wit. The unique use of "futuristic" language is noted as one of the novel's strong points. Feed won the Los Angeles Times Book Award and has been a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Feed was also named one of the ALA Best Books for Young Adults. The audio book version of Feed, narrated by David Aaron Baker, was an AudioFile Magazine Earphones Award Winner, and was also a finalist in Achievement in Production for the Audio Publishers Association 2004 Audie Awards®. Feed in schools Feed has been taught as a dystopian novel for young adults, exaggerating our modern society in an attempt to challenge it. The novel has been used as tool to show teenagers, who are generally familiar and even accepting of advertising, what the dangers of consumerism are without alarming them. Even the educational system in the novel has been compromised by corporations, which directly causes students to question the relation between consumerism and education. The novel not only addresses mindless consumerism, but powerful industry and marketing. Feed also tackles the importance of language, and the negative effect that occurs to the depletion of the English language. The general goal in teaching Feed is to show students what it means to be moral consumers. Thirsty Thirsty is the story of Chris, a teenage boy who is growing up to become a vampire while the people of his town (Boston) dedicate their time to fighting such dreaded creatures. His transformation is told through the similarities of growing up and going through adolescence. The plot is said to be startling, suspenseful and creepy, but also contains a captivating plot filled with humor. Thirsty was Anderson's first published novel and his debut in young adult literature. The novel has been held in high regard for being a particularly impressive first novel, having caused Anderson to be quickly noted as an author worth watching. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing Taking readers back to the birth of the United States, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation features the son of an African princess, raised in unique circumstances, having been brought to the American colonies. Octavian becomes part of a college study, attempting to gauge the intelligence and overall potential of African Americans. Octavian's mother dies from a college-mandated smallpox inoculation, and Octavian is forced to see the world for what