Bystander

by James Preller

Eric is the new kid in seventh grade. Griffin wants to be his friend. When you're new in town, it's hard to know who to hang out with―and who to avoid. Griffin seems cool, confident, and popular. But something isn't right about Griffin. He always seems to be in the middle of bad things. And if Griffin doesn't like you, you'd better watch your back. There might be a target on it. As Eric gets drawn deeper into Griffin's dark world, he begins to see the truth about he's a liar, a bully, a thief. Eric wants to break away, do the right thing. But in one shocking moment, he goes from being a bystander . . . to the bully's next victim. This title has Common Core connections.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fiction, School, Friendship, Contemporary

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 29, 2009

About the author

James Preller (born 1961) is the children's book author of the Jigsaw Jones Mysteries, which are published by Scholastic Corporation. He grew up in Wantagh, New York and went to college in Oneonta, New York. After graduating from college in 1983, James Preller was employed as a waiter for one year before being hired as a copywriter by Scholastic Corporation, where he was introduced (through their books) to many noatable children's authors. This inspired James Preller to try writing his own books. James Preller published his first book, entitled MAXX TRAX: Avalanche Rescue, in 1986. Since that time, James Preller has written a variety of books, and has written under a number of pen names, including Mitzy Kafka, James Patrick, and Izzy Bonkers. James Preller lives in Delmar, New York with his wife Lisa and their three children.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/jamesp...

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Things I learned from reading Bystander:

1. Bullying in middle school is a serious, scary, bloody business.

2. Never, under any circumstances, tell an adult (parent, teacher, principal, counselor, or school police officer) the truth about being bullied. Adults are idiots.

3. Hide the truth and lie about being bullied.

4. The best way to beat a bully is to sink to his level and beat him at his own game breaking any laws necessary in the process.

5. And always remember, as long as the bully leaves YOU alone - everything is good.


Is it just me or is there something wrong here? Bystander is yet another YA novel that has me cheering the author for his brave realistic storytelling and mentally ordering class sets to use in class only to slap me in the face with a poorly constructed, nonsensical ending. Author James Preller actually goes a bit farther than disappointing - he edges into irresponsible.

The central theme in Bystander is supposedly that bullying is wrong and bearing witness as a bystander to bullying is wrong. Chapter after chapter Preller paints a realistic, sometimes brutal portrait of how Eric, the new boy in town, deals with the challenges of fitting in at a new school while being a sometimes target and sometimes "friend" of Griffin, a seventh grade sociopath.

Griffin isn't your average middle school bully; this kid is dangerous. Griffin is a modern day Eddie Haskell mixed with Ted Bundy. Good looking and charismatic, he purposely works to convince adults that he is harmless and trustworthy by carrying groceries for the elderly on Saturdays at the grocery store (for the tips) and showing real interest and concern for the school lunch supervisor (who is oddly "loaded"). Griffin also orchestrates a severe attack on Eric at the local pet cemetery, the most graphic, realistic beating I've ever read in a YA novel, never getting his own hands dirty preferring to get his cronies to deliver the blows while enjoying from the sidelines and maintaining his own "innocence." Adding to Griffin's bully resume is his PINS officer (presumably a juvenile probation/social worker) and his collection of trophies from his crimes and bullying episodes!

Three quarters of Bystander had me completely hooked. I hoped to have a great novel to recommend to my seventh grade students, a novel with genuine characters dealing with bullying in a way that students could use as a blueprint for handling their own issues. Unfortunately, Eric's bizarre solution to defeating Griffin is to beat him at his own game. He breaks into Griffin's house while his abusive father is home, steals back $27 and a burned CD that Griffin had stolen from him and nearly gets caught by Griffin's dad leaving evidence behind proving that he was there.

Eric does exactly what we as teachers and parents hope bullied kids never do: he plays the bully's game. He never tells adults the real truth about being bullied or being a bystander. He breaks the law. He involves a friend in his crime. He keeps all of Griffin's dangerous secrets leaving him free to move on to his next victims. Griffin never gets punished for the horrible things he does. In fact, he just finds a new group of "friends" and will, of course, continue his bullying behaviors. But, that is fine with Eric, as long has he is no longer in Griffin's sights, Eric will just concentrate on the basketball team and his new girlfriend.

