6/10, I was hoping that I would enjoy this interesting realistic/mystery middle grade novel involving cyberbullying but I didn't expect it to be this terrible nor did I expect that there would be a lot of mature themes that would definitely be more suitable in a young adult book but for some reason it is in here and I had to deal with it which was discomforting. It starts off with Jun Li being framed for making images of someone with an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia and it shows the person vomiting out her food to achieve a skinny body and already I didn't like it from the beginning and that starts off Jun's investigation into who made the images so he lists off some suspects who might've made them like a student whose name I forgot but apparently he didn't do it and then Jun goes to another school and meets some flat stereotypical Goth girl who attempted suicide but survived but she wasn't the suspect either and maybe she was there only to raise awareness but she was a minor part of the story but I do appreciate the inclusion however the execution could've been a bit better. In the end Jun was exposed for lying to his mother for whatever reason and that made me not like him as much but I didn't care for him since the start and his character didn't develop but he finds out that the librarian was the culprit since she was smart enough to alter the school website and put the offending images in there and that's it. I like the representation of Asians in a middle school in America but the flaws of this outweigh the good aspects and made me not enjoy this book. Did I mention that an Asian didn't write this yet it's about an Asian main character so it's slightly disingenuous and there are better ones you can read like Worse Things by Sally Murphy or The Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. ( )

Lately, bully-themed stories cross my desk weekly. Of them all, Bully.com is the most realistic in terms of middle school student behavior. The author understands this age group, especially the female student and female groups. The story also has one of the most surprising endings. The culprit is never who you think and that is very true for Bully.com.
I
did have a few questions. The principle states the school has a “zero-tolerance policy on bullying,” yet Kimmie Cole, the victim in Jun’s cyberbully case, is the school’s biggest bully. She regularly gets back at students by posting something humiliating online, yet she’s never been expelled. Most of the students, Charlie Bruno in particular, verbally and physically abuse Jun. None faces consequences. The zero-tolerance policy seems to be selective. Is it simply acceptable to bully a bully? No, wait that is what Jun is accused of doing. Hm. Not until Jun outs the real cyberbully does the principle tell students he will not tolerate any more abuse against Jun. Why did he tolerate it the previous week?

Then there were some odd sentences. Such as, “Not could he wrap his brain around was that he had until Monday—seven days—to find the cyberbully.” (emphasis mine) And there is at least one loose thread that most will want answered. When called Jun’s girlfriend, why does it bother Chris to the point of furry and violence? She goes after any student who makes this statement, even in jest. At the end, she has no problem with such statements. Why did she have such a reaction and what has changed?

Now, for the good. Bully.com is realistic, well written, and the plot stays on course. There are a few twists; the biggest appropriately at the end. Some twists do not surprise readers. Others are difficult to see coming. The twist at the end of Bully.com is a guaranteed surprise. Author Joe Lawlor understands the mind of the middle school girl. He also understands the behavior of girl cliques. The pack mentality is clear in this story and spot on. Many times, his writing reminded of my own middle grade and high school years.

Of all the bully-themed books out this year, Bully.com is different. Jun Li, the accused, is also the detective, trying to clear his name. The real bully will surprise you, as it did me. The way that Jun delivers the cyberbully to the principle is unique, dramatic, and a bit humorous. It is also one of the best reveals from a new author.

Some parents may worry about the violence in bully-themed books, and it is a justified concern. Bully.com does not have much violence. Charlie Bruno delivers more threats than punches. Still, when Bruno attacks Jun, you can easily visualize what is happening. None of this will give any child a nightmare or make him fearful to attend school. Thanks to the author, of the many bully-themed stories read this year, Bully.com is the most realistic. This is Joe Lawlor’s debut novel.

(received from publisher)
Originally reviewed on Kid Lit Reviews: http://kid-lit-reviews.com/2013/04/20/review-bully-com-by-joe-lawlor/ ( )

There is too much hateful bullying going on these days.With electronics as another tool in bully's hands which can destroy someone's life . This is a great book that every student in my class wanted to read. Wish I had more of them. I enjoyed reading it myself. ( )

I received an advance reading copy of this book and finally got around to reading it. The main premise is that a young geeky Asian boy, Jun, is accused of cyberbullying another student because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. His principal tends to believe him and therefore gives him one week to find the real cyberbully before the police are called in. The story progresses through his struggle to figure out who the bully is until he finally does find the real one. Meanwhile Jun is somewhat bullied himself at school by the kids who think he was the one who was doing the cyberbullying.

While I enjoyed the story, and realize that it is meant for entertainment rather than educational value, I do have a couple of problems with this story.

First, Jun is accused by the principal of being a cyberbully. The principal does not call in his parents and neither does Jun tell his parents. In fact, he hides it and lies to his parents which is out of character for him. He does feel guilty for lying and we understand that he is trying to shield them from the whole situation.

Second, it is not realistic that the principal would not be working toward solving the problem. If the principal in the story WAS trying to find the cyberbully, nothing is said or implied that this is the case.

I hope that the published book has information for kids who are being bullied and sources for them to learn how to handle this. I would like to see a chapter or something at the end telling students that this is just a story and if they are being cyberbullied here is what they need to do. ( )

bully.com by Joe Lawlor is a great middle-school read about the important, unfortunate topic of cyberbullying and “regular” bullying. It’s also about what typical middle schoolers face day to day: body image, friendship, relationships, rumors, grades, getting along with teachers, discipline from the principal, accusations, hurtful teasing, expectations from adults and peers, and dealing with parents who care but may not always go about it the right way. So much is packed into one book, but woven into the story so that (most of the time) it does not feel didactic. Above all, it’s about judging and learning that everything is not black and white. This is a shift in understanding that many grade 7 and 8 students experience, going from a simpler elementary school world to the changes that adolescence brings.

Readers age 11 to 15 will recognize aspects of their own lives in this timely novel. And, they may be a little kinder to their classmates after reading it. ( )