The next Big Library Read will be kicking off October 13, and the YA title chosen in our survey by readers, librarians and teachers is This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp. Told from four perspectives over the course of 54 harrowing minutes, the students of a fictional high school (Opportunity High) struggle to both survive and understand why one boy started shooting at 10:00 am. This is Where it Ends is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Publishers Weekly Bestseller, a Barnes and Noble Top Pick and an ABC Best Book for young readers.

In This is Where it Ends, which easily won the popular vote of thousands of readers and librarians, Marieke provides a unique look into what it’s like to experience a school shooting through the eyes of students who are living through it in real time. Though a work of fiction, this powerful story is more poignant today than ever as a gun is fired on a school campus nearly once a week in the United States alone. The subject of school violence, though difficult at times, is one that students and parents alike need to be aware of in today’s society. This is Where it Ends confronts this subject realistically but without graphic depictions of the violence the students experience.

The Big Library Read program was created as a global reading experience, providing a platform for readers around the world to connect and discuss important topics. Reading and discussing This is Where it Ends creates a perfect opportunity for your parents, teachers, students and readers of all ages to approach a difficult subject.

In addition to providing a discussion board, we’ll also have a second podcast episode with the author, where she will provide her thoughts on writing This is Where it Ends, violence in schools, the importance of diversity in literature and much more.