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Choke
A heartfelt novel about the disturbing “choking game” trend—and one girl’s struggle for self-acceptance.
If she could—if her parents would let her—eighth-grader Windy would change everything about herself. She’d get highlights in her hair, a new wardrobe; she’d wear makeup. But nothing ever changes. The mean girls at school are still mean, and Windy’s best friend Elena is still more interested in making up words than talking about boys.
And then one day, Windy gets the change she’s been looking for. New girl Nina—impossibly cool, confident, and not afraid of anyone—starts hanging out with Windy! Nina even wants to be “breath sisters.” Windy isn’t sure what that means, exactly, but she knows she wants to find out. It sounds even better than a BFF.
Windy is right, at first. Being a breath sister gains her a whole new set of friends, girls she feels closer to and cooler with than anyone else. But her inclusion in the new crowd comes at a dangerous price. Windy wants to change everything about her life . . . but is she really willing to give up everything in the process?
If she could—if her parents would let her—eighth-grader Windy would change everything about herself. She’d get highlights in her hair, a new wardrobe; she’d wear makeup. But nothing ever changes. The mean girls at school are still mean, and Windy’s best friend Elena is still more interested in making up words than talking about boys.
And then one day, Windy gets the change she’s been looking for. New girl Nina—impossibly cool, confident, and not afraid of anyone—starts hanging out with Windy! Nina even wants to be “breath sisters.” Windy isn’t sure what that means, exactly, but she knows she wants to find out. It sounds even better than a BFF.
Windy is right, at first. Being a breath sister gains her a whole new set of friends, girls she feels closer to and cooler with than anyone else. But her inclusion in the new crowd comes at a dangerous price. Windy wants to change everything about her life . . . but is she really willing to give up everything in the process?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2012
60 people are currently reading
1084 people want to read
About the author
Diana López
55 books79 followersDiana López is the author of numerous middle grade novels, including Confetti Girl and Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel. She also wrote the middle grade adaptation of the Disney/Pixar film Coco. Diana is a lifelong resident of Corpus Christi, Texas and works with various nonprofits to mentor new writers.
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November 25, 2012
Choke by Diana Lopez is about Windy, a typical 8th grade girl whose only wish is to be part of the ‘in-crowd.’ She has loving parents who tell her that she is beautiful the way she is without having to dye her hair blond or wear contacts instead of glasses with makeup. Windy still doesn’t believe them even though her best friend, Elena keeps telling her that it’s true. Her life changes, though, when a new girl, Nina arrives at her school. Nina, who is confident and personable, can stand up to the mean ‘in-crowd’ girls without flinching, as well as have most of the boys in school crushing on her. Windy is extremely surprised when the new girl befriends her and Elena. Windy begins to think Nina is her shot to becoming part of the ‘in-crowd’ while simultaneously realizing how silly and weird Elena is compared to Nina. Elena and Windy start drifting apart, as Nina and Windy become closer friends. Nina appears to be the perfect best friend – she helps Windy with what to say around her crush Randy, she’s popular, she’s very stylish (she always wears a scarf around her neck), and she wants to be Windy’s ‘Breath Sister,’ which Windy doesn’t exactly know what it is, but thinks that it sounds super cool. One day, the new best friends go to the mall and Nina buys Windy a matching scarf just like hers and some makeup. While they are applying lipstick in the bathroom, Nina asks Windy if she wants to be her ‘Breath Sister’. Windy, wanting to do anything that Nina does, says yes. Nina says that ‘Breath Sisters’ play the Choking Game, which shows their trust to each other. Windy is reluctant to say that she wants to do it because she doesn’t think that something with the word choking in it is safe, but doesn’t want Nina to think that she isn’t cool, so she goes a long with it. Nina tells Windy that she can tell no one that they do this because she says that she got kicked out of her old school because of it. Windy tries to act cool, but is dreadfully scared. Nina then shows her what it is and does it on Windy. Nina grabs Windy’s throat and pinches; Windy starts panicking and sees dots. She taps Nina to tell her to stop, which she does. Nina said that she did a good job for her first time and that maybe next time she will go all the way. Over the next few weeks, Windy tries to avoid doing the Choking Game again with Nina and the other girls at school who are now playing the game with Nina. One day, Windy finally tells Nina that she doesn’t want to play and storms out of the girls’ bathroom leaving Nina with another girl at school who also participants. Windy realizes on her way back to the classroom that she left her books in the bathroom and goes back to get them. When she enters the bathroom, she finds Nina passed out on the ground. Windy rushes to her side to sees if she is okay. The other girl informs Windy that it Nina is fine and to be calm. She tells Windy that the reason why they play the game is to pass out. At this time, Nina begins to wake up and tells Windy that the objective of passing out is that they get a ‘floaty’ feeling afterwards. She states that it is like getting high, but a safe way to do it because drugs aren’t involved. Windy, who is thoroughly shocked, gets her books and leaves the bathroom as quickly as possible. Later, Windy tries and succeeds at mending her friendship with Elena. Windy is called to the principal’s office a few weeks later and when she arrives she’s told by the principal and the guidance counselor that she isn’t in trouble. They ask Windy if she knows if Nina has any problems at home with her family. Windy answers that Nina appeared to be always grounded. They then told Windy that Nina had recently tried to commit suicide, but was still alive and in the hospital and wouldn’t be able to do much for the rest of her life. Windy shares this with Elena and they’re both concerned. Many weeks later at an all school assembly, students were told that Nina didn’t attempt suicide, but was playing the Choking Game, a dangerous game that should never be done. Windy and Elena start visiting Nina during the following summer. They help her because she can no longer dress herself fully due to the brain damaged she suffered from playing the Choking Game.
The author’s purpose for writing Choke is to teach teenagers about the risky choking game and illustrate that individualism is very important. Diana Lopez’s message is that adolescents shouldn’t do whatever it takes to be popular because it could be unsafe and that it can affect your life to the point of taking it.
The author’s purpose for writing Choke is to teach teenagers about the risky choking game and illustrate that individualism is very important. Diana Lopez’s message is that adolescents shouldn’t do whatever it takes to be popular because it could be unsafe and that it can affect your life to the point of taking it.
July 3, 2012
Choke, while examining an important issue, is slow-paced enough that I'm not sure it will hold the attention of the middle schoolers at which it is aimed.
Windy, our narrator, and Elena are best friends. They aren't in the popular crowd, but they are "GP," which stands for "General Public." A new girl, Nina, starts attending their middle school and befriends Windy and Elena and helps to fend off the bulling they endure from the popular girls.
At first it seems Nina is the perfect friend, but slowly, she begins to separate Windy from Elena. She also wants Windy to become her "breath sister." Windy has no idea what this means, but she soon finds out.
What unfolds is completely predictable, and unfortunately, Choke comes off a little preachy. There is never any doubt why Choke was written. Also, there is much back story and very little action, so it's hard to be invested. The tense and dangerous choking game doesn't even occur for the first time until page 93 (ARC has 230 pages) and really only happens one other time in the book.
Not that I think there needs to be a lot of disturbing violence in a book, but there needs to be something interesting going on besides Windy secretly adopting a cat and her visits to her friend, Mrs. Vargas, at the old folks home. There is a somewhat interesting middle school dynamic -- liking boys, shopping, striving to be popular -- but it comes off very cliché. The writing is simple and easy, which bothered me, but is appropriate for the target group.
