Fifty-four years ago, Harper Lee wrote the outstanding novel “To Kill A Mockingbird.” I remember reading this sophomore year, and groaning over how much I hate books that have anything to do with trials. But the book was more than just a trial. It stressed the importance of moral education and showed a major lack of social equality. I also found the novel incredibly charming, especially because the book is from the perspective of the little girl protagonist, Scout. This was actually one of the few books I did not use Sparknotes on.

Despite the novel being an amazing success, “To Kill A Mockingbird” was the only book that Harper Lee ever published. But that is about to change. A year ago, Lee’s friend and lawyer rediscovered a manuscript that Lee wrote before Mockingbird that was never published. The book was called “Go Set a Watchman,” and featured Scout as an adult returning to her hometown of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1950s to see her father Atticus.  Lee actually wrote this book before “To Kill a Mockingbird,” but when she presented it to her editor, his favorite scenes were the flashbacks to Scout’s childhood. He persuaded her to write a novel from the point of view of the young Scout, which she agreed to do. The result: Mockingbird became a hit and Watchman was lost and presumably forgotten.

After the manuscript was found, the media-shy author was encouraged by her friends and family to publish it. Lee issued a statement saying she is “happy as hell” about the upcoming novel. “I
hadn’t realized it [the original book] had survived,” she said. “After much thought and hesitation, I shared it with a handful of people I trust and was pleased to hear that they considered it worthy of publication.”

“Go Set a Watchman” is set to be released July 14th, but if you want, you can pre-order right now on Amazon. I am stoked about the novel and July 14th cannot come soon enough.

Every Wednesday at around 2:07 pm, I step into the news club conference room to talk with my fellow writers and editors. Usually I suggest to the chief, David Raab, that I write an article about whatever crazy event is going on at the time. But on this particular Wednesday, I was told by David that I would be writing an article on pop music. Rather than lash out in front of my peers with my feelings toward pop music, I decided to follow through with the article. Here it goes . . .

Do you ever get the most annoying song stuck in your head because it was played on the radio a good 42 times that day? I have a feeling that you have a pop song stuck in your head! Do you ever get the aux cord taken away from you because you were playing songs that nobody wants to hear? I bet you were playing pop music! Now if you truly enjoy pop music, or specifically any pop song from the hit top 100, please read the rest of the article at your own risk.

Let’s start by sinking our eyes and ears deep into the song “Lips are Movin” by Megan Trainor. Now I really have nothing against Megan Trainor, she’s just a young woman trying to bring out everybody’s confidence with repetitive song lyrics and techno noises. But I do have to say I learned many things from this popular tune. I learned that if my lips are moving in any way, I am lying. So for all you gum chewers and pencil biters, you are all lying. In her first verse I learned that Megan Trainor supposedly came from outer space. When Megan sings “I come from outer space,” I guess you could say that she’s the one who’s lying considering there is proof she was born right here in Massachusetts. And might I remind you that her lips are moving throughout her whole music video, so maybe Megan is the biggest liar of them all!

As we skip past more songs that hurt my ears, we arrive at “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift. Does anybody remember the Taylor Swift who wrote country songs? And does anybody know where she disappeared to? I don’t even know how people are still calling her music “country.” I hate to break it to you but this is hardcore pop music. In the music video, clips switch off between Taylor in her bedroom with two white horses and Taylor smashing things with mascara all over her face. In all honesty, I just don’t really understand the song lyrics or the music video or Taylor herself. If this song were to be described with four words, many would suggest “Corrupting To Today’s Youth.”

To continue ranting about this mind-damaging genre of music, I bring up the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. I just wanna start by saying that there is nonstop clapping in this song and frankly it makes me unhappy. It’s annoying (as is the beat of most any pop song). But anyway, in this song I learned that I need to clap along if I “feel like a room without a roof.” I regret to tell Pharrell that I don’t know what a room without a roof feels like so I will not be clapping along. He then repeats that exact verse six more times in the song, making it nearly impossible to even listen anymore. Sorry to anyone who adores this song if I’m making you the opposite of happy.

To wrap up this article, I’d like to say that at the moment I am surprisingly tolerating a pop song. “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars is a guilty pleasure of mine right now and I actually think everybody should give it a listen. But if it’s any other pop song you go and listen to, I hope you find yourself lost with the old Taylor Swift and her acoustic guitar.

