by Amanda Maciel
Summary:
No one likes a bully. We're all taught that bullying is wrong, and that you should say something if you see it. You're supposed to stand up to bullies. But what if you are the bully? Where is the line between teasing and bullying? When is your "harmless prank" no longer harmless? When Emma Putnam kills herself, everyone immediately blames Sara and her friends relentless bullying of Emma. But Sara doesn't see it as bullying, it was just standard frenemy behavior. But with a trial on the horizon, Sara is going to have to do some soul searching to find out just where she went wrong.
Review:
There are a slew of anti-bullying books out there, but Tease stands out. Sara is a character you want to hate but at the same time can understand how she let things get so out of control. Told in flashbacks, the reader learns what happened leading up to Emma's death and sees Sara evolve in the aftermath. It's a good book told from the bully's perspective, and the ending does manage to pack a surprise as (spoiler alert) Sara finally realizes how wrong she was. Best for older teens due to many references to drinking and sex.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Showing posts with label Suicide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suicide. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Monday, December 30, 2013
Hostage Three
by Nick Lake
Summary:
The last thing Amy wanted to do was be stuck on a yacht sailing around the world with her dad and stepmother. But even she didn't imagine it would end like this. Told mostly as a flashback, Amy's story is not just one about pirates, but about how people end up where they are. How people turn to illegal measures after all has been taken from them. How others rise above and find more of themselves. Hostage Three is a book about love and loss, and an adventure that will stay with you long after you finish it.
Review:
Once I picked up Hostage Three I had a hard time putting it down. The book's fast pace keep you wondering what will happen next. Lake does an excellent job explaining the history of Somalia and how things led to the piracy industry there. The love story between Amy and Farouz is believable, and the ending entirely realistic. The book doesn't pull any punches and is definitely a good read to give to teens who like suspenseful adventure novels.
Genre: Adventure Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
The last thing Amy wanted to do was be stuck on a yacht sailing around the world with her dad and stepmother. But even she didn't imagine it would end like this. Told mostly as a flashback, Amy's story is not just one about pirates, but about how people end up where they are. How people turn to illegal measures after all has been taken from them. How others rise above and find more of themselves. Hostage Three is a book about love and loss, and an adventure that will stay with you long after you finish it.
Review:
Once I picked up Hostage Three I had a hard time putting it down. The book's fast pace keep you wondering what will happen next. Lake does an excellent job explaining the history of Somalia and how things led to the piracy industry there. The love story between Amy and Farouz is believable, and the ending entirely realistic. The book doesn't pull any punches and is definitely a good read to give to teens who like suspenseful adventure novels.
Genre: Adventure Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
by Matthew Quick
Summary:
Today, Leonard Peacock is going to kill himself and one of his classmates. He will first say goodbye to the only four people he cares about, but then he will do it. Leonard's last day is a cry for help, but no one pays enough attention or seems to care enough to follow through. As he says goodbye to his four, we learn the struggles that led him to the decision, and have to hope that someone will save him from himself. A haunting novel which portrays the struggle and many causes that lead someone to this decision, the book will keep you hoping that's it's protagonist finds something to live for.
Review:
While the premise itself is violent, the book is more about the myriad of factors that led Leonard to where he is now. We learn about the abuse he suffered in silence, about the constant bullying and his absent and clueless mother. The four people he says goodbye to are the only ones who appear to care, but even then are not aware of how desperately he struggles. It's a chilling reminder that you never know when how you treat someone will have the power to pull them from an abyss, or give them that last push to jump over. A great read for older teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
Today, Leonard Peacock is going to kill himself and one of his classmates. He will first say goodbye to the only four people he cares about, but then he will do it. Leonard's last day is a cry for help, but no one pays enough attention or seems to care enough to follow through. As he says goodbye to his four, we learn the struggles that led him to the decision, and have to hope that someone will save him from himself. A haunting novel which portrays the struggle and many causes that lead someone to this decision, the book will keep you hoping that's it's protagonist finds something to live for.
