Wednesday 16 April 2014

Book ~ "We're Done" (2013) Judy Irwin

From Goodreads ~ What if it turns out that YOU'RE the bully - and you didn't know it? 

Things aren't going very well for 13-year-old Luke Mitchell. He's been kicked out of his posh private school, Heyworth Academy; his best friend Jon has just dumped him; and the tough guys at his new school have just picked him as their new target. 

So what's a guy who used to be on the top of the heap supposed to do? The upside-down world that Luke finds himself in at Carlyle gives him a whole new way of looking at things. Can he recover from losing his school and his best friend, and find new friends and a way to fit in at Carlyle?

Luke is 13 years old and goes to a private school. He likes to "joke" with the other students ... but they don't find it so funny.  An incident during School Spirit Day is strike three against him according to the school's anti-bullying rules and Luke is kicked out of the school, though he doesn't realize his behaviour was considered bullying.  His mother retreats within herself and is no support.  His older sister, Monica, and a friend of her are bullying a fellow student via Facebook.   He expected his dad, who is out of town often on business, to be able to talk him back into the school and when this doesn't happen, he has to go to what he considers an inferior public school.  In addition, his best friend, Jon, who we met in What Did You Say?, had had enough of his "humour" and doesn't want to be his friend anymore.  All in all, Luke is not likeable.

As he tries to fit in at the new school, he is picked on and made fun of by some of the kids.  Tash, who he met in What Did You Say?, is a fellow student and doesn't give him the warm welcoming he expected because she took offense to something he said over the summer.  He's not used to not having his way and learns some humbling lessons in how to get along with his fellow students and how he had treated others in the past.

This is the third book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style and thought it flowed well.  The subject matter is bullying which is a huge focus right now and this book could be an eye-opener to kids who don't realize they are being bullies.  Though it is a YA book, I didn't find the writing or storyline too immature for me.  It's a quick read and I'd recommend it for everyone (there's no bad language or mature situations).

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