I could watch Benedict Cumberbatch read from the phone book and enjoy myself. I love the blend of quirky genius and nerdy awkwardness he shows in Sherlock. I also adore the unabashed goofiness of his countless appearances on awards shows and TV (This clip of celebrity impressions is one of my favorites). But I have to be honest and admit that I haven’t seen many of his most famous movies, such as The Fifth Estate and Hawking. When I get to the movies, it’s usually to see something my 10-year-old daughter will enjoy, not high brow, intellectual “cinema.” So when I had the chance to see a grownup movie recently,  I chose The Imitation Game for the chance to see Cumberbatch in action.

Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing, a British mathematician who helped crack Nazi Germany’s most complicated code during World War II. Using ideas far ahead of his time, he created a machine that allowed the Allied forces to decipher Nazi messages and anticipate attacks, saving thousands of lives and, experts say, shortening the war by years. But Turing had a secret, one that would not only embarrass him in the repressed times in which he lived, but could make him a criminal: he was gay. Although his work during the war was nothing short of heroic, he was condemned after the war for his sexuality, publicly humiliated and forced to undergo chemical castration (hormone therapy that made him impotent). He committed suicide in 1954.

As expected, Cumberbatch was brilliant. He makes you feel that Turing’s arrogant pursuit of his ideas is justified, his social awkwardness is endearing, and his persecution is beyond unfair. Keira Knightley gives one of her best performances as Joan Clarke, a lone woman on the code-breaking team who is Turing’s biggest ally and, for a brief time, his fiancee. Together, they make the work of the code-breakers feel as important, and dangerous, as that of any soldier on the front lines.

In the past decade, the British government declassified Turing’s work, giving him the respect and recognition he long deserved. The government also apologized for prosecuting him for being gay. Still, his story is one I had never come across, which is incredibly sad when you think of the influence his work had. (The code-breaking machine he invented led to the development of a little something you may have heard of, the computer)

While not exactly light, “feel-good” fare, The Imitation Game is a moving and thought-provoking film worth seeing. It sheds light on a little-known aspect of World War II while also exploring what it means to be different. Whether it was for his sexuality or his abrasive genius that rubbed many of his colleagues the wrong way, Turing lived most of his life as an outcast. Most of us can relate to feeling like a misfit at one time or another. But the message of the film, repeated by several different characters, is inspiring: “Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine.”

Ever since I picked it up in the summer of my seventh grade year, The Book Thief has been my uncontested favorite book. I have since read it three or four times, each repetition resulting in a few more dog-eared pages and underlined phrases. For those of you who have never opened this excellent read (or even worse…just saw the movie), it follows a young girl named Liesel and her foster family who shelter a Jew in their basement during World War 2 through the narration of death himself. Morbid, I know.

So, I was thrilled to open All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr on Christmas morning. I had heard great things about this book and could not wait to start reading. All the Light We Cannot See is a novel about the Holocaust, but it doesn’t include a single concentration camp or starving prisoner, meaning that if you are worried about the graphic horrors usually found in books of this genre, fear not. This novel alternates between the stories (and viewpoints) of two children who are growing up in the 1940s at the height of the Second World War. The first is a girl named Marie-Laure, who lives with her father in Paris and went blind at a young age. Her father was the keeper of the keys at the Paris Museum of Natural History, so even without her sight Marie-Laure lived in a world of knowledge and discovery as she roamed the museum each day while her father went to work. When the Nazis take over Paris, however, Marie’s father knows that his blind child will not stand a chance, and they quickly escape to the seaside town of Saint Malo to live with her uncle Etienne, who suffers from severe PTSD, and his mother-like housekeeper, Madam Manec. Marie helps bring her Uncle back into the world, and must find her own place in resisting the war.

The flip side of the story is told by a young German boy named Werner Pfennig. Growing up in an orphanage with his younger sister Jutta to to care for, Werner never had many opportunities. Other children made fun of him for his bright white hair and oversized ears, but one day when Werner discovers an old transmitter radio locked in an old shed, his life changes completely. The boy quickly realizes he has a natural gift for mathematics and mechanics, and the radio is fixed in no time. Word gets around about the strange looking boy and his brilliant mind, and it is only a matter of time before the Nazi generals themselves are having Werner fix their broken equipment. One such general proves to be a guardian angel and paves the way for Werner’s admission at the Sculpfora, a German academy for soldiers and Nazi youth. In saving Werner from the future of mine working he otherwise would have been forced into, the general open his eyes to a new type of punishment. The boys at the academy are cruel, and the instructors have a heartless, “weed out the weak” policy that results in Werner’s best friend becoming permanently brain dead. He does learn from his physics professor however, and soon becomes a master of radio transmissions and trigonometry. As Werner grows and leaves the school behind, he becomes immersed in the war where it is up to his quick thinking to save lives or end them.