Griffin is clearly a villain; however, the most disturbing character in Bystander might be Eric, our hero. Young adult readers will understand that Griffin is a bad guy, but I'm not sure that they will understand that Eric's choices are irresponsible and dangerous. I fear that Bystander may contribute to the bullying cycle of secrecy instead of helping to prevent it by convincing kids that they can tell trusted adults when they are victims or bystanders and need not resort to vigilantism. I will not be recommending this novel to my students.

[Harold Smithson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't your idealized school. This is reality.

As someone who was formerly bullied in elementary school, I consider Bystander to be a success in its goal of presenting an issue as realistically as possible. The characters are not the cardboard cut outs that widely populate the pages of typical novels set at schools.

Eric is the new kid in school. Griffin is the bully. Eric watches Griffin's actions, yet doesn't tell anyone about them. Eric is part of the problem, and he's content there. It's not an idealized existence, but it's a living. It's that or isolation from the group of people who befriended him. In short, in order to be a part of society, Eric needs to allow the bullying of these kids.

James Preller's writing is not idealized or fancy. It is harsh reality staring out at us from the page. The facts are presented to us in a voice that is not meant to be fictional or entertaining. There is nowhere to hide. Bystander is a dark book. The payoffs are few and far between and the characters more often than not make the wrong choice. The characters are not much better off at the end then they are at the beginning. And a bully who desperately needs his comeuppance walks away, smiling. There are no happy endings here. Just bleak reality.

Bystander isn't about a boy standing up to a bully. Bystander is about the system of bullying and how it functions in a school. What Bystander lacks in artistic expression, it makes up for in its message. Bystander suggests that what is truly wrong with bullying isn't that the victims don't stand up to the bullies. It suggests that bullying is a by product of the society of a school, including the pressure to be popular and even the pressure to make friends. In a sense, society itself is to blame for bullying.

Is Bystander realistic? As a former victim, I believe that I have the right to tell you that this is a very realistic book. Harshly so.

Bystander deserves far more attention than it gets. Read this book.

[Deneil Busey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bummed about the ending, but I loved every part leading up to it. This has potential to be a great resource for any bullying program. But that ending though. . . 🤔

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

I NEVER give a book a 1-star rating, and I sure didn't think this would be the book to earn it. But good Lord, you can NOT take an important subject like bullying and treat it like this. I really have no idea why the author chose to bail out at the end of the book. In essence, Preller became a "bystander" to the whole issue. Very disappointing. You simply cannot write a book for kids that promises to deal with an important issue, that promises to educate kids on the subject, that promises to show the solution, and then simply walk away selfishly and cowardly from the theme of the book. I don't get it. Mr. Preller, you really ticked me off. If you want to write a little, wussified book, choose a topic that doesn't matter--something light and whimsical--not a deadly serious subject like bullying. I was going to give you another chance and read "Six Innings," a baseball novel which sounded interesting, but frankly, sir, I don't trust you. Sorry.

[Satvika B. 8B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book it portrayed the real kind of bullying that happens in school other than what others usually happens in school, and I like how it tells it in a point of a kid who was a bystander. And bullying is a really serious topic and no one should ever do that! I like how the book talks about what happens during a kid during that times point of view, but I don't think at the end it has a loud voice saying that you shouldn't do this and isn't like the main point. Other than that the book had a great plot and climax, always intriguing the reader to think about whats going to happen next.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Eric is a normal kid in a normal new school with normal friends and normal bullies. But when the biggest normal bully becomes friends with Eric, he has to think of an extraordinary way to stop him."

"Seems like a decent plot." I thought. "Let's try it!"

One reading session later...

"...REVIEW TIME!"

Hello everybody! I am "That One Reviewer" with a book I stumbled across calle, "Bystander." Pretty good name as it suits the first half of the story. Will this story finally stop the bully and become a hero, or will it be another helpless victim of the bully's pursuit for fame?