I understand Lopez' motivation for writing Choke. Hopefully those who read Choke will find the ending disturbing enough that they will never consider participating in this activity. There definitely needs to be more books that expose our young kids to the hazards of this "game." I just don't know if Choke will have wide appeal to middle school students.
Windy, our narrator, and Elena are best friends. They aren't in the popular crowd, but they are "GP," which stands for "General Public." A new girl, Nina, starts attending their middle school and befriends Windy and Elena and helps to fend off the bulling they endure from the popular girls.
At first it seems Nina is the perfect friend, but slowly, she begins to separate Windy from Elena. She also wants Windy to become her "breath sister." Windy has no idea what this means, but she soon finds out.
What unfolds is completely predictable, and unfortunately, Choke comes off a little preachy. There is never any doubt why Choke was written. Also, there is much back story and very little action, so it's hard to be invested. The tense and dangerous choking game doesn't even occur for the first time until page 93 (ARC has 230 pages) and really only happens one other time in the book.
Not that I think there needs to be a lot of disturbing violence in a book, but there needs to be something interesting going on besides Windy secretly adopting a cat and her visits to her friend, Mrs. Vargas, at the old folks home. There is a somewhat interesting middle school dynamic -- liking boys, shopping, striving to be popular -- but it comes off very cliché. The writing is simple and easy, which bothered me, but is appropriate for the target group.
I understand Lopez' motivation for writing Choke. Hopefully those who read Choke will find the ending disturbing enough that they will never consider participating in this activity. There definitely needs to be more books that expose our young kids to the hazards of this "game." I just don't know if Choke will have wide appeal to middle school students.
June 9, 2012
This read way too young for an 8th grade main character. The story follows Windy, who wants desperately to fit in with the cool kids. So when Nina moves to town and has a "cool kid" thing about her, Windy is thrilled she gets the chance to make friends with her. Except, Nina has a secret, and it's that she plays the choke game. And she tries to teach Windy how to play, too.
I picked this one up because when I was in elementary school we had an assembly one morning after a couple of kids were taken to the hospital following a game of "pass out" in the school playground. I was fascinated to see how it'd play out in a middle school setting, and for the most part, it worked and was believable.
The challenges were that the writing was so basic and at times all tell and no show. I found the parents to be laughably bad in the story, especially since Windy was an 8th grader and not a 5th grader -- I feel like had this book been written down a couple of grades, it would have been way stronger. Topically, though, it's a tougher one to sell to the younger set. I also became a little frustrated that the topic at hand was treated almost as a secondary plot, rather than the plot itself. It took over 80 pages to get to the choking game at all, and for a book that's just over 200 pages, that's quite a long time. There was a lot involved in the story before (and after) that could have been cut and made this stronger.
What I appreciated was that it was culturally diverse in the same way that Lopez's CONFETTI GIRL was, and without doubt, this book will have large appeal to Latina girls looking for stories about people like themselves (which, as someone who worked with this population, I cheer). The book gets message-y at the end, but I think because the topic is interesting on its own, readers won't get too caught up on it.
I picked this one up because when I was in elementary school we had an assembly one morning after a couple of kids were taken to the hospital following a game of "pass out" in the school playground. I was fascinated to see how it'd play out in a middle school setting, and for the most part, it worked and was believable.
The challenges were that the writing was so basic and at times all tell and no show. I found the parents to be laughably bad in the story, especially since Windy was an 8th grader and not a 5th grader -- I feel like had this book been written down a couple of grades, it would have been way stronger. Topically, though, it's a tougher one to sell to the younger set. I also became a little frustrated that the topic at hand was treated almost as a secondary plot, rather than the plot itself. It took over 80 pages to get to the choking game at all, and for a book that's just over 200 pages, that's quite a long time. There was a lot involved in the story before (and after) that could have been cut and made this stronger.
What I appreciated was that it was culturally diverse in the same way that Lopez's CONFETTI GIRL was, and without doubt, this book will have large appeal to Latina girls looking for stories about people like themselves (which, as someone who worked with this population, I cheer). The book gets message-y at the end, but I think because the topic is interesting on its own, readers won't get too caught up on it.
July 2, 2012
Windy is mostly content with her life as part of the "general population" in her middle school. She has a great best friend (Elena) and a crush on a guy who, even if he isn't interested in her, is at least nice to her. Yes, the two coolest girls in school pick on her, but life could be worse, right?
Then Nina moves to town. She's effortlessly cool and confident and wants to be Windy's friend. Elena doesn't seem to like her, but maybe she's just jealous. And then Nina introduces Windy to the concept of "breath sisters." Windy doesn't know what that is, but she knows she wants to be part of it.
Except it turns out that it's related to the choking game---someone chokes you until you pass out. When you come to, you experience a huge rush.
This is YA but I think it's more of a middlegrade book. Windy seems very young, even for an eighth grader.
The choking game sounds weird, but that may be because I am 32 and being choked until you pass out doesn't sound fun to me. I would question whether kids actually do this, but there are resources in the back of the book, so apparently they do.
This is an interesting book and definitely something that I didn't really think about. If you have an elementary school-age kid, I would definitely pass this along to them. It's probably better to learn that the choking game is dangerous (and kind of gross) well before confronted with peer pressure about it.
Then Nina moves to town. She's effortlessly cool and confident and wants to be Windy's friend. Elena doesn't seem to like her, but maybe she's just jealous. And then Nina introduces Windy to the concept of "breath sisters." Windy doesn't know what that is, but she knows she wants to be part of it.
Except it turns out that it's related to the choking game---someone chokes you until you pass out. When you come to, you experience a huge rush.
This is YA but I think it's more of a middlegrade book. Windy seems very young, even for an eighth grader.
The choking game sounds weird, but that may be because I am 32 and being choked until you pass out doesn't sound fun to me. I would question whether kids actually do this, but there are resources in the back of the book, so apparently they do.
This is an interesting book and definitely something that I didn't really think about. If you have an elementary school-age kid, I would definitely pass this along to them. It's probably better to learn that the choking game is dangerous (and kind of gross) well before confronted with peer pressure about it.
August 24, 2012
Luckily I have never had any sort of experience or exposure to "the choking game". I've never heard it referenced in the hall, never knew anyone who did it, didn't really even know it was a real thing. I vaguely remember hearing about it on the news a few years back, but other than that, this was a non-issue to me, something that didn't seem important. Unfortunately, it is a big problem in some areas, and Choke is a great novel to expose middle-grade readers to the dangers of it before they are confronted with the game. I may not have known about it, but some children will definitely have to make a decision, and hopefully they make the right one.
This novel hit some points spot on. It showed the game from both the "outside" and the "inside". Even though I could never see myself doing such a thing, I definitely understood the draw, why it seems like such a good idea to some people. I appreciated how the novel really approached the subject matter from all sides. The reader gets taken through the progression of seeing the game as harmless, being told it is harmless and starting to believe it. However, then the reader is assaulted with the ugly, dangerous truth, seeing through the characters how detrimental the game can be. The author does a great job of not bombarding the reader with "THIS IS BAD, DON'T DO IT!" from the beginning. Yes, that is ultimately the conclusion the author would like the reader to come to, but the sympathetic nature towards victims of the game makes the whole situation make sense.