By the end of the book, Werner and Marie-Laure’s lives have come together in an amazing, complex way I would probably go crazy even trying to describe. I really enjoyed this book, the writing was so beautiful and unique, and I enjoyed the way the point of view switched off between the two characters. Similar to the Book Thief, the novel is told through the experiences of children, which puts this awful time in a whole new light. I would recommend this book for anyone who read the Book Thief and loved it as I did, or anyone who is interested in learning more about the civilian side of World War Two. Something tells me I will be reading this book again in the near future, because any read that can transport me to another place and time is an A+ in my book (pun fully intended).

*Warning: this review contains spoilers, you have been warned*

Once again, American Horror Story was able to bring all the creepiness and bloodshed that makes this show horrifyingly amazing. Be amazed by Elsa’s Cabinet of Curiosities, one of the last remaining freak shows located in Jupiter, Florida in 1950.

The cast performances were as strong as ever. Jessica Lange is again some kind of insane but dazzling whirlwind as Elsa. Elsa runs the freak show, calling herself “the mother of her babies.” She rescues the freaks from destitution and institutions, but her main focus is to receive fame and praise from her own singing performance. My only complaint is that her accent wasn’t the best, and it was hard to understand her at some points. Kathy Bates brought her southern charm and was an awesome fit for the show. She played the bearded lady, Ethel. In a way, she was the voice of reason for the freak show, kind and loyal. I got so upset when she was killed, especially because it was over a slight misunderstanding.

Evan Peters was by far the most impressive, with his character Jimmy Darling, Ethel’s son, who went through a roller coaster of emotions this season. From wanting freaks to have equality among normal people, to meeting his long-gone father to dealing with the death of his mother and the betrayal of the possible love of his life, Maggie (Emma Roberts). But in the end he gets together with the twins, Bette and Dot (Sarah Paulson), so in a way it works out for him.

My favorite actor of this season was definitely Finn Wittrock, who plays the psycho selfish brat Dandy. He gets the award for having the most temper tantrums and killing the most people. Lastly, I wish Neil Patrick Harris was in more episodes than the final few. I loved his character of a psychotic man who murdered his wife while also having a disturbing obsession with his ventriloquist’s dummy.

Aside from the acting, the stories told were creepy but amazing. There is a reason the show airs at 10 p.m. It instantly grabbed me when Twisty the clown appeared. I will never understand the people who don’t find clowns terrifying because I would never want Twisty a mile close to me. Followed by a ghost with two faces who claimed a freak by the end of Halloween night. I wasn’t a huge fan of the con-artists who killed a couple of freaks to sell the bodies to a freak museum. But during the finale, when the freaks took matters into their own hands and Dandy went on a freak murdering rampage, I was on the edge of my seat.

I will admit it wasn’t my favorite season – that will always be the first season, Murder House –  but this comes to a close second. I highly recommend spending a weekend binge watching the season. Though it may turn you off at first because you’re unaccustomed to its unabashed weirdness, Freak Show still brings the thrills and drama every good story needs.

Listed below are the Best Picture nominees for the upcoming 2015 Oscars, which will be awarded Feb. 22 on ABC.  More so than in past years, I find these titles easy to root for.  None of these pictures are blockbusters.  Up until they were honored with this nomination, one would have to scour the Internet to find a theater that would show these movies.  (Trust me, I know!)  These movies also have many up-and-coming actors, providing new, exciting faces to look for in the future.  Lastly, these films feature diverse and deeply unique storylines.  Whether about a quirky hotel or a jazz musician on the verge of a nervous breakdown, each story brings something of its own to this year’s Oscars.

The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch and Kiera Knightley star in The Imitation Game, an intense and interesting World War II movie.  Here, Cumberbatch’s character, Alan Turingm is hired by the British government to decode Enigma, the Nazi’s unbreakable coding system.  If decoded, the Allies could decipher all of the German attack plans.  In other words, if Enigma was broken, Germany would fall.  As the clock ticks over Turing and his team of geniuses, more and more soldiers are dying.  Turing not only struggles under the weight of the Allied cause, but also to hide his homosexuality, which at the time was a severe crime in England.

