On Your Knees

May 1, 2015

Gr 8 Up-This urban fiction series features five teenage girls who find themselves on a horrible, student-generated list known as "the swoop list." No girl wants to be put on it, because it means that she is "easy." In order to address the negative backlash that occurs, the school counselor has the "swoop list girls" meet. The protagonists become really close and learn many lessons from one another. The most prevalent being how to cope with having their reputations affected by the list. They find solidarity in the friendships that are formed. Like Anne Schraff's "Bluford High" series (Townsend Pr.), the plotlines are neatly wrapped up and the narratives end neatly. These titles cover very serious topics, such as bullying, dating, gang violence, rape, and sex. Vocabulary might be challenging for some students but the story lines are easy to follow and understand. VERDICT A hi-lo series that will appeal to the author's fans and those who enjoy high school drama stories.-Shauntee Burns-Simpson, New York Public Library

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