My main criticism is that the novel is quite slow. For a middle-grade novel it is especially important to keep the plot rather fast-paced. I had a little bit of trouble with the pacing, so I could see that being an issue for younger children.
Overall though, it is a great way to approach the topic. If you live in an area where you know this is happening, Choke would be a great tool to educate your children. It is a much more personal experience than just being told what not to do simply because it is "stupid" or "dangerous", something I could see middle-graders really connecting to.
This novel hit some points spot on. It showed the game from both the "outside" and the "inside". Even though I could never see myself doing such a thing, I definitely understood the draw, why it seems like such a good idea to some people. I appreciated how the novel really approached the subject matter from all sides. The reader gets taken through the progression of seeing the game as harmless, being told it is harmless and starting to believe it. However, then the reader is assaulted with the ugly, dangerous truth, seeing through the characters how detrimental the game can be. The author does a great job of not bombarding the reader with "THIS IS BAD, DON'T DO IT!" from the beginning. Yes, that is ultimately the conclusion the author would like the reader to come to, but the sympathetic nature towards victims of the game makes the whole situation make sense.
My main criticism is that the novel is quite slow. For a middle-grade novel it is especially important to keep the plot rather fast-paced. I had a little bit of trouble with the pacing, so I could see that being an issue for younger children.
Overall though, it is a great way to approach the topic. If you live in an area where you know this is happening, Choke would be a great tool to educate your children. It is a much more personal experience than just being told what not to do simply because it is "stupid" or "dangerous", something I could see middle-graders really connecting to.
October 27, 2012
"Choke" by Diana Lopez is a book about a young girl named Windy who is in the eighth grade facing the conflict of being popular, or being in the out-crowd and her only friend being Elena. A new girl comes to her school named Nina all the in-crowd girls don't like Nina because they are jealous of her. Nina has everything the perfect hair, the perfect body, and the perfect clothes. Nina quickly becomes friends with Windy and introduces something to her called Breath Sisters, to become somebodies breath sister you need to play the choking game. The choking game is a game where you choke your best friend till she can't take it anymore or if she passes out. The first time Windy and Nina played this game Nina told her that Breath Sisters do this for trust. Windy, Elena, and Nina hangs out a lot at. Windy gives more attention to Nina which causes Elena to become jealous, and ruin their friendship. One day Windy finds Nina passed out in the girls bathroom. Then she finds out the truth that the choking game isn't about trust they do it to get the feeling that they are high. Windy and Elena slowly become friends again. They haven't been seeing Nina in school lately, that morning her school has an assembly, to talk about Nina and the choking game. They find out that Nina is now brain damaged and barley can even talk. The book ends with them visiting Nina every so often in the hospital, to make her feel wanted. More small things go on in the book but this is a brief summary of the book.
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April 21, 2015Choke is a very,very different book. It is not something you would not just pick up and read for the fun of it(i wouldn't cause of the name) The idea of the book is to show character,support,and care.But Dianna Lopez puts it in a whole different way. What I liked about this is she puts real situations in a book that could really not happen. Something that i didn't like was she went to far into detail describing things that weren't needed. They make real decisoins a fake world) and have real emotions.THey could be as real as you and me they have
November 8, 2012
So I’ve got another book for you…this one actually was a bit of a shocker for me when I first found out what it was about, mostly because once I understood what it was, I realized that this was actually something I remember playing at parties when I was in gr. 8. And unfortunately, I don’t think I or any of my friends really understood what was going on and the actual realities of playing that game were. So sit up and consider this a lesson in not being stupid as well as a book review!!
So, how many of you are familiar with the choking game? Not sure? It goes by a variety of names: cloud nine, gasp, pass out, flatliner, blackout, sleeper hold, to name a few. Essentially, it's being asphyxiated due to strangling (either by someone else or yourself) to the point of passing out. The idea is that due to the oxygen deprivation, you can sometimes feel a rush or a high due to your body chemistry going crazy (endorphins and stuff) - kinda like a head rush, but much more extreme. Often kids and teens (and adults) play this game because it's very easy to think that it's not harmful. You faint, there's no drugs involved and people don't die from fainting...right? Nope. Dead wrong.
The fact is that this game has killed a ridiculous number of people and hospitalized even more. How? A combo of the brain cell damage from cutting of oxygen to your brain (which also has the potential to cause seizures), as well as the various head injuries that happen from people falling after they pass out. This game usually starts off as a party game that is played with friends. However, the rush and risk of this game can be highly addictive to the point where people start playing it on their own. It's at this point that the game becomes that much more dangerous and the fatality rate goes up substantially. 3 minutes of no oxygen causes noticeable brain damage. Between 4-5 minutes of no oxygen can kill you.
So now that you know that, here's the book review:
The Gist: Windy is your typical, average, general population 8th grader. She's not in the In crowd and she's not in the Out crowd. Like the average 8th grader, she wishes she could change practically everything about herself - her hair, her clothes, her lack of make-up, even sometimes her best friend who doesn't seem to want to grow up and acts like such a child.
And then a new girl starts at her school. Nina is cool, she's pretty, and she doesn't seem to have a care - and on top of that, she decides to be Windy's friend. And not only just a friend, Nina wants to be breath sisters.
Being breath sisters with Nina changes Windy's life - she has a new group of friends in the In crowd, boys are talking to her, and Windy finally feels like she can be and do what she wants. But as this friendship continues, Windy finds herself more and more confused and even scared about what's happening.
Vopinion: Well, like I said, this book got to me because I have been one of the idiots playing this game. Fortunately for me and my friends, none of us ever took this game farther than the occasional party trick until it just became . What this book does is give us a very rational explanation as to how people are introduced to this game and why they keep playing it. With the main character being in gr. 8, this book can be read by younger grades very easily, but the story isn't too young that older teens and adults will be put off by the story. Well written, this was a light read despite the content. The biggest complaint I have about the book is that it really made it seem that this was something only girls played by using the term 'breath sisters'. Trust me, guys play too.
So, how many of you are familiar with the choking game? Not sure? It goes by a variety of names: cloud nine, gasp, pass out, flatliner, blackout, sleeper hold, to name a few. Essentially, it's being asphyxiated due to strangling (either by someone else or yourself) to the point of passing out. The idea is that due to the oxygen deprivation, you can sometimes feel a rush or a high due to your body chemistry going crazy (endorphins and stuff) - kinda like a head rush, but much more extreme. Often kids and teens (and adults) play this game because it's very easy to think that it's not harmful. You faint, there's no drugs involved and people don't die from fainting...right? Nope. Dead wrong.
The fact is that this game has killed a ridiculous number of people and hospitalized even more. How? A combo of the brain cell damage from cutting of oxygen to your brain (which also has the potential to cause seizures), as well as the various head injuries that happen from people falling after they pass out. This game usually starts off as a party game that is played with friends. However, the rush and risk of this game can be highly addictive to the point where people start playing it on their own. It's at this point that the game becomes that much more dangerous and the fatality rate goes up substantially. 3 minutes of no oxygen causes noticeable brain damage. Between 4-5 minutes of no oxygen can kill you.
