True Shoes

Gr 7 Up—Wilhelm tackles the effects of cyberbullying. The "Out Crowd," now eighth graders at Parkland Middle School, find themselves the target of rumors begun by the popular crowd. The rumors spread throughout the school by text messages gone viral. The popular crowd continues to up the ante on their plan to destroy the "Out Crowd" until they are finally caught up in their own web of lies and scheming. Though at times heavy-handed and predictable, this is an enjoyable listen for kids who no longer want to be viewed as bystanders, and they will be satisfied that the mean girls will get what they deserve. Thomas Stephen Jr. employs an uncertainty and edgy break in his voice, making it clear that this tale is being told by a teenage boy whose voice is changing. He uses slight vocal nuances to indicate a change of characters. The production did have a few problems: several Tagalog words in the text were mispronounced, including the words "Tagalog" and "ate"; a number of obvious edits add confusion in identifying which character is speaking. Fans of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants will probably also enjoy this story, but may want to start with the first title in the series.—Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH