Sticks and Stones

Jujube is a normal high school girl, that is until she goes out to her boyfriend’s car during a dance. “Mr. Warpspeed” tries to get her to do more than she wants, but she says no and they go back in. Jujube finds out that she has been labeled as a slut. Jujube discovers how hard it is to fight against a label, especially since no one is interested in the truth. Jujube and her friend Carlos use an English project about communication to bring to light the hurtful side of gossip, graffiti and labels.

The issues dealt with in this book are universal, as most teens have been labeled as something they are not. Trying to cope with this label is something that many teens struggle with and “Sticks and Stones” actually shows a very positive was to deal with it. The book is well written and enjoyable to read. It was possible to forget that this was supposed to be a hi/lo book as you didn’t notice the simplicity of the writing or storyline at all. I would like to see Orca put out a book about the other side of this story, the pressure on teenage boys to be sexually experienced and brag about it to their friends.

Age range: 12 plus
Ranking: Quality – 4/5 Popularity – 5/5