So now that you know that, here's the book review:
The Gist: Windy is your typical, average, general population 8th grader. She's not in the In crowd and she's not in the Out crowd. Like the average 8th grader, she wishes she could change practically everything about herself - her hair, her clothes, her lack of make-up, even sometimes her best friend who doesn't seem to want to grow up and acts like such a child.
And then a new girl starts at her school. Nina is cool, she's pretty, and she doesn't seem to have a care - and on top of that, she decides to be Windy's friend. And not only just a friend, Nina wants to be breath sisters.
Being breath sisters with Nina changes Windy's life - she has a new group of friends in the In crowd, boys are talking to her, and Windy finally feels like she can be and do what she wants. But as this friendship continues, Windy finds herself more and more confused and even scared about what's happening.
Vopinion: Well, like I said, this book got to me because I have been one of the idiots playing this game. Fortunately for me and my friends, none of us ever took this game farther than the occasional party trick until it just became . What this book does is give us a very rational explanation as to how people are introduced to this game and why they keep playing it. With the main character being in gr. 8, this book can be read by younger grades very easily, but the story isn't too young that older teens and adults will be put off by the story. Well written, this was a light read despite the content. The biggest complaint I have about the book is that it really made it seem that this was something only girls played by using the term 'breath sisters'. Trust me, guys play too.
February 26, 2014
“Choke” by Diana Lopez is about a girl named Windy, a typical eighth grade girl whose only wish is to be “popular” or as they call it the “in-crowd.” Windy has a best friend named Elena that is sort of nerdy and Windy is sometimes embarrassed to be around her sometimes. A new girl comes to their school named Nina. Nina isn't scared to stand up to mean “in-crowd” girls and Some “in-crowd” girls start talking and hanging out with Nina and Nina starts talking to Windy and Elena. Windy realizes that this is her chance to get into the “in-crowd.”
One day Nina and Windy go to the mall and Nina buys Windy a matching scarf. Then Nina say “now we can be Breath Sisters.” Windy didn't know what a “Breath Sister”: meant so she asked and Nina explained. Being a “Breath Sister” is about letting your “Breath Sister” choke you and pass out out so you can feel the “rush” or some girls do it because they say that its like getting “high.” Windy let Nina choke her and Windy couldn't breath so she tapped out. Later on the next few weeks things start changing because Nina starts missing school all the time. Then the principal got informed that Nina was found passed out in her room because shes been been choking herself to feel the “rush.” The principal then found out that Nina was transferred to his school because Nina also played “the choking game” at her school. Nina had to go to the hospital and they found out that she had brain damage from playing “the choking game” to much. After that Nina was never herself and could barely talk.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes reading about middle school girls and drama. The Authors purpose of this book is that you should not do anything just to be “popular” and especially something that risks your life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 10, 2015I read the book Choke, by Diana Lopez. The book is about two best friends Elena and Windy and a new girl Nina. It is about a a sick game that gets out of hand and puts people's lives in danger. After finishing the book I now will think twice before I jump to conclusions about rumors, they aren't always true and if everyone is doing something that you don't think is right, don't do it.
I thought the author developed the characters very well. I also liked how the author developed the friendship between Windy and Nina. The only thing(s) I thought the author could have done differently was make the characters mostly Windy more interesting. Also it would have been more enjoyable if it wasn't so slow in the beginning. One of the major messages I took from this text is that the choking game is very serious. I believe the authors purpose for writing this book is to bring attention and awareness to this horrible game.
Overall I gave this book a 3-5 star rating. In the beginning of the book in my option was very slow starting. I would recommended this to an eighth grader or freshmen, some of the content is very mature, leading me to recommend it to an older crowd.
I thought the author developed the characters very well. I also liked how the author developed the friendship between Windy and Nina. The only thing(s) I thought the author could have done differently was make the characters mostly Windy more interesting. Also it would have been more enjoyable if it wasn't so slow in the beginning. One of the major messages I took from this text is that the choking game is very serious. I believe the authors purpose for writing this book is to bring attention and awareness to this horrible game.
Overall I gave this book a 3-5 star rating. In the beginning of the book in my option was very slow starting. I would recommended this to an eighth grader or freshmen, some of the content is very mature, leading me to recommend it to an older crowd.
May 8, 2013
this book was absolutly fabulous!!! it was about a girl named Windy (her dad is a meterologist, so that's how she got her name!) who has some trouble getting into the in-crowd. right now she's in the GP crowd. It stands for "general person". but she's not in the out-crowd so that's good. but all that changes when a new girl Nina comes to school and brings with her a deadly game. the choking game. Nina was addicted to this game and would encourage other girls to play with her to become her breath sister. She claimed that it got you high. But Windy didn't know that Nina was playing this game or that it even existed...til she became her best friend...and breath sister. You can tell who played the game by if they were wearing scarves, to cover up the red marks on their necks where the pinched off the air flow. Windy had pretty much dumped her best friend Elena to be with Nina instead. But in the end she realizes she made a big mistake.
December 23, 2015
"Choke" is an important story for all adolescent girls to be aware of. When a Windy becomes friends with the new girl, Nina she is ecstatic to have a popular girl giving her so much attention. Nina is mature, confident, beautiful, and liked by everyone. Then one day, Nina asks Windy to be her "breath sister" and introduces her to the choking game. Windy is apprehensive at first, but knows she will lose Nina's friendship if she doesn't partake in the game. Lots of critical lessons are taught as well as the importance of keeping true friends. The main character is Hispanic and I liked all the Spanish references that are made.
May 22, 2017
The theme of this book is be careful what you do in life. You need to be careful because one thing can change everything. It can change where your life and how you act. In the book choke, Nina made decisions that changed her life around and she will never be the same.
February 15, 2021
1.5 ⭐ for me. This book read like a bad 15 minute PSA short for an assembly. Even for middle grade (I assume) I felt like this book wouldn't have an impact on any kids who read it, besides making them want to try the choking game. How was this book sold exclusively at book fairs? Yikes.
