Killing Mr. Griffin

This book was one of my first Lois Duncan novels (I have read many more since than) and it left a very good impression on me. Killing Mr. Griffin is about this group of teenage high school students, boys and girls, who have a high school English teacher they don’t like, and decide to give him a good scare so he might not be so strict towards them anymore. But, as we all know, even the best laid plans go wrong. And that’s what happens in this novel. If you have not read Lois Duncan, this is a good one to start with. My very first one was They Never Came Home, and Killing Mr. Griffin came second or third. I think her books are appropriate for preteens and up, depending on the maturity or sensitivity of the kid. Killing Mr. Griffin is sort of like a textbook, except it’s fiction (the public libraries categorize it under YA Mystery but it’s not at all a mystery, trust me) about peer pressure and the consequences. The characters who don’t participate in the plot against Mr. Griffin, or at least some of them, are good role models, and the ones who did are negative role models but are good because they face consequences for their behavior. Lois Duncan has written a close-up look at what it is like to experience peer pressure and why you need to say “no”, and that any “friends” who pressure you to do something wrong are not your friends. I don’t know why this book was ever banned, the only inappropriate content was some violence and consumerism, which isn’t really that inappropriate, and its good because it teaches the mature and the immature kids and teen readers out there how to avoid peer pressure and what to do when it happens to you. There aren’t many books out there that teach about this kind of topic so well, and it’s important that everyone know how to handle peer pressure. This book is engrossing, like CSM says. I would say a mature preteen could handle the content, but interest level would probably be about 13+. I recommend that parents read this too because they would enjoy it just as much as any kid would.

The writing was good, and so was the plot.

Boring at first but gets interesting at the middle of the story.

While reading this I felt almost urged and found it nearly impossible to not think of killing my teachers who treat me wrongly in front of my peers, classmates, and friends

This book is the best book I have ever read! It has a great moral and is so action-packed...there is NEVER a dull moment!

Personally, I don't think any books should be banned or even challenged. If someone doesn't want their kid to read it, then don't let them read it! Don't ruin it or take it off the shelves so other kids can't read it! That being said, Killing Mr. Griffin was a great book, a work of realistic fiction. There was a couple curse words, an accidental murder, an attempted murder, and an intended murder. The violence isn't actually described, but the affects and the results of the violence do show. There is a lot of drama with the characters. I think that the only reason it was challenged was because it might have given people bad ideas, or because of the peer pressure. A group of kids convince one girl to help them kidnap their English teacher. There is also some underage drinking and drugs, but not in detail. Overall, I don't think that this book was bad enough to be challenged. I don't think that it is a good book to read aloud or anything, but wonderful for entertainment.

This book is a great book. But the ages for this book is 14 and up because it has killing and Bad things in the words. But if i had to read this book to a class of pre-K i would not do it because the book has bad words in it. this book is a good book toread on the weekends or the weekdays or if you have any spear time to kill.

i just loved it even though there is mild language and little drinking i think its really good. Also i think people that are 12 already know about drinking and drugs from parents or a special class and the language is really mild! I loved it and so did all my friends!! Definite must read!! AMAZING

