alifromkc1907's review against another edition
5.0
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Story Line - 5
Writing Style - 5
Characters - 4
Excitement Factor -4
Believability for type and topics - 5
Similarity to other books - 5 (unique)
Cover art - 5
Dust Jacket Art - N/A
Title Relevance - 5
When Daniel starts over (again), he fights the closeness he feels to Brandon and Julie - and the anger he feels towards Jeff. But, will he be able to fight his own demons longer than he'll be able to fight Brandon's friendships and Julie's attraction?
You may like this book if you like the following sub-genres:
Cyber Bullying
Prison
Youth Violence
Admittedly, when I started this book, I was sent back to the ABC Family movie, Cyberbully. But it also reminded me why justice isn't always accurately served. The story line on this book was really well done. Not only are we faced with Daniel's attempt to start fresh, but how he becomes Daniel is equally as important as coping with who he used to be. The story itself is intriguing enough, even if you weren't bullied, or if you weren't the bully (and let's face it, one of us have been one or both in more than one situation-even if we weren't entirely aware of it), you can still feel something for one or more of the characters. If I were a junior-high/high-school english teacher, this would definitely be a required reading for my students - and I think I would've liked to do the cross-the-line activity (more information here). I have done this several times over the years, and every time I felt more connected to the other students in my classroom, whether it was junior high or college. I think this paired with that activity are a simple way to show that Mr. Popular/Mr. Varsity might have more in common with the kid who lives in a homeless shelter (yes, this happened in one of my activities). This book reminded me of how important that activity is - even if you explore those statements with friends and family in isolated incidents, I think this book reminds you that it's okay to be different, but it's not okay to degrade someone for being different. (Yes, we still need this reminder in 2016. Kids are evil. All of them.)
Speaking of the characters, I was slightly annoyed with the parallels between Julie and Brandon. When they were both up, they were both up. When they were both down, they were both down. It became more annoying as the novel grew on. I found it difficult to connect to Julie because her character was hot and cold every chapter - and it's hard to connect to someone when you're just trying to figure out which version you're dealing with (and I thought Daniel dealt with this about as well as any teenage boy with a troubled past, trust issues, and an emotional hard on for a cute girl, which is probably why I didn't find him to be as annoying as I found Julie to be). Brandon, too, was hot and then cold. But I think with Brandon, it felt okay. I would've preferred that he and Julie weren't in the same mood at the same time, but - at least his behavior felt realistic, or acceptable; I'm not really sure. (I can't give away details about why it's okay for Brandon, but not okay for Julie, but I think it'll become clear a few chapters in.) And while this is minute, I was slightly frustrated with the lack of Dr. P. I felt as if that should've been a huge component to this novel - and maybe Blount didn't want to over extend her novel's story line, but I think I could've dealt with a little less Julie/Brandon-drama and a little more Dr. P feedback; after all, she should've been a much larger part to this "Daniel," and how to cope with his past. The character issues/strengths were probably the biggest let down for me. I thought Daniel was done really well, and I liked seeing Kenny's presence, as well. It was a unique way to see Daniel as Daniel, and Daniel combating his past in a realistic scenario.
The writing style paired with the uniqueness of this book worked well with one another. I never felt as if I was being forced into someone else's point of view - which for the sake of Daniel, was a nice touch. I didn't "care" what Julie or Brandon were feeling because Daniel felt it, which means we, too, as an audience felt it. I'm sure if this book had alternate perspectives from other characters, I might have disliked it or found it annoying (just by way of pet peeve). The story wasn't exciting the entire way through, but I think it was a really steady flow of exciting moments met with the typical mundane moments of high school. I'm glad that we were only looking at a year's worth of time, because any more and I might have been too annoyed with Julie and Brandon's parallel state of emotions to keep reading. I thought it was energetic when it needed to be and down-in-the-dumps when it needed to be. The book was only dull in brief moments when it got repetitive (again, this is a Julie issue for me... because we watched her go from hot-to-cold about once every 10 pages - and that's once-every-10-pages too many for my taste). Overall, the story propelled itself by our own personal investment in Daniel's well-being and his ability to cope and share his past on his own terms.
