The Scourge, written by Jennifer Nielsen, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary:  Best friends Ani and Weevil are part of the community of River People.  They are oppressed in a variety of ways.  They are told that they are the source and spreaders of the Scourge. When people test positive for the Scourge they get sent to The Colony.  Ani gets in trouble with the Warden all the time and it is like the Warden is looking for a reason to get rid of her.  Ani and Weevil are beginning to uncover a government conspiracy and learn about the truths being hidden from them.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  This book is part fantasy, dystopia and action packed adventure.  There are some funny parts and some parts hit a bit close to home in terms of containing a pandemic. There is a little bit of mystery and romance.  There is a message about how misinformation breeds intolerance.  This book is a great choice for middle school libraries and classrooms.  Jennifer Nielsen books are very popular and this book will help round out her collection in your library.