NetGalley Review: The Fall by James Preller

Title: The Fall
Author: James Preller
Published: Sept. 22, 2015
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Publishing Group Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 208
Genre: Teens/middle grade
Review: ebook provided by NetGalley and author
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk

Through his journal a boy deals with the death of a classmate, who committed suicide as a result of bullying.
The summer before school starts, Sam's friend and classmate Morgan Mallen kills herself. Morgan had been bullied. Maybe she kissed the wrong boy. Or said the wrong thing. What about that selfie that made the rounds? Morgan was this, and Morgan was that. But who really knows what happened?
As Sam explores the events leading up to the tragedy, he must face a difficult and life-changing question: Why did he keep his friendship with Morgan a secret? And could he have done something—anything—to prevent her final actions?
As he did in Bystander, James Preller takes an issue that faces every student and school in the country, and makes it personal, accessible, and real.

I received this book via NetGalley to give an honest review.

This was a book that I did not read with K but I feel it should be on this blog just in case parents would like to find a book that their older children can read.

This is a very powerful book and it is brings up the issue that a lot of people face now a days especially young kids to teenagers to even adults. BULLYING. That is the key within this book but there is also suicide within this story. The Fall is written as a journal type story and it all focuses around the main character and his actions of following the in crowd. Sam is the one writing in the journal and you know you can't help but not like the guy, I mean he knows what he did was wrong by calling Morgan names and what not but still didn't stop doing it. I can understand not wanting to be on the receiving end of bullying but as a person who knows right from wrong you know better. He knew who she was and even got to know her a bit but was ashamed to be seen with her in public which you can just imagine how Morgan felt, and my heart broke for her. 

I was glad to see Sam finally learning that what he had partaken in was something that was very wrong and finally stood up for what was right, even though it was too late to help Morgan. 

I truly recommend this for all to read it doesn't matter if you are a pre-teen, teenager, adult it is something that I think all can learn to understand that your words are very powerful. Even if it is just via the internet or anything else. 

The only reason I am giving this book a 4 and not a solid 5 is because there was no talk of anyone getting punished. I know that the authorities couldn't pin it on anyone because it was a suicide but what about the parents or even Sam's parents, did they not think to say something to him? 

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...