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Poison Ivy
" I told Ms. Gold about how The Evil Three have been after me, feeding off me since fourth It isn't a very pretty story, so if you're looking for 'nice,' you better ask someone We just have to come up wiht some witnesses for our side. Think! Does anyone owe you any favors? I figure, Dude, why not make a little spare change on the side? A buck a bet. All's I has to do was explain that liable was civil for guilty, and they swarmed like flies." Eight first-person narrators give different versions of the same event. Lessons about the inner workings of the judicial system pale beside the insights into human nature. With pathos and a great deal of humor, Amy Goldman Koss keeps you turning pages.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published March 7, 2006
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256 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
November 19, 2008
i really did not like this book at all.it was just dumb,i mean who really cares about you being bullied.alot of people i know are and they go talk to someone but they dont get it solved.
January 28, 2009
One-dimensional cookie cutter characters, the story grabs you for a second and then forcefully lets you go. Short, but nothing sweet about it.
December 27, 2011
What I liked about this is that there is a way the reader wants it to end, and that it should end, but that isn't how it ends. It doesn't go where you think it is going. Which I think would make it very discussable.
February 23, 2009
Read it cover to cover in less than two hours. Koss has a gift for making icky characters semi-likeable (like the detached Ivy) through their personalities, and this really shines here. Marco plays probably the key role in the book, as he's the only one that tells it like it is. The 8-point perspective works effectively as we get backstories filled in, and other than Faith, they all add something to the plot and drive it along.
Other than the amazingly disappointing ending, a nearly perfect book. In an year that has (so far) been a disappointment in terms of literature, Poison Ivy comes closest to nailing it.
Other than the amazingly disappointing ending, a nearly perfect book. In an year that has (so far) been a disappointment in terms of literature, Poison Ivy comes closest to nailing it.
February 5, 2023
I was enjoying the book until the end and they got the verdict. I don’t understand how these kids are so cruel! The book didn’t feel resolved at the end nor did ivy’s response to this verdict seem realistic. I was very disappointed how it ended. I was expecting to see the teacher fired because of the email in the prologue but it never came back up again. I feel like I wasted 2 hours to get such an unresolved ending. Loved the different children’s perspectives though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 16, 2019 This book was very boring to me because it didn't have any action. I like books with a lot of action. What i did like about this book is that the characters are young like me and i can relate to their lives.
January 16, 2010
I would really like to say I liked this book. It was well written, creative, a good idea overall. Unfortunately, I must agree with my school librarian in saying that the end ruined it for me. The entire book was entertaining and interesting. Until the end. I cannot accept that someone like Ivy would just accept the outcome. The kids in that class are ridiculous! They need to learn to care. They all knew Ann was guilty! Everyone knew it. They even had evidence. And still, they chose to completely ignore it all. Ick. It makes me sick how cruel and heartless those kids could be. And Daria? What's that girl's problem? She needs to grow a backbone. She's got the brains, she just needs to put them in action. I especially didn't like Marco's attraction to Ann. It was annoying to read about. I don't know. I just can't stand an ending that satisfies almost nobody. It's a terrible way to end a book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2008
It takes a strong stomach for a bullying-victim to read a book about a bullying-victim seeking justice, but I zipped through this book once I got over my flashbacks.
An over-zealous teacher forces Ivy to bring a mock civil suit against her tormentors in order to demonstrate the legal system to the middle-school's third period American Government class. Told from the varying perspectives of the students, we gain insight into the personalities of the studnets who range from the geek to the jock to the wise acre. We also get a startling peek into the psyches of the accused bullies. Each character is fleshed out without sympathy and the outcome of the book is surprising.
This would be the perfect book for a tween/teen book club or reluctant readers.
An over-zealous teacher forces Ivy to bring a mock civil suit against her tormentors in order to demonstrate the legal system to the middle-school's third period American Government class. Told from the varying perspectives of the students, we gain insight into the personalities of the studnets who range from the geek to the jock to the wise acre. We also get a startling peek into the psyches of the accused bullies. Each character is fleshed out without sympathy and the outcome of the book is surprising.
This would be the perfect book for a tween/teen book club or reluctant readers.
