Names Will Never Hurt Me by Jaime Adoff

by Jaime Adoff

In this gripping story, four very different teenagers reveal their deepest feelings and fears during a day in which the hurts and struggles of high school escalate dangerously. There's Kurt, the "freek" who listens to loud music, trying to escape the kids who bully him; Tisha, the girl who feels "out of place" because she's biracial; Ryan, the football star who rules the hallways but hides a terrible secret; and Floater, who wields power over students by acting as the principal's eyes and ears. As tensions rise and emotions reach the breaking point, will Kurt, Tisha, Ryan, and Floater be able to reach out to one another in time to prevent a tragedy?

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Teen, High School, Social Issues

Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

Jaime Adoff was born in New York City but grew up in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from Central State University in Ohio, where he studied drums and percussion. Moving to New York City in 1990, he attended the Manhattan School of Music and studied drums and voice. Jaime then went on to pursue a career in songwriting and fronted his own rock band for eight years. He released two CD’s of his own material and performed extensively in New York City and throughout the US.

He is the author of the "all ages" original poetry collection "The Song Shoots Out of My Mouth": A Celebration of Music,(2002)(Downloadable at audible.com 08') which was a Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor book,(2003) an IRA Notable book (2003), A NY Public Library book for the teenage(2003), a VOYA poetry pick (2002) and a CCB Best Book for 2002.

The critically acclaimed "Names Will Never Hurt Me" (2004) was his first young-adult novel and almost instantly became a MUST HAVE for teens around the country. In 2005 it was named a NY Public Library book for the teenage, and was nominated as a Best Book for Young Adults.

"Jimi & Me" (2005) was the recipient of the 2006 CORETTA SCOTT KING/​JOHN STEPTOE NEW TALENT AUTHOR AWARD. It was named as a 2006 YALSA QUICK PICK FOR RELUCTANT READERS, A 2006 NY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK FOR THE TEENAGE and was selected to the VOYA TOP SHELF FICTION LIST FOR 2005. It received a *starred* review from LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION and was cited as "an exceptional story" and "a tremendous addition to any collection" by VOYA magazine.

Jaime's latest young adult novel "The Death of Jayson Porter"(April 08) has been receiving rave reviews nationwide. Including *Starred Reviews from *Booklist*, *Library Media Connection*, and *VOYA* magazine,(5Q). It was also selected for the 09' "Choose to read Ohio program." A project of the State Library of Ohio, to promote reading across Ohio. As well as an Ohioana Book Award finalist in the Juvenile category.

His first picture book "Small Fry"(NOV 08) was cited as "Cathartic and Encouraging fun" by Kirkus Review.

Jaime is a highly sought after speaker, presenting across the country on teen issues, diversity, YA literature and Poetry. His Rock n Roll school visits have been knocking the socks off students and teachers alike, for years. Jaime has worked with students from Kindergarten through High School and even college and graduate students as well. Giving them all a "backstage- all access- pass" into the life, creative process, and works of one of the most groundbreaking, unique and innovative voices writing for children and teens today.

Jaime Adoff is the son of the late Newbery Award-winning author Virginia Hamilton and renowned poet Arnold Adoff.
Jaime lives in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio, with his family.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Names Will Never Hurt Me is a story written by Jaime Adoff. It's a first person multiple viewpoint novel about 4 very different teenagers struggling with their own problems while in high school. The students are all so different but will come into play with each other's lives. A student who everyone thinks is worthless (including himself), a girl insecure about her true colors and who she is, a boy with a hunger for power that is gained from students, and a senior who learns that he will not always be the king of the world. After the year anniversary of a student lost from a shooter, these four students' lives completely turn around. In the beginning, readers see how different all their lives are, whether they have to suffer through school and bullies, or if they have everything and everyone under their power. Everyone's point of view is different, and it alternates between different people's stories, including news interviews and special announcements. On this fateful day, those four students' lives changed, some for the better and others not. This book by Jaime Adoff is a great read, and the points of views, different stories, and the way they tie together makes this book feel so real, yet whimsical.

This story had a lot of twists and turns that I had not expected. Reading this book, I thought the characters would all become close and help each other up, but did not turn out that way. The fact that it had characters so different and unique to each other made me think that the characters would become friends and share their struggles. I was surprised to see that they had hardly interacted until around the end of the book. I wasn't sure if I was disappointed that they didn't end up friends with each other, or if I was happy because of the different ending, but despite that, I enjoyed the book a lot, although it was sometimes hard to determine who the speaker was when alternating points of views. I liked the setting and the very busy atmosphere, and I also liked the subtle split of high school stereotypes. This book really captured the feelings of how different students feel in their lives.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and I think many others would find it interesting as well.

[Mary A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do your parent’s expect too much of you? Do you feel like a freak sometimes? Are you a “white girl with a tan that never fades”? Are you the eyes and ears of your school and you can get anything you want? Meet Ryan, the all-American football player who is everything but perfect, Tisha, a bi-racial girl who is torn between the black crowd and the white crowd, Kurt, nickname Dirt for the way the bullies make him feel, and Floater, the eyes and ears of a school where a kid was murdered. These people all hang out with different cliques and some struggle to fit in one. They are all main characters in the book Names Will Never Hurt Me by Jaime Adoff.
It is the one-year anniversary of the murder of a student and the faculty of Rockville High is tense. What is going to happen? Will another murder occur? Ryan is an all American whose father is an ex-colonel who still controls his home and son like he’s still in the military. Ryan is a pretty good kid until he is accused of raping a girl. All the principle can do is suspend him, but not before the playoffs! There is nothing Ryan can do but take the suspension. When the colonel finds out, he will be furious. Tisha and Kurt are two normal kids who get lost in the crowd and are picked on quite a bit. The principle wants to talk to them about “something”, when his and Floater’s lives are threatened by a rampant colonel. The yelling is getting louder and louder. Then Ryan walks in, and just when he is about to get his usual lecture about being perfect from the colonel, he pulls out his “just in case” and confronts the crazy man. The colonel and Ryan are about to go at it when Kurt attacks him from behind, saving everyone. This makes him almost famous. He is on the news all night.
I enjoyed this book because it could actually happen and it uses our vernacular. This book is about overcoming obstacles in everyday life and just trying to fit in. It very much reflects my life and all the stress that comes with it. This book is an easy read and it is entertaining.

[Nathon · Rating 4 out of 5]

i thik this was a really good book. it opened my eyes to how rough some people have it! i think anyone should read this book, especially the tough ones.

[Kmeyer_22 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the book because it helps with real-life experiences. I have been bullied and it is cool to see that people are willing to talk about it. This is really inspiring because I don't feel alone if I get bullied because it is not just me. Kurt is one of my favorite characters because he is a football player and gets bullied by his teammates. Getting bullied really sucks I and you shouldn't bully after hearing these stories. This book is about high schoolers getting bullied so it gives me a visual at what it would look like or sound like. Hearing these stories really changed my point of view. I love this book because of how much it relates to me and many others. I think this book should be read to high schoolers. I recommend this book to everyone.

[Nikki Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Change to 8th grade only:
Off-screen sex but an allegation of rape
Several F-bombs & other profanity
School shooting & threat
Extreme bullying

[Charline Beaulieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 it was fucking confusing they changed character point of view without mentioning it clearly

[Alec Devito · Rating 4 out of 5]

it has a great first chapter it really brought me in and grabbed my attention. this was a very good book and it gets your attention in every chapter and makes you not what to put the book down. this book tells the stories of four high school students Kurt, the “freak” who gets bullied by kids at school. and Ryan, the football star who walks the hallways like a king and basically gets what he wants. Tisha, who feels like an unattractive misfit because she’s of mixed race. then Floater who acts as the principal’s right hand man. During one single day the events involving bullying, racism, and an accusation of rape bring these four very different teenagers together. this book has lots of stereotypes and the true feeling of high school. it can be what you make it but it's really up to them to try to reach other. also this book is very straight forward and a very intresting one.