December 14, 2012
*SPOILER ALERT*
'Choke' by Diana Lopez is about an eight-grade girl, Windy. Windy's best friend, Elena, and her are part of what she calls the 'GP', or the 'general public', the social group place between the 'in-crowd' and the 'out-crowd'. Windy wants to be in the 'in-crowd', instead of the 'GP'. However, all of that changes when a new girl joins Windy's middle school- Nina. Nina seems to have all the 'qualifications' for the in-crowd; She was tall, had hazel eyes, and dark brown hair. What Winnie wasn't expecting to happen was for Nina to become friends with Elena and Windy. As Nina and Windy get closer, Windy finds herself slowly drifting farther and farther apart from Elena. Nina seems like the perfect best friend to Windy- she has a good taste in style, she's popular, she helps Windy with what to say to her crush Ronnie, and she wants to be Windy's 'Breath Sister'. Windy doesn't know what a breath sister is, but since Nina's cool, Windy figured that being a breath sister must be cool, too. A couple days later, Nina and Windy went to the mall to go shopping. Nina had bought Windy some makeup and nail polish. When they went to the bathroom to try the new things on, Windy asked what a Breath Sister was. Nina said that she would show Windy only if Windy didn't tell anybody else, because she had been expelled from a lot of schools because of it. Nina showed Windy how you became a Breath Sister- by playing the 'Choking Game'. The Choking Game is where somebody would cut off the flow of oxygen, and if the person wants to stop, they tap on the other person's arm. But, if they don't tap out, they'll 'go all the way' (pass out), and then get the 'rush'. Windy still doesn't fully understand the game, but if it's how to become a Breath Sister with Nina, she would do it. Windy didn't go all the way, and Nina said that she did a good job for the first time, and maybe next time she would do better. Throughout the rest of the book, Windy doesn't play the Choking Game again since she didn't like it, but since she was still friends, and Breath Sisters with Nina, she became more popular, and part of the in-crowd. Windy and Elena kept drifting apart, not talking to each other as much anymore. Nina still helped Windy with talking to Ronnie, but it turned out Ronnie actually liked Nina. During the last couple of chapters, Elena and Windy make up, since they were in a fight, and Nina, Elena and Windy were all friends again. However, a couple days later, Windy is called to the principal's office. When she got there, the guidance counselor was also there. They asked Windy about Nina, like if Nina told Windy any problems she had, and when she asked if something had happened, the counselor told her that Nina had tried to commit suicide. A day or two later, Windy's school had an assembly. The principal announced that Nina hadn't tried to kill herself, but was, in fact, playing the Choking Game. Because of what happened, Nina suffered severe brain damage, and would never be the same. At first, Windy felt guilty, feeling like if she had told a teacher about the game, nothing would have happened to Nina. When summer vacation came several weeks later, Elena and Windy decided to visit Nina every other weekend. “The first time they saw her, they had to fight back tears.” (López 227) “Nina can't do a lot of things anymore, but she can still walk if she holds onto the wall. She could throw a ball, but can't catch one. She can put on jeans and shirts, and close a zipper if she concentrates hard. She can say no, but her tongue gets stuck on the n sometimes. She can say yes, but holds the s until her breath runs out. But anything longer than one syllable turns into a stream of consonants, no vowels in between” (López 227-228) At the very end of the book, Diana López put in an author's note, saying that “When three of my middle school students arrived to class with bloodshot eyes, I thought they were high on marijuana, but I was wrong. They had done something that was much more disturbing. They had played the choking game, and what worried me the most was their belief that it was harmless fun.” (López 321) Diana López wrote the book 'Choke' to “live through someone else and learn through their mistakes. That way, we don't fall into the same traps.” (López 231) She wrote the book to spread awareness of the Choking Game. Before this book, I had never heard of the Choking Game. Now that I have, and have read the book, I feel as if the story will stay with me for the rest of my life, not just to keep me from playing the Choking Game, but to keep me from doing other, truthfully, stupid things.
'Choke' by Diana Lopez is about an eight-grade girl, Windy. Windy's best friend, Elena, and her are part of what she calls the 'GP', or the 'general public', the social group place between the 'in-crowd' and the 'out-crowd'. Windy wants to be in the 'in-crowd', instead of the 'GP'. However, all of that changes when a new girl joins Windy's middle school- Nina. Nina seems to have all the 'qualifications' for the in-crowd; She was tall, had hazel eyes, and dark brown hair. What Winnie wasn't expecting to happen was for Nina to become friends with Elena and Windy. As Nina and Windy get closer, Windy finds herself slowly drifting farther and farther apart from Elena. Nina seems like the perfect best friend to Windy- she has a good taste in style, she's popular, she helps Windy with what to say to her crush Ronnie, and she wants to be Windy's 'Breath Sister'. Windy doesn't know what a breath sister is, but since Nina's cool, Windy figured that being a breath sister must be cool, too. A couple days later, Nina and Windy went to the mall to go shopping. Nina had bought Windy some makeup and nail polish. When they went to the bathroom to try the new things on, Windy asked what a Breath Sister was. Nina said that she would show Windy only if Windy didn't tell anybody else, because she had been expelled from a lot of schools because of it. Nina showed Windy how you became a Breath Sister- by playing the 'Choking Game'. The Choking Game is where somebody would cut off the flow of oxygen, and if the person wants to stop, they tap on the other person's arm. But, if they don't tap out, they'll 'go all the way' (pass out), and then get the 'rush'. Windy still doesn't fully understand the game, but if it's how to become a Breath Sister with Nina, she would do it. Windy didn't go all the way, and Nina said that she did a good job for the first time, and maybe next time she would do better. Throughout the rest of the book, Windy doesn't play the Choking Game again since she didn't like it, but since she was still friends, and Breath Sisters with Nina, she became more popular, and part of the in-crowd. Windy and Elena kept drifting apart, not talking to each other as much anymore. Nina still helped Windy with talking to Ronnie, but it turned out Ronnie actually liked Nina. During the last couple of chapters, Elena and Windy make up, since they were in a fight, and Nina, Elena and Windy were all friends again. However, a couple days later, Windy is called to the principal's office. When she got there, the guidance counselor was also there. They asked Windy about Nina, like if Nina told Windy any problems she had, and when she asked if something had happened, the counselor told her that Nina had tried to commit suicide. A day or two later, Windy's school had an assembly. The principal announced that Nina hadn't tried to kill herself, but was, in fact, playing the Choking Game. Because of what happened, Nina suffered severe brain damage, and would never be the same. At first, Windy felt guilty, feeling like if she had told a teacher about the game, nothing would have happened to Nina. When summer vacation came several weeks later, Elena and Windy decided to visit Nina every other weekend. “The first time they saw her, they had to fight back tears.” (López 227) “Nina can't do a lot of things anymore, but she can still walk if she holds onto the wall. She could throw a ball, but can't catch one. She can put on jeans and shirts, and close a zipper if she concentrates hard. She can say no, but her tongue gets stuck on the n sometimes. She can say yes, but holds the s until her breath runs out. But anything longer than one syllable turns into a stream of consonants, no vowels in between” (López 227-228) At the very end of the book, Diana López put in an author's note, saying that “When three of my middle school students arrived to class with bloodshot eyes, I thought they were high on marijuana, but I was wrong. They had done something that was much more disturbing. They had played the choking game, and what worried me the most was their belief that it was harmless fun.” (López 321) Diana López wrote the book 'Choke' to “live through someone else and learn through their mistakes. That way, we don't fall into the same traps.” (López 231) She wrote the book to spread awareness of the Choking Game. Before this book, I had never heard of the Choking Game. Now that I have, and have read the book, I feel as if the story will stay with me for the rest of my life, not just to keep me from playing the Choking Game, but to keep me from doing other, truthfully, stupid things.
