5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read, highly recommended!!, July 13, 2009
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Butler's novel about bullying in middle school is so very close to the truth. From cyberbullying to flat out name calling, Butler offers an unflattering, yet true-to-life, view of middle school social trends. More to the point, Butler focuses on how cruel, self-centered, and uncaring many pre-teens and teens are. Butler also includes the fact that many adults either deny that such hatred occurs or blindly ignore bullying by looking the other way.
The novel's unique format will appeal to young adult readers; the novel is written as a series of blog-like entries from a variety of characters. Each entry is prefaced with the character's name and with an icon to identify the character. This is a fantastic format for struggling and reluctant readers. Also, the voice of the novel will appeal to young adult readers. The characters "sound" like real middle school students.
The Truth about Truman School is an excellent read and should be read by middle school students and anyone who comes in contact with them. The novel is a shout out as to how mean people are and can be.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Average storyline, different writing style, current issues, August 25, 2009
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After running into censorship issues with the school newspaper, a couple of students decide to start a website where students can speak freely. Unfortunately someone decides to use the site to get revenge against one of the popular girls. Things snowball and it turns into a case of cyber-bullying and the police are eventually brought in. By that time it's too late and friendships and lives have been changed forever.
The story is narrated by several students at Truman Middle School. Each chapter lists the student narrating and goes on to tell their involvement/reaction as the story develops. While it's an interesting way to read a story, it does get tedious--some entries are merely 2-3 sentences and then it jumps back to another student telling their side of the story.
While the story does involve a mystery (who is "Anonymous" that is posting such terrible things on the site?) I didn't find it to be one of the most intriguing books for teenagers I've come across. It contains all the usual themes (cliques, popularity, bullying) but just presents it in a different way. I did like the fact that it addresses the fact that just because parents think they are involved or protecting their children (limiting computer use for example), kids can still get access and/or be dragged into cyberbullying. Unfortunately I think many parents are oblivious to things that can easily happen now that never would have happened before the internet was around.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Parent's Review -- Some Mature Content, July 23, 2009
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I was surprised at how much I liked this book. I read juvenile and YA fiction for a few reasons. One is to keep up with (or ahead of) my 6th grade daughter. Another is to gain insight into the tween culture, and a third is because it reminds me of what it was like to be that age.
This story takes place when a student-run website that is set up to tell "the truth about Truman school" (which can't be told in the school newspaper because of the mean, unsupportive teacher sponsor). The idea is that it's everyone's site, and that anyone can post comments, polls, or an article. However, the editors soon have to decide if they want to allow mean-spirited attacks on there or not. They decide to allow it, and it gets out of hand, with one girl being targeted by an anonymous user who posts a link to another site where everyone can post why they hate her.
Of course, eventually it's uncovered and the authorities are brought in to figure out who the anonymous user is, and the victim also wants to figure out why. The students each have to write about what happened for language arts, but the editor of the Truth About Truman School decides to have people write two versions - the school version with all the commas in the right place, and another version to appear on the website that tells how they really feel. This is how the book is constructed - short excerpts from a handful of students telling their side of the story.
When I was in 8th grade like these students at Truman Middle School, we had no cyber bullying, but there was still bullying - mean girls jockeying for position and spreading rumors or sending mean notes to others.
I found the characters to be real, although based on stereotypes, because they exist for a reason: mean girls, girls who aren't really mean but follow along to be popular, geeks, freaks, misfits, jocks.
Between the real characters (either likable or unlikable as they are written to be), and the mystery of uncovering who is responsible and why, it's a great read.
(Small Spoiler Alert)
At first I thought that this would be a good book for my daughter to read, but when I got to page 75, one of the ways the victim is targeted is when they create a false blog that comes from her, called her "L*sbian Love Site." The author handles this appropriately (even having one character think of his gay uncles and how he likes them), and it's true that being accused of being gay is devastating to a tween or teen, but it made me decide to hold off at least another year to share this with my daughter - when she's really in middle school.
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