Crushed
About
A heartfelt middle grade story about changing friendships, peer pressure, and the courage to speak up when lines are crossed, perfect for fans of Starfish and Finally Heard.
Sophie Valentine would rather be at home, doing school virtually. Instead, she’s waiting in a crowded middle school building for her best friend, Eve, who’s finally back after an extended absence, which only Sophie knows the truth about.
But when Eve returns, things aren’t the same. First, Eve stops walking to school with her in the morning. Then, she’s ditching Sophie to hang out with the Crash Crew, a group of popular kids notorious for their social media dares. Eve seems to fit right in, but Sophie is devastated: Did she just lose her best friend?
When rumors surface that Eve is hiding a painful secret she didn’t share with Sophie, Sophie is spurred on an investigation to discover what--or who--caused the incident behind Eve’s sudden change...and why all clues lead back to the Crash Crew. Using lessons from her forensics class and the help of a new friend, Sophie will have to uncover the truth before more harm is done.
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Praise for this book
“Relatable, informative, and needed.”
"This book should be in every library."
"Engaging as it is enlightening, Conklin has weaved a layered tale with realistic, multigenerational tendrils of misogyny and misconduct. An invaluable read."
“I absolutely devoured this book! I even read it again! This is one every MS student should read, teachers and admin too!”
"Conklin crushes her depiction of middle school, with old friendships changed and new friendships gained, cliques, peer pressure, and all the anxiety and courage of growing up."
"Melanie Conklin has made a career of tackling tough, important topics in her work, but CRUSHED is her most ambitious and significant book yet. It should be required reading for all tweens and teens who engage with social media -- and for the adults in their lives, too. As a fellow author, I'm in awe of Melanie's deft, powerful prose. And as both a reader and a parent, I'm grateful to her for helping us confront and navigate the issues of our time."
"In Crushed, Melanie Conklin carefully demonstrates how the pressures of online culture makes the eternal difficulties of middle school exponentially worse, and how dangerous it can be when those pressures intersect with our society’s abiding indifference toward the harassment of girls. Compulsively readable, deeply compassionate, and ultimately empowering, Crushed will resonate deeply with readers."
"Melanie Conklin's pitch-perfect voice paints this story of changing friendships, peer pressure, and anxiety with humor and gentle candor. The characters are warm and complex, and smart, brave Sophie is a narrator you can't help but root for. I wish I could place this book into the hands of my younger self and tell her, 'You're not alone.' A beautiful story bursting with love on every page."