The Rule of Won

November 1, 2008
Gr 7 Up-Faced with the possibility of losing his overachieving girlfriend, self-avowed slacker Caleb reluctantly joins a new school club centered around a highly touted self-help book (based on Rhonda Byrne's bestseller "The Secret"). Led by charismatic Ethan, members attempt to practice The Rule of Won: "if you can completely imagine you've already achieved some goal in your life, you will win it." At first, their positive thinking seems to bring about positive change: they wish for funding for Screech Neck High and the school receives a large grant. However, as the group becomes more popular and powerful, its members begin to bully those who don't share their beliefs, and their "Craves" (wishes or goals) become morally suspect. Caleb is increasingly troubled by the assertions that people bring evil on themselves by their own negative thoughts, and that positive thoughts alone are enough to achieve aspirations. When he discovers that Ethan has been helping the Craves with criminal acts, he realizes that he will have to take a stand. Caleb is a likable character, and his slightly self-deprecating first-person narrative is filled with humor and insight. Readers will be rooting for him in his final confrontation with Ethan. The book is fast paced and gripping enough to draw in reluctant readers; sections depicting "Craves" posted to a discussion board are both comical and frightening. Raising questions about issues such as personal responsibility, freedom of speech and the press, and standing up for unpopular beliefs, this novel would be a terrific choice for book-group and class discussions."Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ"

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