11 year-old Anna Hart, human calculator, seems to have some problems dealing with people; she also has a few problems like kleptomania, and being amoral.

One day Anna does not consult her INFAT (a computer that tells her whether it is safe to go to locations) and sees her doppelgänger at a clothing store and she decides to investigate; this will lead her to a secret about herself and a person once known as Anna Zimmerman.

We notice through the story that her brother Rowan goes from hating Anna to helping and maybe even liking her. This could lead to lifesaving situation for the whole family.

An exotic looking and mysterious substitute music history teacher from school, Michaela Dupont is not helping; if anything she seems to be aggravating the situation (or is she supposed to be guiding the child to some end.) Anna at first suspects Michaela of being evil.

There is a lot of danger and mystery to the story. Stranger still is that Anna seems to becoming more human. You will find your self kibitzing during potential escape scenes. In the end you decide who the good guys are and who the bad are.

A movie based on this novel is "Anna to the Infinite Power" by Mildred Ames. The Novel and movie are closely aligned.
Dina Merrill as Sarah Hart
Martha Byrne as Anna Hart
Mark Patton as Rowan Hart
Jack Gilford as Dr. Henry Jelliff

If you find this story intriguing then you may want to read the Replica book series by Marilyn Kaye, starting with "Amy Number Seven."

Anna to the Infinite Power

I almost put this book down after the first few chapters. I found the character of Anna to be unbearable at first (I know she's supposed to be this way, but I found it difficult to read about her) She has absolutely no conscience or feelings. She lies and steals. She only cares about herself and as her brother Rowan says, "It's as if she's not human."

But I read on, regardless of not liking Anna. Thank goodness I did, because this book would become an absolute page turner! I must admit that I like to "cheat" and peek ahead to see how the book ends. Even with doing this, I still found the end to be an absolute surprise, as the plot is so full of wonderful twists and turns. After reading the final chapter, the postlude, I was aghast at how the story turned out. All I can say is wow!

It turns out Rowan was correct. Anna isn't quite human at all. Living in a futuristic society (the 1990s!), Anna and Rowan cannot leave their home without consulting with a computer that allows them to go ahead. One day, in an act of rebellion, Rowan goes to a department store without consulting with the computer. He sees Anna there, but when confronted by Rowan, this girl does not know Rowan. Is it possible that Anna has a twin? What is going on?

As a librarian trainee, I am looking forward to booktalking this book and I sure hope that other people check it out. It's well worth it!

I read this book for the first time about 17 years ago. It actually began my love of reading. It is an incredible novel about the future & the dangers of cloning. Anna is such a real & believeable character. Her brother knows there is something different about her & does not like her. Once he begins to see her clones in public places, he rallies to her side & tries to help her discover why it is that she is so different. Great story & definitely recommended.

I am fifteen now and read this book when I was about 11 or 12. I thought the book was great and still own it. The plot was very interseting and I would recomend it to any young readers, especially those who like science fiction.

This book is written for a juvenile audience, I feel. I read it first when I was about 12 and again several more times throughout my teen years. I love this book. It is about Anna, a misfit within her own family. She is not like them and does not resemble any of them. She lives in a futuristic society where everyone has to type into computers (they are everywhere: malls, libraries, in every home), where they are going before they go there. The computer will then give them permission to go. One particular day, Anna decides to go somewhere with her brother and does not type it in. Her and her brother get separated in the store and he searches for her at length. He walks up to a young woman that looks identical to his sister and mistakes her. Anna finds out about this and there is a confrontation with the parents. Apparently, the mother willingly allowed scientists to inject a cloned egg into her of a famous person (I believe another scientist). This is why she does not look like her family. When the authorities find out that she did not type in where she was going and that she did indeed come into contact with one of her clones, they encourage her to go to a special hopsital/hotel of sorts. Alot of weird instances happen here. But I won't give it away. I highly recommend this to young adults, and even some older ones that would enjoy easy reading and thought provoking fiction. I LOVE this book!