The title is appropriate. And not just because it is the core reason for Daniel's awakening - but because the book ends (abruptly, which wasn't nice, by the way... I looked down, turned the page, but there was nothing more than discussion questions) in a way that "Send" ties everything in Daniel's life full-circle - and I won't divulge anything, but it should make sense when you see the way "send" applies to his story. The cover was well done. It was a blurred vision of Julie and (I'm assuming) Daniel. I'm glad I wasn't looking at some trashy romance novel cover, and I think the blurred-effect was a nice component to the haze that Daniel, Julie, and Brandon are living in - and the secondary characters could probably be grouped into that, too, but I'll let you decide if you feel the blurred-effect works for them, too.
Story Line - 5
Writing Style - 5
Characters - 4
Excitement Factor -4
Believability for type and topics - 5
Similarity to other books - 5 (unique)
Cover art - 5
Dust Jacket Art - N/A
Title Relevance - 5
When Daniel starts over (again), he fights the closeness he feels to Brandon and Julie - and the anger he feels towards Jeff. But, will he be able to fight his own demons longer than he'll be able to fight Brandon's friendships and Julie's attraction?
You may like this book if you like the following sub-genres:
Cyber Bullying
Prison
Youth Violence
Admittedly, when I started this book, I was sent back to the ABC Family movie, Cyberbully. But it also reminded me why justice isn't always accurately served. The story line on this book was really well done. Not only are we faced with Daniel's attempt to start fresh, but how he becomes Daniel is equally as important as coping with who he used to be. The story itself is intriguing enough, even if you weren't bullied, or if you weren't the bully (and let's face it, one of us have been one or both in more than one situation-even if we weren't entirely aware of it), you can still feel something for one or more of the characters. If I were a junior-high/high-school english teacher, this would definitely be a required reading for my students - and I think I would've liked to do the cross-the-line activity (more information here). I have done this several times over the years, and every time I felt more connected to the other students in my classroom, whether it was junior high or college. I think this paired with that activity are a simple way to show that Mr. Popular/Mr. Varsity might have more in common with the kid who lives in a homeless shelter (yes, this happened in one of my activities). This book reminded me of how important that activity is - even if you explore those statements with friends and family in isolated incidents, I think this book reminds you that it's okay to be different, but it's not okay to degrade someone for being different. (Yes, we still need this reminder in 2016. Kids are evil. All of them.)
Speaking of the characters, I was slightly annoyed with the parallels between Julie and Brandon. When they were both up, they were both up. When they were both down, they were both down. It became more annoying as the novel grew on. I found it difficult to connect to Julie because her character was hot and cold every chapter - and it's hard to connect to someone when you're just trying to figure out which version you're dealing with (and I thought Daniel dealt with this about as well as any teenage boy with a troubled past, trust issues, and an emotional hard on for a cute girl, which is probably why I didn't find him to be as annoying as I found Julie to be). Brandon, too, was hot and then cold. But I think with Brandon, it felt okay. I would've preferred that he and Julie weren't in the same mood at the same time, but - at least his behavior felt realistic, or acceptable; I'm not really sure. (I can't give away details about why it's okay for Brandon, but not okay for Julie, but I think it'll become clear a few chapters in.) And while this is minute, I was slightly frustrated with the lack of Dr. P. I felt as if that should've been a huge component to this novel - and maybe Blount didn't want to over extend her novel's story line, but I think I could've dealt with a little less Julie/Brandon-drama and a little more Dr. P feedback; after all, she should've been a much larger part to this "Daniel," and how to cope with his past. The character issues/strengths were probably the biggest let down for me. I thought Daniel was done really well, and I liked seeing Kenny's presence, as well. It was a unique way to see Daniel as Daniel, and Daniel combating his past in a realistic scenario.
The writing style paired with the uniqueness of this book worked well with one another. I never felt as if I was being forced into someone else's point of view - which for the sake of Daniel, was a nice touch. I didn't "care" what Julie or Brandon were feeling because Daniel felt it, which means we, too, as an audience felt it. I'm sure if this book had alternate perspectives from other characters, I might have disliked it or found it annoying (just by way of pet peeve). The story wasn't exciting the entire way through, but I think it was a really steady flow of exciting moments met with the typical mundane moments of high school. I'm glad that we were only looking at a year's worth of time, because any more and I might have been too annoyed with Julie and Brandon's parallel state of emotions to keep reading. I thought it was energetic when it needed to be and down-in-the-dumps when it needed to be. The book was only dull in brief moments when it got repetitive (again, this is a Julie issue for me... because we watched her go from hot-to-cold about once every 10 pages - and that's once-every-10-pages too many for my taste). Overall, the story propelled itself by our own personal investment in Daniel's well-being and his ability to cope and share his past on his own terms.