Whiplash

JK Simmons and Miles Teller shock audiences with their heavy performances in Whiplash.  Miles Teller plays an aspiring jazz drummer who is a first-year student at a prestigious music college. The immense pressure that Teller’s character places on himself to succeed is dwarfed by his teacher’s (Simmons) insane and violent method of pushing his students toward perfection.

American Sniper

Bradley Cooper stars in his third Oscar nominated role in the past three years.  In what is said to be his best performance yet, Cooper plays Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in American history.  The story covers Chris Kyle through his tours in Iraq where he both terminated and saved an incredible amount of lives and follows him back to the US.  At home, the protagonist struggles to be a good husband and father while dealing with the aftermath of being in war.

Birdman

Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone star in Birdman, a movie about a former superhero actor.  Michael Keaton plays Riggan Thompson, the actor who formerly played the iconic Birdman. Hoping to overcome his washed up, public perception, Thompson attempts to write and star in a play.  To the dismay of those around him, these actions catch the public’s attention, but not in a positive way.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson’s newest film, The Grand Budapest Hotel has received more applause from both critics and fans than any of his other widely acclaimed films.  In the film, the concierge of a popular European lodge is accused of the murder of a rich elderly lady, who in her will, left a valuable painting for the concierge.  With a combination of humor and intellect, this unique movie stands apart from the other darker themed Oscar contenders.

Selma

For a long time, filmmakers had stayed away from making a movie about Martin Luther King Jr.  This  changed when Ava DuVernay began to create the film, Selma.  Staring The Butler’s David Oyelowo as MLK, it follows Dr. King’s march from Selma to Montgomery.   Overall, it highlights the quest for equal voting rights.

The Theory of Everything

Eddie Redmayne plays Stephen Hawking in a moving  film about strength, love and the quest for knowledge.  A relatively new name, Felicity Jones, stuns audiences with her performance as the strong, but real Jane Hawking.  The movie is based off Jane’s book, Traveling to Infinity.

Boyhood

For the first time in movie history, a film crew follows a cast for 12 years to create the ultimate coming of age drama.  The film includes veteran actors such as Ethan Hawke, as well as up and comers like Ellar Coltrane.  Coltrane, in fact, was only 6 when the movie began.  As we near award season, the actor is now 20 years old.

Five days a week we go to school and unless it’s a half day or field trip, we’re counting down the seconds til we get out. Even when we’re in school, we’re groaning and bashing our heads against the desk over how boring it is. But there are girls out there that only
wish they have the education we’re offered. Before winter break, the senior class had to watch a documentary called Girl Rising by Richard E. Robins. Before, the only positive thought I had about watching this film was that I got to get out of class. But after watching, I felt incredibly guilty. Being a girl especially, it was heartbreaking to watch. Women are completely undermined in many parts of the world; we’re viewed as being below men. Sixty-six million girls are out of school and 33 million fewer girls than boys are in primary school. Sadly, we didn’t watch the full film, what we watched the stories of three.

The first girl was Wadley, 7 years old, from Haiti. She loved going to school, then a chaotic earthquake struck her home and school. She ended up having to live in a refugee camp with her mother who was desperately trying to make money to support her. Wadley’s spirit was instantly lifted when her school was about to reopen. Unfortunately, her mother couldn’t afford to pay for school so when Wadley tried to stay in class, she was asked to leave. But that wasn’t the end for Wadley: she kept going back to the school and being asked to leave. This went on for days, until one day when the teacher asked Wadley to leave again, she refused. She said she would keep coming back every day, and finally the teacher gave in and let her stay.

I thought the second girl had the most powerful story. Her name is Amina from Afghanistan. When she was born, her mother cried not because of how beautiful she was, but because she wished she would’ve given birth to a son instead. In Afghan society, Amina is confined by her gender and expected only to serve men. She was only allowed to go to school for a few years. Amina was then forced into a marriage, a cousin that her parents choose for her when she was only 13 years old. She gave birth a year later.  She is now restricted to wear clothing that reveals only her eyes. Amina is fed up with this lifestyle; she knows there is more to life than serving men. Amina demands change and encourages others in her society to be that change like she will be.

