Teens’ Top Ten Nominee for 2008: Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Tyler Miller, self-professed “zit on the butt of the student body,” has one chance to apologize to Bethany since knocking her over into a puddle of broken glass at her parent’s backyard party. He had been dragged to the party by his over zealous father who was crashing the party in order to win points with his boss, Bethany’s Dad. Could this situation be more unfortunate? Next week, when the most popular senior in his class sits next to him in the lunchroom and puts her injured foot in his lap, right in front of God and everybody, it seems that all is forgiven until an incident of Internet bullying sets him up for disaster.

Author Laurie Halse Anderson writes convincingly as a 17-year-old boy who is dealing with the pressures of family expectations and the “haves versus the have-nots” social scene of high school. His tense, verging on violent relationship with his father erodes the support he might have when accused of Internet slandering his new girlfriend, Bethany. Dark humor and realistic dialogue make this a compelling read.

Twisted is a nominee for the 2008 Teens’ Top Ten. To read more about the Teens’ Top Ten program, click here. To request this book from the library, click here. And don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.”

Review by Melissa from East Regional Library