Seventeen Real Girls, Real-Life Stories

February 1, 2008
Gr 8 Up-These stories come directly from the pages of "Seventeen" magazine. Each one includes a lurid description of the crime, followed by the punishment meted out by the criminal-justice system. The opening story features a preteen murdered by her mother after she confesses to losing her virginity. This is followed by a selection about "lesbian killers" who brutally stabbed one of the girl's grandparents and another entry about an eight-months-pregnant 14-year-old murdered by contract killers hired by the victim's adult boyfriend. One of the more appalling aspects is not only how many of the victims are young girls, but also how many of the perps are. Glossy, full-color, shocking photographs from each story appear in a centerfold. The tone and language are the typical pulpy standard set by the true-crime genre. For Law and Order and Special Victims Unit fans, these tabloid-tastic stories definitely hit the target."Elaine Baran Black, Georgia Public Library Service, Atlanta"

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