 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Jumped
- By Rita Williams-Garcia
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Chilling book about girl-on-girl violence will leave mark.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this National Book Award finalist is about a girl-on-girl fight that's so severe that one girl ends up in a coma. Careful readers will understand that this book not only examines how much more "personal" girl violence is -- but more importantly, it also reveals the importance of getting
involved before events get out of hand. The most chilling character is the one who knows about the planned attack but does nothing -- and doesn't really seem to care after an innocent girl is left in a coma. There is some frank language and one girl admits, "I was mad and had to do something and mad sex is some good s--t, yo."
What's the story?
This book is told from the perspective of three urban teens: Artistic, annoying Trina, self-absorbed, self-described "Big Girl" Leticia, and angry basketball-obsessed Dominque. During the course of one day, Trina inadvertently disrespects Dominique, who tells her friends she will beat her up at the end of the school day. Leticia overhears this plan, but decides not to warn Trina about what's coming. And then the attack happens.
Is it any good?
Readers may not find Trina's trespass against Dominque devastating enough to cause her dramatic response, but overall, this is a very authentic book that captures the menacing atmosphere of so many high schools. The book's message is subtle here, and some readers may need a parent or teacher's help to get it: At the end, Dominique remains unremorseful about putting Trina in a coma -- but really it's Leticia, who knew of the planned attack and did nothing, that is really at the heart of this book. Her lack of action -- and lack of real caring even in the aftermath -- provide the book's most chilling moments.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the high school depiction here. Students have to walk by a police officer to go to school and a teacher is so afraid when confronted by a student that he starts stuttering. How does the school compare to yours? Does this one seem realistic?
This book is a National Book Award finalist. Why do you think it was honored this way? Does it deserve an award?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Teen, 13 years old
October 31, 2010
AGE
Easier to understand and enjoy for teenage children.
This story, though it may portray bad plot involving violence, greatly explains the true sides of school bullying. Being a reader of this book at age 14 and being able to analyze it further as more than just the text on the pages, I can see that there is more to the book. In the book, the three parties of bullying are shown. In every act of bullying, there is the bully, the victim, and the bystander. Towards the end of the novel, you learn that had any one of those girls in the bullying act taken the time to think about what was going on or why they were doing what they were doing, the whle story would hve ended differently. This book in my opinion was entertaining and enjoyable to read because teenage children can sometimes relate to situations like this whether more serious or less dramatic. In all, it was a good book and when rating please remember that this is a fictional story but the author did spend many hours roaming various highschools and interpreting behavior amongst the students in order to develop the story.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 17 years old
November 23, 2011
AGE
CHILDREN IN THE SHADOWS OF VIOLENCE!!!!
i think this book is trying to teach kids that if they are having a confrontation with another kid in school or anywhere that they shouldn't go straight to violence like the girls did in this book and that they should go to a teacher and let them deal with the situation.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
April 22, 2012
AGE
Jumped
Jumped is an aggressive book about children who have no other way to express there anger to others except for violence.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Author: | Rita Williams-Garcia |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Publisher: | Amistad |
| Publication date: | February 24, 2009 |
| Number of pages: | 176 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 12 |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