Review:
While the premise itself is violent, the book is more about the myriad of factors that led Leonard to where he is now. We learn about the abuse he suffered in silence, about the constant bullying and his absent and clueless mother. The four people he says goodbye to are the only ones who appear to care, but even then are not aware of how desperately he struggles. It's a chilling reminder that you never know when how you treat someone will have the power to pull them from an abyss, or give them that last push to jump over. A great read for older teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
The Program
by Suzanne Young
Summary:
Teen suicide has become a national epidemic. There's been no way to stop it, until the Program started. It was a way to help teens forget why they wanted to commit suicide, to give them a clean slate to start from. But in reality it stripped them of everything that made them them. It took crucial memories and left holes in their lives. Sloane's brother committed suicide. She's lost friends. She's been pegged as at risk by the Program, and it's only a matter of time before they come.
Review:
While the book's premise is about teen suicide, the book doesn't really address it in any real way. Suicide is viewed as a disease (like the flu, etc), which makes the book slightly less dark than it might be otherwise, though it is by no means a light read. It is a bit of a departure from your typical adults making decisions that will negatively affect youth novel, it does hold to that premise fairly firmly. There is your rebel group working to subvert the system that adults are perpetuating in the belief that it will save the kids, your teen heroine who is able to beat the Program even though it's never happened before. It's well written and sets up well for a sequel. A good one to recommend to those who like Dystopian or novels with a heroine who stands up to the system.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Teen suicide has become a national epidemic. There's been no way to stop it, until the Program started. It was a way to help teens forget why they wanted to commit suicide, to give them a clean slate to start from. But in reality it stripped them of everything that made them them. It took crucial memories and left holes in their lives. Sloane's brother committed suicide. She's lost friends. She's been pegged as at risk by the Program, and it's only a matter of time before they come.
Review:
While the book's premise is about teen suicide, the book doesn't really address it in any real way. Suicide is viewed as a disease (like the flu, etc), which makes the book slightly less dark than it might be otherwise, though it is by no means a light read. It is a bit of a departure from your typical adults making decisions that will negatively affect youth novel, it does hold to that premise fairly firmly. There is your rebel group working to subvert the system that adults are perpetuating in the belief that it will save the kids, your teen heroine who is able to beat the Program even though it's never happened before. It's well written and sets up well for a sequel. A good one to recommend to those who like Dystopian or novels with a heroine who stands up to the system.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Monday, February 11, 2013
Butter
by Erin Jade Lange
Summary:
No one knows Butter's real name. No one really cares to know either. He sits alone at lunch, is ignored in classes by virtually everyone but his music teacher. You see, Butter is obese. Extremely obese. And he's had it. He is done with being who he is. He's decided there's only one way out, and that's to eat himself to death. One last, huge meal. And he's going to broadcast it on the internet. When he shares his webpage, "Butter's Last Meal", with classmates, he suddenly finds that he's the most popular kid at school. The thing is, he's only popular because he's supposed to kill himself. So what does he do now that he's finally found a place?
Review:
Butter is a dark novel, as one can infer from it's premise. Butter himself is a very depressed kid who has hidden that depression from his parents and anyone else who kind of knows him. The book is a cautionary tale about the dangers of peer pressure. I won't spoil the ending, but it really harks on how little you can know a person, and how important it is to try. A good read for those who like more serious titles, but it's definitely for an older crowd.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
No one knows Butter's real name. No one really cares to know either. He sits alone at lunch, is ignored in classes by virtually everyone but his music teacher. You see, Butter is obese. Extremely obese. And he's had it. He is done with being who he is. He's decided there's only one way out, and that's to eat himself to death. One last, huge meal. And he's going to broadcast it on the internet. When he shares his webpage, "Butter's Last Meal", with classmates, he suddenly finds that he's the most popular kid at school. The thing is, he's only popular because he's supposed to kill himself. So what does he do now that he's finally found a place?
Review:
Butter is a dark novel, as one can infer from it's premise. Butter himself is a very depressed kid who has hidden that depression from his parents and anyone else who kind of knows him. The book is a cautionary tale about the dangers of peer pressure. I won't spoil the ending, but it really harks on how little you can know a person, and how important it is to try. A good read for those who like more serious titles, but it's definitely for an older crowd.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Hold Still
by Nina LaCour
Summary:
The school year might be beginning like normal for everyone else, but for Ingrid, all it brings is reminders of the death of her best friend at the end of last year. Caitlin was beautiful and fun, but what everyone believed she was was shattered when she committed suicide. Now Ingrid is left behind trying to understand not only why Caitlin did it, but why Caitlin never talked to her about her problems. When Ingrid finds Caitlin's journal, she finds a way to understand a little bit of Caitlin herself, the part that Caitlin always kept hidden.
