Giles, G. (2003). Shattering Glass. New York, NY: Simon Pulse.
Plot Summary:
It's senior year and Rob, the most popular guy in school, decides that he wants to leave his legacy by transforming the school geek into Mr. Popular. Meet Simon Glass. Not only is he a brain, gbut he takes the term "geek: to whole new level, which makes him the ideal candidate for Rob's "Cinderella" project. Now, Simon is not at all unfamiliar with Rob and his antics (him and his buddies have been Simon's tormentors for years). However, when Rob approaches Simon with this proposition he reluctantly accepts.
With a makeover, lesson in the art of being "Cool," and an attitude change, Simon not only leave his reputation as the King of Geeks in the dust, but he actually manages to achieve the same rank as Rob, who has mixed feelings about this. Then, one day, Simon Glass does the unimaginable--he supersedes Rob as the coolest guy in school. Completely unnerved, and upset, Rob decides to pull the plug on this operation. However, Rob is unable to stop stop Simon just as Dr. Frankenstein was unable to put an end to his creation. In a desperate attempt to reclaim what is his, and to keep Simon from revealing how he hacked the school's computers to change his grades, Rob and his buddies, do something horrific to take back something that was never theirs to begin with.
Critical Evaluation:
When reader's read the first chapter, they are immediately thrown in a world entangled in violence and revenge. This story provides a grim look into the power of high school cliques and how desperate we can be to bring an end to our suffering by hurting those who hurt us. In this tale, the tables have turned on the popular guy who turned the nerd into a monster that stripped him of his power and popularity. Giles story is easy, fast paced, and incredibly provocative that readers cannot put it down. This books is a great title for the reluctant reader since it draws them in the moment they turn the first page. Although Simon Glass meets a horrible demise, readers will learn how popularity can turn anyone into monster.
Reader's Annotation:
It's senior year and Rob has decided that he wants to end this year with a bang. He and his group of friends have decided to turn Simon Glass, the resident geek, into Mr. Popular. Although Simon refuses them, he eventually gives and allows his new "friends" to turn into someone he never wanted to be. When the experiment pays off, Simon is not only brand new on the outside, his confidence has sky rocketed that has allowed his personality to come out of hibernation. However, Simon has become a monster that Rob can no longer control and when Simon threatens to expose Rob, the ending of this story ends with one hell of a bang.
Information about the Author:
Unlike most authors, Gail Giles didn't know she was going to become a writer until she wrote a funny story that helped her escape the wrath of the nun at catholic school. In her website, Gail Giles have lived in quite a few places that have inspired the various locations of her novels. The idea for writing this novel came about when Giles was substitute teaching an art class and overheard a bunch of cheerleaders teaching a nerdy guy how to dress and how they have to have a "seminar" to help him look better. When Giles overheard this conversation, she tucked it away and decided to use it, coupled with another story, told by a teen who was helping around her house. In this story, the boy's father made a terrible decision where he had to drop out of school, lose all of his friends, and, eventually, ruined his life. By using different parts of the stories, and the influence of the Great Gatsby and Lord of the Flies, Giles crafted this tale of two guys with two very different agendas and the disastrous results of their decisions.
Giles has written several other thrillers such as: Dead Girls Don't Write Letters, What Happened to Cass McBride, Playing in Traffic, and Right Behind You. Although most of her words revolve around some pretty intense situations, these novels drive home the moral of every story, which provides a cautionary tale for teens to make the right decision or suffer the consequences of their decisions.
Genre:
Suspense
Curriculum Tie-In's:
A great book to introduce Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War or can be used as a stand alone title to teach the effects of decision making. Gail Giles has even created a list of questions that can be used for discussion and essay writing.
Booktalking Ideas:
The best way to introduce this title is to just read the first chapter. Once the teens have finished gasping, the Librarian con proceed with a book talk that will keep them begging to hear more.
Reading/Interest Level:
Grades 10 & up
Books Similar to Shattering Glass:
- Breaking Point by Alex Flinn
- Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
Challenge Issues:
The one challenge that will surface is the violence. However, according to Giles, "The ending is violent and the book is not about the violence but what caused it. How things spin out of control. About little wrongs leading to big ones. If I gave the violence away at the beginning, I felt like I defused the shock—and shock wasn’t the reason for this book to exist (para. 6)." By explaining to patrons that although the ending of the book is violent, the point of the story is not about violence but what leads up to the fatal ending. Reviews, author website, and holding information can be used to prove why the book should stay in the collection.
Why Did I Pick this Book?
I picked this book because teenage guys will soak it up in seconds. Although it is written by a woman, Giles has captured the struggle for power and dominance that guys face on a daily basis. Moreover, reluctant readers will love the length and the way the story is told so this is another one to add to the collection since it will circulate quite well with the help of reader's advisory and booktalking.
Awards/Recognition:
- Starred Reviews from Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, and Booklist
References:
Giles, G. (n.d.). FAQ's. FAQ's. Retrieved December 29, 2010, from http://www.gailgiles.com/FAQS.html
Giles, G. (n.d.). How I Wrote Shattering Glass. How I Wrote It. Retrieved December 29, 2010, from http://www.gailgiles.com/How_I_wrote_Shattering_Glass.html
Giles, G. (n.d.). Teacher's Guide for Shattering Glass. Teacher's Guide. Retrieved December 29, 2010, from http://www.gailgiles.com/Teachers_Guide_for_Shattering_Glass.html
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