The title is appropriate. And not just because it is the core reason for Daniel's awakening - but because the book ends (abruptly, which wasn't nice, by the way... I looked down, turned the page, but there was nothing more than discussion questions) in a way that "Send" ties everything in Daniel's life full-circle - and I won't divulge anything, but it should make sense when you see the way "send" applies to his story. The cover was well done. It was a blurred vision of Julie and (I'm assuming) Daniel. I'm glad I wasn't looking at some trashy romance novel cover, and I think the blurred-effect was a nice component to the haze that Daniel, Julie, and Brandon are living in - and the secondary characters could probably be grouped into that, too, but I'll let you decide if you feel the blurred-effect works for them, too.
sc104906's review against another edition
4.0
Dan has been fighting his bullying demons since he was thirteen. After his actions set off the events that led to suicide of his victim. Dan spent 9 months in a juvenile detention facility and moved several times. He has decided that this will be the last time. Dan has decided to stay under the radar and get through school, but problems from his past continue to haunt him.
This was an interesting perspective on the ripple effect that bullying can cause. It holds bullies and bystanders accountable.
This was an interesting perspective on the ripple effect that bullying can cause. It holds bullies and bystanders accountable.
cupcakegirly's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 Stars
Raw, emotional, realistic read.
This book deals with some important topics and has left me emotionally drained but it's well worth the read. Dan's experience is a heartbreaking one for everyone involved and while I'm all for crime and punishment, the punishment is null and void when it doesn't fit the crime.
This is one of those stories that shows what can happen when we make stupid mistakes but it's also one of forgiveness, mercy and redemption.
I have to say that I wasn't happy with the way this ended. After being drug through an emotional pit of hades and back, I felt like Dan (and the reader) deserved more closure.
Raw, emotional, realistic read.
This book deals with some important topics and has left me emotionally drained but it's well worth the read. Dan's experience is a heartbreaking one for everyone involved and while I'm all for crime and punishment, the punishment is null and void when it doesn't fit the crime.
This is one of those stories that shows what can happen when we make stupid mistakes but it's also one of forgiveness, mercy and redemption.
I have to say that I wasn't happy with the way this ended. After being drug through an emotional pit of hades and back, I felt like Dan (and the reader) deserved more closure.
emmrose's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
princessaj_397's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
danni_436's review against another edition
5.0
When I first read the blurb about this book I was thinking a typical high school teenagers in love story.
It was nothing like that.
This has to be one of the most beautiful and emotionally moving books I've read in a very long time.
although it does has some very witty points within the story.
Another fantastic aspect of this storyline is that Patty Blount managed to cover many different moral and social taboo's, and I strongly believe that she addressed them perfectly.
I feel so emotionally drained from the high's and low's of Dan's life, and from constantly feeling conflicted about either supporting him or condemning him.
I couldn't stop crying for the last few chapter's, and even now thinking about it again brings me to the brink of tears.
I strongly recommend this book for people of all ages, however it may not suit someone people based on the main plot of the story [I don't want to give away spoilers, it'll ruin the whole book].
It was nothing like that.
This has to be one of the most beautiful and emotionally moving books I've read in a very long time.
although it does has some very witty points within the story.
Another fantastic aspect of this storyline is that Patty Blount managed to cover many different moral and social taboo's, and I strongly believe that she addressed them perfectly.
I feel so emotionally drained from the high's and low's of Dan's life, and from constantly feeling conflicted about either supporting him or condemning him.
I couldn't stop crying for the last few chapter's, and even now thinking about it again brings me to the brink of tears.
I strongly recommend this book for people of all ages, however it may not suit someone people based on the main plot of the story [I don't want to give away spoilers, it'll ruin the whole book].
dani005's review against another edition
5.0
4.5
I really, really liked this book, even if it did have its hang ups.
I loved this book for its honest brutality. The characters were so raw and real, however I wish that we had gotten to know a bit more about some of the secondary characters.... a bit more of the history of Brandon and Jeff and what happened between them.... I wish we got to see some more strength from Julie. Yes, she's messed up and she's got some trauma to deal with, but what made her so determined and so forgiving in this book is something I would have liked to have read more about.
The ending wasn't enough I don't think; it wasn’t a strong enough conclusion... I needed something more to wrap it up... its like an essay with no conclusion; there's nothing to tie all of the body paragraphs together and to help clarify questions for the reader.
