This book would fall into the category of adolescent literature, but even being an adult, I really enjoyed it. It is written and marketed to the young teen, and it is a very interesting read.

It is about a girl who is facing all sorts of problems at home; they get revealed to the reader in a piecemeal fashion. This creates sort of a mystery atmosphere: as the reader, we know something is seriously wrong with this girl's homelife, but we have to wait until she is ready to tell us about it. The girl, Tish, is writing in a journal that was an assignment from her English Teacher, Mrs. Dunphrey. She is allowed to write "don't read this" on each entry that she wants to remain private. The novel deftly illustrates how writing can help people sort out their feelings; her entries do not solve the problems she is facing, but at least Tish has an outlet to help her think out her problems.

Not only is Tish dealing with all sorts of domestic problems, but like all adolescents, Tish is also facing peer pressure and her self-esteem is directly linked with what her friends think of her. Little by little, the layers of Tish's troubled life are poured into this diary of sorts. Mrs. Dunphrey respects Tish's privacy, (which she should,) and Tish's troubles remain private. I won't reveal all of the events that Tish is forced to deal with because I would like you to read this novel for yourself. It is a quick easy read, but well worth it!

The novel explores how neglect and emotional abuse can devastate young children (I would say us adults aren't safe from those effects either) and how "keeping a secret" sometimes seems like the best solution for a scared teenager. Teenagers might not know who cab be trusted to help, and who will make their problems worse. It also reminds us that sometimes external actions of others, however unexplainable, may be for a good reason. It might benefit everyone to look underneath the surface and try to discover if there are reasons for a child's "acting out." Everything should not fall under the umbrella of "difficult teenager years."

Thankfully, Mrs. Dunphrey falls into the trustworthy category. This novel not only shows us what may go on inside a troubled teen's mind, but it is also a thought-provoking social commentary. The world in which we live, and the world in which teens need to survive is a troubling one. There are so many negative factors that kids need to deal with; sometimes they deal with these events with a false cool, or tough, facade. Don't you Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey reminds us to try and look beyond the surface and discover what is really motivating the teenager. This isn't always easy, not every troubled teen will hand you their own private journal, but it is worth the trouble.

I really enjoyed this novel and have to comment on another one that Haddix has written. About three years ago, my daughter came to me and asked me to read a novel that she thoroughly enjoyed. It was a Haddix novel entitled, Running out of Time. It was about a girl who found out that the village she lived in was really a tourist attraction: sort of like a reality-observation tourist attraction. She was living like it was colonial times, but did not know that it was the 20th century; they were kept isolated and frozen in time. Then her parents send her out into the "real world" (which raises a question about what is real?) to get medicine for her sick sibling. It was a wonderful novel, and the premise was so unique that I had to give it a plug here.

Anyway, for all of you who have an adolescent in your life, who teach, or who just want to understand kids, this is a good read! It is insightful and thought-provoking. Enjoy it! Happy Reading!