Our story begins with the main character, Eric, shooting baskets as he sees "Ketchup kid" struggling to run away. He tries to help, fails, were introduced to the main bully and his posses, and we learn Eric's past.

It doesn't take long for things to kick off, though. Eric is quickly thrusted into a situation where he either helps his "friend", stop the bully, or be a (pun intended) bystander. What crazy adventures and scary moments unfold as we venture through our hero's first year in a new school?

This book is quite literally centered around bullying, and how to stop it. I honestly recommend this book to teachers to see how most kids who know a bully is a bully, but teachers don't, know what it feels like.

The rating counter!

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About flippin time we've had another epic! I can't explain this book very well so please, please, please get it yourself. Thank you for reading, and I'll see you in cyberspace.

[Sally Kruger]

Many readers will be able to relate to the main character in James Preller's BYSTANDER. Moving from Ohio to Bellport, Long Island, has made Eric the new kid on the block, and being the new seventh grader has put fear into the hearts of even the most well-adjusted kids.

Eric witnesses a terrified, ketchup-covered boy running from a group of kids. The boy escapes and Eric is left to confront his tormentors. One boy named Griffin appears to be the leader of the group. Griffin tries to intimidate Eric, but Eric is able to stand his ground. Hopefully, not all the kids in Bellport are like this Griffin character.

When school starts, Eric quickly learns that Griffin is a bully but not a typical one. He seems to have many adults convinced that he is a polite, well-behaved kid. He operates by gaining the confidence of his followers and then getting them to do his dirty work. Eric falls victim to Griffin's cunning ways. It takes several unfortunate events and Eric being accused of having a weapon in his locker before Eric realizes exactly how much trouble Griffin can cause.

Author James Preller deftly handles a current adolescent concern - bullying. By breaking the stereotype of the rough, tough bully, and revealing a more devious variety, Preller's story will make readers consider their own role in bullying situations.

[Logan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Everything wrong with Bystander:

1.ALL of the lessons it's supposed to teach you are incorrect, which is irresponsible on the author's part

2.The plot dragged, and was kind of cliché

3. The book was realistic, but exaggerated the situation

In all, this book was a pain to read. The lessons in the book were incorrect being things like:

1. If you're bothered by a bully, retaliate, or play his own game

2.As long as the bully isn't bothering you, there is no problem

3.Never tell an adult, when you are being bullied because adults are stupid

I have to admit, some of Bystander had me excited, but after reviewing the scene, in some cases, the author took it to far and exaggerated the situation. He also created characters that went against what you would expect you would expect from them, and the plot of; A new kid moves to town, has problems with a bully, and eventually gets out of trouble, or some kind harmless revenge on the bully. The only difference being that it's coupled with all the incorrectness of the story.

[Kate Shanks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is "Bystander" a well written book? The answer is "no". Is it a book middle schoolers will like, appreciate, and learn from? The obvious response is "of course". This book is meant to be read-aloud to whole classes. There is lots of action, dialogue, and opportunities for students to discuss if the characters did or did not do the right thing. The premise of the book is Eric, a new student who just moved to New York, meets a rough group of boys. The leader of this group is Griffin. Griffin is charismatic, a quick thinker, and has many adults fooled into thinking he is an innocent, nice kid. In reality, Griffin is a bully who picks on students, especially a curly haired kid named David Hallenback. Eric becomes friends with Griffin and quickly becomes a bystander to these cruel incidents.....until he takes a stand against Griffin and quickly becomes the next victim. This book reads very fast and would be a good recommendation to any middle schooler.

[Izzy Chong · Rating 1 out of 5]

What did I think of this book? Where do I begin?
It was pretty much a copy of Mean Girls but with no memorable lines, jokes, and guys.
Long story short: A really, really bad version of Mean Girls.
And if it was up to me, I would have never read this thing. However, I had to because my school decided that it was, "Required reading" which kind of was stupid because really, this thing was terrible. No offense.
You can say what you want about Lindsey Lohan, but Cady Heron was so much more interesting than Eric. Hands. Down.

[Julia Newby · Rating 1 out of 5]

How do u read the book plz help!!

[Jen Appell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for my Teen Reading Lounge July/August pick. (Theme: bullying) I was pretty disappointed with this book. The morals of the story felt obvious and preachy, and it seemed to actually suggest keeping quiet about bullying in schools. The bully is exaggerated into a petty criminal who collects trophies, the bully is never brought to justice, and the main character plays the bully's game by commiting several crimes himself to get revenge. I was also disappointed that there was no discussion of the bully's abusive father and absent mother.

[Kiernan Kovac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bystander was a very good and emotional book. I really liked that James Preller had gotten the message out in this book even though you can tell right from the cover it is about bullying. But the twist that he added which made the story even better was the bystander turned out to be the bully's next target. Usually the bystander isn't involved. But this goes to show that the bystander can be just as an easy target as the victim! Now people might think twice to just stand around and watch....

[Andrew]

It was great. Great climax.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the ending. such a positive book.

[Pandora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update (9/26/14): Just finished reading the book again. I also looked at some reviews and was surprised by so many negative reviews. I wonder if they found chapter 18 too much take. In this chapter the English teacher gets upset at how little the students learned from the school consoler. The English teacher then drives home the lesson of history that people will surrender their they own moral code if evil has enough power and authority. unfortunately Preller uses Milgram's experiment which has been discredited. Though Milgram's methodology was wrong his premise was correct if you look at history: Salem Witch Trial, McCarthyism, Rwanda, Middle East Terrorism, the Holocaust, Bonsai, the Japanese in WW II, etc.

James Preller so far has a very usual style in that his books other famous authors. Frist he did Judy Blume in Six Innings. Now with Bystander he is doing Robert Cormier and Tony Abbott. The best way I can describe Bystander is take the understanding and realism of Firegirl and mix in the tension of The Chocolate War and you got Bystander.

Bullying is a huge problem and a topic that children authors like to tackle. Having been a victim of bullying I find few authors get the topic right. James Preller hits a home run with Bystander. Blubber by Judy Blume and The Girls by Koss also do a good job. Preller though goes the extra mile by showing not only what bullying does to the victim and the bystander but, also shows the danger of it when it expands beyond the school into society itself.

This is a book that should be required reading for every fifth or sixth grade classroom.

Only minor negative is that I wish Preller remembered it was nine million people who were killed in the Holocaust not just the six million Jews. However it was great that he showed the connection. It would also had been nice if he had extended the point.

The ending was a fade out rather than a punch that was expected. I perfer the punch ending but, I think he was trying for a realistic ending like Firegirl. It wasn't completely what I wanted but, it did work. The middle of the story for me overcomes any problems with the ending.

Quotes:

Eric could hear the new urgency in Hallenback’s voice. And something else in it, too, a growing terror. Yet Eric did not move, did not raise a hand to help.

Eric reminded himself, he never participated in the pranks. He never lifted a finger too harm David Hallenback. He didn’t think it was funny, so he usually walked, away, pretending not to see.

Hallenbeck stared at the tops of his shoes and scurried down the hall, like a rat looking for a hole.

Eric found himself drawn to Griffin, the way a caveman might be attracted to fire. The light, the heat, the danger.

Griffin had removed the mask; the wolf stepped out from the sheep’s clothing and reveled himself, gnashing his teeth, showing his claws. There could be no more doubt.

“It doesn’t matter what other people do. You have to look into your own heart.”

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a story about bullies and being bullied. It begins with the new kid in town, Eric, meeting the local bully, Griffin. Griffin takes a liking to Eric, and though Eric sees something dark in Griffin, Eric hangs out with him and his gang and tries to deny what he is seeing. Eventually, things take a bad turn and Eric becomes Griffin's victim.

What I liked about this book is that it did a good job of raising the issues around bullying. It also did not have a good guy/bad guy dynamic. None of the characters are perfectly good, including the main character (Eric).

Up until the final climax of the book, I thought it portrayed a realistic middle school situation and was a good example of what a student would face in making decisions about friends and behavior.

