A score of 97 will get you a full ride scholarship to the college of your choice where you can pursue your dream job. You still have the possibility for a job in child care or health services with a score of 70. However, if you have only managed to score a 40 by the time you’ve graduated high school, you have basically no options. Members in the poor town of Somerton must live by these standards in a world where every move you make is monitored by cameras and then translated into a tangible score by the software company Score Corp. Imani learns the hard way that while it’s easy for your score to drop drastically from a 96, it is near impossible to quickly rise back up. When her best friend makes a “score negative” choice, Imani must choose whether to support her friend, or go for the score. This quick moving but thoughtful novel raises questions of fairness, surveillance technology, and the price of success. Scored is recommended for fans of dystopian science fiction such as M.T. Anderson’s Feed or George Orwell’s 1984. 226 pages Ages 14 and up

Recommended by Carrie Shaurette, New York City Librarian USA