Speechless

July 15, 2012
An absorbing drama about what happens when one of the popular girls becomes the target of her former friends' bullying. Sixteen-year-old Chelsea is second in command to her school's queen bee, Kristen, following her smug best friend in all things. Chelsea lies to her parents to attend Kristen's secret New Year's party. There, Chelsea gets drunk and walks in on two gay boys, then stumbles downstairs and outs them. Kristen's boyfriend and another boy brag that they'll beat them up; later, they do, landing one in the hospital. Ashamed, Chelsea turns them in, but her former friends shun and attack her. In response, she vows not to speak at all. Thereafter she makes some unexpected friends and changes her entire outlook. Harrington draws a convincing portrait of the nastiness involved in the personal attacks against Chelsea, especially as the girl realizes how cruel she has been to others in the past. Although Chelsea's nearly complete change of character might seem too sudden, the author makes it look plausible by writing from Chelsea's point of view and underscoring her reactions to her changed circumstances. Characters stand out quite well as individuals, especially confident Asha, the freshman girl who befriends Chelsea. The story works well as an argument against bullying that reaches young readers in their own world. Timely and affecting. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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December 1, 2012

Gr 10 Up-Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret. She tells all and makes many enemies along the way. Nothing seems to stop her from blabbing until Noah, a gay teen, is beaten to the point of hospitalization after she reveals that she saw him hooking up with another guy at a party. Upon learning about the trouble that she has caused, the teen decides to take a vow of silence like a monk she reads about in a National Geographic article. "What comes out of my mouth is the root of my problems, so the solution is for nothing to come out." During this time, Chelsea is abandoned by her former best friend and bullied with name-calling, locker trashing, and other forms of harassment. She sticks to her guns, however, and remains mute. Readers will wonder what will finally break her silence as the drama surrounding Noah's beating unfolds. The book could stand on this premise alone, but Harrington has chosen to throw in a bit of romance between Chelsea and Noah's best friend, Sam. Chelsea grows as a person, making new friends, learning to bite her tongue and developing a stronger sense of self. However, some readers might feel that her vow of silence draws too much attention away from Noah, especially those who sympathize with him. This book is part of the Love Is Louder movement whose mission is to help those who are mistreated and misunderstood. Readers might see Noah as misunderstood, but maybe not Chelsea.-Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 30, 2012
Among the many books about bullies, Harrington’s stands out for its authentic voice and unflinching portrayal of what it means to be part of the bullying. Sixteen-year-old Chelsea relishes her in-crowd status, gained through her friendship with popular Kristen and cemented by her penchant for passing along gossip. But after Chelsea drunkenly outs her classmate Noah at a party, he is brutally beaten by two jocks, one of whom is Kristen’s boyfriend. Despite promising Kristen otherwise, Chelsea tells the police what happened. As Chelsea’s social life implodes, and she herself is bullied, she takes a vow of silence, communicating her thoughts via a small whiteboard. The vow, along with new friendships and a budding romance with Noah’s best friend, change and deepen Chelsea, who learns about the power of love over hate, real friendship, and being true to oneself. In Chelsea, Harrington (Saving June) has created a powerful, strong-willed character, portraying her with true-to-life complexity. Even at her most unlikable, Chelsea never ceases to be fascinating. Ages 14–up. Agent: Diana Fox, Fox Literary.