Grade 9 Up-Gottfried deals with the potentially explosive topic of Constitutional rights and whether or not they are violated by the added security measures deemed necessary by our government to prevent further terrorist attacks. The author references news stories heard throughout the conflict with Afghanistan and the war with Iraq, such as the treatment of POWs at Guantanamo Bay, the USA PATRIOT Act, as well as the sometimes frustrating terror code warnings issued by the government that affect the way Americans travel and live. Gottfried covers all sides of each issue, providing facts that allow readers to draw their own conclusions. Human-interest stories are included, describing the unjustified arrest of many young men of Arab descent following the attacks of September 11, 2001.
