I bought this book as Lavender and I were at Target for a quick pick up of Valentine's Treats the day after. It had lots of badges on the front declaring it a must read. And was on sale, so I grabbed it.
What a mess of a book. The subject matter is good for prompting a discussion around the dinner table, but that is it. The book is about a boy who receives a graphic email from a girl and then, without thinking, forwards it to his friend to have him help reason through it. Rather than help, the friend forwards it to a couple of friends, and by weekend's end, it is wholly viral.
I don't even care about giving away the plot as I would like to help you to not have to read this book, so essentially the boy is suspended from school, and then the damage begins. The parents are of course affected, even reaching the father's job, but the sadness is the unravel as each member of the family is left healing in their own corner without much from each other. You see the family disintegrating, but then the book ends sharply with only references to longterm fallout.
While I think this book is trying to tackle a true and very current issue, it borders on smutty as it tried to help you understand the graphic nature of the video that this misguided, unparented 13 yr-old sent to a 16 year old boy to try to win his affections. The mother watches it repeatedly, the father only once. The little preschooler sees it and learns the dance. It is revolting.
I read the author's notes in the back about how she was trying to have Manhattan be as much of a story at the viral email. I missed out on that. I admit I skimmed a good two thirds as I searched for something redeeming to read. And found nothing.
Don't read this. But do talk about the danger of forwarding graphic/explicit materials with your children.
books read: 6
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