[Tiffany]

This novel takes place during one day, the one year anniversary of a school shooting that left one student dead. Told through the perspectives of four students, in a semi-journal entry format, the reader sees how the shooting and its anniversary affected the town and how such an event could happen. Three of the students are part of the outcasts. Kurt, known at school as "freek" is made fun of every day, and uses his music to retreat. Tisha, is put down by both the black and white girls because she does not fully belong to either group. Floater, a self chosen name, was picked by the principal to be his eyes and ears. Even though he is still not accepted, he is mostly left alone, because he holds a power over the other students. The fourth perspective is Ryan, a senior football player and sometimes bully.

I loved this book, and think it is one that every high school student should read. Along with the perspectives of those being hurt, we see what leads to the hurtful actions of others and how far those effects reach. This novel doesn't sugar coat how teens feel about and react to teasing and abuse, which I think is the most important aspect. The entries all could have been written by high school students. They express the wanting to fit in, fear of failure, and general confusion that is characteristic of being a teenager. Also, they show how teenagers can have those "moments of clarity" when the stakes are high enough, and do the right thing despite the potential social consequences. This is a theme I find refreshing in young adult literature today, giving teens credit for what they can do. The setting of the book is nondescript enough that it could be in any suburb, and the lessons apply to teens at any type of school. The characters are each someone that you probably pass every day without realizing it (except for Ryan). By the end, I either loved or loathed each character, but I did not feel apathetic towards any of them, and I wanted each one to get what they deserved out of life.

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[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Names Will Never Hurt Me by Jamie Adoff was published in 2004. It took me me 3 days to read all 186 pages because of its great suspense. The story takes place at Rockville High in Ohio based off the current date.

The story revolves around four characters who attend the school. Kurt- the loser who no-one bothered to know. Ryan- the all American football player who was looking at a future with the NFL. Tisha- who no-one liked because she was both black and white by race but didn't act like either. And Mark- the one who made things happen and could fit in with any group; went by the name of Floater. In the course of a single day these four completely flip the system of school. Others who helped make this change were Principal Roberts, a crazed parent, and multiple bullies.

This fast-paced book confronts a lot of problem of high school including violence, peer pressure, and bullying. The author tries to show how the right choices always prove worth it in the end. The characters portray this beautifully by always trying to do whats right even if not successful or it makes them stick out.

I loved this book. It contained a lot of issues that i can personally compare my life and the world around me to. I favor this book because of its good pace and its mastery at suspense. On the contrary, I disliked the ending. It didn't end abruptly, but i felt like it left a few questions unanswered.

I would recommend one of my friends try reading this book. I believe anyone with the tastes for suspense would enjoy this or anyone who likes to relate themselves to the story.

[Melissa Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written like a form of poetry, names will never hurt me is filled with tension and keeps you wondering how it will end. It follows four different students during a day at school. Each character is written in the first person with intersecting stories.

The day is the one year anniversary of another student's death on campus. None of the four really knew the student, but the import of the day nevertheless has an impact. Kurt, Tisha, Mark and Ryan range in the pecking order from greatest to least and don't appear to have anything in common. Except for the day.

names will never hurt me builds to a taut crescendo, its foundation is bullying, worship, rascism, invisibility, attention and desire. The end is as satisfying as the beginning and the middle. Bonus? Yup. A question that doesn't get answered.


Favorite Quotes:

"My words warming up on the sidelines, ready for the play."

"Sandwiches and confessions fall out of backpacks, crashing to the floor, waiting to be swept up and thrown away."


Overall Opinion:

From the writing style to the story itself, it was fantastic!


Rating:

!

P

U

Thumbs

Two

[Rachel Knorr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Names Will Never Hurt Me by Jaime Adoff and I thought that it was a good book.Throughout the book the main character changes from chapter to chapter. I found that style of writing was good to keep the reader interested in what is happening in these kids school life. All the students in Names Will Never Hurt Me are very different in what they do and how they are treated by others at school. The whole book takes place on one day. This day is special to the school because it was a one year anniversary of a student being killed. One of the students is a football star while another character was a nerd and called a freak. These students all have their struggles and need to find ways to fix them.

