What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
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Juvenile Fantasy. Kids are ranked by popularity, have a number assigned like a socioeconomic status, numbers are constantly adjusted. Popular rich kids have lower numbers. Main character is lower class. Read in mid 1990s.
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Charles
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Sep 18, 2020 09:49AM
In the mid 90s I was in third grade, My teacher read us a book about a society where people were ranked and were assigned a number matching it. Like a socioeconomic/ popularity ranking. The book was focused on kids school life in such a world. Popular rich kids had a lower number indicating they were the 'better' person. The rankings were constantly adjusting and these kids were in school where popularity literally had a physical representation societal tracking. Much akin to the Black Mirror episode 'Nosedive' but a kids version of it. Thanks for any help.
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How old were the kids in the story?
Adolescent. Grade/middle school. It would have been fairly relatable for a third grader
Bumping this. More details: the person ranked 1 would equate to them being the ‘best’/most popular and down the line. Protagonist is lower class and unpopular and a lower rank.
Was it set in a futuristic type of society, or was the setting more like regular modern Earth?
It was modern. This book was read to me 24/25 years ago and I don’t remember things like specific city setting. But it was based around elementary school aged kids and was focused on the idea of overcoming perceived status where in that world it had a real representation.
"Extras" by Scott Westerfeld is probably too advanced to be your book, but they do have number ratings. https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/sc...
After reading a summary of it that is definitely the right premise. But the book I am looking for is much older. I don’t believe it was a new book in 1997. I have a vague memory of it being a series of books, not necessarily a single. But that part I’m not sure of.
ANything about the cover?Part of a series?
Do you remember any of the characters?
Was it a Christian allegorical series? Involving bicycles and a black mirror-like board in the school with the grades? If so, might be The Magic Bicycle and series.
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In my head I always thought it was the magic bicycle. But that doesn't have rankings. I was pointed toward the other books in the series. The fourth, the only game in town, is eerily similar. For all I know my kid brain remembered the name of the first book and paid more attention the day we had the fourth read to us. But if anyone recalls a ranking system similar to what is in 'The Only Game In Town' in a youth novel I'd still appreciate the info. Thank you
the rankings became more and more part of the series after that. to the point of the last book has more of the socioeconomic rich vs poor as well. try reading to the end.
Omg I know I read this back in the day. It sounds so familiar on the tip of my brain. I'll try to remember the name.
Who gives out the ranking and such? who decides the number 1 and, say, 100?
If this is the same book i remember, the rankings would change depending on actions performed as well as popularity status? And would appear on a huge board or billboard type thing subject to change at any time, possibly magically? I feel like i distinctly remember a boy doing something nice for someone and his rank changed. If this doesnt sound like the same book Charles is looking for, please disregard.
Excerpts from The Only Game in Town....“Why do I need a number card?” Daniel asked.
“All the children have them,” Mrs. Happy said. “They are sort of like credit cards. You will need them to register on the Big Board too. So please hurry. We have more children to process.”
Just then, two men appeared from behind the long trailer. They were carrying a long black shiny rectangle. Daniel had never seen anything like it. It appeared to be made of some kind of black plastic or glass. The men had trouble turning the corner into the door of the toy store because the black rectangle was almost twenty feet long and at least seven feet high.
“Why, that’s the Big Board I was telling you about,” Mrs. Happy said. “Haven't you ever seen one?”
In the same mysterious fashion, the woman took the plug and pushed it into the bottom edge of the Big Board. A sizzling, electric noise broke the air as the dark panel sparked to life. Lights flashed on and off leaving puffs of blue smoke where the lights had been. The sounds of searing static and electricity crackled throughout the store.
Then it was quiet. The blue smoke lifted and across the top of the Big Board were words written in tiny lights: The Point System: Official Scores.
What's the Name of That Book???
Books mentioned in this topic
The Only Game in Town (other topics)The Magic Bicycle (other topics)
