Common Sense Media Review
Engrossing, violent thriller about peer pressure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Based on 14 kid reviews
Kids say this book delivers an engaging story about peer pressure with a mix of action, drama, and moral lessons, despite containing some violence and strong language. While it has been praised for its gripping narrative and educational value regarding the consequences of succumbing to peer pressure, it has also faced criticism for its potentially inappropriate content for younger readers.
- engaging narrative
- peer pressure
- moral lessons
- strong language
- violence
- age-appropriate concerns
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
High school English teacher Mr. Griffin just isn't fair. All his students hate him. Five of them decide to teach him a lesson by kidnapping and frightening him. Unknown to them, he has a heart condition, and he dies. Keeping the secret leads to more crime. This popular, engrossing thriller about peer pressure holds the teenagers responsible for their actions.
Is It Any Good?
This tensely engaging book has been criticized for its violence, though it directly describes almost none; instead, we see the results of violence. We see how Mrs. Griffin suffers when her husband disappears, and how the kids feel a trap slowly closing around them. Lois Duncan skillfully builds the suspense until Mark's disguised sickness explodes.
We care about these kids as we watch them make decisions that will ruin their lives. Duncan forces all her characters to take the consequences of their actions. That realism lifts the book above the pulp-fiction genre and has kept it among the most popular young-adult novels for more than 20 years. The lessons it teaches about teenage peer pressure has kept it on many required reading lists -- this is one the kids can enjoy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about peer pressure. Why does Susan go along with the kidnap plot? What was at risk for her? What might have happened if she refused or reported the group's plan? As the situation escalates, why does she still remain silent?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : School
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Laurel-Leaf
- Publication date : January 1, 1978
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 14
- Number of pages : 223
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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