Rebecca Westcott Books

This book follows Eden’s battle to stay true to herself. A battle that I am sure after reading we would not want to find ourselves fighting. Eden finds herself on the wrong side of the Glossies – a vicious trio of girls who use social media to huge effect to assert their authority over their peers.

Eden wakes up to new running trainers on her birthday. She checks the group chat (Woodford Whispers) assuming it is another post about how great Mikki (one of the trio is). In school, utter humiliation by the Glossies follows those victim to it onto the world of social media.

Sports Day sparks a vendetta against Eden as she draws attention to herself (not intended – but being pushed into running the track race will do that to a character). Now on the Glossies’ radar, Eden finds herself presented with a test by them – a test that involves being unkind to one of the other girls – and refuses to undertake it, leading to her being subjected to the unkindness instead. As she is presented with further tests, Eden resolves not to join in with the bullying of others. However, it continues online. Eden begins a battle for survival but holds firm to her values. Hiding is not an option and she holds her own. There is a very clear message that even if you are not directly involved in the bullying, if you sit by and watch it happen without doing anything to counteract it, you are contributing to it – a message that may be painful for some to hear.

This is an important, thought-provoking and contemporary read that will grip ages 11-14.