Q&A with Scott Westerfeld
Q: In Extras, we meet Aya, and are introduced to a world different from the one we experienced with Tally Youngblood. Where did you get your ideas for Aya’s world?
A: Sometimes when I'm talking to young people about my books, I get odd questions like, “Do you live in a mansion?” or “Do people recognize you on the street?” or even, “Do you know Paris Hilton?” They surprised me at first, but eventually I realized that these questions aren’t so odd. Fame is hugely important to our culture, so it makes sense that teenagers would try to figure out where I, the visiting author, fit into the calculus of fame and celebrity.
So I wondered how teens would think about these issues in the Uglies world, now that Tally has shaken everything up. That began the process of creating a post-Pretty city where fame is everything.
For the record: I have no mansions, no one recognizes me on the street—unless I’m at an American Library Association convention—and I don’t know Paris Hilton, but I do know Garth Nix, which is way cooler.
Q: Both Tally and Aya live in cities that are similar to, yet very different from, to the ones we live in today. When you are creating these new environments, how do you decide which characteristics to keep from the real world and which ones to create?
A: Even if it’s set in the future, science fiction is always about the present. Usually how it talks about the present is to exaggerate certain trends of the current era, making them more extreme and obvious. Where the original Uglies trilogy was focused on today’s obsession with plastic surgery, Extras is all about our obsession with fame. The Uglies world already had social networking software, which Tally and her friends used for everyday communication. It was pretty easy to imagine people turning that technology into a way to track reputations and status.
Q: Unlike Tally, Aya lives in a city where your online status dictates your social status. Is this a commentary on the MySpace.com/Facebook/etc. phenomenon?
A: Well, Aya’s city doesn’t really distinguish between online and offline status. Every word you say is monitored by the city interface, so every time you talk about someone, watch them on TV, or even hum a tune they wrote, you bump their “face rank.” It’s a perfect melding of online and offline reputation. And by the way, every citizen has their own “feed,” or TV station.
Of course, that same melding of the online and real worlds is what’s happening in the present with social networking software. Teenagers are in effect putting their lives online. Those who are the most obsessive at social networking become celebrities, which brings all the pitfalls of celebrity: loss of privacy, loss of anonymity, and even a loss of self.
Of course, like my character Aya, they’re surprisingly savvy about the rules and techniques of fame. They know how it works and how to work it.
Q: We’ve heard that you use Australian slang as inspiration for some of the words in your books. Is this true?
A: In Australia, “spagbol” means spaghetti bolognese, and “littlies” and “crumblies” are used in some part of the country to mean little kids and old people. Indeed, the whole trick of shortening words and adding “ie” to the end is very, um, Aussie.
Here’s a real Australian sentence: “After brekkie we can open our Chrissie prezzies.” I’m not kidding.
Q: What is your favorite “new invention” from either the Uglies trilogy or Extras.
A: Well, nothing beats hoverboards, but my favorite new thing in the Extras universe is a “hoverball rig.”A rig is basically a full-body suit that allows you to fly without a board. As the name suggests, hoverball rigs were invented to wear while playing a sport, but, like hoverboards, rigs get used in all kinds of unexpected and deviant ways.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: It’s a new trilogy called Leviathan, which is set in an alternate 1914, at the beginning of the Great War (what we call World War I). It features living airships, walking mechanical war machines, and loads of romance. Plus, it’s going to be heavily illustrated by a brilliant artist I’ve found, almost halfway to graphic novel.
That’s all I can tell you right now...
Contributor: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
Further information about Scott and his books is available at www.scottwesterfeld.com.
Reviews
Blue Noon
Scott Westerfeld.
