The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1, by PJ Haarsma

Normally I don’t gravitate toward weird outer-space sci-fi type books, but this one is on the 08-09 SCJBA list and I heard that it was really good and I’m trying to broaden my horizons, so…I really liked it! Two hundred orphaned human children reach the Rings of Orbis on their spaceship where they are made to work as slaves for the aliens in return for their habitation in Orbis 1. 

The main character, JT, is treated differently when their ship docks and the children are checked out. JT is a “softwire” – he can communicate with computers by using only his mind.  His abilities are a blessing and a curse and nearly cost him his life. This is a story of good vs. evil, you just don’t know who is good and who is evil. There are many twists and turns in this story and there are some questions left unanswered for the next in this series.