However, the ending is too abrupt & Eric's way of resolving his problems with Griffin seemed to be something that was ethically wrong, rather than standing up for his rights. It left me with a sour feeling toward Eric, who otherwise I liked through the book. Also Griffin's decision to ignore Eric after this seemed artificial.

It is a relatively slim & fast book & might be good for reluctant readers, but I wouldn't want someone who has been bullied to use all of Eric's behavior as a guide for handling the situation.

Also, in this book Griffin was portrayed as not just being a bully, but as also having criminal tendancies & a disturbing emotional make up. The vibe I got through the book was that he might have a serious psychological disorder. That kind of character would have been fine, if creepy, but the book never really deals with the more serious parts of Griffin's make up.

[Michelle Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this book wasn't too preachy about its central theme, bullying. Sure, the adults in the book try to instill the typical anti-bullying ideals, but the students pretty much disregard those directives. Preller understands that bullying is a complex problem without an easy solution. I like how he describes Eric's inner turmoil both when he is the bystander and when he is the victim. The involved parties don't rely on the adults to work the problem out for them, and while the course of action the main character takes would not be one sanctioned by the school administration or his mother, it certainly paints a more realistic picture. From what I know,the kids who face down a bully themselves are the ones who overcome it. *SPOILER* The bully does not change in the end. Nor does he get punished; nor does he become ostracized by his peers. Eric is merely a survivor of the abuse and learns to move past it. Yes, that's depressing, but it's a dose of realism that is needed in more books about bullying. I can't give it 5 stars because it ends a bit too abruptly for me. Plus, the Mary character seems all too convenient for the story line. It's almost like Preller can't make up his mind about what kind of book he wanted: an uplifting, feel-good book with a happy ending, or a graphic portrayal of the devasating effects of bullying. Is it possible to do both? Perhaps, but Preller doesn't strike the right balance.

[Lylah Aharoni · Rating 1 out of 5]

The reason why I am reading this book is because It was recommended to me so I wanted to give it a shot. What most stood out to be about the book was it's plot. It is mainly about bullying, although from what I can see so far it is being handled in all the wrong ways. For example, as narrated, “Through it all, Eric didn’t say a word. He was innocent, Eric reminded himself, he never participated in the pranks. He never lifted a finger to harm David Hallenback. He didn’t think it was funny, so he usually walked away, pretending not to see. But Eric did see. Just like all the other kids in the halls. And he slowly began to recognize it for what it was.” (Preller 128) As you can tell this is showing Eric reminding himself of his innocence, because he did not partake in the bullying. Although he did watch, and I do not think it is okay to feel okay. In my opinion there is really no difference. If you have the power to stop it, then do it. A bystander is just as bad as the bully. Those who read this book will learn the significance of standing up for what is right, not overlooking your power of bringing attention to the bullying to stop it... if you put it into perspective and realize Erics selfish decisions, not from the book itself but from your reflections or interpretations.

[James C · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Bystander" by James Preller is one of many different takes on the problem of middle school bullying. Eric Hayes is the new kid in Bellport Middle School in Long Island, New York. His little brother is Rudy, and Eric has constant thoughts about his dad throughout this story. He has started his year with an encounter of David Hallenback, a boy that is running away from someone, or something. As he is shooting hoops on the basketball court, fours kids roll up to him on bicycles. These kids are Griffin, Drew P., Cody, and Mary. Griffin opens himself up to Eric during this encounter. They meet each other multiple times throughout the story, and Griffin seems to be building a friendship with Eric. Mary, however, grows increasingly distrustful of Griffin, and Eric starts to uncover the truth with help from her; Griffin is a bully. He is rude towards David Hallenback, cares little about other people, and has even stolen from Eric after coming over to his house. Eric and Mary also become friends, and this friendship continues to grow. Eventually, Hallenback comes to Eric and asks him to come outside to the pet cemetery behind the school. Eric agrees, and follows him to said location. However, Hallenback has deceived Eric, as he encounters Griffin, Drew P., Cody, and Sinjay. Cody and Eric get in a fight, leaving Eric bloodied and beaten. Hallenback gets some kicks in as well. Mary is able to find Eric, as she was hiding from the fight. They fix him up at his house. Eric, however, wants to get Griffin back. He remembers what Griffin has stolen from him; one of his dad's CDs and $27.00 from Rudy's piggy bank. With help from Mary, he is able to get his stolen items back after sneaking into Griffin's house, and Eric and Griffin seem to be even.

