Wednesday, October 15, 2008

19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult

I was very interested to read this book. Yes, once again Jodi Picoult features a topic that will end up in a courtroom at some point (I sense a pattern as I read here). This time the topic is very real, very sad and very scary. The topic is a school shooting. It is the story of the boy who is the shooter, his mother (a nurse), her once best friend (a judge), and her daughter (a student at the school).
I read a non-fiction book last year that covered this topic brilliantly. It was The Bully, The Bullied and The Bystander by Barbara Coloroso. She is a parenting expert who has a heart for these kids. The ones who are bullied to death, or bullied enough to commit murder. She raised the painful question, just how innocent are the rest of us when these atrocities occur?
I think Jodi Picoult's fictional offering is extremely honest, to a point that may be difficult for some as they raise their own sons and daughters. I know I certainly thought of my own small boys as I read this and wondered am I teaching them all they need to know to treat people well and to not get stepped on in the process?
And yes, she got me again, once I was into this book, I was into it constantly. I think I would have read while driving the car if I could have (don't worry, I will never do that). If you really want to have a look at why we have kids killing kids out there read this book.

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