I love it when books leave you with questions about the ideas that the book presents, but not about the characters or the plot or what happens now. I love books that leave you with a good impression from its foreshadowing of what is going to happen.... so that you are better able to realize where these people have come from and where they are going. It helps to show the depth of the book's characters and so I found that some of that depth was lacking.
Why did the author end with ken feeling the way he did with no further insights or indulgences.... it wasn't much different from the beginning except that now it seems he isn't so much obsessed with his guilt but there is something else that he has to deal with. It's like we only got to see half of Ken's healing. Like we only got to see the first couple of stages of how he attempts to get over what he did....
I didn't feel like the book covered as much as it could have. It could have covered so much more of the realities that each individual character had to deal with....
Julie
Ken
Jeff
Brandon
Even Julie’s dad.
I had so much more I was curious about. I saw each character behave and act in certain ways at times but what had prompted these actions I couldn't define or fully understand because it was as though I was missing some of the history that had established these actions in the first place.
I loved the book's depth of Ken and how he struggles within himself. I loved that different view that the book portrayed, that different twist on bullying.
Growing up in junior high I find that now cyber bullying and bullying in general is actually being addressed so much more, but what we haven't stopped to consider, is the other side of the whole problem; the bully themselves.
Kid's I don't believe are genetically decided to be evil. I really do believe that how these kids were brought up and the environment and circumstances they have to live with affects their judgment and their capabilities of how they are able to express themselves in times of hardship.
A kid who grew up in an angry and violent atmosphere learn how to react on impulses when things occur that they don’t tolerate when they see they’re parents lash out with perhaps physical or verbal abuse as a response to their own intolerance towards something. These kids learn then that if they don't tolerate something or someone for whatever reason (impulses of emotion or physical stimuli) could spike a reaction similar to the ones they witness at home. They would probably resort to violence, either physical or verbal to help demonstrate their intolerance. Does that make this kid bad?
That idea, does ONE mistake; that ONE time the teasing went too far, make us bad people, is taken in this book and looked at from Ken’s perspective, the bully in his situation.
The ideas presented are honest and open and they come at you with their simplicity and their complexity to make us realize that these ideas about the, “antagonists, in all kinds of situations, are always considered BAD” may not be able to be considered as just black and white.
Although, I was slightly disappointed by the end, and its lack of depth that was portrayed in it’s characters and their flaws (don't get me wrong, they were honestly VERY REAL characters however I wanted a bit more depth to their personalities and their motives and the history that affected the way they did things....), I did still love this book for its complexity and simplicity and how realistic and raw and passionate it was. I highly recommend it!
I really, really liked this book, even if it did have its hang ups.
I loved this book for its honest brutality. The characters were so raw and real, however I wish that we had gotten to know a bit more about some of the secondary characters.... a bit more of the history of Brandon and Jeff and what happened between them.... I wish we got to see some more strength from Julie. Yes, she's messed up and she's got some trauma to deal with, but what made her so determined and so forgiving in this book is something I would have liked to have read more about.
The ending wasn't enough I don't think; it wasn’t a strong enough conclusion... I needed something more to wrap it up... its like an essay with no conclusion; there's nothing to tie all of the body paragraphs together and to help clarify questions for the reader.
I love it when books leave you with questions about the ideas that the book presents, but not about the characters or the plot or what happens now. I love books that leave you with a good impression from its foreshadowing of what is going to happen.... so that you are better able to realize where these people have come from and where they are going. It helps to show the depth of the book's characters and so I found that some of that depth was lacking.
Why did the author end with ken feeling the way he did with no further insights or indulgences.... it wasn't much different from the beginning except that now it seems he isn't so much obsessed with his guilt but there is something else that he has to deal with. It's like we only got to see half of Ken's healing. Like we only got to see the first couple of stages of how he attempts to get over what he did....
I didn't feel like the book covered as much as it could have. It could have covered so much more of the realities that each individual character had to deal with....
Julie
Ken
Jeff
Brandon
Even Julie’s dad.
I had so much more I was curious about. I saw each character behave and act in certain ways at times but what had prompted these actions I couldn't define or fully understand because it was as though I was missing some of the history that had established these actions in the first place.
I loved the book's depth of Ken and how he struggles within himself. I loved that different view that the book portrayed, that different twist on bullying.
Growing up in junior high I find that now cyber bullying and bullying in general is actually being addressed so much more, but what we haven't stopped to consider, is the other side of the whole problem; the bully themselves.