The last girl is Senna from Peru. Living in a bleak Peruvian mining town, poverty is extremely rampant. Her father encouraged Senna to be a success in life and insisted that she went to school. While at school, she discovered the power of poetry. She loved to write
and recite poems, they made her feel powerful. She even won a poetry contest. Senna also had a job and could add the earnings in her head faster than a calculator. Senna realized that the fortune her father always talked about was buried inside her all along, just like
the gold inside the mines. Today, Senna is now in secondary school and is the Treasurer Brigadier of her class.

Girls deserve an education just as much as boys. Educating girls is one of the highest returns on investment available in the developing world. When girls are educated, they get married later, have healthier children and will value educating their own children. A girl
with even one extra year of education can earn 20 percent more as an adult. Educating girls is the fastest way to end generational poverty and help grow communities. But sadly, because of many countries being in a state of poverty and school not being free, families generally only have enough money to send one child to school. The parents always choose to send the boy over the girl.

As I said earlier, after watching the film I felt incredibly guilty. We complain about going to school on a daily basis, while these girls are desperate and eager to go to school. School is also free here. Women can have a big impact on society just as much as men. Women are men are equal, because we’re all human.

Sadly, the end of the holidays means the beginning of winter — real winter, that is. There are no more festive lights to illuminate the long, cold nights, no weekend parties to liven up the bleak weeks. Winter is a great excuse to curl up with a good book, however, or do the next best thing . . . Netflix. With so many anticipated movies and albums debuting in 2015, I’m pretty sure that stack of books by my bad will be untouched until spring. So here we go, grab a mug of hot chocolate and settle in for some great new flicks!

Movies

1. Avengers: Age of Ultron: America’s favorites are at it again including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Captain America (Chris Evans) battling with the evil robot Ultron (voiced by James Spader) for, you know, the entire world. The movie premieres on May 1st and, based on the preview, will most likely be awesome.

2. St. James Place: Steven Spielberg directs and Tom Hanks stars in this cold war thriller that involves a lawyer tasked with negotiating the release of a pilot shot down over the Soviet Union. Due out in early October, this project by two Hollywood veterans is sure to be a good pastime on a rainy day.

3. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2: Katniss, played by the flawless Jennifer Lawrence, is out of the arena and into the fire. The district’s champion must lead her underdog army against the all-powerful Capitol and its villainous ruler President Snow (Donald Sutherland).  The sequel opens in theaters on November 20th. If the second part is even half as good as the first, this movie will definitely be worth the wait.

4. Joy: Jennifer Lawrence (once again!) and David O. Russell pair up for the third time to recreate the life of Joy Mangano, the real-life inventor of the Miracle Mop. The movie is already an Oscar contender, and was released on Christmas day. Let’s be honest, I just really love Jennifer Lawrence, but come on, who doesn’t??

5. Star Wars: The Force Awakens: JJ Abrams sets his directing eye on a galaxy far, far away with this movie. The cast includes original stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford alongside new additions John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson. Appearing in the universe this December, the world will witness how Harrison Ford is in his seventies and still kicking butt.

Music

1. Coldplay –A Head Full of Dreams: In late 2015, this British band will release what could be their final album. Speaking to the BBC last month, singer Chris Martin described the new album as their last. “We haven’t told anyone this, but we’re making an album called A Head Full of Dreams. We’re right in the middle of it,” he said. “I have to think of it as the final thing we’re doing. Otherwise we wouldn’t put everything into it.” Don’t be too broken up over this grand finale though. Coldplay will tour their new album for another year.

2. Kanye West: The great Yeezy gave fans a new year’s gift by releasing Only One, the first single from his new album. The track is an ode to his late mother and features Paul McCartney on backing vocals and piano. It is the only clue we have about what to expect from Kanye’s seventh album, which is supposed to be more toned down than 2013’s Yeezus. West’s co-writer, the rapper Malik Yusef, described the songs to Rolling Stone magazine as being “like a pair of Timberlands – like how Timberlands are not quite leather and not quite suede.” Who knows what that means? I’m just hoping he brings baby North on tour.

3. Kendrick Lamar: His second album Good Kids was embraced by everyone from hip-hop fans to hipsters, and Kendrick’s follow-up is the most eagerly awaited rap album of the year. He probably knows this, and he and producer Dr. Dre have been working hard in the studio to record more than 40 songs. People are eagerly awaiting this album, the real question is, Ken he live up to the hype? (lol)

4. Lorde: When she was 16, her hit song Royals invaded every radio station my car can play, and her album Pure Heroine found itself on every 2013 end-of-year album list, even topping The New York Times’ critics picks. As a result, her newest venture is eagerly awaited by millions of fans. Lorde promised something that sounds “totally different.” However it sounds, I bet I will definitely be praising the Lorde when I hear her newest tunes.