Eric is very cautious, as, of course, he is attending a new school for his seventh grade year. One of the biggest struggles Eric has in this story is that his dad has left him. He hasn't been in contact with Eric since, and Eric has grown increasingly frustrated by his father's lack of communication and care for them. His father also has a drug problem, as mentioned by his mother later in the story. She continues to reassure Eric that his dad still cares for the family, but Eric is still left confused and worried about him. This conflict is well developed throughout the story, and gives the reader something else to focus on other than Eric's situation with Griffin during the down times. However, it needs improvement. The reader isn't given enough information about Eric's father to truly sympathize with him - his name wasn't even provided in the story. The reason for why he left his family isn't clearly provided, either. Eric is clearly frustrated that his father has left him - which is justified - but the reader is only left to infer why this has happened. This internal conflict also seems rather rushed. Once again, the reader doesn't gain enough insight as to who Eric's father is, what he does for a living, and what his life has been like. Therefore, there are many loose ends to Eric's situation. There isn't a tidy solution. At the end of the book, Eric has made the basketball team and pictures his father cheering for him in the stands, but I was left with a number of questions about this; Did his dad come back? Will his dad come back? Where is his dad now? Has Eric accepted his internal conflict? And so on, so forth. Overall, it was a nice touch to the story, especially to let us know that Eric has an underlying problem on top of Eric's existing problem with Griffin.

The main topic in "Bystander," of course, is bullying. Eric finds out that Griffin is a bully after many hints from Mary and Eric's personal observations. The personalities of these characters are well written, and I understand their relationship to Eric; Mary is caring and outgoing with a bubbly personality and a close friendship towards Eric. Griffin, on the other hand, starts as welcoming Eric in as a friend, but soon casts him out of his friend group and begins to steal from him, tease him, and, obviously, bully him. Preller does a great job projecting a sense of helplessness as Eric is beaten up by Cody and Hallenback. The reader feels terrible for Eric, and Preller makes sure that the bad guys are established. A big problem is that this major event comes in the middle of the story. At this point, we know that Griffin is the bully, and this solidifies it. It builds the characters of Hallenback, Cody, and Mary, yes, but it doesn't come as a huge shock to the reader. While it is surprising, readers got multiple hints for this happening during the story. This all happened because Hallenback led Eric to the cemetery, which I had mixed views on. Yes, Hallenback seems somewhat trustworthy, but he had told Eric that he was friends with Griffin's crew. Why would Eric trust Hallenback if he didn't trust Griffin? Again - they are friends with each other, so it confuses me why Eric would willingly go with Hallenback to an area where he is obviously exposed. Nevertheless, these boys are in 7th grade, but I'm still left with questions. Also, Eric sneaking into Griffin's house to retrieve his belongings takes things too far. What 7th grader would think to do this? Yes, Eric is standing up for his little brother, but this is crazy for someone at his age. In general, the characters are well developed. Readers can easily connect with some and oppose others, but some events in the story don't have enough justification to them.

"Bystander" intrigued me because of the tagline, "A bystander? Or the bully's next target?" This alone can get a reader thinking about the story and wanting to open it up. I had read this book before, and had forgotten what happened, so I decided to return to this to see what was so good about it. Reading it again, I do realize what I liked about it. The characters are very well developed and described, and Mary quickly became one of my favorites in the story. The settings are described clearly, with in-depth descriptions of the cemetery and the school itself. However, I've noticed some flaws during my reread. I had questions about the aforementioned cemetery scene, Eric's struggles with his father, and some events during the story. I was left particularly unsatisfied with the ending of "Bystander." Eric forgot his shoes while retrieving his stolen items in Griffin's house, to which he sees Griffin wearing them in school the next day. Just like that, it's over? No response from Griffin? After seeing what Eric had gone through during the story, this ending feels weak. Yes, Eric has made amends with Cody, Drew P., and Sinjay, but the conflict with Griffin feels unresolved. It could be assumed that Griffin decided that Eric wasn't worth it anymore. Whatever the case, more closure is needed. "Bystander" is a different approach to the topic of bullying, which I appreciate. Preller has created a story of discord, a constant battle between Eric and Griffin. I was involved with the story, as I wanted Eric to win and Griffin to lose. In the end, neither of those things happened, but it was still an enjoyable read. I look forward to seeing what James Preller has in store for the future.

