TEAM HUMAN

A humorous and poignant tale of friendship, personal growth, and supernatural creatures written by the critically acclaimed authors of LIAR and THE DEMON LEXICON series in their first collaboration.

Vampires are nothing out of the ordinary for Mel or any other resident of New Whitby, a town founded three hundred years ago by blood-drinking undead hoping to escape persecution from their living, breathing peers. Mel doesn't really give the undead much thought not until a stranger in a bizarre sun-proof Hazmat suit shows up on the first day of school and captures the heart of her best friend Cathy.
A vampire since 1867, Francis is the very definition of an English gentleman, and his perfectly chiseled and glamorous good looks quickly make him the most adored and sought after boy at school. Only Mel despises him, frustrated by his obnoxiously polite manners and his cold vampire demeanor, his inability to laugh or cry or embrace the world as she does. When it becomes clear that Cathy is falling in love with Francis, and, worse yet, that Francis feels the same, Mel decides that it's up to her to save Cathy. And as if one wannabe-vampire in her life isn't enough, Mel can't help but have feelings for a boy who's determined to join the ranks of his undead family. Mel is soon caught up in an unexpected adventure that is equally clever and hilarious, poignant and heartfelt. As Mel begins to realize how easy it is to make assumptions and generalizations about a group of outsiders, TEAM HUMAN moves beyond simple parody with a story that is equal parts funny, insightful and touching.

Justine Larbalestier is the author of LIAR, the MAGIC OR MADNESS trilogy, and HOW TO DITCH YOUR FAIRY, and the editor of ZOMBIES VS. UNICORNS. LIAR was an ALA/ YALSA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults 2010 pick, a Kirkus Best Books of 2009 choice, a Bank Street Children's Book of the Year 2009 pick, an ABA Winter 09/10 Indie Next List pick, was shortlisted for nearly every award for Australian young adult fiction, and won the Davitt Award for best Young Adult Crime Novel 2010, the WA Premier's Literary Award, Young Adult Prize 2009, and the Fellowship of Australian Writers Christina Stead Award 2009. She was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and she and her husband, Scott Westerfeld, now split their time between Sydney and New York City.
Sarah Rees Brennan is the bestselling author of the DEMON LEXICON series, which was an ALA/ YALSA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults 2010 pick, shortlisted for the UK 2010 Leeds Book Award, a Kirkus Best Books for 2009 choice, a Top Ten Best British Fantasy 2009, a 2009 UK Carnegie Medal nominee, shortlisted for the 2009 Cybils Award. After living briefly in New York and doing a creative writing MA and library work in Surrey, England, she has returned to her native Ireland to write.