Text Game

A teen with flagging self-esteem becomes the target of a cyberbully in Cann’s brief and quick-moving read, published in the U.K. in 2004 and written at a fourth-grade reading level. Mel can hardly believe that perfect, good-looking Ben is her boyfriend. And when she starts to receive cruel text messages from someone she doesn’t know—a girl in Ben’s circle of old friends—she’s sure that the taunts are true, and that Ben is going to dump her. Unfortunately, keeping her suffering a secret makes things much worse for Mel, who is finally set to rights by her best friend. A realistic and easily digested cautionary tale about letting jealousy take hold of one’s life. Ages 11–up. (Apr.)