Some days it's just easier not to go to school at all. Adam has been slacking off lately, but today he stuck around to see his girlfriend. When Josh, who has been bullied mercilessly, brings a gun to school, the building is locked down and Adam is forced to risk everything to save himself and to find Zoe before Josh does. Calling on reserves he didn't know he had, Adam could end up a hero―or a victim. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! Readers will see how good people can make bad decisions in this trim novel about a student who, frustrated by the abuse of his peers, brings a gun to school and rampages the halls, sending the place into emergency lockdown. Interestingly, the author avoids placing the blame on that one person: I didn’t mean it’s your fault. I mean, no one stepped in. So maybe it’s everyone’s fault. And anyway, Josh isn’t crazy. He’s just different. Crazy and normal are two terms the students (and readers ) struggle to define as the story spins out. The issues are realistic, but things are tied up a bit too quickly, and there’s not enough insight into the characters’ backgrounds to place their behavior in firm context. It’s made clear early on that the shooter’s rage is the result of accumulated abuse, but readers looking for depth may not buy the premeditated nature of the young man’s actions. The language will suit less skillful readers, who will find this story of a teen-related current issue quite accessible. Grades 6-8. --Rebecca Jensen "Diane Tullson is a wonderful up and coming author." ― Resource Links "The language will suit less skillful readers, who will find this story of teen-related current issue quite accessible." ― Booklist "The title and cover alone are sure to catch the eye of many teens looking for an accessible and interesting story. Recommended." ― CM Magazine "A worthwhile read." ― TeensReadToo.com "This story of a school in crisis is an intense, suspenseful read." ― The Horn Book Guide "High tension drama... grabs you by the throat at page one and it's an adrenaline rush all throughout the book...the type of book that could stimulate some really good discussions in a high school classroom or at home." ― CBC Radio One - All Points West This time, it's not a drill. School violence, friendship, responsibility School violence, friendship, responsibility Diane Tullson has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and is a trained technical writer. She is a member of the Canadian Children's Book Centre, the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable, Children's Writers and Illustrators of British Columbia and the Writers Union of Canada. Diane has been nominated for many awards, including the Stellar Award and the Arthur Ellis Award. Diane lives near Vancouver, British Columbia. It's like the entire school floods into the stairwell. People pound down the stairs toward us. Their voices clamor, frightened voices. They push and shove toward the blocked exit door, trying to escape the school. Like fish in a bucket, that's what we are. My mouth goes dry. A locked stairwell seems like a good place to kill a lot of people at one time. I grab Zoe's hand. "Come on. We have to go back up."