In Other Lands

Georgia Peach Award NomineeFlorida Teens Read Award NomineeABC Best Books for Young ReadersBank Street College Best Childrens Books of the YearA Junior Library Guild SelectionHugo & Locus award finalistIn Other Landsis an exhilarating novel from bestselling author Sarah Rees Brennan about surviving four years in the most unusual of schools -friendship, falling in love, diplomacy, and finding your own place in the world even if it means giving up your phone.Excerpt:The Borderlands arent like anywhere else. Dont try to smuggle a phone or any other piece of technology over the wall that marks the Border unless you enjoy a fireworks display in your backpack. (Ballpoint pens are okay.) There are elves, harpies, and best of all as far as Elliot is concerned mermaids.Whats your name?Serene.Serena? Elliot asked.Serene, said Serene. My full name is Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle.Elliots mouth fell open. That is badass.Elliot? Whos Elliot? Elliot is thirteen years old. Hes smart and just a tiny bit obnoxious. Sometimes more than a tiny bit. When his class goes on a field trip and he can see a wall that no one else can see, he is given the chance to go to school in the Borderlands.It turns out that on the other side of the wall, classes involve a lot more weaponry and fitness training and fewer mermaids than he expected. On the other hand, theres Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle, an elven warrior who is more beautiful than anyone Elliot has ever seen, and then theres her human friend Luke: sunny, blond, and annoyingly likeable. There are lots of interesting books. Theres even the chance Elliot might be able to change the world.Chapter illustrations by Casey Nowak.