LibGuides: SAS Middle School Library: Neal Shusterman

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Neal Shusterman

Is an awesome author known for writing fantastic fantasy and dystopian stories just for you, middle-grade readers! He's from Brooklyn, New York, and has won great awards, like the National Book Award for Young People's Literature for "Challenger Deep" in 2015. Another one of his books, "Scythe," got a special mention as a Michael L. Printz Honor book in 2016.

Neal started his writing journey when he was young, and even though he majored in psychology and drama, he ended up becoming a famous author! His early books like "Dissidents" and "The Eyes of Kid Midas" are packed with adventure, featuring teenage boys navigating their way through action-packed stories.

But that's not all! Neal also wrote series of books, like the Star Shards Chronicles, where teenagers get superhuman powers, and the Dark Fusion series, mixing fairy tales with Greek mythology. He's got a trilogy called the Skinjacker series set between life and death, and it's super popular.

Neal teamed up with Eric Elfman for the Accelerati series, bringing you books like "Tesla’s Attic," where ordinary things have extraordinary powers. And don't forget the Arc of a Scythe series with "Scythe," "Thunderhead," and "The Toll." These books follow two teenagers training to be "scythes" to control overpopulation in their world. Plus, he wrote a spin-off called "Gleanings" in 2022.

Neal even collaborated with his son Jarrod Shusterman to write the novel "Dry" in 2019. So, if you're looking for exciting stories that mix adventure, fantasy, and a touch of science fiction, Neal Shusterman is the author to check out!

Learn more about Neal Shusterman, click on the link below to access more information:

Biography

MLA citation: "Neal Shusterman." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 21 Jun. 2023. school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/Neal-Shusterman/631540#. Accessed 22 Jan. 2024.

Library Catalog link for Neal Shusterman list

Titles by Neal Shusterman
This link will take you to our library catalog. Here you will find all of Neal Shusterman's books with their summary, and see if it is available for check out. From books to eBooks in SORA, you will find them all here. Happy Reading

The world of Scythe - An interview with Neal Shusterman

Get into Neal's mind as he shares how Scythe came to exist. What happens in a world where death no longer comes naturally? Let Neal tell you about that...

Scythe Trailer

Scythe by Neal Shusterman
ISBN: 9781442472426
Publication Date: 2016-11-22
Two teens must learn the "art of killing" in this Printz Honor-winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology. A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life--and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe--a role that neither wants. These teens must master the "art" of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own. Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award-winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.

Teachers! Check out this Reading group guide for Scythe.

Q+A with Neal Shusterman

Check out David W's chat interview with Neal Shusterman!

Unwind trailer

Unwind by Neal Shusterman
ISBN: 9781416912040
Publication Date: 2007-11-06
Three teens fight for their lives and each other in this breathtakingly suspenseful first book in the twisted, New York Times bestselling Unwind Dystology series by Neal Shusterman. After America's Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement. According to their Bill of Life, human life may not be terminated from the moment of conception until the age of thirteen. But between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, the child may be gotten rid of by their parent through a process called "unwinding." By repurposing a teen's organs and other body parts in living recipients, the unwound child's life doesn't technically end. According to society's leaders, unwinding leads to a healthier and safer community, as troublesome and unwanted teens are used for the greater good. Curtis is a rebel whose unwinding was ordered by his parents. Rita, a ward of the state, has been slated for unwinding due to cost cutting. And Lev, his parents' tenth child, has been destined for unwinding since birth as a religious tithe. As their paths intersect, they start to fight for their own destinies. But do they stand a chance of escaping their fate or proving their lives are worth saving?

Dry Trailer

Dry by Neal Shusterman; Jarrod Shusterman
ISBN: 9781481481960
Publication Date: 2018-10-02
When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, one teen is forced to make life and death decisions for her family in this harrowing story of survival from New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman. The drought--or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it--has been going on for a while now. Everyone's lives have become an endless list of don'ts: don't water the lawn, don't fill up your pool, don't take long showers. Until the taps run dry. Suddenly, Alyssa's quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbors and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don't return and her life--and the life of her brother--is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she's going to survive.

Challenger Deep Trailer

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman; Brendan Shusterman (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780061134111
Publication Date: 2015-04-21
National Book Award * Golden Kite Award Winner * Six Starred Reviews A captivating novel about mental illness that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman. Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench. Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior. Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence to document the journey with images. Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head. Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny. Caden Bosch is torn. Challenger Deep is a deeply powerful and personal novel from one of today's most admired writers for teens. Laurie Halse Anderson, award-winning author of Speak, calls Challenger Deep "a brilliant journey across the dark sea of the mind; frightening, sensitive, and powerful. Simply extraordinary."

Trigger Warning: This book features a suicide attempt, and problematic language when discussing suicide.

Check out this Story Map creation by John Nelson to learn about Challenger Deep.

You can also check out this article from Britannica, Mariana Trench, and learn more about Challenger Deep

Game Changer Chapter 1 (Part 1) | Storyman Virtual Reading Series

Game Changer by Neal Shusterman
ISBN: 9780061998676
Publication Date: 2021-02-09
"A timely, speculative thought experiment in perspective, privilege, and identity." --Kirkus "The conceit behind Shusterman's latest is truly unique. While it exhibits the author's usual storytelling aplomb, it also manages to delve into more serious and timely subject matter, such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. Despite these heavy topics, the story still moves at a lively pace and, thanks to a zany sci-fi twist, manages to pack in a few laughs as well." --Booklist All it takes is one hit on the football field, and suddenly Ash's life doesn't look quite the way he remembers it. Impossible though it seems, he's been hit into another dimension--and keeps on bouncing through worlds that are almost-but-not-really his own. The changes start small, but they quickly spiral out of control as Ash slides into universes where he has everything he's ever wanted, universes where society is stuck in the past...universes where he finds himself looking at life through entirely different eyes. And if he isn't careful, the world he's learning to see more clearly could blink out of existence... This high-concept novel from the National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of the Arc of a Scythe series tackles the most urgent themes of our time, making this a must-buy for readers who are starting to ask big questions about their own role in the universe.

SAS Middle School Library: Neal Shusterman

Visit our library catalog and see our Neal Shusterman Collection!

Neal Shusterman

Neal Shusterman

Library Catalog link for Neal Shusterman list

The world of Scythe - An interview with Neal Shusterman

Scythe Trailer

Q+A with Neal Shusterman

Unwind trailer

Dry Trailer

Challenger Deep Trailer

Game Changer Chapter 1 (Part 1) | Storyman Virtual Reading Series

Want to learn more about Neal? Check out his biography from Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica