Best Selling Books by Neal Shusterman

“The authors do not hold back.” —Booklist (starred review) “The palpable desperation that pervades the plot…feels true, giving it a chilling air of inevitability.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “The Shustermans challenge readers.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “No one does doom like Neal Shusterman.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) 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.

In the next part of Neal Shusterman''s gripping and thought-provoking futuristic thriller, Connor, Lev and Risa continue to uncover shocking secrets about the process of ''Unwinding'' and the company, Proactive Citizenry, which created Cam, a teen made completely from parts taken from ''unwound'' teens. There are plans to mass produce rewound teens like Cam for military purposes, and below the surface of that potential horror lies a sinister layer of intrigue… Proactive Citizenry has been suppressing technology that could make unwinding completely unnecessary. Will Connor, Lev and Risa ever be able to break free from the fear of Unwinding? Praise for Unwind: "Following in the footsteps of Jonathan Swift, Shusterman uncorks a Modest Proposal of his own…" Booklist "Gripping, brilliantly imagined futuristic thriller… The issues raised could not be more provocative - the sanctity of life, the meaning of being human - while the delivery could hardly be more engrossing or better aimed to teens." Publishers Weekly, starred review "a powerful, shocking, and intelligent novel... It''s wonderful, wonderful stuff." thebookbag.co.uk "This is the kind of rare book that makes the hairs on your neck rise up. It is written with a sense of drama that should get it instantly snapped up for film." The Times

When Nick and Allie are killed in a car crash, they end up in Everlost, or limbo for lost souls, where although Nick is satisfied, Allie will stop at nothing--even skinjacking--to break free.

When sixteen-year-old Blake goes to a mysterious, by-invitation-only carnival he somehow knows that it could save his comatose brother, but soon learns that much more is at stake if he fails to meet the challenge presented there by the beautiful Cass

In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them Connor''s parents want to be rid of him because he''s a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev''s unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family''s strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can''t be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away. In Unwind, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers'' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive.

In the limbo that is Everlost, Mary, Nick, Allie, and others must determine whether that place and Earth will continue to exist, as well as where their own futures lie.

A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) 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.

From the team that brought you the New York Times bestselling Dry comes a “gritty and unflinching” (Booklist) thriller that proves when gods play games, even love is a lie. The freeway is coming. It will cut the neighborhood in two. Construction has already started, pushing toward this corridor of condemned houses and cracked concrete with the momentum of the inevitable. Yet there you are, in the fifth house on the left, fighting for your life. Ramey, I. The victim of the bet between two manufactured gods: the seductive and lethal Roxy (Oxycontin), who is at the top of her game, and the smart, high-achieving Addison (Adderall), who is tired of being the helpful one, and longs for a more dangerous, less wholesome image. The wager—a contest to see who can bring their mark to “the Party” first—is a race to the bottom of a rave that has raged since the beginning of time. And you are only human, dazzled by the lights and music. Drawn by what the drugs offer—tempted to take that step past helpful to harmful…and the troubled places that lie beyond. But there are two I. Rameys—Isaac, a soccer player thrown into Roxy’s orbit by a bad fall and a bad doctor and Ivy, his older sister, whose increasing frustration with her untreated ADHD leads her to renew her acquaintance with Addy. Which one are you?

“A furiously paced finale that reaches for the stars.” —Kirkus Reviews “Gripping.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “Stellar.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) In the highly anticipated finale to the New York Times bestselling trilogy, dictators, prophets, and tensions rise. In a world that’s conquered death, will humanity finally be torn asunder by the immortal beings it created? Citra and Rowan have disappeared. Endura is gone. It seems like nothing stands between Scythe Goddard and absolute dominion over the world scythedom. With the silence of the Thunderhead and the reverberations of the Great Resonance still shaking the earth to its core, the question remains: Is there anyone left who can stop him? The answer lies in the Tone, the Toll, and the Thunder.

How did Lev Calder move from an unwillingly escaped Tithe to a clapper? In this revealing short story, Neal Shusterman opens a window on Lev’s adventures between the time he left CyFi and showed up at the Graveyard. Pulling elements from Neal Shusterman’s critically acclaimed Unwind and giving hints about what is to come in the riveting sequel, UnWholly, this short story is not to be missed.

