Poison Ivy

by Amy Goldman Koss

Overview

When three popular girls go on trial in Government class for their ruthless bullying of a girl named Ivy, it seems like the misfit will finally get her revenge. Eight first-person narrators give different versions of the event: Ivy—this victim doesn't want revenge, she just wants to be left alone; Ann—she's the beautiful, but infamously cruel, leader of the bullies; Marco—he may be the only person involved who has any morals, but he's also the target of Ann's persuasive affections; Daria—Ivy's painfully shy lawyer doesn't stand a chance; Bryce—the goofy court reporter knows all the real dirt, even if he doesn't care; Cameron—he sleeps through the proceedings but might wake up just in time to make a difference; Wayne—a true devotee of the legal process, too bad he's on the sidelines; and Faith—as the only witness for the prosecution, it all comes down to her. But where do her loyalties lie?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312384531
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	10/28/2008
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	840L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Amy Goldman Koss is the author of several highly praised teen novels including The Girls, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, an ALA Quick Picks Top Ten selection, and an IRA Young Adult Choice; and The Cheat, an IRA-CBC Children's Choice. Poison Ivy was praised by The Horn Book for its "honesty and unforgettable voice" and by Publishers Weekly as "fascinating and intriguing." She lives in Glendale, CA, with her family.

Editorial Reviews

“The message is clear: beauty, popularity, and fear are the trinity by which girls rule, and although most teenagers aren't cruel, many are indifferent to the suffering of their peers and are thankful they aren't the ones in the spotlight. . . . compelling reading for teenagers in the trenches.” —Booklist

“[Koss] uses the authentic voices of eight diverse teens to create a "mock trial" in an American Government class. . . . The interactions among the students in and out of the "courtroom" offer readers intriguing and often disturbing perspectives on popularity, peer pressure, bullying and fairness. In the end, Marco best articulates the outcome: ‘Beauty wins and truth is irrelevant. Grim, isn't it?' Yes. And, in these pages, it's all too convincing.” —Publishers Weekly

“Realistic dialogue and fast-paced action will hold interest, and the final verdict is unsettling, but not unexpected.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Koss (The Girls), with a fascinating premise, uses the authentic voices of eight diverse teens to create a "mock trial" in an American Government class. When loner Ivy confesses to her teacher that she has been taunted and teased for years by pretty, popular Ann and her sidekicks ("The Evil Three have been after me, feeding off me since fourth grade"), the woman sees the situation as an opportunity to model their study of the judicial system. The names of the lawyers for the plaintiff and defendants are randomly chosen from a paper bag, followed by the rather tedious process of selecting a jury. Distinct personalities emerge from the narratives of the principle players: self-protectively aloof Ivy, who frequently uses fish analogies to describe herself ("so I swam upstream, alone against the current"); painfully shy and insecure Daria (the "best student"), who reluctantly assumes the role of Ivy's attorney; reflective, even-handed Marco, who is simultaneously entranced and disgusted by Ann; and the manipulative villainess herself, a study in superficiality and spite. The interactions among the students in and out of the "courtroom" offer readers intriguing and often disturbing perspectives on popularity, peer pressure, bullying and fairness. In the end, Marco best articulates the outcome: "Beauty wins and truth is irrelevant. Grim, isn't it?" Yes. And, in these pages, it's all too convincing. Ages 11-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 6-9-Ivy has been a victim of relentless bullying for years. Nicknamed "Poison Ivy" by Ann, Benita, and Sophie in fourth grade, she can hardly remember what it was like to be just plain Ivy. When earnest Ms. Gold, the middle school American government teacher, finds a depressing poem written by Ivy, she decides to put "The Evil Three" on trial for bullying. She is hoping to create a perfect learning experience to illustrate the American judicial system to the class-and possibly to teach the three girls a lesson. What Ms. Gold does not count on, however, is the power of popular kids and the resulting political leverage. Students are assigned roles: counsel for the plaintiff, process server, judge, jury, etc. The action is related through the multiple voices of the major figures in the mock trial proceedings, and readers see many personalities emerge in the alternate chapters. Of particular interest is the relationship among "The Evil Three." Ann, the leader, clearly enjoys the status that Benita and Sophie give her in their roles as bystanders in the bullying process. Realistic dialogue and fast-paced action will hold interest, and the final verdict is unsettling, but not unexpected. This book will be useful for class discussions along with Koss's The Girls (Dial, 2000), another realistic and equally effective look at the agonizing bullying of a classmate.-Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MD Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Ivy hands the perfect crime to a teacher aching to have a mock trial to educate the students about the legal system. Cut and dried, she's been picked on, bullied and emotionally abused for ages by the "Anns." When Ms. Gold sees an opportunity, she makes the most of it and in no time, has attorneys appointed, the judge selected and, after some negotiation, a jury of peers. Well, no one wants to be Ivy's peer, really. Told in a series of transcripts that are the statements of the interested parties, including Ann, Benita and Sophia, also known as the "Evil Three," Koss delivers the crushing and thoughtless cruelty of adolescents with great accuracy. The words of one of the jurors tell it all: "Popularity is the wrong word. Popularity means everyone likes you. But no one likes sour popular girls; it's more about fear. The word for them is powerful more than popular. Think soulless zombies; think living dead, hungry for fresh blood. If anything I bet my fellow jurors were afraid they'd become the Anns' next victim if they got caught sympathizing with Ivy." (Fiction. 11-14)

Kirkus Reviews