Sticks and Stones

            You normally go into a high school and hear rumors, right? Well they're trypically about how someone did something mean or who is dating who. In the novel Sticks and Stones, Jujube, a freshamn in high school, the main character, goes to a school dance with a boy named Brent. Everything went very well on the date and Jujube was satisfied. The next day at school, everyone of Brent's friends were laughing and making jokes about how she was now "a woman" when Jujube walked into the classroom. Confsed, Jujube goes to sit down next to her friend Carlos, who rarely talks. Carlos explains to her how words has to that her and Brent did the "dirty deed" on Friday night.

            Furious, Jujube tries to ignore the ridiculous rumors and play along like it was just a big joke. After about a week of this not exactly working and it getting worse, Jujube tells her "sister", Sophie, a senior who stays with her because her mother moves out to live with her husband after he gets out of jail for beating Sophie, Jujube explains to her what is going on. Sophie later explains how once she moved in with Jujube and her mother, she got rumors spread about her too. The next day at school, Jujube finds writings on the bathroom and locker walls, saying that Jujube is a SLUT, and Jujube is joining the family bussiness. Horrified at this, Jujube tells her mom, who drives to the school to tare the Principal to pieces. After doing so, he insitis that the school does not have the money to remove the writing right now, but that they will figure something out.
                In English class, an assignment on communication is assigned. Jujube and Carlos have the perfect idea that vandalisim is a huge part of communication, especially in high school. Jujbe and Carlos go around school taking pictures of all the writings. They then put together a slide show, and Brent, along with the rest of the class, sit in silence as they watch the slide show. The writings are later taken down by the school. And, now that Jujube and Carlos are dating, Brent comes to apologize saying that he did not start the rumors, that he just did not stop them. After telling Brent off, he leaves and no one bothers Jujube again. Sticks and Stones is a fantastic novel written by Beth Goobie. It is so true that rumors happen everyday, and most of the time, they are as fake as you can get. I give this novel four out of five hearts  ----> ♥♥♥♥