Kid's I don't believe are genetically decided to be evil. I really do believe that how these kids were brought up and the environment and circumstances they have to live with affects their judgment and their capabilities of how they are able to express themselves in times of hardship.
A kid who grew up in an angry and violent atmosphere learn how to react on impulses when things occur that they don’t tolerate when they see they’re parents lash out with perhaps physical or verbal abuse as a response to their own intolerance towards something. These kids learn then that if they don't tolerate something or someone for whatever reason (impulses of emotion or physical stimuli) could spike a reaction similar to the ones they witness at home. They would probably resort to violence, either physical or verbal to help demonstrate their intolerance. Does that make this kid bad?
That idea, does ONE mistake; that ONE time the teasing went too far, make us bad people, is taken in this book and looked at from Ken’s perspective, the bully in his situation.
The ideas presented are honest and open and they come at you with their simplicity and their complexity to make us realize that these ideas about the, “antagonists, in all kinds of situations, are always considered BAD” may not be able to be considered as just black and white.
Although, I was slightly disappointed by the end, and its lack of depth that was portrayed in it’s characters and their flaws (don't get me wrong, they were honestly VERY REAL characters however I wanted a bit more depth to their personalities and their motives and the history that affected the way they did things....), I did still love this book for its complexity and simplicity and how realistic and raw and passionate it was. I highly recommend it!
holly_tree's review against another edition
4.0
This book was about *GASP* bullying.
Now, typically, I run screaming for the hills when I find a book about *GASP* bullying, but the back of this particular book about *GASP* bullying made it sound much more mysterious and delicious.
And it was pretty good; I enjoyed it. I ... I don't know if "enjoyed" is the right word... I appreciated the idea of "Kenny" in Dan's mind. But really, how did he not figure it out? That *SPOILER ALERT* is was the same Murphy's?
And WHAT was up with the end? It was the worst! He's finally forgiven himself, he's faced Jack Murphy and survived, Pop's finally talking to him again, and he's finally, FINALLY let the cat out of the bag about Kenny, and he's receiving real treatment for it, BUT JULIE'S GONE. And Dan's saying nothing matters anymore.
WHAT?! CRAPPY!!
I spent the rest of the evening plotting a different ending. Because that JUST. DOESN'T. CUT. IT.
Now, typically, I run screaming for the hills when I find a book about *GASP* bullying, but the back of this particular book about *GASP* bullying made it sound much more mysterious and delicious.
And it was pretty good; I enjoyed it. I ... I don't know if "enjoyed" is the right word... I appreciated the idea of "Kenny" in Dan's mind. But really, how did he not figure it out? That *SPOILER ALERT* is was the same Murphy's?
And WHAT was up with the end? It was the worst! He's finally forgiven himself, he's faced Jack Murphy and survived, Pop's finally talking to him again, and he's finally, FINALLY let the cat out of the bag about Kenny, and he's receiving real treatment for it, BUT JULIE'S GONE. And Dan's saying nothing matters anymore.
WHAT?! CRAPPY!!
I spent the rest of the evening plotting a different ending. Because that JUST. DOESN'T. CUT. IT.
wonderfulnes's review against another edition
4.0
This is the kind of book where I realized I was at the end of the book I just wanted to yell "Noooo!" I feel like it left it off in a way that there could be a second book. I loved this book though. I was completely addicted to it while I was reading it. I fell in love with Danny/Kenny and just wanted to grab him by the shoulders and tell him "You are not an evil person!" But alas....
heisereads's review against another edition
4.0
First book I've read that I think could be really well paired with 13 REASONS WHY
Review originally posted on Heise Reads & Recommends
I was intrigued by the cover and summary of SEND when I saw it on a New Releases table at the bookstore, and as I'm always on the lookout for quality books related to bullying that will possibly engage my students, I decided I definitely wanted to read it. I was unprepared for the intensity of the story I would enter and the perspective that I would be seeing. From the first page, I was drawn into the story through the voice of the main character. Patty Blount uses an interesting tactic with an internal voice battling Dan throughout the book, and it added a much-needed depth to the story that allowed for the reader to feel a better understanding of what Dan's internal conflict is and how he grows in accepting his own circumstances.
