A #1 new release in "Teen and Young Adult Poetry", and, "Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Peer Pressure"All proceeds earned on this book will be donated to support foundations that help with anti-bullying, anti-sexual assault, and suicide prevention.A haunting, shocking novel told in poetry.
“I thought they were my best friend…”
There lives a little girl whom you will never know the name of, and for her, a terrible storm is coming. She is going to a new, public middle school knowing no one but her sister, and the horrors are absolutely endless.
But she doesn’t expect what is to come.
In her first few months of school, terrible and unspeakable things begin to happen, that go beyond what is considered “normal”. Finding the courage to get away from the wrong people is a difficult thing, but when a horrific incident occurs, she finds herself running from who she once thought to be friends.
Now lost and alone, The Girl turns to one thing to help her get through her darkest moments. Writing poetry is the one way she can express her anger, and when her school announces that they will be hosting an open-mic night, she knows she has to enter. But entering means that she will have to face her demons, and it could be her worst nightmare…From a teenaged author, You Won't Know Her Name shines a light on a heartbreaking reality that often goes unspoken about - the issue that is bullying in middle school. From hateful comments to real, shocking violence, this book shares what cannot be ignored.Ages 14 and up. Some topics may not be suitable for younger readers
Shanti Hershenson’s first two novellas were published when she was in the sixth grade, although her writing journey started long before then. Ever since she could hold a pencil, marker, or crayon, she was creating stories. They started from pictures, mere scribbles, and eventually, turned into captivating tales.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but as I opened it, it was written in verse format - poetry and it had a lot of trigger warnings as it touched on bullying in various ways from physical and verbal abuse. Reading this book brought back memories of another author who set the bar for writing the edgy taboo topics in poetry format - Ellen Hopkins. Unlike Ellen's books which are thick and average to be often quite long, You Won't Know Her Name by Shanti Hershenson was a quick read as it only took me 30 mins to read on my lunch break at work today. I also have a major cover crush on this title too. As someone who has bullied me and feels like I never really fit in, I loved this book as also I took to writing and reading like this main character. I also really felt for her as the girl in this book is only eleven going on twelve and that was about the same years as I was bullied as I was a poor girl in a rich school as I was the scholarship student and I had been put up a year so I was also younger. Like this book, the teachers didn't do anything and some even contributed a bit to it. In the dark spot, I did have two amazing teachers and they were both writers/readers and nurtured that part of me just as the girl is encouraged to enter her poetry into the Open Mic night and competitions. In this book as the author mentioned, no names are spoken - we have the main character aka The Girl, we have her sister aka The Girl's sister and then the bully is only known to us as The Person. If you love poetry or are not that keen on it, but want to give it a go - then this is one not to miss.
As a keen poet myself I was curious to read this poetry book by a teenage author. It’s remarkable that the author, Shanti Hershenson, was only thirteen when she wrote this! There is a simplicity in Shanti’s stream of consciousness poetry which works well, highlighting the complexity of painful topics such as bullying, panic attacks, sexual assault, verbal abuse, physical assault and thoughts about suicide. There are trigger warnings throughout, each poem is highlighted with content warnings where needed.
It’s not for the faint-hearted and made me feel so sad in places. So please be aware, it is not for everyone.
Ages 14 and up. Some topics may not be suitable for younger readers
I particularly appreciate accessible poetry which is understandable without trying to be pretentious and this is simple, and yet oh so poignant. On a personal level, it’s relatable too – as I moved to a new school – a new country and culture in the last but one year of primary. And yes, I suffered, because I stood out like a sore thumb. And my daughters experienced bullying problems too in their school years.
It’s interesting how Shanti calls the bullied protagonist The Girl. I suppose the point being this reads like a personal account but it could be anyone. Anyone can be bullied. And perhaps anyone, of either gender given certain circumstances can be a bully? The bully, (whom the Girl thought was a friend,) she calls the person – not naming their gender, dehumanising them.
Bullies need to be taught that their behaviour is unacceptable. It’s all about education, tolerance, cultural and other awareness and instilling kindness. It’s about speaking out and ensuring that those in a position of authority, such as teachers, employers, and the like listen to and take appropriate action, adopting a no tolerance attitude to bullies.
These excerpts brought back personal memories…
‘They told her mother that it was
“Just middle school.”
And that, “It happens all the time.”
That night she swears not to stay silent.
Not to listen to her principal
Who thinks she’s burning bridges
Because really, staying silent never did anything.
Whether bullying happens all the time, or not, it is not acceptable. And can do such terrible harm.
Shanti’s poetry is also about not feeling alone in your troubles. Being brave and speaking out.
There is a section at the back of the book with helpful resources.
Wonderful collection from one so young. Impressive. And brave, I wish her every success. 5 stars.