Not having read the first two volumes within this series made it somewhat difficult for me to follow the story. References were made to actions, events, and personality characteristics that were obviously developed in other books, necessitating a high level of inference and conjecture. Especially difficult were the references to characteristics that were not clear or evident from the actions of characters in this particular volume. Westerfeld weaves his tale of a separate time when only a chosen few are conscious, a time when the Midnighters are alive, and everyone else remains in a state of unconsciousness. He outlines the cosmic rift, which causes the special time to expand and erupt at unexpected moments. The Midnighters must fight paranormal forces and unknown entities, as well as their own insecurities, to shift the world back to some semblance of normalcy. Fast paced and full of suspense, this third book in the series would be best read in conjunction with the rest of the "Midnighters" series. 2005, Eos/HarperCollins, $15.99 and $16.89. Ages 12 to 18. Wendy M. Smith-D’Arezzo (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Kirkus Book Review Stars, January 1, 2006; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to Ninth Edition, 2007; H.W. Wilson Company; United States
ISBN: 0-06-051957-6
ISBN: 0-06-051958-4
ISBN: 978-0-06-051957-5
ISBN: 978-0-06-051958-2
Extras
Scott Westerfeld
Welcome to the world of Aya Fuse, a fifteen-year-old Ugly whose popularity ranking is rock bottom. In her city with its reputation-economy--where merits and face rankings determine who gets the best mansions, the most carbon emissions, and the biggest wall allowances--being noticed and popular is all important. But not to the Sly Girls. Aya has heard rumors about them--a secretive clique of daredevil young women who are not interested in popularity at all. If Aya can hook up with them, record their fear-making antics, and kick their story, she is certain to get a major boost in her rank. Sheer luck and guts get Aya in with the group. Now she finds herself torn between betraying the nascent friendships she has developed and her own self interest. But the discovery of strange beings secretly stockpiling what can only be missiles changes everything. Aya must kick her story to save the world. And it does not hurt that the added bonus will be a skyrocketing face rank that could put Aya in with the exalted 1000 Faces. Unfortunately Aya is about to learn that fame has its dark side. An astonishingly well-told story about a future society where popularity rules. Think American Idol, FaceBook and MySpace coming into your eyescreen and skintenna on a continuous 24/7 feed. Read the first three titles in the “Uglies” series before beginning this one; with the story’s many references to past events and characters, having some prior knowledge will make reading this book much more enjoyable. Highly recommended. 2007, Simon Pulse, $16.99. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5117-9
ISBN: 1-4169-5117-2
The Last Days
Scott Westerfeld
Giant worms that live underground. Millions of rats. A possible epidemic running rampant through New York City. Although this may sound like the plot of a B horror movie, it is actually an imaginative novel about a group of teenagers trying to start a band. The novel begins with a young woman who appears to be losing her mind, throwing all her belongings out the window. One of these items is a rare electric guitar, which is caught by two of the main characters, Pearl and Moz. Rescuing the guitar is serendipity, as both are looking to start a new band. Moz and Pearl round up three more musicians: Kahler, Moz’s friend who is a guitarist; Alana Ray, a drummer who “plays” paint buckets on the streets; and Minerva, the lead singer who appears to be turning into a vampire. A sequel to Peeps, this book focuses on the formation of the band, and whether or not they can save the planet from the upcoming apocalypse. Each of the five characters trade off narrating the chapters; their voices are not distinctive enough to differentiate among them without looking at the name of the narrator. This minor inconvenience can be overlooked in favor of the novel’s entertaining story. 2006, Razorbill/Penguin, $16.99. Ages 14 up. Reviewer: Leslie Wolfson (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Choices, 2007; Cooperative Children’s Book Center; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, August 1, 2006; United States
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers, 2007; YALSA; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, November 2006; Cahners; United States
ISBN: 1-5951-4062-X
ISBN: 978-1-5951-4062-3
Peeps
Scott Westerfeld
This is an odd book. Fans of vampire novels will like it, of course, but it has an extra kick to it. “Peeps” is short for “parasite-positive,” and the parasite in this case is vampirism. “Parasite” is the operative word here. You may think you know how parasites work--how they infect and kill their host species, how they get carried around by another species that will transmit them without being infected themselves--but Westerfeld tells us way more than we ever wanted to know, about more parasites than we ever thought existed. Cal Thompson, the narrator, is a carrier; he can transmit the parasite but is not a full-fledged vampire himself. He has many of the physical attributes of vampires. His senses of smell and taste and hearing are enhanced. He is also constantly horny, which means that when he walks down the street he has to look at the pavement rather than all the beautiful women. Cal is also a member of the Night Watch. This group of (questionable) police officers are trying to track down Peeps, and Cal needs to find the woman who infected him and the woman he infected. Are you confused yet? Just wait until cats get involved. Yes, both feral and domestic cats can carry the parasite. They can even be vampires. And there is Something living under the sewers, an evil Something that is just waiting for the right time so that it can take over. The Night Watch, the Peeps, and some “normals” form an alliance to defeat their ancient enemy. Very readable. Reviewer: Judy Silverman (Children's Literature).
