I am still undecided how I feel about this book. It took me a little while to get into the story and in the middle I was thinking that this was getting really long because it was reallt didn't take place over a long period of time and besides being picked on, it was only about running for the school election. I just wanted the election to occur already about 1/2 into it. Like I said it took me a while to get reading the book. I was drawn in by the fact that Bobby was a tie salesman that got picked on or his friends met for sodas and fries on fridays. When I started to see their dynamic at school I started to feel sorry for them and that is when I read on and started to like it a little bit more. I did like the variety of people that were in the book. By no means were the gang of 5 a group of white middle class people that you normally think about. They were the unpopular ones, the ones who had a hard time.

I like the bravery and tolerance portrayed in the book. I bet every kid who does get picked on wished they could do what they did. It showed tolerance because of Joe being openly gay to his friends and eventually to colin. What I did want to note is that when I read that part, I didn't know at frist if he was joking because the 4 of them are always making sarcastic comments to addie and each other when they have their topics of the day so I went page a page and read it. I like how it was portrayed as something that people could live with because i PERSONALLY (not to offend) think thats how it should be.

I wouldnt say that I was someone who was picked on in school by any means but I was like Kelsey in a way. I was just very quiet until you got to know me so I was able to relate to the book. The topic of bullying in schools and the affects it has on children is something that really really is intersting to me and I would like to explore this further when I am a teacher. Even if you aren't the target of constant jokes everyone has been called a name at one point in their life and it never gets any easier to deal with. In this wasy everyone who reads the book could relate and learn how it affects someone they bully or name call.

Another thing about this book that made it go faster than I thought was the formatting of it. You don't just sit and read text but you read dialogue and it makes you feel like you are there in the story with the gang of 5 as they are trying to make some change. This creates a strong emotional tie to the book as a reader. You can't help but root for the underdog especially when you know so much about them. They aren't weird, just misunderstood.