The List Series by Patricia Forde

In the city of Ark, speech is constrained to five hundred sanctioned words. Speak outside the approved lexicon and face banishment. The exceptions are the Wordsmith and his apprentice Letta, the keepers and archivists of all language in their post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval world. On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith, charged with collecting and saving words... moreIn the city of Ark, speech is constrained to five hundred sanctioned words. Speak outside the approved lexicon and face banishment. The exceptions are the Wordsmith and his apprentice Letta, the keepers and archivists of all language in their post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval world. On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith, charged with collecting and saving words. But when she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and rob Ark’s citizens of their power of speech, she realizes that it’s up to her to save not only words, but culture itself. less

Perfect for readers of The Giver and The City of Ember, The Last Lie is an excellent tool start discussions on censorship, freedom of speech, and the power of language.Words hold power—and Letta wields them fiercely in this conclusion to the ALA Notable book The List.The city of Ark is no longer safe. Before the rebellion, everyone could only speak List, a language of just 500 words... morePerfect for readers of The Giver and The City of Ember, The Last Lie is an excellent tool start discussions on censorship, freedom of speech, and the power of language.Words hold power—and Letta wields them fiercely in this conclusion to the ALA Notable book The List.The city of Ark is no longer safe. Before the rebellion, everyone could only speak List, a language of just 500 words. But when Letta became the Wordsmith, the keeper of all the words that have ever existed—she learned that being able to express yourself is what makes you human.And now, the new ruler has wicked plans to eliminate language once and for all: If a baby never hears a single word, they will never speak.Letta and the other rebels must find a way to defeat the evil for good before they lose the very thing that will set them free.Selected Praise for The List:“The fantasy book of the year. ”—Eoin Colfer, bestselling author of Artemis FowlA 2018 Notable Children's Books for Older Readers (ALA)A Junior Library Guild Selection“An intriguing speculation about authoritarian futures with a terrific cover.” — Kirkus Reviews “An electric sci-fi novel with a strong ecological and moral stance.” — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books "[A] well-crafted page-turner, as well as a compelling commentary on censorship and the role of language."— School Library Journal “This novel could be compared Jeanne DuPrau’s The City of Ember (Random House, 2003) where the corrupt government controls the necessities of life.” — School Library Connection “A love letter to the ways love and art can lift our spirits and replenish our souls in a world that often seems dark.” — BookPage less