Recommended for fans of the genre. 2005, Penguin Young Readers, $16.99. Ages 12 up.
Best Books:
Best Books for Young Adults, 2006; American Library Association-YALSA-Adult Books for Young Adults Task Force; United States
Bulletin Blue Ribbons, 2005; Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books; United States
Children's Editor's Choice, 2005; Kirkus Reviews; United States
Choices, 2006; Cooperative Children’s Book Center; United States
Kirkus Best Children's Books , 2005; Kirkus Reviews; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, August 1, 2005; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 2005; Cahners; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2006 Supplement, 2006; H. W. Wilson Company; United States
SLJ Best Books, 2005; Cahners; United States
Teens' Top Ten List, 2006; American Library Association-YALSA; Nominee; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Locus Award Finalist 2006 Best Young Adult Book United States
Thumbs Up! Award Honor Book 2006 United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Garden State Teen Book Award, 2008; Nominee; Fiction Grades 9-12; New Jersey
Grand Canyon Reader Award, 2008; Nominee; Teen Recommended; Arizona
Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 2008; Nominee; Grade 9-12; Kentucky
Rhode Island Teen Book Award, 2008; Nominee; Rhode Island
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2007-2008; Texas
Volunteer State Book Award, 2007-2008; Nominee; Grades 7-12; Tennessee
ISBN: 1-5951-4031-X
ISBN: 978-1-5951-4031-9
Polymorph
Scott Westerfeld
Even as a child, Lee knew she was different. She learned that she could change parts of her body at will to resemble a picture or even another person. As she grew older and gained control of her body, Lee learned to change completely, to become another person--man or woman--whatever suited her needs or mood at the time. She was a polymorph, but it was a lonely life in many ways because no one else really understood. Then she met Bonita. After a wild night of sex, drugs, and alcohol, Bonita reveals that she is also a polymorph and hints that there are more out there. When Lee wakes up the next day with a vicious hangover, she does not remember much about what happened the night before, but does remember that she needs to find Bonita again to learn more about who and where the other polymorphs are. As she searches for Bonita with the help of her hacker friend, Freddie, Lee realizes that Bonita is a very dangerous person, involved in a plot to take over a major conglomerate by assuming the identity of the CEO. Lee, with her ability to "morph" into various identities, can stop her, but only at the risk of her own life. This book was very slow to grab my attention and it was not until the last few chapters that I actually felt involved in the plot. The very explicit and graphic sex--hetero- and homosexual--did nothing to further the action of the story. Although the setting is futuristic, the background is never fully developed. I would not recommend this title for purchase. Instead, teens interested in the concept of identity changing or "morphing" might want to try Masque (Warner, 1998) by F. Paul Wilson and Matthew J. Costello, reviewed in this issue. VOYA CODES: 2Q 3P S (Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q; Will appeal with pushing; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 1997, Roc, 288p., $5.99. Ages 15 to 18. Reviewer: Linda Roberts (VOYA, August 1998 (Vol. 21, No. 3)).
ISBN: 0-4514-5660-2
ISBN: 978-0-4514-5660-1
Pretties
Scott Westerfeld
This gripping sequel to Uglies begins as Tally is enjoying her new life as a pretty. She's with her best friends Shay and Peris again, she has a gorgeous new boyfriend named Zane, and she's about to join the most sought-after clique in New Pretty Town. But when she receives a message from her old friends in the Smoke, she's reminded of her mission: to test a cure for the brain surgery that dulls the minds of pretties. She and Zane share the cure, which clears their minds but makes Zane dangerously ill. The couple teaches the rest of their clique how to keep their minds clear without the cure. But with her newly clear mind, Shay remembers Tally's betrayal of the Smoke and breaks off to form a violent new clique of her own. Now hiding from Shay as well as the authorities, Tally and her friends must plan a daring escape from New Pretty Town--before it's too late for Zane. Pretties continues to ask questions about friendship and betrayal, while building one of the most fascinating worlds in recent SF. It pulls no punches, gives no easy answers, and ends with a shocking cliffhanger that will leave you counting the days until the final book. (Sequel to Uglies) Category: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror. KLIATT Codes: JS*--Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005, Simon & Schuster, 370p., $6.99. Ages 12 to 18. Reviewer: Samantha Musher (KLIATT Review, January 2006 (Vol. 40, No. 1)).
Best Books:
Choices, 2006; Cooperative Children’s Book Center; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog 2006 Supplement to the Ninth Edition, 2006; H.W Wilson Company; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2006 Supplement, 2006; H. W. Wilson Company; United States
Young Adults' Choices, 2007; International Reading Association; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Aurealis Award Highly Commended 2005 Young Adult Novel Australia
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Soaring Eagle Book Award, 2007-2008; Nominee; Grades 7-12; Wyoming
ISBN: 0-689-86539-2
ISBN: 978-0-689-86539-8
The Secret Hour
Scott Westerfeld
To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, March 2004: As the new girl in Bixby, Oklahoma, Jessica Day is more concerned with adjusting to her new surroundings than making friends, but Dess, a Goth girl hiding behind dark glasses, strikes up a strange conversation with her, hinting that something in Bixby might give her bad dreams. That night, Jessica thinks she must be dreaming when she wakes up to blue diamonds glittering in the air outside her window, only to realize that the gems are rain suspended mid-fall. The next night, “dreaming” again, she ventures out of the house to explore a time-frozen world that seems to be hers alone. On the other side of town, however, Dess and a few other teens sense Jessica’s presence. They find her just as she is about to be attacked by a shadowy panther and tell her this is no dream. Jessica learns that they all share a special commonality. Each one was born at midnight and as a result experiences a 25th hour in the day when real time stops, blue time starts, and the darklings come out. Since Jessica’s arrival, though, the darklings have gotten aggressive, and the Midnighters have to find out why. They each have special powers, but until they discover what Jessica’s talent is, and why she has become the darkling’s target, their midnight hour is in jeopardy. In Westerfeld’s first Midnighters tale, he concocts a unique and fresh fantasy setting just beyond the edge of our consciousness. Readers will certainly be pulled into the blue time and look for the next volumes in the series: Touching Darkness (978-0-06-051956-8) and Blue Moon (978-0-06051959-9.) (Midnighters, Book 1) Category: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror. KLIATT Codes: JS--Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2004, HarperCollins, 297p., $8.99. Ages 12 to 18. Reviewer: Michele Winship (KLIATT Review, Month year (Vol. 42, No. 1))
Best Books:
Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2008; YALSA American Library Association; United States
ISBN: 978-0-06-051953-7
ISBN: 0-06-051953-3
The Secret Hour
Scott Westerfeld
A cross between the modern scenario of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the old-fashioned magic of Tom's Midnight Garden (Oxford University Press, 1958), this first in a series is set in a modern high school, with a newcomer discovering that those who dress in black and act like outcasts really do know something that mainstream American teenagers do not. Jessica arrives at Bixby High School as the new girl, facing crowded hallways and hostile lunchrooms in a new town just as any other teen would--with fear. The normal trepidation is compounded, however, by odd dreams and her growing perception that something is amiss in Bixby, Oklahoma. When she meets a group of teens who dress in black and are held as outsiders by the school, they advise her "don't drink the water" and only serve to confirm that Bixby is different. One night, Jessica awakes exactly at midnight to find time frozen, and that she has become one of the Midnighters. The Blue Time, as it is called, is not full of fun, however. She is rescued by Melissa, Rex, and Dess, who reveal that the laws of physics and nature do not work at this time. In addition to having the power to walk at midnight, they each possess a special gift that sets them aside in the ordinary daylight as weirdos. These teens have psychic powers, and they protect the real world from threat. The ending both promises Jessica a place in normal high school society and future adventures in the Blue Time with her new friends. This novel presents a promising start to a series for Buffy book and television fans and more sophisticated readers of Stephen King or Margaret Mahy. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2004, HarperCollins, 304p., $15.99 and PLB $16.89. Ages 12 to 18. Reviewer: Hillary Theyer (VOYA, April 2004 (Vol. 27, No. 1))
