The Scourge

by Jennifer A. Nielsen Narrated by Brittany Pressley

Overview

FORMAT: Unabridged



As a lethal plague sweeps through the land, Ani Mells is shocked when she is unexpectedly captured by the governor's wardens and forced to submit to a test for the deadly Scourge. She is even more surprised when the test results come back positive, and she is sent to Attic Island, a former prison turned refuge - and quarantine colony -- for the ill. The Scourge's victims, Ani now among them, can only expect to live out short, painful lives there. However, Ani quickly discovers that she doesn't know the whole truth about the Scourge or the Colony. She's been caught in a devious plot, and, with the help of her best friend, Weevil, Ani means to uncover just what is actually going on.



But will she and Weevil survive long enough to do so?



The Scourge is an explosively thrilling tale of adventure and intrigue, courage and heart from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

05/23/2016
Best friends Ani and Weevil are part of a loyal, hardworking community of River People living under the thumb of Governor Felling of Keldan, who denies them voting rights and infringes on their borders. Though they have little, Ani, an only child, and fatherless Weevil are devoted to each other. When Ani and Della, the well-heeled daughter of a prominent Keldan family, are taken to Attic Island after testing positive for the Scourge, a deadly and incurable plague, Weevil joins them. There, Ani finds herself in trouble as she tests the boundaries of the wardens’ powers. As Ani mysteriously gets stronger while Della weakens, she and Weevil discover a band of dissidents who claim to be cured of the Scourge. The dissidents’ belief that River People are “dirty” and “cowards” is overturned as they work with Ani and Weevil to uncover a conspiracy. Nielsen’s (A Night Divided) polished fantasy smoothly combines medieval elements with hints of mystery and romance. Though the plot is conventional, it delivers a significant message about how misinformation breeds intolerance. Ages 10–14. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Aug.)

From the Publisher

Praise for The Scourge: "A strong, feisty main character... narrates a story that is equal parts adventure, mystery, and political intrigue." — The Horn Book "Ani's willingness to help others, a hard battle in herself as she tries to get over long-held assumptions, demonstrates effectively how emergencies can bridge distances." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"Nielsen's (A Night Divided) polished fantasy smoothly combines medieval elements with hints of mystery and romance... it delivers a significant message about how misinformation breeds intolerance." — Publishers Weekly "Nielsen provides readers with a strong, three-dimensional heroine and a plot that will keep readers guessing." — School Library Connection "The characters are well defined and memorable. Feisty Ani, a likable character who is thoughtful and strong, drives the story forward and keeps readers wanting to know more... A solid choice for readers who enjoy tales of strong heroines set in the ever-popular dystopian genre." — School Library JournalPraise for The Traitor's Game: A New York Times bestseller"The next big YA fantasy." — Entertainment Weekly "One of the Most Anticipated YA Fantasy Books of 2018." — Bustle "We were immediately caught up in Kestra's story, plotting beside a heroine made of strength, bravery and intelligence. Her complicated relationship with Simon and the danger sewn into every moment of her father's palace politics kept us flipping pages in time with each jaw-dropping plot twist." — Justine Magazine"Fantasy, action and romance combine for a whirlwind ride in Jennifer A. Nielsen's The Traitor's Game!" — Girls' Life "One of the Most Anticipated YA Books of 2018." — Hypable "Nielsen creates wonderful characters in all of her novels, and she is especially talented at writing complex, intriguing females who refuse to fit into any neat categories. The first in her engrossing Traitor's Game series introduces readers to another fascinating heroine, who disrupts the plans and plots laid to trap her and insists on controlling her own narrative.... Engrossing, emotional and offers plenty of promise for the series to come." — RT Book Reviews "One of the Most Anticipated YA Fantasy Novels of 2018." — B&N Teen Blog"[An] action-packed, romance-laden tale." — Publishers Weekly "This rip-roaring tale has action galore with battle scenes, kidnappings, murder, intrigue, and romance.... Nielsen has created a compelling world where little is as it seems." — School Library Connection "Nielsen does a masterful job keeping readers off guard while tightening the screws of tension throughout, satisfying even the most reluctant readers." — School Library Journal "The twists and turns of the plot make for compelling reading that should especially entertain fans of Nielsen's Ascendance trilogy." — The Horn Book "The Traitor's Game is intrigue and adventure with a bold heroine, some forbidden romance and plenty of twists along the way." — Shelf Awareness "The Traitor's Game by Jennifer A. Nielsen, is an action-packed story that leaves you yearning for more. The new book is an amazing addition to Nielsen's repertoire... Fit with a feisty heroine and some tough kidnappers, The Traitor's Game keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout." — The Missourian"Kestra may be one of my favorite characters of all time. She is courageous, bold beyond belief and also positively petulant, with a tendency for tantrums. The perfect protagonist for this adventurous, action-packed fantasy. Mixed with a bit of magic, a completely captivating saga is created; a stellar start to a tempting trilogy." — Buried Under Books "If you like your heroines fierce, your heroes protective, their loyalties divided, their missions complex, their motivations hidden, their lives full of secrets, The Traitor's Game is an absolute must." — FiktshunPraise for the Ascendance Trilogy: A New York Times Notable Children's BookA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the YearA Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best" Children's BookA Cybils Award Winner* "An impressive, promising story." — Publishers Weekly, starred review"[A] pageturner." — New York Times Book Review "Sage proves to be a compelling character whose sharp mind and shrewd self-possession will make readers eager to follow him into a sequel." — The Wall Street Journal "A swashbuckling origin story... chock-full of alluring details for adventure-loving boys." — Los Angeles Times "A fast-paced and thrilling read with twists and turns that never let up." — School Library Journal"Gripping." — Kirkus Reviews "Should appeal to fans of... Suzanne Collins... [A] surefire mix of adventure, mystery, and suspense." — The Horn BookPraise for Words on Fire: * "Gripping... Audra's story deserves a place on the shelf next to Lois Lowry's Number the Stars and Marcus Zusak's The Book Thief." — Booklist, starred review"[This] adventure about a little-known place and time... delivers action and suspense." — Kirkus Reviews "There is much on offer in this novel: family love, patriotism, magic, and the importance of books... Highly recommended." — School Library ConnectionPraise for Resistance: A Sydney Taylor Notable Book"The edge-of-your-seat climax places readers amidst the gritty, horrifying street battles of the Warsaw Ghetto and pays tribute to those who sacrificed themselves so others would live... Historical fiction at its finest, this informs, enlightens, and engages young readers." — School Library Journal"Highlight[s] moments of resistance via cinematic action sequences." — Kirkus Reviews "Suspense mounts continually as Chaya survives her ordeals, gaining strength and faith in her mission. The courage and self-sacrifice of many characters is inspiring." — Publishers Weekly "Fast-paced and suspenseful." — School Library ConnectionPraise for A Night Divided: ILA-CBC Children's Choices List selection"Absorbing and deeply suspenseful, with plenty of ticking-clock tension... an eye-opening glimpse of history." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "A marvelously crafted historical novel about courage, perseverance and the will to survive, A Night Divided excels in every regard." — Reading Eagle "Distinct supporting characters... demonstrate the harrowing choices people made to survive, encouraging readers to consider what they would have done if fate and history had cast them into the story... The novel's strong setting and tense climax will keep readers engrossed and holding their breath until the last page." — School Library Journal "History buffs will drool over the magnificently told tale, but even reluctant readers will become immersed in the tension-filled exploits." — Voice of Youth Advocates"Like Anne Frank before her, Gerta is small but mighty, a hardheaded heroine who dreams up big ideas and refuses to give up in the face of adversity and danger." — Publishers Weekly