it was a great read, very engaging and i liked it from the start to the finish. Mind you i hate having restictions on books because anything addressed is something the reader may have to endure in real life so its like a preparation, so banning books is stupid as is but heres my paper i had to write about it: by morgan thiel 10th grade: Killing the Classroom “I started thinking about charismatic psychopaths like Charles Manson and wondering what they were like as teenagers? They didn't just spring full-blown from oyster shells -- they had to hone the "people skills" that allowed them to become so manipulative as adults. Kids like that are growing up within our school systems and can exert tremendous control over their fellow students. I consider "Griffin" a cautionary tale about the danger of peer pressure,” said Lois Duncan, Killing Mr. Griffin’s author (paragraph 6, reply), when asked in an interview. You’d think with that being said that reading Killing Mr. Griffin would not only be approved, but helpful as well. So why would even having this book in stock stir up ruckus? With any problem in life, there will always be an organization to counter it, whether it’s viewed as appropriate or not. First of all, with any book, concerns can be raised in parents. The first reason parents wanted it banned was due to all the violence. “Overall this book was really violent, this includes one accidental murder, one intended murder, and one attempted murder” (Bradley4846). Even with the understanding of this, not allowing children to read this book due to those reasons is simply sheltering them more and more from the real world. Therefore prolonging there entrance into reality. The next reason concerned parents were complaining about the book was due to the use of drugs, smoking, and the underage drinking that occurred within the cool clique. This ‘fitting in’ might seem within reach now, with what seems to have the only price as them suppressing their morals, but not allowing them to be see that side of society makes them only more naïve to the real world around them. Despite parental concerns, librarian’s views can vary. “People learn from books. It’s the people’s rights to read what they want,” Slinger’s librarian, Mrs. Christman stated. People learn through being presented with problems, which helps them further there understanding. This knowledge can potentially help them in the future when dealing with various dilemmas. Every person has the right to read books. It’s there own decision to open the pages of the book, and read it. Thus being said, after reading Killing Mr. Griffin, it can be seen that the reader would then have a better understanding peer pressure and the damage that can be caused by giving into their peers, in a mere attempt to fit in. Why must one be restricted of what they can read, when truthfully if their minds can comprehend the want to do so, then they should be able to? With others views already taken into consideration, the belief that no book should be banned has still held its ground. First of all, everyone’s life will be different, so knowing whether reading one book or the other holds the possibility that it could help them in future time is forever unforeseen. No one can truthfully ‘see’ the future with certainty, so how will the reader know that any book, whether it’s Killing Mr. Griffin or another, will eventually be applied to their very life’s? As seen on page 50, Susan is confronted with the gang’s idea of how to kidnap Mr. Griffin and when given the option, since not typically being the popular type and suddenly enjoying the rushing thrill of acceptance, agreed to her designated part in their plan. “She heard her voice speaking the word, and her heart rose suddenly into her throat. Had she really said it? Had she actually agreed to this insanity?”(Susan, 50). After reading this, it’s easy to see that Susan had mixed feelings about her agreement, yet still agreed to fit in. Now who’s to say that she couldn’t have gone the other way and chosen not to participate? Everyone’s opinions and thinking, as are their logical thinking dealing with right and wrong, is different and unique. This is why one mustn’t classify any group as one specific type of people. It’s not physically possible to reach into someone’s mind and say, ‘No you must think like the rest of the group,’ let alone state that all their opinions and feelings on any subject are identical. Another reason that any book shouldn’t be banned is due to the fact that banning a book restricts the readers mind. Who’s to say that Johnny shouldn’t read Killing Mr. Griffin because it’s to ‘difficult’ for him to understand? Unless there are people out there that are willing to study his brain every time a problem arises to decide what he should do, then who’s to say that he can’t comprehend something. Restricting his right to read, view, listen, do or see what he wants is taking away his rights as an American Citizen. The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.’ Thus not allowing Johnny to read anything in particular is revoking his right as an American Citizen, and is therefore clarified as illegal. So why push the envelope further by banning any book? Normally, in any heated argument, there are multiple sides to any story, and to be able to decide what side is right, one must comprehend where both sides are coming from. Knowing the future is next to impossible so why not prepare. One person argues, “I have to say the role models are not good,” (Bradley4846). When stating this about Killing Mr. Griffin, he’s saying that all role models within the story are bad. What he fails to see is that any person in the book, yet alone life, is technically a role model. For example, Mark is one of the worst role models in this book, yet Susan is one of the better ones. Mark is tarnished with his terrible, completely self-conducted terrible past, while Susan was a normal, well moralled, extremely good student who was top of her class. So classifying that the role models in any book is extremely vague and invalid. Jenny, a middle school teacher, reacted, “I'm surprised that my school purchased a class set of it. Perhaps, eighth graders could handle it -- but, I know my little sixth graders could not,” (Jenny, 1). Any student should be able to read what they want. The sooner someone grasps that the world isn’t all cheery and made of butterflies and rainbows, the better off they are since they know that not everything turns out the way it’s planned to. Allowing the people to read Killing Mr. Griffin allows them to properly see right and wrong at work. It shakes the reader into understanding that the pain caused is the characters own fault and lets them learn. Remember, one can’t make all the mistakes, but they certainly can learn from others. With any problem in the real world, there will almost always have some people who have issues with it. So to take a quick moment to briefly explain what has been discussed: Unneeded substances and violence is everywhere, so why shelter the student from the world, forcing them to endure a harsh awakening later on in life. People learn from life, and books are life in written format, so allow them to read what interests them. People can’t decide what others like for them, so why attempt? No one can foretell the future, so who’s to say a book can’t help you? The late Mr. Griffin once stated, “I’d push each one into doing the best work of which he or she is capable of,” (Duncan, 55). So why don’t we?