(This review can be found on my blog All the Ups and Downs.) -- When I first heard of You Won't Know Her Name by Santi Hershenson, there was just something about the synopsis that was calling to me to read it. The synopsis really sucked me in, and I found myself wanting to know more about The Girl. I ended up loving this book!
You Won't Know Her Name is certainly not for the faint of heart. With heavy themes such as bullying and sexual assault, I knew the plot would be a dark read. However, Hershenson writes like a pro, and the way she incorporates these themes into her story didn't put me off reading. The plot is solid and interesting if a little sad at what The Girl had to go through. I loved that there were no chapters, only poems and that each poem started with a title of what the short poem would be about. Each poem flows well into the next. It really made my heart hurt for all the injustices done to the girl (and her sister). What angered me the most was how the school failed this child. Unfortunately, many schools fail bullied children every day. (I speak from personal experience). I would say that there is a plot twist in this story, but there are no cliff hangers. It's just sad that there are so many people (children and adults alike) that have to go through such horrible bullying.
The characters in You Won't Know Her Name felt very realistic. We are told early on by the author that names aren't important so no names are ever mentioned in this story. We have "The Girl" who I felt so bad for. She didn't deserve any of the hate and the uncaringness she got. I just wanted to protect her so much throughout the story and tell "The Person" (The Girl's bully) to just back off. The Person acted in such a vile way toward The Girl and her sister. It made me wonder about The Person's background though. Was The Person being bullied at home to act out that way in school? I am, by no means, excusing The Person's behavior though.
Trigger warnings for You Won't Know Her Name include sexual assault (not graphic), profanity, talks of suicide, and violence. The author has included trigger warning notices at the start of each poem that could possibly trigger some readers though.
You Won't Know Her Name is a sad but a good read. There is some good to come out of it though. You Won't Know Her Name is a thought provoking read about a subject that, sadly, many children (and adults) have to deal with although they shouldn't.
Overall, You Won't Know Her Name is a well written piece of poetic literature that everyone should read. I would highly suggest that parents read it with their child and discuss it. If you are a librarian, buy this book for your library. It's not a long book either, so even the most hesitant reader could get a lot from it. I would definitely recommend You Won't Know Her Name by Shanti Hershenson to those aged 14+. Trust me, this is a book that needs to be read.
several aspects of the book bring problems to me.. first, some poems are split into parts 1 and 2. i think this is really unnecessary and they could simply be connected into one poem. then, some mentions of The Person aren’t capitalized, which i understand is a reach but if you’re talking about a specific person you should capitalize their name. content warnings for each poem itself is also weird. i think a general content warning for the book should be used instead, because some of the content warnings didn’t really fit the poem it was warning about
i found the plot itself to be okay, it goes through the hardships of middle school. but i think i just don’t understand it much? good for me i think?
i would give this a 1 star, but i understand the author is young and a self publisher. i can only assume some of these things slipped under the radar, but if you’re publishing a book on your own you should double and triple check your work for such simple errors.
"You Won't Know Her Name" is a powerful story told in poetry by a brave young author who really bares her heart in these pages. Shanti's words transported me back to my own middle school days and made me wish I'd had a friend like her to get through it. She doesn't hold back - she tells the truth of how damaging bullying is, and how strong you have to be to survive it and come out on the other side. She writes the story beautifully. I would give this book 10 stars if I could.
This young lady has a voice that needs to be heard! She's lived and understands, and will make YOU understand that being bullied at any age, by any group or person is wrong. Wanna know why our education system may be failing? Why the drop out rate is so high? Listen to the children, not the stats! They are living in a frightening world. This must change. Eye opening story/poetry. Thank you, Shanti💝
The poetic form allows thoughts and feelings to hit with impact and draw the reader in with each and every page.
A girl attends a new middle school and has difficulties settling in with a much larger student body than she's accustom to. She believes she's found some friends, especially one, but instead, she finds herself bullied....and that in horrible ways.
The book hits upon tough themes, all which center around bullying. It's mentioned in the foreword that this isn't a book for more sensitive readers and does hold violence, mention of suicide, bullying, harsh language, and more. Even during the read, it's mentioned at the beginning of the chapter, which triggers exist in the upcoming text as well as the type of area it will dive into. For those, who want to avoid certain themes, this is helpful.
The entire thing is written in poetic form, which works well. Scenes and world building don't take place, allowing feelings and thoughts to drive every moment forward. At times, it comes across a little choppy, but this does bring across the confusion, hesitation and emotions of the Girl well. Her character, as well as that of others, is never fleshed out completely, giving all of it a very general sense, which allows a large variety of readers to connect with the situations. This is even further strengthened through the use of The Person, as the bully is called.
Emotions and situations come across clearly and with tons of pain and heart in a clever way, which will bring familiarity to a broad readership. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed how it was done.
