Exploring the world of Neal Shusterman The Shadow Club Exploring the world of Neal Shusterman

Neal Shusterman (born 1962), is an American author of young-adult fiction, and a screenwriter. Shusterman was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Shusterman and his family moved to Mexico City when he was sixteen. He finished high school there and quotes, "Having an international experience changed my life, giving me a fresh perspective on the world, and a sense of confidence I might not have otherwise." He attended the University of California, Irvine, where he double-majored in psychology and theater, and was also on the varsity swim team. During his years there, he wrote a popular humor column for the school paper. After college, he got a job as an assistant at Irvin Arthur Associates, a talent agency in Los Angeles, where Lloyd Segan became his agent. Within a year, Shusterman had his first book deal, and a screenwriting job. He currently lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin. Shusterman won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for The Schwa Was Here, and most recently the book won the 2008 California Young Reader Medal. Some of his other novels include The Dark Side of Nowhere, Red Rider's Hood, What Daddy Did, The Shadow Club, The Shadow Club Rising, The Eyes of Kid Midas, and the Star Shards Chronicles trilogy: Scorpion Shards, Thief of Souls, and Shattered Sky. His novels Downsiders and Full Tilt, have each won over 20 awards. One of his more recent novels is Everlost, which he is now adapting for a feature film for Universal Studios. Shusterman's newest novel is Unwind (2007) and his next novel, Antsy Does Time (to be released in September 2008), is a sequel to his book The Schwa was Here. Shusterman has also written for TV, including the Original Disney Channel movie Pixel Perfect, as well as episodes of Goosebumps and Animorphs. Shusterman was invited by Orson Scott Card to write novels parallel to Ender's Game about other characters from the series, but eventually Card decided to use the idea himself, and wrote Ender's Shadow and the following series. Shusterman's inspiration for writing first came in ninth grade, when his English teacher, seeing a spark of creativity, challenged him to write a story a month. He has been quoted as saying that " Anawana has played such an important part of my life. My career as an author of young-adult novels began because of the stories I used to tell when I was a counselor." On his own website, he writes "When I was in college, attempting to write my first novels, I went back to that same summer camp I went to as a kid, this time as a counselor. I became known as the camp story teller, and would make up stories to tell the kids at night. Some of those stories became books a few years later - The Shadow Club, and The Eyes of Kid Midas. It was hearing those kids' reactions to my stories that really made me believe I could be a successful author." Neal Shusterman Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.

Neal Shusterman A Word From The Author... When I was a kid, I wanted to be everything. A writer, an actor, a doctor, a rock star, an artist, an architect, and a film director. I had a teacher who said "You can't do that ? you'll be a jack of all trades and a master of none!" But I had it worked out: I'd be a jack of seven trades, and master of three. Then, in ninth grade I had an English teacher who really made a difference in my life. She saw my love of writing, and challenged me to write a story a month for extra credit. Since I desperately needed extra credit in her class, I took her up on the challenge, and by the end of ninth grade, I really began to feel like a writer. That's when writing emerged above all my other interests as my driving passion.

Children The Shadow Club The Cemetery Cheryl’s mom gets married. Who gets married at a cemetery anyway??? Children Memorial Park

Stupid Talk Do you have a cousin who annoys you? Do you have a brother who teases you? Do you have a best friend that you can always confide in? Rebecca Cheryl Randall (Cheryl’s brother) Jared (the narrator)

DEAD More Stupid Talk…….. Do you have a talent that gets overlooked? Who is your biggest rival? Have you ever gone to the same school as a sibling? DEAD VS.

Rivals Jared Cheryl Randall Jason Perez Abbie Singer Karin Han (O.P.) Darren Collins Austin Pace Rebecca Drew Landers David Berger Vera Donaldson Tommy Nickols Eric Kilfoil

Character Chart Jared Cheryl Randall Jason Karen (O.P.) Abbie Darren Shadow Club Member Unbeatable Reason for hatred Jared Cheryl Randall Jason Karen (O.P.) Abbie Darren

Project Ideas Create a Poster -You may choose to draw or print the pictures out from the computer. -You may choose to write in black/blue ink or type your assignment on the computer. Create a 3D Model or Piece of Art -You may choose to create a 3D model or piece of art that reflects the conflict. Make sure that you include a written explanation that includes all parts of the assignment. Create a Live or Taped Dramatization -You may choose to act out the conflict in front of the class and provide a verbal explanation that includes all parts of the assignment. -You may also choose to tape your dramatization. Just make sure the video includes all parts of the assignment. You may burn the video to a dvd or upload it to the class wiki. Create a Digital Poster -You may choose to create a digital poster on Glogster or another internet application of your choice. -Check out Cool Tools for Schools on the class wiki. Come up with a project of your choice! Just make sure that you include all parts of the assignment and clear your choice with me first. Create a Digital Story or Slide Show -You may choose to create a digital story or slide show. -Let your creativity guide you, just make sure you include all parts of the assignment. -Check out Video & Digital Story Tools on the class wiki.

Who Did It? What was the Prank? Who did it? Who was the Victim?