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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman
2011, Scholastic Press

Synopsis: Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.

Abby is starting high school—it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke—he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.

Why read: Received from Amazon Vine

What impressed me: Everything about this novel impressed me. The realism was painful. I grew up when people were first getting access to the internet in their homes. I remember, back before anyone thought to warn us about internet predators, logging on to chat rooms and having the conversations become confusingly dirty as soon as I mentioned I was 13. And even today, with all of the warnings given to teens about the dangers of the internet, Want to Go Private? makes it very easy to see how a young girl might get swept up in something scary when she's not looking for it. Nothing was held back in this novel. It was raw, honest and terrifying in how easily things progressed.

What disappointed me: Absolutely nothing!

Recommended: Every parent and any teen still living under the assumption that something like the internet is a safe place.

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