In a society where unwanted and troublesome teens are salvaged for their body parts, Connor, Risa and Lev continue to fight against the system that would ''unwind'' them. Thanks to their high-profile revolt at the Happy Jack Harvest Camp, people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding.Ridding society of so-called troublesome teens might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question and a new law passed. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests, not to mention the illegal ''Parts Pirates'', that want to see it not only continue, but expand. Connor, Risa and Lev each struggle to rescue as many AWOL teens as possible and offer them sanctuary. But life at the Graveyard is hard, rivalries bubble under the surface and the cracks are beginning to show. And then there is Cam, a teen who does not exist. Made entirely out of parts from one hundred other ''unwinds'', Cam is a 21stcentury Frankenstein, a rewound, struggling to find a true identity and meaning, and a place in society. But when a sadistic bounty hunter who takes "trophies" from all the ''unwinds'' he captures starts to pursue Connor, Lev and Risa, Cam finds his own fate inextricably bound with theirs…

The fate of America hangs in the balance in the fourth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Unwind Dystology series by Neal Shusterman. Cam was only the start of Proactive Citizenry’s plans for rewound teens. The corrupt company is planning to mass-produce rewound teen soldiers, and to keep their profitable plans from being interrupted, they’ve been suppressing technology that could make unwinding completely unnecessary. When Conner, Risa, and Lev uncover these startling secrets, enraged teens march on Washington to demand justice and a better future. But more trouble is brewing. Starkey’s group of storked teens is growing more powerful and militant with each new recruit. And if they have their way, they’ll burn the harvest camps to the ground and put every adult in them before a firing squad. Can the persecuted teens get the justice they deserve without dooming America to a divided and violent future?

Fourteen-year-old Jason faces an identity crisis after discovering that he is the son of aliens who stayed on earth following a botched invasion mission.

Nick, enamored with Mary Hightower, leader of a group of Afterlights living in the ruins of the World Trade Center, joins with her and the Chocolate Ogre in a battle to save the land of Everlost.

They say his clothes blend into the background, no matter where he stands. They say a lot of things about the Schwa, but one thing’s for sure: no one ever noticed him. Except me. My name is Antsy Bonano, and I was the one who realized the Schwa was “functionally invisible” and used him to make some big bucks. But I was also the one who caused him more grief than a friend should. So if you all just shut up and listen, I’ll tell you everything there is to know about the Schwa, from how he got his name, to what really happened with his mom. I’ll spill everything. Unless, of course, “the Schwa Effect” wipes him out of my brain before I’m done….

Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner National Jewish Book Award finalist Neal Shusterman, Margaret A. Edwards Award Winner National Book Award winner Neal Shusterman and acclaimed illustrator Andres Vera Martinez present a graphic novel exploring the Holocaust through surreal visions and a textured canvas of heroism and hope. Courage to Dream plunges readers into the Holocaust - one of the greatest atrocities in human history - delving into the core of what it means to face the extinction of everything and everyone you hold dear. This gripping, multifaceted tapestry is woven from Jewish folklore and cultural history. Five interlocking narratives explore one common story - the tradition of resistance and uplift. Neal Shusterman and Andres Vera Martinez are internationally renowned creators who have collaborated on a masterwork that encourages the compassionate, bold reaching for a dream.

The New York Times bestselling author of Challenger Deep, Neal Shusterman, delivers a suspenseful, eloquent, and thrilling novel that you won''t be able to stop thinking about after you''ve put it down. Tennyson is not surprised, really, when his family begins to fall apart, or when his twin sister, Brontë, starts dating the misunderstood bully, Brewster (or The Bruiser, as the entire high school calls him). Tennyson is determined to get to the bottom of The Bruiser''s reputation, even if it means gearing up for a fight. Brontë, on the other hand, thinks there''s something special underneath that tough exterior. And she''s right…but neither she nor Tennyson is prepared for the truth of what lies below the surface. Told through Tennyson, Brontë, and Bruiser''s points of view, this dark, twisting novel explores friendship, family, and the sacrifices we make for the people we love. A Texas Lone Star Reading List selection A Book Page Top Ten Book of the Year A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year A Cooperative Children''s Book Center Choice

