kaycee_king's review
5.0
Wow, this was such a great read. Heartbreaking, frustrating, uplifting, and inspiring.
malaynachang's review
5.0
MY OPINION: *****
This was actually a 4.5 star book in my opinion.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. This was yet another one of those "forced reads" but it was really a good one. I'm also proud to say that I've read a nonfiction book this year, which is quite a lot, since I almost never read nonfiction.
This book was gripping, shocking, sad, and incredible. I can't believe how this one girl went through all of this in less than a quarter of a lifetime. It's crazy.
This book is about a girl named Paige who was born with HIV and was bullied mercilessly for it, even though it wasn't her fault. The way that those kids bullied her was terrible, but the steps that her school took to stop it was literally unforgivable. I cannot believe how incredibly evil they are to just let this go on and on and on and on.
Paige grew up thinking that taking pills and meds were normal. She thought that seeing a doctor a LOT was ordinary. Her mom didn't tell her she had HIV until sixth grade, I believe. Which is crazy, though I absolutely do not blame her mom. I like how her mom tried to keep her daughter protected and safe for as long as she could.
When Paige found out about her disease, it changed her life, but she didn't really let it get to her, until...
She told her friend about her disease.
I mean, I would never do that personally, but that's probably because I'm a very secretive and quiet person who prefers to keep things to myself. So when Paige told her friend, I just knew something bad was going to come out of it.
And something did.
Her friend told her sister who told basically everyone. After that, Paige was bullied. Harshly. She was called "PAIDS" which was stupid, since she didn't even have AIDS. Let me tell you all now: HIV and AIDS are completely different things. They are not the same disease AT ALL. Ok? Anyways, she was called a bad nickname, had ridiculously cruel notes taped to her locker, and phone calls and outright teasing. I can't believe how cruel kids have been and still are.
I've been bullied before. I'm sure that most people have. But my bullying never got to be anything close to how extreme Paige's bullying was. It was honestly shocking.
And the worst thing is, the school didn't do ANYTHING to help her. Basically, they told her to hide it, lie, pretend it was just drama, and her soccer coach said something unforgivable. Read the book to find out. Just what is this? Who does this to a CHILD? Oh yeah, other CHILDREN. CHILDREN ARE MONSTERS SOMETIMES OK??
The reason I dropped my rating down to a 4.5 stars instead of a full 5 stars was because even though I knew this was a nonfiction story, some of it just felt too fairy-tale ending for me. I know it was all true, but I just didn't like how perfect a certain part of her life was. At all. :D
You don't just go over to your crush's house and play video games and KISS with him when you're 13 years old. You just don't. Also, you don't win beauty pageants and be on magazines all the time. I know she didn't win all the time, but I'm in the exaggerating mood.
I'm really happy that this book didn't end in suicide. Because otherwise, that would have just been too much for me. I mean, when bullying ends in suicide, it makes me feel so bad. I just wonder how those kids feel when they realize that they are basically, in the most general tense, murderers. Yeah. If you've ever been a bully, just think about the end results before you even start, ok? And if you've ever been bullied, trust me, don't suicide. It isn't worth it. Honestly, all it will do is cause guilt and pain and distress for other people. Ok?
Am I the only one who thought that that stress center sounded SO relieving and helpful? I wish they had one of those like everywhere, only I wouldn't want to be marked or bullied because of it. Ok? Just because you go to a stress center doesn't mean anything.
I loved that camp that was shown in this book! It looked really interesting!
This book was definitely a real eye-opener and was really good at showing me how this one girl did so much for herself. It's really amazing, actually. I would recommend this book to anyone. Anyone who can read and is willing to read.
I'm actually volunteering to raise money for people with HIV and/or AIDS, so... I'm glad to have some background knowledge of this already!
Main Character: Paige
Sidekick(s): Ethan, Mom, friends, Brryan, etc
Villain(s): HIV, suicide, bullying, Lila, Yasmine, etc
Nonfiction/Memoir/Autobiography Elements: This book is a nonfiction story that is written by Paige Rawl about herself.
This was actually a 4.5 star book in my opinion.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. This was yet another one of those "forced reads" but it was really a good one. I'm also proud to say that I've read a nonfiction book this year, which is quite a lot, since I almost never read nonfiction.
This book was gripping, shocking, sad, and incredible. I can't believe how this one girl went through all of this in less than a quarter of a lifetime. It's crazy.
This book is about a girl named Paige who was born with HIV and was bullied mercilessly for it, even though it wasn't her fault. The way that those kids bullied her was terrible, but the steps that her school took to stop it was literally unforgivable. I cannot believe how incredibly evil they are to just let this go on and on and on and on.