Unfortunately, we all too often hear the stories of bullycides and hear about a final straw event or attack that happens right before. In this case, Dan caused the final straw event, and a young boy is dead. We don't often hear from the standpoint of the bully in these cases, and it isn't one we often sympathize with, but I think it's imperative as we try to send messages to students about bullying, that they see the perspective of the other side. In this case, Dan is that other side, but he's on the other side of spending time in juvie for his actions, and his life has been irrevocably changed. He thinks of himself as a murderer, even though he was a good kid before that, and his inner demons lead him to step in when he sees another kid being bullied so he can stop it. He doesn't want others to make the mistakes he has and he doesn't want anyone else to suffer in the way his victim did. It's an intense story, and as Dan starts to realize how much he likes Julie, and as he tries to befriend Brandon who is constantly being bullied, he has to come to accept some of the choices he has made and how to get past them so he can have a life. He made some big mistakes, but he's learned from them, and his focus is on not allowing those things to happen again. He doesn't think he deserves to be happy and have a girlfriend, but he is alive, so what's the use of that if he doesn't live? One of the strongest parts of this story for me were the interactions of Dan with his parents and grandfather. The family unit is strong in his life and it seems honest in the way that they fight for him and try to help him to be able to live a life beyond the mistakes he made.
This is a story of mistakes, honesty, survival, acceptance, and forgiveness. How can one forgive someone who led a kid to bullycide? How can the family forgive those actions? Can the person forgive himself? These are all questions that come up in this book. Dan's story helps us to think about all of that and possibly understand it in some small way. The repercussions of these actions are something that students and teens need to see and talk about and understand and realize. I hope SEND might be the book to lead to those important discussions about perspective and choices and actions and repercussions and doing the right thing in the face of wrong. Note: This story has a couple of mature scenes and there are many uses of mature language. I definitely think SEND is a book that should be shared with high school students. It's the first book that I've read that I think could be a good companion/ladder to 13 REASONS WHY, which is something I've been hoping to find for awhile.
Review originally posted on Heise Reads & Recommends
I was intrigued by the cover and summary of SEND when I saw it on a New Releases table at the bookstore, and as I'm always on the lookout for quality books related to bullying that will possibly engage my students, I decided I definitely wanted to read it. I was unprepared for the intensity of the story I would enter and the perspective that I would be seeing. From the first page, I was drawn into the story through the voice of the main character. Patty Blount uses an interesting tactic with an internal voice battling Dan throughout the book, and it added a much-needed depth to the story that allowed for the reader to feel a better understanding of what Dan's internal conflict is and how he grows in accepting his own circumstances.
Unfortunately, we all too often hear the stories of bullycides and hear about a final straw event or attack that happens right before. In this case, Dan caused the final straw event, and a young boy is dead. We don't often hear from the standpoint of the bully in these cases, and it isn't one we often sympathize with, but I think it's imperative as we try to send messages to students about bullying, that they see the perspective of the other side. In this case, Dan is that other side, but he's on the other side of spending time in juvie for his actions, and his life has been irrevocably changed. He thinks of himself as a murderer, even though he was a good kid before that, and his inner demons lead him to step in when he sees another kid being bullied so he can stop it. He doesn't want others to make the mistakes he has and he doesn't want anyone else to suffer in the way his victim did. It's an intense story, and as Dan starts to realize how much he likes Julie, and as he tries to befriend Brandon who is constantly being bullied, he has to come to accept some of the choices he has made and how to get past them so he can have a life. He made some big mistakes, but he's learned from them, and his focus is on not allowing those things to happen again. He doesn't think he deserves to be happy and have a girlfriend, but he is alive, so what's the use of that if he doesn't live? One of the strongest parts of this story for me were the interactions of Dan with his parents and grandfather. The family unit is strong in his life and it seems honest in the way that they fight for him and try to help him to be able to live a life beyond the mistakes he made.
This is a story of mistakes, honesty, survival, acceptance, and forgiveness. How can one forgive someone who led a kid to bullycide? How can the family forgive those actions? Can the person forgive himself? These are all questions that come up in this book. Dan's story helps us to think about all of that and possibly understand it in some small way. The repercussions of these actions are something that students and teens need to see and talk about and understand and realize. I hope SEND might be the book to lead to those important discussions about perspective and choices and actions and repercussions and doing the right thing in the face of wrong. Note: This story has a couple of mature scenes and there are many uses of mature language. I definitely think SEND is a book that should be shared with high school students. It's the first book that I've read that I think could be a good companion/ladder to 13 REASONS WHY, which is something I've been hoping to find for awhile.