What Parents Should Know
Depicts high school life with devastating accuracy, and uses
an unusual, intriguing format. Teenagers easily understand the
situation, recognize the characters, and enjoy the book--even
when it's required.
Common Sense Media Review
Readers who pick up this book will be struck first by the
unusual format. Avi calls this book "a documentary novel." The
entire book consists of a collection of memos, dialogues, diary
entries, newspaper articles, letters, and transcripts of
speeches and radio shows. Avi lets readers make their own
judgments about what happens, but only the reader knows the
whole story.
Philip's fellow students easily figure out what really happens, and taunt him: "Hey Philip? How come you went after Narwin? Todd Becker said it's because you were failing English! That true?" They punish Philip more than the school authorities can.
Yet branding Philip as the only dishonest character won't work. The newspaper reporter grabs a headline for herself. The politician grabs an issue he can ride into the election. Philip's parents go along with his lies in order to support him and to look patriotic, instead of finding out what their son really needs. None of them wants to find the truth. Because they don't, Miss Narwin loses her career and Philip loses his friends and his dream.
Ironically, Miss Narwin's pursuit of more teacher training eventually works against her. Philip eventually decides to take the honest route and try to improve his grade, but it's too late. He's finally forced to tell the truth in the devastating last line of the book. Parents who read this book with their children will find abundant fodder for conversation here, as Avi explores the effects of twisting the truth.
Todd Strasserss The Wave and Norma Fox Mazer's Out of Control also deal with difficulties in high schools.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