Review:
Hold Still was not nearly as captivating as other novels about the aftermath of a suicide. However what it did try to explain was the fact that Caitlin knew that she was ultimately the one responsible for her life and that what she was going to do was not the only option. The book focuses on her friend trying to understand the betrayal she feels, and how to deal with both that betrayal and her grief. Overall it's well written but there are better books on the subject out there.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th-10th Grade
Summary:
The school year might be beginning like normal for everyone else, but for Ingrid, all it brings is reminders of the death of her best friend at the end of last year. Caitlin was beautiful and fun, but what everyone believed she was was shattered when she committed suicide. Now Ingrid is left behind trying to understand not only why Caitlin did it, but why Caitlin never talked to her about her problems. When Ingrid finds Caitlin's journal, she finds a way to understand a little bit of Caitlin herself, the part that Caitlin always kept hidden.
Review:
Hold Still was not nearly as captivating as other novels about the aftermath of a suicide. However what it did try to explain was the fact that Caitlin knew that she was ultimately the one responsible for her life and that what she was going to do was not the only option. The book focuses on her friend trying to understand the betrayal she feels, and how to deal with both that betrayal and her grief. Overall it's well written but there are better books on the subject out there.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th-10th Grade
Thursday, January 19, 2012
You Know Where to Find Me
by Rachel Cohn
Summary:
Miles and her cousin Laura didn't have much in common anymore. Most of the time they spent together was when they would get high on pills. But when Laura purposely overdoses, Miles is forced to confront her own choices. She must decide whether or not to fight for her own life, or spiral into nothingness like her cousin.
Review:
You Know Where to Find Me is a dark novel about the repercussions of a suicide. Interestingly, the book focuses on recreational use of prescription drugs instead of the more typical 'trouble' drugs or alcohol. Miles is not a character that one is easily sympathetic too, she is closed off from most people in her life and the reader can assume that it is mostly by choice. The book focuses mainly on the pleasure that she feels being high, and it's hard to believe that no one ever figured out she was using. Overall it's a decent read but there are better books that discuss this topic out there.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th-10th Grade
Summary:
Miles and her cousin Laura didn't have much in common anymore. Most of the time they spent together was when they would get high on pills. But when Laura purposely overdoses, Miles is forced to confront her own choices. She must decide whether or not to fight for her own life, or spiral into nothingness like her cousin.
Review:
You Know Where to Find Me is a dark novel about the repercussions of a suicide. Interestingly, the book focuses on recreational use of prescription drugs instead of the more typical 'trouble' drugs or alcohol. Miles is not a character that one is easily sympathetic too, she is closed off from most people in her life and the reader can assume that it is mostly by choice. The book focuses mainly on the pleasure that she feels being high, and it's hard to believe that no one ever figured out she was using. Overall it's a decent read but there are better books that discuss this topic out there.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th-10th Grade
Thursday, December 22, 2011
13 Reason's Why
By Jay Asher
Summary:
Hannah committed suicide. She left no note, no explanation. Yet one day Clay receives a package in the mail. A package containing 13 cassette tapes. As he begins to listen to them, he hears her voice. A voice he thought he would never hear again. The tapes are her explanation. Her story. They are not an excuse, but a way for her to tell those who hurt her, who were part of her story, the role that they played in the events that led to her death.
Review:
Asher has created a very powerful book about the nature of teen suicide. Through Hannah he has created a character that the reader sympathizes with, that the reader wants to know more about. It is a warning message about the terrible power of rumors, about how it only takes a little to spiral out of control. It is also a story about revenge, as this is the only way Hannah knows to get her story out, her way of reaching out even though it is too late for anyone to respond. Overall it is a very impressive book, though definitely suited to an older crowd not only due to the frankness it deals with suicide, but also the prevalence of sex and alcohol.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th grade
Summary:
Hannah committed suicide. She left no note, no explanation. Yet one day Clay receives a package in the mail. A package containing 13 cassette tapes. As he begins to listen to them, he hears her voice. A voice he thought he would never hear again. The tapes are her explanation. Her story. They are not an excuse, but a way for her to tell those who hurt her, who were part of her story, the role that they played in the events that led to her death.