Paige grew up thinking that taking pills and meds were normal. She thought that seeing a doctor a LOT was ordinary. Her mom didn't tell her she had HIV until sixth grade, I believe. Which is crazy, though I absolutely do not blame her mom. I like how her mom tried to keep her daughter protected and safe for as long as she could.
When Paige found out about her disease, it changed her life, but she didn't really let it get to her, until...
She told her friend about her disease.
I mean, I would never do that personally, but that's probably because I'm a very secretive and quiet person who prefers to keep things to myself. So when Paige told her friend, I just knew something bad was going to come out of it.
And something did.
Her friend told her sister who told basically everyone. After that, Paige was bullied. Harshly. She was called "PAIDS" which was stupid, since she didn't even have AIDS. Let me tell you all now: HIV and AIDS are completely different things. They are not the same disease AT ALL. Ok? Anyways, she was called a bad nickname, had ridiculously cruel notes taped to her locker, and phone calls and outright teasing. I can't believe how cruel kids have been and still are.
I've been bullied before. I'm sure that most people have. But my bullying never got to be anything close to how extreme Paige's bullying was. It was honestly shocking.
And the worst thing is, the school didn't do ANYTHING to help her. Basically, they told her to hide it, lie, pretend it was just drama, and her soccer coach said something unforgivable. Read the book to find out. Just what is this? Who does this to a CHILD? Oh yeah, other CHILDREN. CHILDREN ARE MONSTERS SOMETIMES OK??
The reason I dropped my rating down to a 4.5 stars instead of a full 5 stars was because even though I knew this was a nonfiction story, some of it just felt too fairy-tale ending for me. I know it was all true, but I just didn't like how perfect a certain part of her life was. At all. :D
You don't just go over to your crush's house and play video games and KISS with him when you're 13 years old. You just don't. Also, you don't win beauty pageants and be on magazines all the time. I know she didn't win all the time, but I'm in the exaggerating mood.
I'm really happy that this book didn't end in suicide. Because otherwise, that would have just been too much for me. I mean, when bullying ends in suicide, it makes me feel so bad. I just wonder how those kids feel when they realize that they are basically, in the most general tense, murderers. Yeah. If you've ever been a bully, just think about the end results before you even start, ok? And if you've ever been bullied, trust me, don't suicide. It isn't worth it. Honestly, all it will do is cause guilt and pain and distress for other people. Ok?
Am I the only one who thought that that stress center sounded SO relieving and helpful? I wish they had one of those like everywhere, only I wouldn't want to be marked or bullied because of it. Ok? Just because you go to a stress center doesn't mean anything.
I loved that camp that was shown in this book! It looked really interesting!
This book was definitely a real eye-opener and was really good at showing me how this one girl did so much for herself. It's really amazing, actually. I would recommend this book to anyone. Anyone who can read and is willing to read.
I'm actually volunteering to raise money for people with HIV and/or AIDS, so... I'm glad to have some background knowledge of this already!
Main Character: Paige
Sidekick(s): Ethan, Mom, friends, Brryan, etc
Villain(s): HIV, suicide, bullying, Lila, Yasmine, etc
Nonfiction/Memoir/Autobiography Elements: This book is a nonfiction story that is written by Paige Rawl about herself.
etiemens's review
5.0
This book was so hard to put down! Even though it was her true story I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't fiction. This book brought me to tears and anger and laughter. It was beautifully written and told a powerful story about bullying and awareness and the cruelty of human nature. It was spectacular!
in2reading's review
4.0
This young woman overcame some horrible middle school experiences to become a compassionate activist against bullying. The book has a good message about overcoming the effects of being bullied and working to ensure that people's differences are appreciated. I thought it was great that the author realized she would have probably had a different and more insular life if she hadn't gone through her experience of being born with HIV. She seemed late to come to the realization that her mom was facing the same HIV issues she had. And she was careful to reiterate that it was "not her fault" that she was HIV positive. I assume she is just as compassionate towards those who made bad choices and ended up HIV positive or with AIDS. I do think this is worth reading for anyone who is concerned about the bullying of those who are different in any of numerous ways.
krismarley's review
5.0
Here's what really worries me.
1. Many young people don't know the difference between being HIV+ and having AIDS
2. Many young people don't know who Ryan White was.
1. Many young people don't know the difference between being HIV+ and having AIDS
2. Many young people don't know who Ryan White was.
catcervone's review
4.0
Truly a heartbreaking, inspiring, and ultimately uplifting story. So glad I finally read it!