I was browsing the free books on Kindle because let's be honest free books, who can resist? I immediately was drawn in by the cover (sadly not shown by Goodreads) and was intrigued. First thing to say is that it is an easy read in terms of length. I read the whole thing in under 40 minutes on the train. Being written in verse, the structure is easy to follow and you do find yourself flying through it. Second thing to mention is the topics covered. It might be a short book, but Shanti crams a lot of difficult topics in including bullying (main theme throughout), sexual assault/harassment, suicide/death threats, self-harm, anxiety and panic attacks. Throughout there is some trigger warnings at the start of some stanzas. To the extent of which they can be addressed using verse, the topics were dealt with well and clarifies the enormity of the situation that The Girl is experiencing. This wasn't the best or most favourite poetry book I've read, and at times it seemed repetitive and a bit underdeveloped, but for such a young author it really is fantastic and I'm sure her writing will only develop and grow further.
Overall, I think it tells an important story of bullying and feel it could be so important to children of a similar age to Shanti when she wrote this. Ultimately, I do think it best suits the teen/older child age range. However, as an adult the feelings presented and discussed still resonated with me due to past experiences and was therefore still able to appreciate it.
A heart wrenching story told through poetry in verse format that moves you to tears.
I did not know what to expect when I began this book and I was so glad that I got the opportunity to read it.
Shanti Hershenson is gifted and wise beyond her years, from the title of the book to the flow of her verse, her poetry gives you a clear picture of the angst experienced vs the apathy of the powers that be.
It reminded me of my short-lived experience off attempted bullying when I first arrived from Trinidad and Tobago at age thirteen and stood to address the teacher and spoke with an accent.
I say attempted because I understood that it was ignorance and I tried to wait them out. When I saw that they were really trying to keep it going, I cornered the leader of the pack one day in the gym locker room and acted menacing and crazy like my dad and threatened to whup the daylights out of her if she and her gang didn't quit.
She reported me to the principal but since there were no witnesses and I was a model student, she ended up in trouble and was too scared to attempt retribution.
What she didn't know was that it was all a bluff. I grew up watching my dad play pyschological games and doling out abuse on my mother, my brother and older sisters, so she and her group were truly child's play.
What I liked
- The chapter headings - Clear trigger warnings before chapters - The flow of her writing style - Real emotion that brought me into the story being told. I felt fourteen again and that no one hears me. - The empowering aspect and the resources listed at the end.
What gave me pause.
Not a thing!
I recommend for teachers, families and youth groups.
I received a free digital copy of this book via Lolasblogtours and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Short read. Perfect for preteens to read with a parent. Great way to start up conversation about the serious issues that might be hard ti discuss. I loved that they included resources at the end of the story.
This book really hit home with me, I found this book very emotional and heartfelt. Being bullied while in school I know exactly how this girl feels. Growing up through school with so called friends but knowing deep down their not is bad enough but to know they are in on the bullying is even worse. The one line that sticks with me is “I THOUGHT THEY WERE MY BEST FRIEND” I know how to feels to not have a best friend, and even today find it hard to make and keep friends due to trust issues which come from the bullying. Thank you to the author for this.
I love this book so much. It’s so relatable. Most people think kids/teens don’t like school because we’re “lazy” or because there’s too much work. But in reality, friendship problems can make school feel so stressful. As someone who’s always struggled with friendship issues, I love how this book represents that so well. I also love how the author, Shanti Hershenson is about the same age as me. 5 stars.
Read for 2025 PopSugar prompt #42 Advanced Easy: A book with a title that starts with the letter Y
Honestly I grabbed the book because I was just filling the prompt without even looking up what it was. After reading I feel like every mother of a teenage girl needs to read this book. The author was 13 at the time of writing it so I gave the book 5 stars. I would love to see this acted out as a 1 girl show.
Not great. Evocative. Certainly brought back how horrible middle school was. That hasn’t changed at all since I was there, more years ago than I care to count. The technology is different but everything else is pretty much the same. Lack of a decent editor brought this book down badly.
I’d give it 3.5* as it was definitely poignant and reminder of how horrible secondary school could be. There was some random capitalisation and a lack of punctuation. Overall, some of the poetry was quite relatable and I loved the cover.
This was good read but dark for my own memories of middle school. There were a few stanzas that really hit home for me. Weathering the storm is the best and hardest thing one can do.
I bought this, along with the author's other books, because I found them on TikTok. And, needless to say, I am a fan! This book especially, is one of my favorites.
This book would be a great read for middle schoolers. It describes what a person feels like after being assaulted, embarrassed, bullied, and put to shame..
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND SO POWERFUL. PLEASE READ AND SUPPORT THIS YOUNG AUTHOR. She's 13 and already putting out work with this level of effort and emotion and I can't wait to see what she does next.