March 25, 2009
This is the story of 3 bullies and the target of their meanness, Ivy (or Poison Ivy as they call her). In their American Government class the teacher is trying to find a conflict among her students that she can use to have a mock civil trial. When she finds out Ivy's situation, she decides that is the conflict she will use.
The story is told from the point of view of eight students. Once again, as in "The Girls", Koss has an excellent voice. It feels as if you are really listening to a teen as you read the novel. The ending was not satisfying to me otherwise I would have liked the book much more.
The story is told from the point of view of eight students. Once again, as in "The Girls", Koss has an excellent voice. It feels as if you are really listening to a teen as you read the novel. The ending was not satisfying to me otherwise I would have liked the book much more.
July 30, 2009
Amy Goldman Koss's way of writing is very rare, and my favorite type of writing. I love reading from different points of view, because it gives you a better understanding of the story. From the minute I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. I gave it 4 stars, not 5 because there were so many questions I had that were unanswered. I also gave it 4 stars because there were some points in the story I didn't understand. There were some characters that were not needed, I think, in the story. But, this was such a good book. I felt that this book really got me in the story. Overall, I think that this book was great, but it could have been a tad better.
May 20, 2009
An interesting look at bullying -- a mock trial is dreamed up by a suprisingly ineffectual/non-sympathetic social studies teacher, and students shuffle along going through the motions in this short book. The ending was very abrupt, and the whole book felt like it was revealing just the tip of an iceberg as far as characters and circumstances were concerned. You really got the feeling of being a partial observer, which was frustrating at times but very effective within the context of the story. A great book for class or small group discussion, for sure.
November 20, 2014
Not for faint of heart: when bullying girls' voices are heard, they're remorseless; mock trial verdict confirms that not enough students will speak up for bullied girl for fear of reprisal; grim conclusion. But such a powerful book. Espcially good for class discussions. Kids will say they didn't like the book because they don't like that kids are like this (or they recognize themselves) and it's good to reflect further.
September 28, 2009
Further proof that the teenage years are hell. I would have ranked this book a little bit higher if the character of Ivy had been fleshed out a little bit more. We don't find out much about her, and what we do learn is that she's not very likable, which makes it sort of tough to sympathize with her. I would have liked a little more of a solid resolution as well. Overall, good, though. Liked Daria's character the best.
July 10, 2012
This is one of the most realistic accounts of bullying I have read in a fictional text. The story is told through the eyes (and therefore perspectives) of various students and so the reader's understanding of the situation is complex. We also have to keep flipping the pages to piece together the perspectives and figure out what is (really?) happening. I couldn't put this book down. A really fun read that also prompts some big questions about the reality of bullying in our schools.
July 17, 2011
Wasn't prepared to enjoy this Young Adult title, which is told by several characters - but couldn't put it down ! Middle school teacher proposes a "mock trial" to take place in her history class, and recruits a girl who has always been bullied to "file charges" against the bullies. Wish it had more male characters - there's only a few who play an important role in this book.
October 4, 2013
I thought the book was great. It had great details and humor. I liked everything except for one part, it was hard to follow. There was a lot of character switching and each chapter was a different person. There was at least eight characters all with their own point of view. I just thought it was hard to follow but otherwise a great book!
November 25, 2017
I breezed right through it. The characters were shallow and it was entertaining but wasn’t the best book written. The plot had some holes and was confusing at times. It depicted the truth of bullying in schools and how sometimes it is all a popularity contest. If you want a quick and easy read this is the book for you. But is was cute and not too bad of a book
May 25, 2018
I didn't really like this book. One thing I didn't like is that there were too many characters to keep track of. For example, at one point in the book I completely forgot who Daria was. One thing I did like was that it was very detailed and the story's time span was about a week, but with detail it felt like months.
July 10, 2016
This book was horrible.
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July 19, 2021This was a horrible book.
I guess for any book delving into bullying, it's quite horrifying to read.
Ivy's word play was witty! The constant feeling and comparison to underwater activity was entertaining, if a little concerning.
"It was the end of the day, so all the fish swam in the same direction: out to the breeding grounds. Moving together as the connected scales of one cold, single-minded sea beast. I'd lost track of my binder, however, so I swam upstream, alone against the current. Way off course, like those whales who end up panting in terror, waiting to die on dry sand. Seagulls shriek and circle. Flies appear out of nowhere to swarm. To a whale, flies and gulls are bizarre, nightmarish beings from an alien dimension; air creatures!"
