something clever (or we couldn't think of a witty title)

Westminster enthusiastically votes for Scythe to advance to the next round! If you don't know the background of the story yet, this is how I've been summarizing it for every student I've recommended it to: it's the future, and everything is perfect. No hunger, starvation, war, death. Total immortality. The problem - population control. Scythes must be chosen to kill people to keep the population under control. The story follows two teenagers who are chosen to be scythe's apprentices as they learn the ins and outs of the gruesome trade.

            Scythe was a very interesting take on a dystopia and made the idea feel fresh again. The duel narrators and their relationship with each other was very engaging, particularly as the story takes unexpected turns. We also loved the challenging vocabulary and thematic elements that the story included. The book made at least two of us turn around and put the sequel on hold at the library! We can see this being very well received with students and adults alike.

            The Smell of OtherPeople's Houses was also a real page turner.
It told the story of four teenagers whose lives ultimately collided in a small
town in Alaska. The narrative style was very engaging, the characters were
likeable, and the author used great imagery to tell the story. In the end
though, we all thought that it wouldn't be as well received with students,
although we definitely want it to make its way to our library!