A Bullied Reunion by Chris Ponici

In A Bullied Reunion by Chris Ponici, readers are brought into the tragic narrative of Cristiano Leuca, a young boy who was mercilessly teased throughout the entirety of his high school years. Ponici tells the story of Cristiano in graphic, awkward detail, making it impossible not to sympathize as the character stumbles through cliques, lost love, embarrassment, abuse and self-doubt.

For people whose high school memories are distant and fading, this book is a striking reminder of the cruelty that some children still experience at the hands of their peers, and the mental fortitude required to simply survive the school day. Those who have ever experienced bullying understand that the most painful scars will never show up on the skin, and this book will be immediately recognizable for those readers, and a lesson learned for others.

The even darker side of the novel takes place twenty years in the future, where Cristiano is plotting the ultimate revenge on those who made those formative years of his life so miserable. The language is brutally honest and direct, perfectly immersing readers in teenage cadence and style. This level of authenticity and believability is essential, as it drives home the cruelty, sadness, immaturity and internal struggles of these deeply developed characters.

Tackling one of the most difficult topics of today, and doing so with grace and sensitivity, Ponici has created a heart-wrenching and honest story that will resonate with adults and mature young adult readers.