Best Books:
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Ninth Edition, 2005; H.W. Wilson; United States
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers, 2005; American Library Association YALSA; United States
Young Adults' Choices, 2006; International Reading Association; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Aurealis Award Winner 2004 Young Adult Novel Australia
Locus Award Finalst 2005 Best Young Adult Book United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Beehive Award, 2005-2006; Nominee; Young Adult; Utah
Evergreen Young Adult Book Award, 2007; Nominee; Washington
Lone Star Reading List, 2005-2006; Reading List; Grades 6-8; Texas
Nevada Young Readers' Award, 2006; Nominee; Young Adult; Nevada
Sequoyah Book Award, 2007; Nominee; Young Adult; Oklahoma
ISBN: 0-06-051951-7
ISBN: 0-06-051952-5
ISBN: 978-0-06-051951-3
ISBN: 978-0-06-051952-0
So Yesterday
Scott Westerfeld.
Seventeen-year-old Hunter Braque works as a “cool spotter,” that is, he is paid by corporations to notice and report back what he predicts will be the next big trend. Occasionally he attends “cool tastings,” (known as “focus groups” yesterday). Hunter meets Jen when he asks to take a photograph (using his cell phone, of course) of the innovative way she has tied her shoelaces. He invites Jen to a cool tasting, and the mystery begins. Readers will enjoy challenging themselves to identify the most current cool products from Hunter’s descriptions of them (he refuses to do product placement-- naming brands--in his story). This clever novel is full of visual detail and would make an entertaining movie. Don’t delay in offering it to students, however, because it is saturated with the newest and the coolest and will not stay current very long. Westerfeld has built obsolescence right into his novel; soon it, too, will be “so yesterday.” Category: Pop-culture/Mystery. YA--Young Adult. 2004, Razorbill (Penguin Group), 225 pp., $16.99. Ages young adult. Reviewer: Hillary Theyer (VOYA, April 2004 (Vol. 27, No. 1))
Best Books:
Best Books for Young Adults, 2005; American Library Association YALSA; United States
Choices, 2005; Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Horn Book Magazine Starred Reviews, January/February 2005; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, August 1, 2004; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2005 Supplement, 2005; H.W. Wilson; United States
Top 10 Mystery/Suspense for Youth, 2005; Booklist; United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Evergreen Young Adult Book Award, 2007; Nominee; Washington
Garden State Teen Book Award, 2007; Nominee; Fiction Grades 9-12; New Jersey
Rhode Island Teen Book Award, 2006; Nominee; All Teens; Rhode Island
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2005-2006; Reading List; High School Level; Texas
Volunteer State Book Award, 2006-2007; Nominee; Grades 7-12 (YA); Tennessee
ISBN: 1-5951-4000-X
ISBN: 978-1-5951-4000-5
So Yesterday
Scott Westerfeld
Read by Scott Brick
From the KLIATT review of the book, September 2004: "Cool is cool, and what's cool today is tomorrow's old news. But who decides what's cool? Marketing executives? Big-name celebrities? Or is cool created one unique shoelace tie at a time by innovators who live outside the box? Just ask Hunter. He's a Trendsetter whose job is to determine 'cool' and send it on down the line, through the Early Adopters, the Consumers, and finally the Laggards. Best of all, he gets paid for it as a 'cool hunter' who works for 'the client,' a big-name company that specializes in athletic wear through Mandy, their marketing agent. Things get a little complicated when he discovers Jen, a true Innovator, and brings her to a 'cool tasting' with the other trendsetters...Westerfeld has encapsulated today's cool in a fast-paced, fun novel that's not afraid to poke fun at our own consumerism while at the same time recognizing that cool rules." Narrator Brick gets inside Hunter Braque and his new girlfriend, Jen, and ably brings them to life in a lighthearted way. Without going for New York accents, he brings out the Manhattan flavor, making them real without ever becoming flamboyant or going over the top. He keeps things moving, keeps us grinning, and maintains the suspense of this tongue-in-cheek mystery. Pleasant listening. Category: Audiobooks Fiction. KLIATT Codes: JS--Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005 (orig. 2004), Listening Library, 6 cds. 6.5 hrs.; Vinyl; plot, author, reader notes., $50.00. Ages 12 to 18. Reviewer: Mary Purucker (KLIATT Review, September 2006 (Vol. 40, No. 5)).
