Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780986424618 |
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| Publisher: | Riverside Park Press |
| Publication date: | 02/14/2015 |
| Pages: | 362 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.81(d) |
| Age Range: | 13 - 18 Years |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Ideal High
4.8 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
4 reviews.
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Taryn has pretty much spent a summer in bed, after her almost boyfriend and six other classmates die in a fire. Taryn has a choice: sit back and do nothing her Senior Year or makes some hard, yet necessary changes to make her school better.
I love the play on the word Ideal. Not only does Taryn try and change Ideal to make it more ideal, but that's the name of their small Texas town. There are some great characters, in both good and bad ways, that accentuate this word, this school, and this community.
Change is hard and I admire Taryn's persistence to persevere, even when it's not the popular choice. There are some very serious issues addressed within these pages--bullying being the main one. It can't be solved easily, but Taryn tries her best to chip away at the problem and I love the way some unlikely characters jump on the bandwagon with her. Of course, I love the potential romantic and mystery elements. It's so important to Taryn to find out the truth of what really happened that night. Was it an accident or not?
I can't stop thinking about the way each of these lives intersect. The same goes for real life--we never know the way we can effect people and situations and these cross-threads were fascinating, in a sometimes horrifying way, to watch unravel. This book really made me sit back and access my life and the world around me. Sometimes tradition outweighs change, even when it's more beneficial to adapt. It's too easy to get stuck in a rut and I'm really thinking hard about the comparisons between this story and life. Is it better to stick out and make a difference or conform and turn a blind eye to evil? There's a lot of growth and self-confidence developed throughout this book and I loved it.
Content: mild violence (bullying, death--not too graphic); mild romance (some very mild innuendo). Clean and especially great for teens and parents, if only to bring about awareness to modern life.
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*
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A timely and important subject presented by a gifted storyteller. “Ideal High” is more complex than just a “one person can make a difference” book. This book is certainly that, but what I loved about it is how real the characters felt. I especially loved how Taryn, the catalyst for those changes, was an imperfect character who made mistakes, some of them painful, and how the repercussions of those mistakes played out realistically. But Taryn doesn’t give up, she learns and she grows and yes, in the end, she makes a difference that is all the more powerful for those realistic imperfections each one of us has. Her relationship with Chelsea was especially emotional for me. This book has everything—tragedy, mystery, romance, and perfect pacing—to keep a reader reading while learning important lessons along the way.
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A timely and important subject presented by a gifted storyteller. “Ideal High” is more complex than just a “one person can make a difference” book. This book is certainly that, but what I loved about it is how real the characters felt. I especially loved how Taryn, the catalyst for those changes, was an imperfect character who made mistakes, some of them painful, and how the repercussions of those mistakes played out realistically. But Taryn doesn’t give up, she learns and she grows and yes, in the end, she makes a difference that is all the more powerful for those realistic imperfections each one of us has. Her relationship with Chelsea was especially emotional for me. This book has everything—tragedy, mystery, romance, and perfect pacing—to keep a reader reading while learning important lessons along the way.
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Sometimes in the face of great tragedy can come tremendous change. Our view of the world during those times is altered and, with courage, we can find ways to make a change for the positive in our lives and in the lives of those around us. In Valerie Ipson’s Ideal High, Taryn Young is a survivor who sets out to make that change for the better.
First there was the terrible fire and loss of life, and Taryn knew life would never be the same. The book deals with the emotions that anyone can feel after a devastating loss: grief, guilt, mourning and despair. From the ashes, Taryn is able to not only find a message to share with the world, but also herself, accomplishing more than she would have ever imagined she could have.
Then there is the mystery. What isn’t adding up? What is the author keeping from us? This book is an absolute page-turner. From the very beginning of the book, Ipson sets up the reader to wonder what the plot twist is going to be at the end. There is a mystery that the reader knows is somewhere around the bend, and it is hard to put the book down because of the anticipation.
The book covers one additional theme that has a lot of relevance in today’s world. Bullying has become a hot topic these last few years, and I think this book does a good job of covering this issue. Unfortunately, it is a major issue that can’t just be ignored. Ideal High teaches an important lesson that all parents would want their kids to learn, the lesson that you, as an individual, can help make a difference in your life and the lives of others. At times, the story might be, as the title suggests, a little too ideal but I believe a work of fiction requires leniency for the author to get their thoughts across.
With additional themes such as friendship, betrayal, and romance, Ideal High transports us all back to our own high school days. I think Ipson paints a very accurate portrayal of high school and teenage emotions, making this a must read for any individual trying to navigate parenting a teenager.
If Ipson set out to write a book with a lasting message and call to action, she succeeded tremendously. Ideal High is a well-written, well-intentioned read that can help spread a much-needed message in today’s society.
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