Lessons from a Dead Girl
by Jo Knowles

    LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL by Jo Knowles
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  10/9/07
    Publisher:  Candlewick
    Reviewed by:  Allison Fraclose
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Laine hated her, and wished many times that Leah would die and leave her alone. She didn’t understand Leah, or
    why Leah chose her to be her best friend all those years ago. She didn’t understand the things that Leah did to her in
    the doll closet, or why Leah would torment her with that knowledge and the shame that Laine felt. As they grew
    older, she didn’t understand the problems that Leah faced, or the impact that they had on her behavior. As their
    English teacher told them once, you only hate what you don’t understand.

    Now that Leah Greene has died, Laine forces herself to try to understand Leah, and the things that Leah taught her
    about friendship and secrets. Friends are forever, Leah told her. Permanent just like the ink that Leah used to stake
    her claim on Laine’s hand back when they were young. Laine must now face the impact of what “forever” really
    means, and how it has affected her own aspects of the world.

    Jo Knowles has penned a stunning book that takes an introspective look at the scars of childhood abuse at the hands
    of a child’s peers. Laine’s experiences will have a profound impact on anyone who has ever wondered about the
    dynamics of child sociology, and how the damaging effects of abuse resonate from the original victims. For the
    mature young adult.