Every student at Saskatoon Collegiate knew that all the most important aspects of school life were controlled by a secret club called Shadow Council.
Each fall, Shadow held a traditional lottery during which a single student's name was drawn. The rest of the student body called the student the lottery winner. But Shadow Council knew better; to them, the winner was the lottery victim. Whatever the label, the fated student became the Council's gofer, delivering messages of doom to selected targets. In response, the student body shunned the lottery winner for the entire year. This year's victim was fifteen-year-old Sally Hanson.
"One of this year's 'must' purchases...Highly recommended."
– CM Magazine
"A gripping and powerful narrative."
– KLIATT
American Library Association (ALA) Best Books for Young Adults | 2003 | Commended
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Quick Picks | 2003 | Commended
Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Our Choice, starred selection | 2003 | Commended
Canadian Library Association (CLA) Young Adult Book Award | 2003 | Short-listed
KLIATT Magazine Editors' choice: best of the year's hardcover YA fiction | 2003 | Commended
Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award (MYRCA) | 2004 | Nominated
Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards - Snow Willow | 2004 | Nominated
Stiftung Internationale Jugendbibliothek The White Ravens | 2003 | Commended
Forest of Reading White Pine Award | 2004 | Nominated
