Books about betrayal - for middle school readers
February 6, 2011 12:10 PM Subscribe
Need a book recommendation for my middle schooler. She just finished reading The Gadget by Paul Zindel, and is interested in other books or movies, for that matter, that involve betrayal by a friend.
While The Gadget (according to my daughter, since I haven't read the book) is about the Manhattan Project, what most intrigued her was the friendship that (*Spoiler*) was dramatically betrayed when the lead character's best friend turned out to be a Russian spy.
While The Gadget (according to my daughter, since I haven't read the book) is about the Manhattan Project, what most intrigued her was the friendship that (*Spoiler*) was dramatically betrayed when the lead character's best friend turned out to be a Russian spy.
A Separate Peace involves friend betrayal. It's listed as 9th grade and up, but I don't remember it being a particularly difficult read, it may just have more violence (not anything gruesome) than most recommended middle school books.
It's read a lot in high schools, so she'll be ahead of the game if she ends up reading it at school. ;-)
posted by elpea at 2:10 PM on February 6, 2011
It's read a lot in high schools, so she'll be ahead of the game if she ends up reading it at school. ;-)
posted by elpea at 2:10 PM on February 6, 2011
Smile, a graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier is about a middle schooler (and later, high schooler) growing up, dealing with braces, crushes, and her frustration with her friends, who keep putting her down. http://tweendom.blogspot.com/2010/02/smile-by-raina-telgemeier.html
would her school librarian or local librarian have any suggestions? they tend to be on the up and up with what's new and what's been well-received.
dealing with disappointing, surprising, or destructive friendships is a pretty common theme for middle grade and YA - there should be some good books for that. out and out betrayal might be more unusual, but a librarian would know better.
posted by Geameade at 3:00 PM on February 6, 2011
would her school librarian or local librarian have any suggestions? they tend to be on the up and up with what's new and what's been well-received.
dealing with disappointing, surprising, or destructive friendships is a pretty common theme for middle grade and YA - there should be some good books for that. out and out betrayal might be more unusual, but a librarian would know better.
posted by Geameade at 3:00 PM on February 6, 2011
Blubber by Judy Blume has some pretty brutal social stuff in it. Although that's going back 25 years or so..
posted by bquarters at 3:46 PM on February 6, 2011
posted by bquarters at 3:46 PM on February 6, 2011
It takes a while for the betrayal part to come out in The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce, but it's a great fantasy series. The betrayal comes in the last book, I think. There's Taking Terri Mueller by Norma Fox Mazer as well.
Dang, I know I have read plenty of young adult books that would fit the theme, but I can't think of them at the moment :-) I didn't realize Paul Zindel was still writing, I always enjoyed his books. HTH!
posted by Calzephyr at 3:48 PM on February 6, 2011
Dang, I know I have read plenty of young adult books that would fit the theme, but I can't think of them at the moment :-) I didn't realize Paul Zindel was still writing, I always enjoyed his books. HTH!
posted by Calzephyr at 3:48 PM on February 6, 2011
If you have an LJ account, or want to sign up for one, this community might have good suggestions too - http://community.livejournal.com/yalitlovers/
posted by Calzephyr at 3:50 PM on February 6, 2011
posted by Calzephyr at 3:50 PM on February 6, 2011
Best answer: These are books I've enjoyed that involve betrayal:
Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas
Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar (and sequels)
Agent Zigzag: A true story of Nazi espionage, love, and betrayal by Ben Macintyre
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Evermore by Alyson Noël
The first few, I remember for sure that the betrayal involved a friend or girlfriend. The last two, I don't remember who was betraying (just that I tagged the book with "betrayal").
Alanna: The first adventure by Tamora Pierce (and sequels)
A solitary blue by Cynthia Voigt
These both involve betrayal, but by authority figures rather than friends.
And while you can ask your local librarian as well, as a school librarian I know it's hard to come up with more than one or two from memory usually. It's not a trait you can easily search for in a library catalog. (Which is part of why I tag books I've read with traits like this in my personal database.)
posted by Margalo Epps at 3:56 PM on February 6, 2011
Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas
Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar (and sequels)
Agent Zigzag: A true story of Nazi espionage, love, and betrayal by Ben Macintyre
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Evermore by Alyson Noël
The first few, I remember for sure that the betrayal involved a friend or girlfriend. The last two, I don't remember who was betraying (just that I tagged the book with "betrayal").
Alanna: The first adventure by Tamora Pierce (and sequels)
A solitary blue by Cynthia Voigt
These both involve betrayal, but by authority figures rather than friends.
And while you can ask your local librarian as well, as a school librarian I know it's hard to come up with more than one or two from memory usually. It's not a trait you can easily search for in a library catalog. (Which is part of why I tag books I've read with traits like this in my personal database.)
posted by Margalo Epps at 3:56 PM on February 6, 2011
Oh right, I almost forgot. One I remember strongly from when I was younger was called The Josie gambit by Mary Francis Shura. It may be dated, but I enjoyed it a lot at the time.
posted by Margalo Epps at 3:59 PM on February 6, 2011
posted by Margalo Epps at 3:59 PM on February 6, 2011
Out of My Mind, in addition to being a fascinating story (intellectually gifted girl limited by severe CP discovers a way to communicate), has a devastating betrayal of the main character by peers she thought had come to accept her.
posted by Flannery Culp at 6:48 PM on February 6, 2011
posted by Flannery Culp at 6:48 PM on February 6, 2011
Seconding When You Reach Me. It only came out a couple of years ago and won the Newbery in 2010. I wept when I read that book.
posted by therewolf at 11:22 PM on February 6, 2011
posted by therewolf at 11:22 PM on February 6, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Has a betrayal and then a redemption.
posted by pianomover at 12:44 PM on February 6, 2011