Review:
Asher has created a very powerful book about the nature of teen suicide. Through Hannah he has created a character that the reader sympathizes with, that the reader wants to know more about. It is a warning message about the terrible power of rumors, about how it only takes a little to spiral out of control. It is also a story about revenge, as this is the only way Hannah knows to get her story out, her way of reaching out even though it is too late for anyone to respond. Overall it is a very impressive book, though definitely suited to an older crowd not only due to the frankness it deals with suicide, but also the prevalence of sex and alcohol.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th grade
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Hate List
by Jennifer Brown
Summary:
No one really knows what to make of Valerie. Innocent victim, hero, or accomplice in the murder of several of her classmates? It might have been her boyfriend Nick who pulled the trigger, but she was the one who lived. Now she not only has to recover from a devastating bullet wound, but also learn to make her way in a school where no one trusts her. Where everyone is recovering from losing someone they loved, but she is the one recovering from loving a killer.
Review:
School shootings are a sensitive topic, one which Hate List is able to bring up in a very powerful way. The book focuses not only on Valerie as she attempts to heal from the trauma of being shot, but intersperses it with flashbacks to the day of the shooting as she attempts to figure out where everything went so wrong. It all began with a list she made about things she hated, people who were annoying her, but spun so out of control the reader truly empathizes with her and the situation. The book is a great read which focuses on devastating consequences bullying and social seclusion can have.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Grade Level: 8-9th Grade
Summary:
No one really knows what to make of Valerie. Innocent victim, hero, or accomplice in the murder of several of her classmates? It might have been her boyfriend Nick who pulled the trigger, but she was the one who lived. Now she not only has to recover from a devastating bullet wound, but also learn to make her way in a school where no one trusts her. Where everyone is recovering from losing someone they loved, but she is the one recovering from loving a killer.
Review:
School shootings are a sensitive topic, one which Hate List is able to bring up in a very powerful way. The book focuses not only on Valerie as she attempts to heal from the trauma of being shot, but intersperses it with flashbacks to the day of the shooting as she attempts to figure out where everything went so wrong. It all began with a list she made about things she hated, people who were annoying her, but spun so out of control the reader truly empathizes with her and the situation. The book is a great read which focuses on devastating consequences bullying and social seclusion can have.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Grade Level: 8-9th Grade
Monday, April 25, 2011
According to Greta
According to Greta
Distributed by Ancho Bay Films
Publisher: Beverly Hills, CA : Anchor Bay Entertainment, [2010]
Plot Description:
Greta’s life hasn’t been easy for a long time. Her mother cares more about Greta’s stepfather than about Greta. She can’t decide what to after high school, or even if life is worth living anymore. But during a summer spent with her grandparents, spent broadening her horizons and breaking down the barriers she has built up, she learns that perhaps family and relationships really aren’t a bad thing and tries to fix the ones she has left.
Review:
Overall a good movie. Greta, played by Hilary Duff, is a headstrong character who thinks she knows everything she needs to know, but in typical teenage fashion really has no idea. Her seemingly brazen attitude and desire to rebel masks a lifetime of insecurities that she is forced to face by the end of the movie, as she struggles with the consequences her actions have not only for her but those she cares about. A good movie for older tweens, but younger tweens probably will not enjoy it as much for its older content.
Genre: Fiction
Viewing Age: 8th-9th Grade
Similar Movies: Cinderella Story, Ella Enchanted
Reader’s Advisory:
Personal thoughts- A good movie about teenage angst
Subjects/themes- Depression, Suicide, Relationships, Growing Up
Character names/descriptions-
Greta- 17 year old struggling with depression
Julie- the boy she begins a relationship with who helps her realize that life is worth living
Annotation: Sometimes life is worth living.
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