Review Detail

3.3 1

This Is Not a Drill

Young Adult Fiction 631

Why we have lock down drills in schools!

October 28, 2012

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

N/A

Characters

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Writing Style

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Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Emery and Jake have had their romantic ups and downs, but are able to work together in Mrs. Campbell's first French grade class as helpers. Their skills dealing with small children are severely tested when the fathers of one of the boys shows up and demands to take his son. Not being content to work matters out in the office, he comes back, shoots a security guard, and holds the entire classroom hostage. It slowly comes to light that Brian Stutts fought in Iraq, and suffered so badly from PTSD that his wife left him and doesn't allow him to see his son as often as he would like. The point of view switches from Emery to Jake, and their chapters also include information about their pasts and relationships. The teacher, Mrs. Campbell, passes out from diabetic shock, and the two teens have to keep the agitated first graders quiet and have to try not to set off Stutts.

Good Points

This was a compelling read on a topic of current interest. While the main story was about the gunman and how he came to be so psychologically unhinged, I found the side story about Emery and Jake's' relationship to be just as interesting.