December 14, 2015
Choke by Diana Lopez is a book worth reading because it raises awareness of the Choking Game. The Choking Game is a way to get high. One person uses a rope or a scarf to choke the other person until they pass out; when they wake up, they are high. The main character, Windy, is pressured into playing the choking game by one of her friends , Nina. Windy says, “No way was I playing the choking game again. But Liz and Nina thought it was fun. They expected me to play. I could tell our friendship depended on it. How did I get myself into this situation? “(Lopez 127). This quotes explains how the Choking Game is played. It is important for people to understand how to play the Choking Game and how dangerous it is. Later in the book, Windy notices that Nina gets headaches often. For example, “ ‘It’s too bad Nina couldn’t be here. She called this morning so I could get her homework. She really wants to do well in school, but she gets these headaches, like the one she had the other day. High blood pressure and stuff. That’s why her eyes are red sometimes.’ “(Lopez 144-145). Lopez shows the signs of a person playing the Choking Game. When people know the signs of the Choking Game, they are more likely to find them and are more willing to report friends or family who might be in danger. Towards the end of the book, Lopez added facts about the Choking Game. She wrote, “I took out my Top Five notebook. I called the new list ‘The Top Five Choking Game Facts.’ 1.Nina did not have an ugly birthmark on her neck. She had a ligature mark, which is actually a bruise from the times she choked herself…. 4. ‘Retinal hemorrhaging’ is a fancy way of saying bloodshot eyes. People with bloodshot eyes might be playing the choking game. Headaches and clothes that hide the neck are also warning signs “(Lopez 210). All these facts give people more and more knowledge about the Choking Game. Lopez added this because she wanted to help people more fully understand the Choking Game. The Choking Game is a horrible game that hurts many people. Choke by Diana Lopez is a fantastic book because it helps people understand what the choking game is and how to prevent others from harming themselves.
May 24, 2013
Diana López has written an important book with Choke (Scholastic 2012). Even though facts about the deadly choking game (also known by the names that give each chapter its title: knockout game, airplaning, rocket ride, sleeper hold, pass-out game, wall hit, could nine, gasp, American dream game, necktie challenge, blackout game, trip to heaven, flatliner, hyperventilating, suffocation roulette) are woven throughout the story, it is not at all preachy.
Instead Windy captures the insecurity I see so often in my own middle school students. She isn't in the popular crowd--though she would like to be. She isn't among the social outcasts, either. She is stuck right in the middle, suffering the insults of the mean girls, lacking a passion or hobby that she can see, and getting by with average grades and talents. All that changes when Nina comes to school. Nina is cool beyond measure, unafraid of bullies, and wise with worldly advice. Even better, she wants to be friends with Windy and invites her to become a breath sister. Windy is not sure what that is, but she wants to accept this invitation into the cool crowd.
What will she leave behind to join these girls who seem to have it all--her natural looks, her oldest friend, her good sense, her very breath?
Fortunately, I haven't had direct experience with students trying the choking game. I have heard of it in lists of dangerous and stupid things teenagers do. I hope readers who encounter this book will learn from Windy's and Nina's experience rather than trying it for themselves. For those who have encountered this tragedy, López gives several resources that I repeat below:
Choking Game Awareness Blog was established to raise awareness and educate parents, children, and educators about the dangers of the choking game.
The G.A.S.P. Website (Games Adolescents Shouldn't PlayO provides testimonials, statistics, and a support forum for families who have been affected by the choking game.
Instead Windy captures the insecurity I see so often in my own middle school students. She isn't in the popular crowd--though she would like to be. She isn't among the social outcasts, either. She is stuck right in the middle, suffering the insults of the mean girls, lacking a passion or hobby that she can see, and getting by with average grades and talents. All that changes when Nina comes to school. Nina is cool beyond measure, unafraid of bullies, and wise with worldly advice. Even better, she wants to be friends with Windy and invites her to become a breath sister. Windy is not sure what that is, but she wants to accept this invitation into the cool crowd.
What will she leave behind to join these girls who seem to have it all--her natural looks, her oldest friend, her good sense, her very breath?
Fortunately, I haven't had direct experience with students trying the choking game. I have heard of it in lists of dangerous and stupid things teenagers do. I hope readers who encounter this book will learn from Windy's and Nina's experience rather than trying it for themselves. For those who have encountered this tragedy, López gives several resources that I repeat below:
Choking Game Awareness Blog was established to raise awareness and educate parents, children, and educators about the dangers of the choking game.
The G.A.S.P. Website (Games Adolescents Shouldn't PlayO provides testimonials, statistics, and a support forum for families who have been affected by the choking game.
October 1, 2014
Key Issues:
I think the novel's theme is to be who you are and don't change. The author's message is to stay true to you and don't change yourself just to be popular. I think the author's purpose in writing this novel is to teach young people that it's okay to be yourself. I think some words to describe this book is friendship and fitting in.
List Of Characters:
Windy: Windy is the protagonist of the story. She is very average. She likes cats and visiting elderly people, especially her adopted grandmother. She is smart, funny and shy.
Elena: Elena is Windy's best friend. She loves to make word morphs and play her piccolo. She can be a little immature, but she is really funny and super smart.
Nina: Nina is the antagonist of the story. she loves to wear scarves and play the drums. Her and Windy are friends until Nina introduced the choke game. Nina is selfless, nice and rebellious.
Plot Summary:
Windy and Elena have been best friends forever until Nina walked into their lives. Nina introduces Windy to the choke game. A dangerous game where you can seriously get hurt. Windy decides between hanging out with the "in crowd" or hanging out with Elena. Both girls will discover friendship is way better than popularity. Nina shows them that being brave is good but it can come as a price. Windy learns that if you don't feel comfortable with something speak your mind and don't be shy about it.
My Review:
Star Rating: I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea. It left out some detail and really wasn't suspenseful to me until the end. My personal reactions to the book are that some of the parts in the book are pretty good. It taught me to never let someone boss you around and to be yourself. I think all of my classmates could read this book because it is not very violent and there is no bad language. It does involve choking and a few harassment, but otherwise this book is not that bad.
Q1:#3
I think the novel's theme is to be who you are and don't change. The author's message is to stay true to you and don't change yourself just to be popular. I think the author's purpose in writing this novel is to teach young people that it's okay to be yourself. I think some words to describe this book is friendship and fitting in.
List Of Characters:
Windy: Windy is the protagonist of the story. She is very average. She likes cats and visiting elderly people, especially her adopted grandmother. She is smart, funny and shy.
Elena: Elena is Windy's best friend. She loves to make word morphs and play her piccolo. She can be a little immature, but she is really funny and super smart.
Nina: Nina is the antagonist of the story. she loves to wear scarves and play the drums. Her and Windy are friends until Nina introduced the choke game. Nina is selfless, nice and rebellious.
Plot Summary:
Windy and Elena have been best friends forever until Nina walked into their lives. Nina introduces Windy to the choke game. A dangerous game where you can seriously get hurt. Windy decides between hanging out with the "in crowd" or hanging out with Elena. Both girls will discover friendship is way better than popularity. Nina shows them that being brave is good but it can come as a price. Windy learns that if you don't feel comfortable with something speak your mind and don't be shy about it.
My Review:
Star Rating: I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea. It left out some detail and really wasn't suspenseful to me until the end. My personal reactions to the book are that some of the parts in the book are pretty good. It taught me to never let someone boss you around and to be yourself. I think all of my classmates could read this book because it is not very violent and there is no bad language. It does involve choking and a few harassment, but otherwise this book is not that bad.
Q1:#3
August 26, 2012
I totally related with Windy. Not in the popular crowd, but not really completely on the outside crowd either. On that edge and wanting to change so many things about yourself. I also related with the feeling of doing things I didn't necessarily want to but it sounded cool because a new friend thought it was fun.
I felt for Nina. She really stood up for Windy and Elena, which warmed me to her, but I could tell that something wasn't quite right with her. I just wondered what was brewing under the surface, and Diana Lopez peeled back her layers slowly. Obviously she has the problem with the choking game, but you have to wonder what her motivations were.
Elana is the best friend that is awesome. She is so nerdy and that completely appeals to me, as does her loyalty and ability to forgive.
I also really appreciated the idea of finding yourself and looking for what you love and how to incorporate that into your career. We got to see it with Windy and her relationship with her parents as well as in her own life, working at the nursing home with Mrs. Vargas. By the way, I appreciated so much the well written and close family relationships as well as the presence of Mrs. Vargas, Windy's adopt a granny.
Diana Lopez writes with fluidity that got me lost in Windy's story and feeling for her as I read about her self discovery and journey into the dangerous. She also handles such a difficult subject with finesse.
The ending is heartbreaking but a wake up call, and I couldn't really expect much different, although she did surprise me some by the end results.
Bottom line: Important subject, handled well. Great MG read that can appeal to older readers as well.
For more of my reviews, check out Blkosiner’s YA and Teen Book Blog: http://blkosiner.blogspot.com
I felt for Nina. She really stood up for Windy and Elena, which warmed me to her, but I could tell that something wasn't quite right with her. I just wondered what was brewing under the surface, and Diana Lopez peeled back her layers slowly. Obviously she has the problem with the choking game, but you have to wonder what her motivations were.
Elana is the best friend that is awesome. She is so nerdy and that completely appeals to me, as does her loyalty and ability to forgive.
I also really appreciated the idea of finding yourself and looking for what you love and how to incorporate that into your career. We got to see it with Windy and her relationship with her parents as well as in her own life, working at the nursing home with Mrs. Vargas. By the way, I appreciated so much the well written and close family relationships as well as the presence of Mrs. Vargas, Windy's adopt a granny.
Diana Lopez writes with fluidity that got me lost in Windy's story and feeling for her as I read about her self discovery and journey into the dangerous. She also handles such a difficult subject with finesse.
The ending is heartbreaking but a wake up call, and I couldn't really expect much different, although she did surprise me some by the end results.
Bottom line: Important subject, handled well. Great MG read that can appeal to older readers as well.
For more of my reviews, check out Blkosiner’s YA and Teen Book Blog: http://blkosiner.blogspot.com
March 9, 2013
The plot is a little weak. I know that it was supposed to raise awareness about the choking game. Obviously, there is not far you can go with just that topic, though I know exactly what I'd do to make it a better book. You can tell the author added different things to make it more interesting, but it just wasn't doing it for me. The ending of the story was the typical thing any person with half a brain could predict.
The main character, in my opinion, is a little too immature for someone about to go to high school.
I think I am a little out of this book's league because it was in the middle grade genre, even though the main character is in the eighth grade. Had I been in maybe the sixth grade, perhaps this would be a great book for me, but alas, I am not in the sixth grade.
Being that I am in the process of writing a book, I have become critical of books a little more, these days. The writing was not excellent, but it was okay. I can't really judge this book fairly, because it was not meant for my age to read it. So here's the verdict:
For ages 12 and younger, I think they should read this book. It deals with good topics and raises awareness about the choking game. Its an appropriate book for that age.
You know how newspapers have filler articles. This was like a filler book. A quick read. It was okay. Won't be reading anything from this lady again. Not because she's a bad writer, but because, I am a little out of its league.
Read the full review at whoistheserialreader.blogspot.com.
The main character, in my opinion, is a little too immature for someone about to go to high school.
I think I am a little out of this book's league because it was in the middle grade genre, even though the main character is in the eighth grade. Had I been in maybe the sixth grade, perhaps this would be a great book for me, but alas, I am not in the sixth grade.
Being that I am in the process of writing a book, I have become critical of books a little more, these days. The writing was not excellent, but it was okay. I can't really judge this book fairly, because it was not meant for my age to read it. So here's the verdict:
For ages 12 and younger, I think they should read this book. It deals with good topics and raises awareness about the choking game. Its an appropriate book for that age.
You know how newspapers have filler articles. This was like a filler book. A quick read. It was okay. Won't be reading anything from this lady again. Not because she's a bad writer, but because, I am a little out of its league.
Read the full review at whoistheserialreader.blogspot.com.
July 11, 2015
Started off pretty strong, but towards the end got really, really cliche. It would have been a lot more effective if the author had fleshed Nina out as a character a bit more- or, potentially, told the story from her POV rather than Windy's (or, alternatively, taken Windy's story in a different direction).
[Spoilers below]
If the author was trying to use the book to educate kids about the Choking Game, it would have been a bit more effective to make the person who ended up suffering horrible consequences from it a bit easier to relate to; Windy was the main character, so it would make sense for it to be her.
It's complicated, because I like that the author chose not to go down the usual route (the main character/narrator is the one who learns the hard way), but at the same time, it didn't work. Nina is too distant. She is not as fleshed-out as she could be, especially compared to Windy, and so when something bad happens to her it doesn't have the same emotional impact that it might have otherwise had.
The reason books like these usually have such a strong impact is because the reader looks at what the character is going through and sees "Wow, look at how their life went from normal to awful all because of this one thing". With Nina, we really didn't get that as fully as we could have.
Overall it was a good book, but could have been a little more than that.
[Spoilers below]
If the author was trying to use the book to educate kids about the Choking Game, it would have been a bit more effective to make the person who ended up suffering horrible consequences from it a bit easier to relate to; Windy was the main character, so it would make sense for it to be her.
It's complicated, because I like that the author chose not to go down the usual route (the main character/narrator is the one who learns the hard way), but at the same time, it didn't work. Nina is too distant. She is not as fleshed-out as she could be, especially compared to Windy, and so when something bad happens to her it doesn't have the same emotional impact that it might have otherwise had.
The reason books like these usually have such a strong impact is because the reader looks at what the character is going through and sees "Wow, look at how their life went from normal to awful all because of this one thing". With Nina, we really didn't get that as fully as we could have.
Overall it was a good book, but could have been a little more than that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2013
8th graders Windy & Elena have been best friends forever. They are keenly aware of their social status as members of the GP, the general public. They aspire to be part of the in-crowd, the group of cool, popular kids who lead the charmed life. When a new student arrives at school, she challenges the social order and shakes things up. Even more amazingly, Nina wants to be their friend. Soon, Windy finds herself making choices that she isn't entirely comfortable with and finds herself putting distance between herself and Elena, who is clearly a social liability. But Windy eventually discovers that Nina is not the person she leads Windy to believe she is and Windy must face some difficult truths.
López captures the dynamics of how tweens and teens find themselves in situations that compromise or sway their ethics and how easy it is to rationalize decisions in the heat of the moment. This novel deals with a difficult topic and it is handled well but it does feel preachy at times. That López is a middle school teacher comes through pretty loudly and takes away some of the authenticity of her character's voices but does lend insight. This will likely appeal to tween girls.
López captures the dynamics of how tweens and teens find themselves in situations that compromise or sway their ethics and how easy it is to rationalize decisions in the heat of the moment. This novel deals with a difficult topic and it is handled well but it does feel preachy at times. That López is a middle school teacher comes through pretty loudly and takes away some of the authenticity of her character's voices but does lend insight. This will likely appeal to tween girls.
