles by Caroline B. Cooney:



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