Sadie desperately wants to fit in at her new high school. She was not popular at her previous
school, and she believes she needs an interesting story to get her new peers to
notice her immediately. Peanut
allergies get a lot of attention.
Everyone knows the kids who could die if they ingest the wrong thing in
the cafeteria, and it’s an easy conversation starter. What could go wrong if she faked a peanut allergy? Sadie gets a personalized medical alert
bracelet online and a lie is born. After she gives an oral report about her
“medical issues” in her homeroom, a couple of classmates invite her to sit with
them in the cafeteria. Then an
attractive boy starts fawning over her.
With a boyfriend and new friends, Sadie is happy, but she finds that
keeping up the lie is harder than she ever imagined.
Ayun Halliday and Paul Hoppe’s graphic novel gives a
realistic picture of the fears new students face. Making friends and fitting in can be daunting. Over my years
of the teaching, I have witnessed several new students telling lies about their
past to seem more interesting.
When the truth is revealed, the consequences can be quite painful. Sadie probably could have made friends
by being herself, and fabricating her elaborate medical history never allowed
her to really relax and enjoy her new friendships. Peanut is a great
cautionary tale for those kids who sometimes feel the need to fictionalize
their lives. Nobody likes to
be caught telling a lie. The novel
also gives detailed information about allergies and how to treat them.
Peanut would be an
enjoyable book for middle school readers.
The characters are well developed, the plot is interesting, and the
illustrations are nicely done. However,
a few mature words and drawings render the book inappropriate for middle
schools. I wish Halliday and Hoppe
had left those out so that their book could be enjoyed by a wider audience.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Grades 8 and up
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