# Scythe

**Author:** Neal Shusterman
**Grade range:** Grades 7–12
**Age range:** 12–17
**First published:** 2016
**Genre:** Science Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9781442472426`
**ISBN-10:** `1442472421`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/scythe
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

"In a world where disease has been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed ('gleaned') by professional reapers ('scythes'). Two teens must compete with each other to become a scythe--a position neither of them wants. The one who becomes a scythe must kill the one who doesn't"--

## Themes

- mortality
- power
- ethics

## Where this book is assigned

### California Young Reader Medal

- **recommended** · 7th grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal — statewide student-choice program sponsored by CRA, CSLA, CLA & CATE (Intermediate/Middle School/Young Adult divisions; annual since 1974)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal — statewide student-choice program sponsored by CRA, CSLA, CLA & CATE (Intermediate/Middle School/Young Adult divisions; annual since 1974)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/)

### Nebraska Golden Sower Award

- **recommended** · 7th grade · Nebraska — [source: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)](https://nebraskalibraries.org/GoldenSower)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Nebraska — [source: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)](https://nebraskalibraries.org/GoldenSower)

### Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA)

- **recommended** · 7th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 9th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 10th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 11th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 12th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)

### Young Hoosier Book Award

- **recommended** · 7th grade · Indiana — [source: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award Past Winners (Intermediate grades 4-6 + Middle Grade grades 6-8; annual since 1975)](https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ilfonline.org/resource/resmgr/yhba/yhba_pastwinners.pdf)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Indiana — [source: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award Past Winners (Intermediate grades 4-6 + Middle Grade grades 6-8; annual since 1975)](https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ilfonline.org/resource/resmgr/yhba/yhba_pastwinners.pdf)

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_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. For the full HTML view with reading-list cross-references, see https://readinglist.school/book/scythe._