Tease- Book review

I was not sure that I was going to like this book. It was about bullying and sometimes I find that all the Anti Bulling books become full of useless platitudes about doing unto others etc.

This is not that book.

I want to say it again.

This is not THAT BOOK.

Tease is written from the view point of one of the girls who did the
bullying. The person she bullied commits suicide. Now she is being sued by the dead girls parents.

This book draws you into the world of a 16 year old girl who is trying to fit in. Desperately trying to be what she thinks will make her popular...special. Amanda Maciel has created with this book one of the best books on bullying I have ever read. I unhesitatingly give it 5 stars because of how many times I wanted to simultaneously shake and hug the main character Sara.

High School is such a time of change, growth and insecurity. All of that is captured beautifully and unflinchingly. Sara is not your cookie cutter teen girl. She is not  "every girl" but she is in all of us. Some of us resisted the desire to behave the way she did. And some of us did not.As Adults some of us resist and some of use do not.  The feelings and anger and frustration she feels in this book are real and moving.

If you have a teenager or preteen, make them read this book. I have no doubt it will change them. It certainly changed me. And I think that it can change the conversation we have about bullying. And that might just be the biggest change of all.