I would recommend this book to people in high school or college because it is good at telling you the effects of bullying on other students. I wouldn't recommend it to people who know people who suffer from bullying because it might cause them to be sad. I think that most people will enjoy reading this book.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in three sittings. It was a very intense book. Set in a high school (I know there is a pattern forming for me!) it's about 4 young people who are bullied, how they handle it, how their lives are intertwined and how it all ends in a fury. When I got near the end I just could not stop reading. It showed how many forms of bullying our kids endure in school today and what it does to them. In the book the bullying not only came from other students but students were manipulated by adults which, in turn, precipitated other forms of bullying. This was fiction but I could see the scenarios in real life - in my high school, in your schools. This is a must read for anyone with children in school as far as I am concerned. The ending left me in shock, mouth agape and with much concern. Can I see this happening to students that I already know - YES! And that is the scarey part.

[Mickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reminded me a lot of my high school days. Simliar to the Breakfast Club, only in print form, it follows 4 students (The golden boy, the "freak" boy, the Biracial girl who doesn't fit in, and the schemer with delsuions of granduer) through their school day on the anniversary of the murder of another classmate. As events spiral out of control throughout the day, they're all drawn together for a quite climactic ending. I was left wondering one thing though....what the heck was in Kurt's gym bag?!?

[Janice C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING!!!! I love the characters in this book they made me LOL, and they are super interesting. I really love the fact that these four high school students that attend Rockville high school Ryan, Kurt, Tisha, and Floater have no idea each other even exists come together. I would recommend this book "Names Will Never Hurt me" to anyone that loves drama. But i wouldn't recommend this book to anyone that isn't very mature.

[Gayle Swift · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book interesting and fast paced.It focuses on the reality of high school life, the cliques, bullies and the relentless sress of being targeted by the gatekeepers of popularity.

The style is unique, poetic and spare.This supports the fast pace. The story unfolds through the voices of four characters. Sometimes it is not immediately clear which one is speaking.

The angst,the emotional rollercoaster and the violence create a flavor that is authentic high school.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book jacket describes this as being a novel in "prose-poetry form." As I read, I could see this being a very powerful reader's theater type of deal. I felt like it was written in a very authentic voice, about very real issues for all too many young people. I really liked that it challenged assumptions along the way, as well.

I would have liked to know, however, what Kurt had in his gym bag...

[Allie Towe · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was one of those books i could not put down. I read it years ago, and sometimes get that little "craving" to read it again : )

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been trying to find the title of this book forever! I really did enjoy this when I read it, like years ago. The multiple perspectives was a nice touch.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

a story of bullying in high school 4 students are followed in this book, showing the many different sides, and the negative aspects of its results. Good/sad

[Fyri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four voices, Four lives, One day.

Names Will Never Hurt Me stars four main characters in 1st person POV whose lives barely cross, if at all, in the same high school. The book spans the length of one high school day, divided into 1st-8th period, and it is the 1st anniversary of a day a kid got murdered on school grounds.

Lots can happen with a premise like this and there are indeed a few twists. The characters all have interesting qualities that lead to a tangled ending where you really don't know what's going to happen next. The ending was actually pretty fun!

Writing:

Multi-POV 1st person:

Being written in four different POVs, it is important to keep every voice distinct. This is where I started to struggle. Every section is in 1st person and sometimes it take a few paragraphs before I could figure out which character was being read. This got frustrating until the end where the section headings finally included the character's name.

If you write in multi-POV, this is something to pay attention to. I've seen controversy on the preferred way to write this style. I prefer to know what character I am reading before I finish the first sentence of a new POV. This makes me feel confident about the scene forming in my head.

Others prefer to find out as they read. I think that can be useful for mysteries or suspense, and sometimes I think that did work in this book, but too many times I found myself upset that I couldn't imagine the scene right away.

You'll have to figure out what effect you prefer. If you read this book to study this technique, pay attention to the clues used to identify each character each time and how it affected the scene to wait as long as it does to reveal these clues.

To add to this conversation on multi-POV, interestingly, there were some times when I felt like I was reading a roleplay--several characters taking turns reacting to the same dialogue. This was fun and not-fun at the same time. Slowed the story down, but connected us more the the characters and scene.

Verse Novel:

The book describes itself as prose-poetry. Ehhhh... Sometimes it worked, and other times it made no sense why some things where split up or capitalized. It didn’t add impact, and rather felt random at times.

Questionable things:

1) Uh. They're just letting these news reporters run rampant through the school all day? On a one year anniversary of a murder? Asking "Are the kids really okay?" as their headline and bothering the kids about it?

2) What the heck was that "Important Commercial Message"??? It was a section break in the second half of the book that was literally just an ad for this pill that helps makes parents oblivious to their kids??? Like, it felt so out of place... This book wasn't focusing on neglectful parents. It was a super dystopian commercial that had no place in the book... (but would have been great in a dystopian book!)

3) I still don't know what was in the gym bag. >:(

4) At least Dumbledore gets fired in the end.

All in all:

This is a 3/5 star book for me, though I keep considering 2.5. The multi-pov was a useful choice to progress the story. The different writing styles (prose, verse, screenwriting) were awkward, but worked for the most part. The ending was unexpected in a nice(?) way. The twists were nice, but the writing of climax's action was lacking. However, perhaps I'm just a fantasy writer who loves fight scenes.

That's all for this one! Next book in my Library Challenge is by the same author and I hope I will enjoy it more. 😅

[Sabrina Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was better than I thought it would be. It’s told from 4 high schoolers’ povs. The story deals with bullying, blackmail, insecurity, violence, name-calling, sex (not explicit) and so many issues that teens have to face. I thought it tastefully handled these issues. I would recommend it to teens, especially those who don’t feel that they fit in.

[Mauricio Pichardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will rate this 5 stars because I really liked the characters and how it felt so real like if I was standing right next to them. Also, I really liked the way that this whole book was told in one day. It just kept on going from one character to another and I really liked the way it was done.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. I wish there wasn’t as much ‘strong’ language.

[Dylan Morelock · Rating 4 out of 5]

When several different classes high schoolers, with messed up aspects of their life, all get connected through one events how will that change their lives? To be as desecrate as possible, that’s basically the plot, but more interesting. Would recommend to read

[Angela Nickel · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’ve probably been told not to judge a book by it’s cover. Or the saying sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Or you never know a good thing until it’s gone. Truth is you can’t judge a person by their appearance, or their actions because you don’t know what they’ve been through, even if it happened a long time ago, that still effects a person, still creates a person, still hurts a person.
Four different stories, four different lives. One person rising because of another person’s falling. Or somebody dying, while the rest of the world continues on. Sounds horrible, right? To not be recognized as a human being. Could kill a person. Then again it goes the other way too. If you are recognized as a hero, one little mistake can screw up your entire life. In this book, football star, eye candy, American icon, son of former Colonel, seems to have everything an American teenage boy could want. He has a free-ride to college, the most amazing girl of his dreams- who does whatever he dreams of, every girl falling at his feet, every guy bowing down to him, EVERYBODY knows his name, EVERYBODY LOVES HIM. He has the appearance of a perfect person. Like there’s absolutely nothing wrong with him. Could you guess that he’s abused every night when he goes home? He covers his life up every single day of his life. Then he gets sent to the principal’s office and is told he’s suspended from school and school activities because of “sexual assault” to a girl named Kim. Which is said to be taken place in the spot that’s considered a “special spot for him and his girlfriend, Suzie to hang out.” And then he sees everything in his life flash before his eyes. Everything pulled out from under him. His dad, former soldier, is mad because tonight is play-offs and scouts are gonna be there for him. They want to see him with the pressure on. His girlfriend is mad at him because she found out about him and a few other girls “hanging out” in their “special spot.” It appears everything he’s ever worked for is ruined because of one- stupid mistake.
You’ve probably seen the kid in the class who seems to definitely be the outcast. The first to be hurt. The first to be frowned upon. This is a really good book that I would rate 4 and a half stars. I would recommend it to anybody who has had a hard time in life or school, anybody who knows anybody who has, and especially teenagers who aren’t afraid to make any mistake. This book taught me that people are not who they seem to be. You have to scrape the paint to be able to see the wall. You have to go under the bridge to see whats underneath. You can’t judge people, based off of what they do or have done, you can just help them be who they really want to be, or are. It has taught me that casting judgments upon someone you don’t know is wrong, that there’s a reason they do what they do. There’s a reason why you’ve met them, and there’s a reason you can change their life and yours. This book was amazing  and gives you different viewpoints.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

