Diary of a Witness (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

Author Catherine Ryan Hyde takes readers inside the world of two bullied teens. Through Ernie, a kind, meek, overweight teen, Hyde highlights a world where jocks rule, cool girls ridicule, and adults are misinformed, uninterested, or clueless. In other words, the setting is typical for teen literature with the usual stock characters. Ernie is a good window to this world because besides being a target, he's also a blank slate. His character is pretty one-dimensional. He's the good kid who's rarely conflicted about his moral compass; he's only torn when it comes to standing up for himself. Will is the bad kid who really isn't bad, just neglected and misunderstood.

The author seems to want to make sure the audience understands that Will gets dealt a bad hand, so she piles on the misery. In addition to all the drama, there's a self-absorbed mother who leaves the family to live with her boyfriend, an alcoholic father, and a family tragedy to make sure Will is enough of a sympathetic character that readers will understand and expect when he finally snaps. Unfortunately, all of the misfortune isn't necessary. The sheer amount of bullying the boys face is enough to make the characters sympathetic. The added melodrama just serves to make Will more of a caricature, leaving the readers less connected to the story.