I would definitely read a book featuring Marco and his life; he was maybe the only fleshed out character, family mentioned and intriguing. Although his reaction to Ann was at times unnecessary and annoying...
I guess for any book delving into bullying, it's quite horrifying to read.
Ivy's word play was witty! The constant feeling and comparison to underwater activity was entertaining, if a little concerning.
"It was the end of the day, so all the fish swam in the same direction: out to the breeding grounds. Moving together as the connected scales of one cold, single-minded sea beast. I'd lost track of my binder, however, so I swam upstream, alone against the current. Way off course, like those whales who end up panting in terror, waiting to die on dry sand. Seagulls shriek and circle. Flies appear out of nowhere to swarm. To a whale, flies and gulls are bizarre, nightmarish beings from an alien dimension; air creatures!"
I would definitely read a book featuring Marco and his life; he was maybe the only fleshed out character, family mentioned and intriguing. Although his reaction to Ann was at times unnecessary and annoying...
December 21, 2023
In a middle school social studies class, the teacher wanted to perform a mock trial after the class had just finished learning about court proceedings. Though the teacher wanted a real situation they could solve for the mock trial, no one suggested one. The teacher knew that one of the girls, Ivy, was being bullied, and when the teacher asked if she could use the bullying in the mock trial, Ivy reluctantly agreed. For two weeks, the class was compiling evidence for both sides of the trial, and the jury had to make a decision if the bullies were guilty or not.
This book annoyed me as I was reading it because the characters were very unmotivated and lazy. Both sides were not able to compile any evidence, even though there was an abundant amount of bullying that happened to Ivy. Ivy couldn't care less about the trial, even though she could have gotten her bullies in trouble. This is most likely because no one ever came to her defense when she was being targeted, and she does not think that anyone will stop her bullies. I also disliked the way the teacher did not respect that Ivy was uneasy with doing a mock trial about her bullies. It seemed as if the teacher was dealing with the situation with carelessness and lack of thought.
This book was told from eight different perspectives, and I think it was the best way to tell the story. The different perspectives showed many of the character’s reactions to the mock trial and how their lives are at home. At first, it was confusing and hard to keep up with all the characters in the beginning of the story, but it got easier to do so as the story progressed.
I recommend this book to any middle schooler because the book is great at making you feel strongly. Although I felt annoyed at the characters, I had a fun time reading the book and was unsure about what would happen next.
- Anya, Grade 7
This book annoyed me as I was reading it because the characters were very unmotivated and lazy. Both sides were not able to compile any evidence, even though there was an abundant amount of bullying that happened to Ivy. Ivy couldn't care less about the trial, even though she could have gotten her bullies in trouble. This is most likely because no one ever came to her defense when she was being targeted, and she does not think that anyone will stop her bullies. I also disliked the way the teacher did not respect that Ivy was uneasy with doing a mock trial about her bullies. It seemed as if the teacher was dealing with the situation with carelessness and lack of thought.
This book was told from eight different perspectives, and I think it was the best way to tell the story. The different perspectives showed many of the character’s reactions to the mock trial and how their lives are at home. At first, it was confusing and hard to keep up with all the characters in the beginning of the story, but it got easier to do so as the story progressed.
I recommend this book to any middle schooler because the book is great at making you feel strongly. Although I felt annoyed at the characters, I had a fun time reading the book and was unsure about what would happen next.
- Anya, Grade 7
December 6, 2017
Recently I read the book, Poison Ivy written by, Amy Goldman Koss. Poison Ivy is about a teenage girl named Ivy. Ivy has been bullied all of her life, it is so common to see Ivy getting picked on that the other kids don't even notice anymore. So when Ivy's third period American History teacher finds out, she decides to have a trial take place to see whether or not the "Evil Three" are liable.
What drew me to pick up Poison Ivy was the name. I thought with a name like Poison Ivy, it had to be a good book. While reading the book, it made me "gain hope in humanity again" seeing justice being served, but in the end my happiness was crushed like a bug under shoe. The whole climax of the book was to see what he verdict would be, and by the time I had finished the book I was extremely disappointed. It was like the reading equivalent to waiting in line for four hours to get on a rollercoaster, and it getting shut down right as you're next in line.