During one day at school, the paths of four teens will cross in ways that they have never imagined. Kurt is a "freek" who tries desperately to escape bullying. He has no friends, and his world is closed off to everybody. Tisha is a bi-racial half-white half-black girl. Constantly teased "A white girl with a never fading tan" and "Half n half", she decides to shrug it all off. Ryan is a star quarterback at school. But when he did something not quite by accident, his life spirals down the drain. And lastly, Floater. Acting as the principal's hound dog, he prowls the school earning fear from all the students. All four teens must now work together to prevent a terrible tragedy.

This story was pretty deep. And heartbreaking. Kurt is a kid who is like a child stuck in an adult's body. Afraid to speak up and always depending on the comfort of his gym bag. Every single character has a very realistic and distinguishable personality so that you can automatically understand and think the way they do. You can never confuse them with each other. Floater talks with this swagger, and when it switches over to Tisha, a much more average and mediocre tone takes over. And also the story itself is pretty sad. I don't want to write any spoilers... So there are also many themes and messages throughout this book that I noticed. I think that there is in fact one for each character, judging from their reaction after the near tragedy. So I think that 4 stars is a pretty good rating.

[Heyheyitskk · Rating 3 out of 5]

One year has passed since the death of a fellow high school student.
This book takes you inside the lives of four high school seniors for one day. Ryan, The "Jock", who thinks he is everything, loves girls; yet faces an abusive dad. Kurt, The "Outcast", who always gets beat up; but keeps the anger bottled inside himself, while dealing with a neglecting family. Tisha, The "Bi-Racial, who's smart, has a best friend names Tiny and a good family; but faces racist remarks and actions by other students. Mark "Floater", the "Snitch" who works for the principal, telling him everything happening in school; but will his lust for power and popularity will be his greatest downfall? On this fateful day a tragic event will occur. Who and what will be affected?

I have to say I was really looking forward to this book and I was dissapointed when I finished reading it. The book just kind of keep dragging on and on, I expected it to be more dramatic. The best part of the book was honestly the ending (the climax) even then I felt kind of on edge once I finished the book, I expected more to happen. From the descrpition of the book you expect the characters to come together at some point or another but throughout the entire book it was like 4 different stories altogether being told. On the positive the characters were developed pretty well and at times the writting was very deep.

[Betryal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about an intense read this one was. So you have 4 kids and the story revolves around them, the hatred they have to deal with and a day in their life. 2 are considered freaks and razzed to breaking point, 1 is a jock who has an over-controlling dad and one who uses his weazley smarts to put himself at the top of food chain rather than the bottom of it.

The story rotates between all 4 as they tell you their thoughts and actions in first person. How they're dealing till it all comes down with an unexpected climax. You'll be stunned on how this story ends, but the 'how'? Aint coming from me. You have to read it for yourself to find out. I know I'm being a shit, but that's how my reviews roll. It's to entice you to read it. Not spoil.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story takes place one year after a school shooting at Rockville High when a student was killed. It focuses on four students: Ryan Duncan, the quarterback; Kurt, an "outcast" who loves loud music and does his best to avoid bullies; Tisha, a biracial girl who gets picked on because she doesn't know if she "wants to be black or white"; and Mark a.k.a. Floater, the principal's snitch.

The novel takes place in one day and a lot happens in that 24 hours. This is a young adult novel and is a quick read. You know something is going to happen before the final bell. What does occur rather surprised me.

I will recommend this novel to students.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A year after a student was shot on campus, reporters are on site at a suburban high school to see how students are dealing witht he aftermath. The story is told from the alternating perspective of four students: Kurt, who suffers daily at the hands of bullies; Ryan, a football hero with a dark secret; Tisha, a bi-racial girl who feels like she doesn't fit anywhere; Mark, an overweight boy who has become a snitch in exchange for protection from bullies.

As the tension builds throughout the day, these four students will come together in a surprising way.