Beneath the sewer grates and manholes of the city lies a strange and secret world called the Downside. Every Downsider knows that it's forbidden to go Topside, and most fear a collision of the two worlds. But fourteen-year-old Talon is curious about what goes on above ground, and one day he ventures out in search of medicine for his ailing sister. There he meets Lindsay, who is as curious about Talon's world as he is about hers. When Lindsay visits the Downside for the first time, she marvels at the spirit of the Downsiders, and the way they create works of art from topside "trash," like old subway tokens and forgotten earrings. As awed as she is by the Downside, however, she also questions its origins, and when she finds out that this fantastic world is not all it appears to be, she is determined to tell Talon the truth. Then a construction accident threatens to crush Talon's world, and his loyalty is put to the test. Can the truth save the Downside, or will it destroy an entire civilization? Neal Shusterman takes readers on an amazing journey into a place that's only a few steps away, yet beyond their wildest dreams.

Companion toThe Schwa Was Here! In honor of Old Man Crawley's eightieth birthday, the Bonano family has been invited to celebrate with a weeklong cruise to the Caribbean aboard the world's largest, grandest ship. But whether on land or at sea, Antsy can't manage to stay out of trouble- He quickly finds himself the accomplice of stowaway and thief Tilde, whose self-made mission it is to smuggle onto the ship and across the U.S. border illegal immigrants from her native Mexico. When Antsy steps in to take the fall for Tilde, he becomes the focus of a major international incident and the poster child for questionable decisions. Equal parts clever and riotous, Ship Out of Luck brings back the beloved cast of characters from Neal Shusterman's acclaimed The Schwa Was Here and Antsy Does Time. Awards for the Antsy Bonano novels- The Schwa Was Here Winner of the 2005 Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Fiction An ALA Best Book for Young Adults An ALA Notable Book o Winner of the 2007-08 California Young Reader Medal Award An IRA Young Adult Choice Award selection 21 state lists; 2 starred reviews- BCCB, SLJ Antsy Does Time 2009 ALA Best Young Adult List 2008 Junior Library Guild Selection 2009 Pennsylvania School Library Association Young Adult Top 40 selection 5 state lists; 4 starred reviews- Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ, VOYA