Downsiders

Title- Downsiders

Author – Neil Schusterman

ISBN- 0689839693

Publication Information- Simon Pulse, 2001

 

Plot Summary- Talon lives as a downsider, a member of the world that lives below New York City. In a quest to find medication to save his sister, he meets Lindsey Matthias who has just moved in with her father. The two slowly become friends and he eventually takes her downside. However, when the elders discover his betrayal, he is "executed" by being flushed down the main drain tube in the sewers. However, he doesn't die. Instead he becomes a topsider. When Lindsey's father accidentally pushes into the downside while digging a new aqueduct, the downsider's way of life is in jeopardy. Lindsey and Talon must work together to save the downsiders.

Critical Evaluation- This is an interesting perspective on a story that hit the news many years ago. There was, in fact, a group of people who tried living beneath the city. Shusterman takes this idea and expands the downsider world to include an entire mythology, hierarchy, government, and social strata. Thus, Talon is a well developed character because he has his own history set in place. Lindsey's story is easier for the average teenager to relate to though her psychology is equally well-developed. She is also likable and relatable because of her odd relationship with her father. The plot has a Romeo and Juliet feel to it- two young lovers who are doomed to fail. The novel certainly calls the reader to consider different possibilities in the world and to think about how we treat people who appear to be different from ourselves, though that isn't a central theme of the novel. We are left wondering if there will ever be a sequel or if the two worlds will ever meet again.

Awards

American Library Association "Young Adult Best Book" 2000
American Library Association "Quick Pick" 2000
Virginia Young Reader Award List 2001/2002
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award List 2001/2002
Nevada Student Book Award List 2001/2002
Indiana Young Hoosier Award List 2001/2002
Texas Lone Star Award, 2000/2001
New York Public Library "Best Book for Teens" Award list, 2000
South Dakota Prairie Pasque Young Adult Award List 2001/2001
Oklahoma Sequoyah Young Adult Award List 2001/2002
Iowa Children's Choice Young Adult Award 2001/2002
Maine Student Book Award List 2001/2002
South Carolina Children's Book Award List 2001/2002
Junior Library Guild selection, Spring 1999
#2 on the Barnes and Noble Teen Best Seller List, July 1999

Reader's Annotation What if there was a world beneath your own? Would you want to see it? To live there?

Author Information- Neal Schusterman is the author of 25 highly acclaimed novels. Most of his work is either science fiction or fantasy oriented and much of it set in a contemporary setting to give it a twist. He has also written a series of How to Host a Murder and How to Host a Mystery games for teens. His degree is in psychology giving him a thoughtful perspective on his characters.

Curricular Ties- English- kind of a Romeo and Juliet story.

Genre- Science Fiction

Book talking ideas- Are there any similarities between this story and Romeo and Juliet? Does Talon do the right thing in not allowing anyone, himself included, to enter the Chamber of First Runes?

Challenge issues- None

1. Re-read the text to familiarize myself with the story
   
2. Ask parents for their specific objections (they are required to file that with our school district)
   
3. Review approved books list from California Department of Education for similar materials
   
4. Review approaches from ALA
   

Interest Age- 14-18

Why I selected this piece Former CYRM book that our librarian kept a class set of available to teachers.