ISBN: 0-307-28458-1
ISBN: 978-0-307-28458-7
Specials
Scott Westerfeld
This long awaited third book will not disappoint fans of the science fiction Scott Westerfield trilogy. Tally Youngblood, the once rebellious Ugly and then troublemaking Pretty, is now a member of the Cutters--a new group of special Specials created by Dr. Cummings herself and lead by Tally’s best friend, Shane. The Cutters were created in order to search out and destroy the New Smoke and most of the old Crims are now members. True to her character, however, Tally has trouble fully accepting what it means to be a Cutter without Zane by her side and demands to see him and help his case. When she sees the new Zane, Tally is horrified by how she reacts to his “prettiness” and lack of special qualities, yet she is determined to prove that Zane, the once level-headed leader of the Crims, should be made into a Cutter too. Shane and Tally use Zane and his group of runaways in order to locate the New Smoke, only to discover that it is so much more than any of them could have imagined. It is an entire city just like theirs, only there are limitless possibilities, no bubbleheads, and no Specials. Tally finds that she and the other Specials are not feared in this new and strange city. Instead, she is a monster and a hazard to those around her. Amid a war that she created, Tally has to come to grips with who she is. Can she overcome this newest surgery and cure herself once again from the brain operation, which this time has turned her into a fearless killer? This trilogy will captivate readers of all ages of readers from beginning to end. A new-age science fiction novel, it will find its place in the classroom as well as for independent reading. 2006, Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster, $15.95. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Jeanna Sciarrotta (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Kirkus Book Review Stars, May 1, 2006; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to Ninth Edition, 2007; H.W. Wilson Company; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2006 Supplement, 2006; H. W. Wilson Company; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Hal Clement Award Finalist 2006 United States
ISBN: 1-4169-4795-7
ISBN: 978-1-4169-4795-0
Touching Darkness
Scott Westerfeld
This second installment in the “Midnighters” trilogy continues the story of five teenagers in Oklahoma who share a secret twenty-fifth hour each day. Surrounded by “stiffs” (time-frozen humans), the teens carouse the town in the “blue time” (the hour of midnight) warding off evil creatures by way of their various powers. Each of the protagonists presents a separate point of view, which would work better if the story were longer and more sophisticated. As it is, keeping the characters straight is hard, especially for those not steeped in the first volume. The threads of the story, too, are slow in coming together--the book is half-read before there is a plot to latch onto. Still, the tale is full of creativity and imagination. The “midnighter” teens each have a different power to help the group survive--one flies, one reads minds, one is a math whiz, etc. Their night world is inhabited by cool things--darklings (which eat midnighters), halflings (a new, intimately scary threat) and slithers (annoying snake-like beings). The midnighters make weapons from everyday objects, and name them with “tridecalogisms” (thirteen-letter words). There is some teen love, too, for those who like romance in their sci-fi reads. A handful of fight scenes will likely be popular, also, but the sparseness of some descriptions may leave fans wishing this were a graphic novel. The conclusion is satisfyingly eerie, and leaves some intriguing story lines to be picked up in the last book. 2004, Eos/HarperCollins, $15.99 and $16.89. Ages 12 to 16. Reviewer: Jane Harrington (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Children's Editor's Choice, 2005; Kirkus Reviews; United States