Check out some recordings of both the Band and Choral Holiday concerts posted by Mr. Ryerson! https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9CGbyxjnpzeY1o0ZE9ELVcybDg&authuser=0

The first Band concert of the year was Thursday, December 18th, and it also marked Mr. Harden’s debut as Band Director here at HHS. After an awesome marching season, people were excited to hear what the band could produce in a concert setting. The Band certainly did not disappoint! Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble were the groups to perform that night, each putting their own spin on Christmas music.

Concert Band started off with a medley of famous Christmas carols including Silent Night and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. Right after, they played Seal Lullaby, which was meant to be the slow song of the show. Mr. Schnelle was featured on the piano for that song and, for everyone in the audience, it was quite the musical treat. After that, the band played the Nutcracker suite. Any musician would agree that this piece is challenging, but it was quite the feeling to hear the audience raving about the Band’s performance. Finally, Concert Band played Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson. I can guarantee that you have heard this song on the radio. The pressure of everyone knowing the song you are about to play was certainly there but it was amazing to hear how well it came out.

Concert Band has around 60 students and includes freshmen through seniors. One of the awesome things about Concert Band, in my opinion, is that it includes anyone who wants to play. Everyone learns so much about music and it always amazes me how far the Band comes from our first reading of a piece to the final performance during a concert.

Percussion Ensemble also played two songs for the concert. This group meets after school for about an hour once a week and is open to anyone who wants to join. They play drums of all sizes and even mallet instruments. The music they played was truly breathtaking and I really enjoyed it.

Jazz Ensemble ended the concert with some, you guessed it, jazzy Christmas songs. Jazz Ensemble is an audition-based group of about 15 musicians that is meant to emulate a 1930s era big band. They play in concerts and also “gig” at various events in the Hanover area. If you have the opportunity to hear them, they are amazing! Many students had the chance to solo and they all were really good.

Everyone I’ve talked to has raved about the Band’s holiday concert. If you couldn’t make this one, I encourage you to attend the next concert which will feature the songs the Band is going to play during our tour at Williamsburg in the spring. You won’t want to miss it.

Click here to see the program from the concert: HHS Winter Instrumental Concert

Many of us, at one time or another, have wished we could be someone else: someone cooler, smarter, better looking, more popular, whatever. But would we be crazy enough — or, as some people might say, brave enough — to just walk away from everything we know and reinvent ourselves?

After high school junior Christopher Creed disappears, leaving only a cryptic note, the community is left to wonder if he ran away, killed himself or was murdered. Everyone has their own version of what happened. Classmates who saw Chris as an obnoxious weirdo and a target for bullies had no trouble believing he committed suicide even though no body had been found. His parents, certain Chris had been happy and and would never hurt himself or run away, began looking for someone to blame. His neighbor Ali, who saw things from her bedroom window that others didn’t know, wasn’t sure if Chris was dead or alive but was convinced his parents had played a part.

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci explores not just a teen’s mysterious disappearance but also how one event can ricochet throughout a community. It highlights how gossip, rumors and a belief in reputation over fact can have dangerous consequences. The main character, Torey Adams, is one of the students who paid little attention to Chris Creed — except for the time he punched Chris for touching his guitar (seems most of the boys in Chris’ class have their own memory of punching him). But after Chris disappears, Torey starts to feel guilty about the careless rumors and insensitive jokes of his friends and their parents. With the help of Ali and Bo, a kid from the “wrong side” of town whose police record makes him a suspect in Chris’ disappearance, Torey begins tracking down clues in hopes of solving the mystery. As the belief that Chris may have run away to create a new identity takes hold in Torey’s mind, he comes to the realization that everyone, no matter their reputation or differences, deserves some compassion. The climax in an Indian burial ground is as surprising as it is terrifying, but still leaves more questions than answers.

I recommend this book to mystery lovers, who will enjoy putting the pieces together as they are revealed bit by bit in flashbacks. But I also think all readers can relate to the gossip mill that is high school, and the pressures from parents and peers on teens that don’t fit in. The book is 276 pages long but not a difficult read.