Whitney, D.
The Mockingbirds. New York: Hachette Book Group,
2010. ISBN #978-0-316-09053-7. Price $12.31. (available from
amazon.com)
Accolades:
A Romantic Times Best Book of 2010
A Best Book for Young Adults - American Library Association
An NPR Best Book of 2010
An Association of Booksellers for Children New voices Pick for 2010
Chicago Public Library Best of Best Books for Teens in 2010
Northern California Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award Honorable Mention
An Indie Next List Pick
A GoodReads Mover and Shaker for November 2010
The Books-A-Million teen book club pick for January 2011
(
http://daisywhitney.com/mynovels/)
This is the story of a
Themis Academy Junior – an aspiring Julliard pianist. Her name is Alex. We instantly jump right into learning about her experiences and it is something traumatic. The story begins with Alex waking up in chapter 1 in an unknown bedroom of a boys dormitory. We find out later as the details unfold in the story that we see that she had sex that night, but it wasn't consensual. She was date raped. She is confused, scared, even feeling guilty and she begins by trying to hide all of this, but then she discusses this with her roommate and her older sister. They suggest turning to the Mockingbirds. Alex thought they were a choir group. But who are they really? She has never known much about them, but she finds out a lot more. Her older sister actually started the group. She meets with the board of the Mockingbirds (one of which is a friend of hers named Martin) and through much discussion and debate she decides to go through with a trial - she will fight for what she believes is right - she will stand up against this and in doing so she will stand up for other girls who have perhaps had a similar experience but did not come forward. Alex goes through with a trial of her peers and of her victimizer but it isn't easy - people talk, and gossip, but students run the Mockingbirds and students decide the punishments. Teachers, parents - they are an after thought because they just don't know that things like this go on and if they did, they wouldn't be able to help. Through the trial and all of the events as they unfold in the story, Alex finds inner strength with the support of her friends, roommates and even her music. She even finds a boyfriend unexpectedly.
This is one incredible story of a young girl who experiences something very difficult and looks to get some help in a perhaps unique way - from her classmates and a secret group called the Mockingbirds. This story, over 330 pages, seemed like the quickest read - and it might help that the story is told by someone with a similar experience. Author Daisy Whitney experienced something similar back in 1990. Alex might have been at a boarding school where these types of things just do not happen, but Author Whitney was date raped in 1990 when she was a freshman at Brown University. This is a book with a worthy message: speak up and stand up for what is right, even in the face of trials and struggles.
In the back of the book there are resources for students who
would read this book who might need support in standing up for their rights.
For a list
of state resources, visit
www.womenshealth.gov/violence/state
Resources listed include:
By connecting with Alex, girls can realize their own power in telling their
stories and standing for justice – for Alex, it wasn’t about winning a case, but it
was about seeking justice for something wrong that happened to her. It wouldn't make it right, but it helped her move on.
My book recommendations: I know you will love this debut novel
The Mockingbirds and want to read it's sequel, so check out
The Rivals by Daisy Whitney (published in Feb. 2012) Also, this book references
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Check them both out!