School Library Journal - Audio

01/01/2017
Gr 6–8—Ani Mells, a scrappy teen, is willing to take risks to help keep her family fed. When she runs into wardens while foraging, her refusal to obey means both she and her friend Weevil are detained and tested for the Scourge, a fatal disease that has plagued the townsfolk but generally left Ani and Weevil's River People alone. When Ani tests positive, she and Weevil are sent to the Colony on Attic Island to live out the rest of their short lives with others who are infected. As they struggle to make sense of things, Ani and Weevil strengthen their friendship and come to realize that the "pinchworms" (rich folks) and "grubs" (River People) would be more powerful as allies than as enemies. Narrator Brittany Pressley voices Ani with determination and occasional quavering vulnerability. She does equally well with stalwart Weevil, wealthy Della, harsh Governor Felling, and many others. VERDICT A solid choice for younger teens and those who want a fast- paced dystopian novel without extreme violence.—Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX

School Library Journal

05/01/2016
Gr 5–8—Under orders from Governor Felling, wardens enter the River People's country to extract five grubs, a derogatory name given to its citizens. But the grub, Ani Mells, turns out to be a handful. When Ani is tested for the Scourge, a disease plaguing the people of Keldan, she gets quarantined on Attic Island with the other Colonists who test positive for the disease. The problem is, patients enter the island but never leave. Ani suspects there is more going on than meets the eye, and in order to survive, she must uncover the truth. The story quickly advances from there, with Ani embroiled in a fight for her life. The characters are well defined and memorable. Feisty Ani, a likable character who is thoughtful and strong, drives the story forward and keeps readers wanting to know more. VERDICT A solid choice for readers who enjoy tales of strong heroines set in the ever-popular dystopian genre.—Robyn Gioia, Antilles Middle School, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico

Kirkus Reviews

2016-05-04
A baffling illness threatens a fantasy land.Ani's up in a tree picking a vinefruit when wardens capture her. She's done nothing wrong, but the wardens say that the red stain on her arm from the vinefruit juice is a symptom of the Scourge, a deadly, contagious, always-fatal disease. It's clearly a pretext: before they found her, Ani heard them mention their assignment to "come get" several people of Ani's ethnic group. The River People—forbidden from voting or owning property, not bathing "often enough"—are a stereotypical blend of Romany and indigenous peoples. The ruling townsfolk, on the other hand, have no specified ethnicity and seem white. The governor diagnoses Ani and her best friend, Weevil, with the Scourge and sends them to the Colony, a quarantined island from which nobody returns. (Colony wardens, oddly, seem immune to the Scourge.) Ani and Weevil play Colony rabble-rousers, resisting unfair treatment and working to untangle the governor's statement that "River People are the Scourge." Nielsen provides two major plot twists, and both are robust and horrifying in content; however, the method and pace of divulging them are meandering and vague, lacking punch. Characters are stock, and the prose sometimes overexplains, even stretching beyond Ani's first-person voice to reveal other characters' emotions.Predictable execution hampers what could have been an intriguing exploration of the mechanics of corruption. (Fantasy. 10-13)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171290504
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/30/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

Videos