The New York Times bestselling Arc of the Scythe series continues with “captivating…thrilling” (School Library Journal) stories that span the timeline. Storylines continue. Origin stories are revealed. And new Scythes emerge! There are still countless tales of the Scythedom to tell. Centuries passed between the Thunderhead cradling humanity and Scythe Goddard trying to turn it upside down. For years, humans lived in a world without hunger, disease, or death with Scythes as the living instruments of population control. Neal Shusterman—along with collaborators David Yoon, Jarrod Shusterman, Sofía Lapuente, Michael H. Payne, Michelle Knowlden, and Joelle Shusterman—returns to the world throughout the timeline of the Arc of a Scythe series. Discover secrets and histories of characters you’ve followed for three volumes and meet new heroes, new foes, and some figures in between. Gleanings shows just how expansive, terrifying, and thrilling the world that began with the Printz Honor–winning Scythe truly is.

When 14-year-old Lindsay meets Talon and discovers the Downsiders world which had evolved from the subway built in New York in 1867 by Alfred Ely Beach, she and her new friend experience the clash of their cultures.

“Intelligent and entertaining.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Even better than the first book.” —School Library Journal (starred review) Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds, in the chilling sequel to the Printz Honor Book Scythe from New York Times bestseller Neal Shusterman, author of the Unwind dystology. Humans learn from their mistakes. I cannot. I make no mistakes. The Thunderhead is the perfect ruler of a perfect world, but it has no control over the scythedom. A year has passed since Rowan had gone off grid. Since then, he has become an urban legend, a vigilante snuffing out corrupt scythes in a trial by fire. His story is told in whispers across the continent. As Scythe Anastasia, Citra gleans with compassion and openly challenges the ideals of the “new order.” But when her life is threatened and her methods questioned, it becomes clear that not everyone is open to the change. Old foes and new enemies converge, and as corruption within the Scythedom spreads, Rowan and Citra begin to lose hope. Will the Thunderhead intervene? Or will it simply watch as this perfect world begins to unravel?

"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.

Fourteen-year-old Anthony "Antsy" Bonano learns about life, death, and a lot more when he tries to help a friend with a terminal illness feel hopeful about the future.

A collection of creepy stories.

Nick Herrera has been a superhero ever since he rescued a little girl from a speeding subway train. Now he believes he has a gift which compels him to perform more and more heroic feats--even if it means looking for them.

A fourteen-year-old living with his grandparents learns his father is to be released from prison after killing his mother and feels apprehensive about renewing the relationship. Based on true events.

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."

Originally published in 1991 as What daddy did by Little, Brown, and Company.

The triumphant conclusion to the acclaimed Star Shards Chronicles trilogy that began with "Scorpion Shards" and "Thief of Souls."

Three teens seek to unravel the truth behind conflicting agendas surrounding a deadly virus that could change humanity forever.

The Shadow Club starts simply enough: the kids who are tired of being second-best get together and, for the first time, talk about how they feel. But soon the members decide to play practical jokes on the first-place winners they envy, and things begin to spin dangerously out of control. "This is a provocative novel . . . The plot is ingeniously simple and the course of events compelling. Brisk enough to snag a popular audience, but forceful in impact, it will leave readers thinking." (Booklist, starred review)

For five young people born with extraordinary powers, the climactic battle against Evil has not yet brought an end to their nightmare. Imprisoned for thousands of years, an ancient, malevolent force--the Bringer--awaits the moment when it can break free and reek its revenge upon the world. Only the power of five can stop it.

The Shadow Club doesn''t exist anymore. The group of second-best kids used to play anonymous practical jokes on their rivals, until things spiraled out of control. Now Jared and the ex-Shadow Club members are having a hard time shaking their reputation. And when the new golden boy at school is the victim of a series of nasty pranks, everyone''s convinced Jared is to blame. Determined to prove his innocence, Jared soon becomes wrapped up in a nightmare worse than anything the Shadow Club ever caused.

