An entertaining, insightful novel that urges understanding over retaliation.
A bullied boy hatches a plan to get revenge on his bullies through social media in this novel for middle schoolers.
Zachariah Kermit Higgins—he prefers “Zach”—is short and the skinniest, clumsiest 13-year-old in seventh grade. He’s picked on by many, but the worst for the last two years has been Billie, a girl who loves to mock Zach’s height. After her latest humiliation, Zach’s shame turns to rage, and he vows to teach her a lesson. Also due for revenge is Gem, the leather-wearing leader of three mean, tough girls who push Zach around—sometimes into lockers. Zach develops an elaborate, well-researched plan, creating two fake identities on Facebook tailored to Billie’s and Gem’s personalities. Billie gets “Chad,” blond, blue-eyed, and athletic; for Gem, there’s “Samson,” who’s tough and loves wrestling videos. Zach cultivates these friendships through comments on his marks’ pages and private messages, hoping to learn secrets and weaknesses that will set up both girls for public humiliation. Chad succeeds in manipulating Billie’s emotions, but when Gem reveals to Samson her own history of being bullied and her family’s economic difficulties, Zach starts feeling uneasy. Things don’t work out exactly as he’d planned, but in the process of trying to make things right, Zach gains new maturity and insights. In her debut novel, Wood addresses several contemporary concerns, including the economic insecurity that affects Gem and her family. Her attention to kids’ use of social media is especially notable. While several novels for middle schoolers address bullying, few discuss catfishing (making false identities on social media for deceptive ends), something young people should be aware of. Zach has an engaging, age-appropriate voice. He’s both thoughtful and imperfect, his growing conscience becoming the story’s true centerpiece. Wood nicely shows how Zach, despite chafing at his parents’ restrictions, also is strengthened by their attentive care. Zach’s make-it-right campaign is a step-by-step process rather than one grand gesture, a good touch. It’s something of a shame, though, that the happy ending seems dependent on conforming: Zach gets taller and more muscular, and Gem becomes more girly.
An entertaining, insightful novel that urges understanding over retaliation.Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5407-8890-0
Page Count: 126
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Ramona returns (Ramona Forever, 1988, etc.), and she’s as feisty as ever, now nine-going-on-ten (or “zeroteen,” as she calls it). Her older sister Beezus is in high school, baby-sitting, getting her ears pierced, and going to her first dance, and now they have a younger baby sister, Roberta. Cleary picks up on all the details of fourth grade, from comparing hand calluses to the distribution of little plastic combs by the school photographer. This year Ramona is trying to improve her spelling, and Cleary is especially deft at limning the emotional nuances as Ramona fails and succeeds, goes from sad to happy, and from hurt to proud. The grand finale is Ramona’s birthday party in the park, complete with a cake frosted in whipped cream. Despite a brief mention of nose piercing, Cleary’s writing still reflects a secure middle-class family and untroubled school life, untouched by the classroom violence or the broken families of the 1990s. While her book doesn’t match what’s in the newspapers, it’s a timeless, serene alternative for children, especially those with less than happy realities. (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 25, 1999
ISBN: 0-688-16816-7
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1999
Small, a very little fox, needs some reassurance from Large in the unconditional love department. If he is grim and grumpy, will he still be loved? “ ‘Oh, Small,’ said Large, ‘grumpy or not, I’ll always love you, no matter what.’ “ So it goes, in a gentle rhyme, as Large parries any number of questions that for Small are very telling. What if he were to turn into a young bear, or squishy bug, or alligator? Would a mother want to hug and hold these fearsome animals? Yes, yes, answers Large. “But does love wear out? Does it break or bend? Can you fix it or patch it? Does it mend?” There is comfort in Gliori’s pages, but it is a result of repetition and not the imagery; this is a quick fix, not an enduring one, but it eases Small’s fears and may well do the same for children. (Picture book. 2-6)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-202061-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1999
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