Read
July 8, 2012Windy Soto is an average eighth grade student when she gets to hang out with the popular crowd for the first time in her life. It’s an opportunity that puts her life in danger.
In Diana López’s young adult novel Choke (Scholastic Press), Windy becomes intrigued by Nina Díaz, the new girl who stands up to the cool kids – and acts nice to Windy. Windy even neglects her dorky best friend, Elena. But Windy soon learns that Nina has her friends play “the choking game,” in which teens choke each other until they pass out.
Choke is an easy-to-read book, although the exposition takes a little too long. López, a former middle school teacher who wrote the book after seeing her own students play the game, captures teenage angst well.
The novel, which takes place in San Antonio, features mostly Hispanic characters and the occasional nod to Latino life – such as barbacoa meals – but it should appeal to all middle school students. This book could even save a few lives.
Note: This review appeared in my blog, The Hispanic Reader. http://hispanicreader.com
I received a review copy from the publisher.
In Diana López’s young adult novel Choke (Scholastic Press), Windy becomes intrigued by Nina Díaz, the new girl who stands up to the cool kids – and acts nice to Windy. Windy even neglects her dorky best friend, Elena. But Windy soon learns that Nina has her friends play “the choking game,” in which teens choke each other until they pass out.
Choke is an easy-to-read book, although the exposition takes a little too long. López, a former middle school teacher who wrote the book after seeing her own students play the game, captures teenage angst well.
The novel, which takes place in San Antonio, features mostly Hispanic characters and the occasional nod to Latino life – such as barbacoa meals – but it should appeal to all middle school students. This book could even save a few lives.
Note: This review appeared in my blog, The Hispanic Reader. http://hispanicreader.com
I received a review copy from the publisher.
June 12, 2015
Choke by Diana Lopez is a realistic fiction book about fourteen year old Windy who wants to change everything about herself. When Nina, who's been held back a couple of years, transfers to her school and starts hanging out with her, Windy's ecstatic. Then, Nina wants to become even closer... by playing a very dangerous game. Windy wants to fit in, but at what price? And what could this do to her relationship with her best friend Elena? Choke is one of those books with a great plot line and lots of potential, that just wasn't carried out right. I feel as though this book had very young language despite the audience it was marketed towards and the very serious topic. This book focused more on lesson teaching (which yes, is very important but not needed so much) than it did on the actual plot. I also didn't really like the main character Windy, as she seemed like a brat rather than a "relatable teenager". I would maybe recommend this book to a younger audience (perhaps ten to twelve year olds) as I feel like they would benefit from reading this book rather than someone anyone older than that.
December 15, 2015
"Choke" by Diana López is one of my new favorite books. The genre is fiction, although, the choking game has lead to death and severe brain damage. This book takes place in San Antonio, Texas. The main characters are Windy, Elena, Nina and Ronnie! This book is about Windy, a girl who is in the GP, general public. There are three major groups, the in-crowd (popular kids), GP (general public), and the out-crowd (smarts/nerds). Windy and her best friend Elena wish to be in the in-crowd, but thought that could never happen. In the middle of the year, the new girl Nina comes and shows interest in Windy. The day they became friends, the mean girls, Alicia and Courtney, trip them into spaghetti sauce and Nina sticks up for Windy and Elena, thankfully. To be apart of the in-crowd, you need to play the choking game, a very serious game which can lead to death. Nina and Windy play the game at a Dillard's bathroom, after buying scarves and makeup. After that, everything goes up and down, read this book for more information. I rated this book a 5 out of 5 stars, because this book teaches you the dangers of the choking game with heartfelt drama.
March 9, 2014
I chose this book because I bought it from the Book Orders a long time ago. I needed a book, so I picked this one and started reading it. Windy is a normal eighth grader that becomes friends with Nina, the most popular girl in school. They soon become friends, but they don't want to be just friends. They want to be breath sisters. Will Windy almost take her life for being popular, or will she stay in the normal crowd with her other best friend. My favorite quote is when Nina says, " Have you ever heard of the choking game?" I like this quote, because it really ties the whole point of the story together. I also love the fact that it is a very suspenseful quote. I loved how the author made the children in the book in eight grade, because I am in eighth grade. I felt like I could really relate to some of the situations that happened in this book. I would recommend this book to anyone that love a book about friendship. There were a lot of sweet moments in this book between a lot of the characters.
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October 5, 2015I was reading the book “Choke” by Diana Lopez. This book is about a girl named Windy and she want’s to become a breath sister but to be come a breath sister she has to do some stuff that is isn't fond about. There is a new girl at the school, Windy becomes friends with her. The new girl's name is Nina. When Windy finds out that Nina is a breath sister Windy says how do you become a breath sister and she keeps asking her the same question over and over. Finial Nina says do you really want to become a breath sister. The big question is what will wind say when nina asked her that. Windy has to think really hard about it but then she said yes.
One day Nina and Windy where going to the mall and Windy said will you make me a breath sister? Then Nina said yes. But that wasn't it, that wasn't how you become a breath sister do you know how? Windy was really excited about becoming a breath sister, but she didn’t know one of the most terrible games ever was going to be played. That game was called the choking game.Nina said “do you know how to play the choking game”p.92.
One day Nina and Windy where going to the mall and Windy said will you make me a breath sister? Then Nina said yes. But that wasn't it, that wasn't how you become a breath sister do you know how? Windy was really excited about becoming a breath sister, but she didn’t know one of the most terrible games ever was going to be played. That game was called the choking game.Nina said “do you know how to play the choking game”p.92.
June 12, 2015
In this realistic fiction story, a young girl is struggling to figure out who she is and who her true friends are. Windy realizes she is a part of the GP (general population) crowd, but desperately wants to be a part of the in-crowd and have a boyfriend, like Ronnie. Her long-time friend, Elena is completely comfortable with herself and had no desire to change who she is. When a new girl comes to town, everyone else is enthralled by her. But Windy is delighted when Nina, the new girl, seems to want to hang out with her. Soon Windy realizes that Windy is the leader of a group of girls that play the Choking game. Windy wants so desperately to fit in that she agrees to try it. Soon, Windy realizes how dangerous this game really is. She isn't sure what to do. She loves her new group of friends, but doesn't know how far she'll go to keep them.
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December 18, 2015I'm writing a review about this book because, I though it was very stupid. Not the book its self was stupid but the choking game was stupid, their were only 2 popular girls at school, and their came a new girl to their school and they told her that the only way she can become friends with them and be popular was if she played the choking game. When they told her about it she refused to play but then somehow the girl convinced her to play and she did. They first played in the school bathroom. Ooh and the most important part, they wore scarfs so no one would be able to see there makes on their necks from playing it. Personally I wouldn't hang around friends who would tell me i had to do a certain thing to be apart of there group, not a follower.
December 17, 2015
I reads the book Choke by Diana Lopez. The book genre is fiction, during modern times in a high school. The main characters in the book are Windy, Elena, and Nina. The book is about a girl named Windy who wants to be a cook kid. One day everything can change when she meets a girl named Nina who is cool that she wants to be best friends. When the are becoming best friends they play the choking game, the point of the choking game is you choke yourself until you pass out. But when windy wakes up from choking herself everything changes.
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