Dread Locks is the first entry in the Dark Fusion series from master storyteller Neal Shusterman. He cleverly weaves together familiar parts of fairy tales and Greek mythology to tell the story of fourteen-year-old Parker Bear, rich and utterly bored with life—until a new girl arrives in town. Tara''s eyes are always hidden behind designer sunglasses, and her hair, blond with glimmering spirals, seems almost alive. Parker watches, fascinated, as one by one Tara chooses high school students to befriend; he even helps her by making the necessary introductions. Over time, her “friends” develop strange quirks, such as drinking gallons of milk, eating dirt, and becoming lethargic. By the time Parker realizes what Tara is doing, he is too embroiled to stop her. In fact, she has endowed him with certain cravings of his own. . . .To say more would spoil the spooky fun of this wild thriller—let the twist speak for itself and leave you still as a statue.

Eoin Colfer meets Rick Riordan—with a little Margaret Peterson Haddix sprinkled on top—in this hilarious sci-fi series from New York Times bestselling authors Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman. u200b When fourteen-year-old Noah falls from the trees on his classmate Sahara, he doesn’t understand how, or why, he would have been up there. It’s just one more in a string of strange things happening to Noah lately. Like when he keels over and every muscle in his body freezes when confronted by bullies. And when he vanishes into the background at a moment he doesn’t want to be noticed. And when he unexpectedly blasts Sahara with a bird shriek while flapping his arms uncontrollably in the middle of a school dance. What does it all mean? And why do there suddenly seem to be so many mysterious people trying to kill him? Noah’s friend Ogden has an idea…but like all of Ogden’s ideas, it’s out there. Way out there…

A teenager and his mother embark on a whirlwind pleasure cruise, hoping to escape from their problems and searching for a little rest and relaxation. So they book passage on a no-frills excursion to the exotic Far East. Sounds like fun, huh? Too bad pleasure isn''t on the ship''s itinerary! Darren hears voices...in his head. Everyone thinks he''s crazy. Even Darren begins to doubt his own sanity when a mysterious stranger pays him a late-night visit. Who is he? A time traveler, it turns out. A time traveler from 350 million years ago! A boy on his way back from a family holiday is annoyed when he picks up the wrong luggage at the airport. Well, he might as well try the clothes on for size, right? It''s a perfect fit. Except for that weird third sleeve.... Like a spidery fracture in an otherwise unblemished pane of glass, there exists in the mind a place where reality is warped to expose a world of distortions. Each of these stories is an unforgettable glimpse into that mysterious world--a place called MindStorms.

Kevin Midas is sick of being picked on, teased and tormented. So when he finds a pair of magical sunglasses that give him the power to do--well, anything--he couldn''t be happier. At first, Kevin spends his time pulling ice cream cones out of the air and getting every video game he ever wanted. But then he turns to darker wishes. What if he used the glasses to get revenge? In Neal Shusterman''s dark fantasy, one boy finds out that sometimes, getting everything you want can be deadly.

Fans of intrigue, action, humor, and nonstop surprises are guaranteed an adventure unlike any other in Tesla''s Attic, Book One of the Accelerati Trilogy, for readers of "Rick Riordan''s Kane Chronicles or Kenneth Oppel''s Airborne" (Booklist). After their home burns down, fourteen-year-old Nick, his younger brother, and their father move into a ramshackle Victorian house they''ve inherited. When Nick opens the door to his attic room, he''s hit in the head by a toaster. That''s just the beginning of his weird experiences with the old junk stored up there. After getting rid of the odd antiques in a garage sale, Nick befriends some local kids--Mitch, Caitlin, and Vincent--and they discover that all of the objects have extraordinary properties. What''s more, Nick figures out that the attic is a strange magnetic vortex, which attracts all sorts of trouble. It''s as if the attic itself has an intelligence . . . and a purpose. Ultimately Nick learns that the genius Nikola Tesla placed the items-his last inventions-in the attic as part of a larger plan that he mathematically predicted. Nick and his new friends must retrieve everything that was sold at the garage sale and keep it safe. But the task is fraught with peril-in addition to the dangers inherent in Tesla''s mysterious and powerful creations, a secret society of physicists, the Accelerati, is determined to stop Nick and alter destiny to achieve its own devious ends. It''s a lot for a guy to handle, especially when he''d much rather fly under the radar as the new kid in town. Read more of the Accelerati Trilogy: Edison''s Alley Hawking''s Hallway

Six teenagers, each tormented by what seems to be an exaggerated adolescent affliction, come together to try to stop the "beasts" that threaten to destroy them and the world.