Kirkus Best Children's Books , 2005; Kirkus Reviews; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, February 1, 2005; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Andre Norton Award Finalist 2006 United States
Locus Award Finalist 2006 Best Young Adult Book United States
ISBN: 0-06-051954-1
ISBN: 0-06-051955-X
ISBN: 978-0-06-051954-4
ISBN: 978-0-06-051955-1
Uglies
Scott Westerfeld
In this sci-fi allegory, normal-looking people are called “uglies.” Tally looks forward to her 16th birthday, after which she can have the operation which will make her a “pretty.” Her boyfriend had the operation a short time before which allows him to live in another city where only pretties can live and where pretties party from morning till night. Then Tally meets a girlfriend who is looking for another life-style. As Tally follows this friend to an outpost of rugged outdoor living, she begins to see things differently and learns a disturbing truth about the “pretty” operation. A new boyfriend adds interest. Which lifestyle Tally will choose and which side she will betray, is not completely clear at the end of the book which leads to a sequel. Surprising plot twists and dangerous circumstances keep the reader guessing. 2005, Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, $6.99. Ages 12 to 16. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Best Books for Young Adults, 2006; American Library Association-YALSA-Adult Books for Young Adults Task Force; United States
Booklist Book Review Stars , Mar. 15, 2005; United States
Core Collection: Character Education In YA Fiction, 2006; American Library Association-Booklist; United States
Children's Editor's Choice, 2005; Kirkus Reviews; United States
Choices, 2006; Cooperative Children’s Book Center; United States
Kirkus Best Children's Books , 2005; Kirkus Reviews; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, February 15, 2005; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Ninth Edition, 2005; H.W. Wilson; United States
Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2006; American Library Association-YALSA; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, March 2005; Cahners; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2006 Supplement, 2006; H. W. Wilson Company; United States
SLJ Best Books, 2005; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award Winner 2007 Illinois
Aurealis Award Finalst 2005 Young Adult Novel Australia
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award Winner 2006-2007 Indiana
Golden Archer Award Nominee 2007-2008 Middle/Junior High Wisconsin
Hal Clement Award Winner 2006 Young Adult United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award, 2007; Nominee; Illinois
Beehive Award, 2007; Nominee; Young Adult Fiction; Utah
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2007-2008; Nominee; High School; Maryland
Buckeye Children's Book Award, 2007; Nominee; Teen Twelve; Ohio
Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, 2008; Nominee; Colorado
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award, 2006-2007; Nominee; High School Grades; Indiana
Garden State Teen Book Award, 2008; Nominee; Fiction Grades 6-8; New Jersey
Gateway Readers Award, 2007-2008; Nominee; Missouri
Grand Canyon Reader Award, 2008; Nominee; Tween Book; Arizona
Great Lakes Great Books Award, 2007-2008; Nominee; Grades 9-12; Michigan
Iowa Teen Award, 2007-2008; Nominee; Iowa
Lone Star Reading List, 2006-2007; Grades 6-8; Texas
Nevada Young Readers' Award, 2008; Nominee; Young Adult; Nevada
Sequoyah Book Award, 2008; Masterlist; Young Adult; Oklahoma
Soaring Eagle Book Award, 2006-2007; Nominee; Wyoming
South Carolina Young Adult Book Award, 2007-2008; Nominee; Grades 9-12; South Carolina
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2006-2007; Texas
Virginia Readers' Choice Award, 2007-2008; Nominee; High School; Virginia
Wisconsin Battle of the Books, 2007-2008; Middle Level; Wisconsin
Wisconsin Battle of the Books, 2007-2008; High School; Wisconsin
Young Reader's Choice Award, 2008; Nominee; Grades 7-9; Pacific Northwest
ISBN: 0-689-86538-4
ISBN: 978-0-689-86538-1
Added 03/24/08
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