[Aurora Dimitre · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know what? I'm gonna say--this is how you do an issue book. It is not Issue Book, capital-I, capital-B, it is issue book, where the author has a clear moral to his story but also he has some really goddam good characters.

I really enjoyed the main character. I thought that the additions of how music both grounded him and kept him close to his estranged father, even if he didn't want it to, were a nice touch. Did the story just kind of... stop, instead of end? Yeah, sort of. But the thing about this book is that it opens itself up to possibilities. You kind of get to imagine what happens. And with the events in this book, you can imagine that in the end, Griffin isn't going to end up on top.

I mean, based on real life he probably would, but based on what happened in the book he'll keep burning bridges and getting dropped.

[Parag Arora]

This is an amazing book, it shows how bullying is a major thing in some school and in this book, there was a certain student everybody picked on his name was David Hallenback. He got bullied a lot mainly because he would always come to his bullies and try to hang out with them because he did not have many friends or any friends. The biggest bully was Griffin, the main character Eric soon became friends with and started to learn more about him and found out how deeply he was affected by his emotions. In conclusion "Bystander" is a very good book because it describes how it feels to be bullied and not having any friends.

[Alex A.]

Bystander is a cool book. In the beginning, there's a new boy named Eric (who I really like) that is a new kid in town. I feel bad for him because he didn't move into the greatest town and he doesn't even have his dad because he is suffering from depression. I know it would be beyond hard for me to move into a new place without my dad.

Not only the is the town not that great, the kids are scary as well. He meets a group of them a the basketball court one day and he was very frightened. I thought they were gonna pick on him and take his ball from him and bully him. I was very confused on them. I couldn't tell if they were actually bullies or not. They seemed intimidating and Griffin (the leader of their group) was teasing Eric in a rude way. He told him to give him the ball and then he told Eric to shoot the ball and if he missed, they would take his ball. I didn't like them at all at this part. I didn't want Eric to get it taken from him since he just moved in. Luckily, they were just kidding, but to me that doesn't seem like a very friendly joke.. I later begin to dislike Griffin even more as further in the book you can see his true self as a bully.

This book is great for anyone who has been bullied or who just watches people get bullied. I would recommend this to a friend and hopefully it can open their eyes to how people can really be.

[P.M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eric is the new kid in town. He is feeling bereft because of his fractured family's move and his struggle to understand his father's mental illness. He soon become ensnared in the web of the school's charming bully and becomes a bystander to all the cruelty of seventh grade. I didn't care much for it. The author seemed to be building up to a confrontation between Eric and his nemesis but that confrontation fizzled. Griff seemed to go on his merry way without consequences.

[Jenna Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very surreal and depicts the true reality of school for kids. Great read for everyone young and old!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any middle school student should read this very real-life book about bullying. Being a bystander and watching it happen is just as bad. The events in this novel sadly happen everyday around us.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this one because Natalie was reading it in 8th grade English class. A good story with a strong message.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dark, well-paced novel that depicts bullying by sociopath, and since I've never experienced this kind of bullying, I'm not sure how realistic any of it is. I experienced a tense knot in my stomach the entire time. I hate the ending, but I think kids will like the book and there would be much to discuss. Due to the fact that there were no adults in the book who helped in any way, I would be uncomfortable NOT talking about the book with a student who reads it.

[Emily D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because the Eric, the protagonist, has a good head on his shoulders and is relatable and realistic, but also brave and admirable. I was happy to read a story with a resolution that favored bravery and the triumph of kindness and doing the right thing.

[Diana Sarao · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate what the author was trying to do, but it felt forced.