I would most likely not recommend Poison Ivy as a good book to read. Unless you just absolutely want to be disappointed. You either love this book or hate it, if you're like me, you won't like it so much.
What drew me to pick up Poison Ivy was the name. I thought with a name like Poison Ivy, it had to be a good book. While reading the book, it made me "gain hope in humanity again" seeing justice being served, but in the end my happiness was crushed like a bug under shoe. The whole climax of the book was to see what he verdict would be, and by the time I had finished the book I was extremely disappointed. It was like the reading equivalent to waiting in line for four hours to get on a rollercoaster, and it getting shut down right as you're next in line.
I would most likely not recommend Poison Ivy as a good book to read. Unless you just absolutely want to be disappointed. You either love this book or hate it, if you're like me, you won't like it so much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2024
I feel like I have to review this because it only got a 2.97 and I don't think it deserves the low score. I'm a teacher and thought this book was hilarious. Sure, it's not too deep, it didn't explore some flashbacks or backstories, but there was enough there to infer.
The characters are fun and may be tropish but it's a YA book and some really popular YA books seem to skate by without hate, even though they are equally tropish most of the time (isn't that apopo to this story???). The mean girl, the impoverished weird girl, the nervous smart girl, the boy who takes everything too seriously, the boy who always sleeps in class, the teacher who means well but has no class management or SEL skills...
I think there's a lot to talk about with some court cases being a popularity contest and how liking or not liking people, or having good/bad representation, can affect real court cases.
The humor is there. I read this aloud to my wife with different voices for each character and we laughed aloud through the whole book. It was a genuinely fun ride.
I have definitely read books way worse. If the author sees this-- I liked it. You don't deserve the 2.97.
The characters are fun and may be tropish but it's a YA book and some really popular YA books seem to skate by without hate, even though they are equally tropish most of the time (isn't that apopo to this story???). The mean girl, the impoverished weird girl, the nervous smart girl, the boy who takes everything too seriously, the boy who always sleeps in class, the teacher who means well but has no class management or SEL skills...
I think there's a lot to talk about with some court cases being a popularity contest and how liking or not liking people, or having good/bad representation, can affect real court cases.
The humor is there. I read this aloud to my wife with different voices for each character and we laughed aloud through the whole book. It was a genuinely fun ride.
I have definitely read books way worse. If the author sees this-- I liked it. You don't deserve the 2.97.
September 6, 2017
"Since fourth grade, Ivy, cruelly nicknamed "Poison Ivy", has been mercilessly bullied. When the middle school American Government teacher discovers a deeply depressing poem written by Ivy, she decides to create a mock trial where Ivy's three most brutal tormentors are confronted with their actions. Other students act has the lawyers and jury, but will any of them be brave enough to tell the truth?" (Annotation created for my booklist "25 Books about Teens and Bullying)
December 5, 2017
#bullying
A somewhat strange book about a mock trial in a classroom for a bunch of bullies told by alternate viewpoints.
Warning - there is no happy ending and one is left with the feeling that it's sad that justice is not done and that the teacher didn't intervene - I'm sure the author via the teacher was trying to "show not tell" a lesson here, but I'm not sure how sophisticated students would have to be to "get it"
A somewhat strange book about a mock trial in a classroom for a bunch of bullies told by alternate viewpoints.
Warning - there is no happy ending and one is left with the feeling that it's sad that justice is not done and that the teacher didn't intervene - I'm sure the author via the teacher was trying to "show not tell" a lesson here, but I'm not sure how sophisticated students would have to be to "get it"
January 26, 2017
If your a sucker for a good ending, do not read this book. The ending is unexpected, but it shows the world in a harsh light and how, if you don't stand up for someone, tyranny will continue being ruled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2017
It wasn't uninteresting but I wasn't invested in it where I felt like I needed to know what will happen next. I do like that the ending wasn't predictable.
September 6, 2018
The ending was so not worth reading the book
September 18, 2019
This book did not really intrigue me so much but it was good
October 31, 2019
it's a great book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews