Don't Tell, Don't Tell, Don't Tell

In her fifth novel, Shaw tackles friendship, trust, and difference.Sixteen-year-old Frederick, a white boy with Asperger's, is regularly bullied by the "Despisers." Loathing doctors' labels and finding the majority of social interactions more difficult than they are rewarding, Frederick prefers a life of solitude. But then Angel Martinez, a "moderately" fat Latina who is "different from most girls," pushes her way into Frederick's life, becoming his friend and turning his world upside down. After an alcohol-infused night of misplaced trust, Angel wakes up in a field unsure how she got there and what may have happened to her. Ashamed and self-blaming, she manipulates Frederick into keeping her plan to run away a secret, but when Angel is officially reported missing, Frederick must decide whether to share what he knows or keep his titular promise and "don't tell, don't tell, don't tell." A speedy conclusion feels abrupt and leaves questions about the consequences of their actions dangling. Frederick narrates the first half of the book, and Angel the second. While both voices feel forced at times, Angel's falls flat, and beyond her self-loathing and weight, it is unclear who she really is. Problematic tropes, including the unexplored conflation of disability with asexuality, are disappointingly present. While the book's not a total miss, better mystery and better representation can be found elsewhere. (Fiction. 14-18) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Sophomores Angel and Frederick eat lunch together in the Reject Room. Both find it hard to make friends; overweight Angel has been in a half-dozen schools, and Frederick has Asperger's syndrome. The unlikely pair form a friendship where Angel helps Frederick with his social skills and Frederick becomes Angel's confidant. While Frederick has resigned himself to bullying by the "Despisers," Angel decides that her best option is to return to the previous town she lived in. When Frederick is called in by the police for questioning, he learns that Angel's plan to run away and stay with her friend has gone awry. Sworn to secrecy, he is confronted with the choice of breaking his promise or setting out to track down Angel on his own. The friendship between Frederick and Angel is sweet. Teens will recognize the social structure of a high school in which students with disabilities and insecurities are marginalized and at times pushed to the point of drastic, self-destructive actions. However, the plot moves slowly and Frederick's internal monologue, designed to reflect a teen with his disability, ultimately becomes predictable and tedious. VERDICT This title will require some handselling and may resonate with teens who identify as misfits.-Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD

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