The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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Average customer rating 4.8 (65 comments)

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Chbosky's story is well-written. I especially enjoyed reading it because of the charismatic style that the author has. I haven’t read many good books that are written in this ‘diary’ style. Since I am one to usually avoid those after experience, I found that after reading the first few pages, this one was different. Charlie was an honest, mature boy who seemed to see things differently. I loved his shy opinions and thoughts about things, and his cute way of writing that made me laugh reading some entries. Stephen Chbosky's style seems to be less descriptive, more philosophical, but still easy enough to read and understand. He uses interesting words I found myself sometimes looking up in the dictionary, but simple ones too that are comfortable to the reader. I immensely enjoyed reading "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and I’m looking forward to checking out another works of his.

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When I finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chybosky, I sat there in a stunned silence. The book was strongly powerful in a manner that diary or letter style books rarely achieve. There is usually a sense of implausibility in those types of books that Charlie's character completely negated. When trying to describe Charlie the mind suddenly reels, he's honest. Completely and utterly genuine in his perceptions and most of his actions. Charlie is also and emotional basket case that somehow manages to attract a special group of friends to him. A group of voluntary outcasts that go through the same problems teenagers face everywhere. Sex, drugs, relationships and acceptance figure heavily into everyone's lives, despite their personal beliefs on those subjects. I would like to mention Stephen's portrayal of Patrick, I was pleased to see the sbuject of homosexuality treated in such a plain manner. It was accepted as a fact and only the feelings invovled in the situations were important. I would recomment this book to a wide range of people, old or young, straight or gay, conservative or liberal. It was a pleasure to read and I enjoyed it immensely.

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This book it lovely! I encourage people to read it before watching the movie, it's far better. The plot allows for real character depth, and the story is very original. I found myself falling in love with this novel every time I picked it up!

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This is such a great book, and it is so easy to love the characters.

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This book has caused great discussions among my students and in my middle school and high school classes because it deals with many of the same things that my students are dealing with. It's been a perfect draw for some of my reluctant readers, and the fact that it is now a movie has added even more to our discussions as we debate which is better the book or the movie. (The book is winning hands down - Hooray!)

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I love this book. It is sad and funny and unexpected, and so much more than just a coming of age story. The epistolary format works fantastically well, allowing us to see things as Charlie, the protagonist does, and, sometimes, quite intentionally not allowing us. It's a book about growing up, about falling in love, about being different, about being young and infinite and that second of certainty we've all felt, at least once, that we're going to remember a moment forever. I've re-read it twice already, because it resonates with me every single time. Amazing.

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This book has really relatable, great characters who you really come to care about. The writing style is very simple and easy to read but is still interesting, and makes the narrator feel like a friend.

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Perks is one of the greatest coming of age stories I've ever read! It's a powerful and frequently challenged look at adolescence, introversion, and living life. In someways it's difficult to put into words what makes this book so great, you'll just have to read it yourself. Highly recommended.

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This is by far one of my favorite books.

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This was the best book I read in 2011, because it stuck with me. While I was reading it, I was completely caught up -- the protagonist is just so disarmingly honest and screwed up and sweet. His story, his coming of age -- it is touching and fantastic. And, to quote from it, reading this book made me feel "infinite."

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I can read this book over and over without it losing it's magic. This book is relateable to every teenager no matter what circles you run with. It's beautifully written and has many quotes which make you stop reading and think.

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this boook is soooo gay

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This book is amazing!!!! It is a wonderful book for older teens. Everything Charlie goes through teens go though everyday. The book is so REAL, its amazing!! I would highly recomend this book to other people. This is by far the best book I have ever read!!! 'I feel infinite!'

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I love the way that it was written, in letter form. I love that the premise of the story is a more indie, real life situation. Yet, his life is distant enough from mine so I can analyze it, but close enough to relate.The difference in characters and the the way he makes the characters really brings it together. You can tell that this kid didn't know anything to begin, but slowly learned as his life progressed.

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Captures the sweet yearning, intense friendships, and loss of innocence of the 'coming of age' years perfectly!

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On the same level as The Catcher in the Rye!

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this book is absolutely amazing. i read it three times in the first week i got it. its so real. stephen has created a true character. not afraid to hold back. charlie is a wallflower that slowly blossoms in his first year of high school. you will not want to put this book down. through all that goes on, a suicide, drugs, date rape, the rocky horror picture show and car rides that make you feel infinite, this book reveals the very real thoughts and feelings of a young teenage boy who is finding himself with help of friends are maturing in these letters he writes to "friend." simply unforgetable! a MUST-READ!!!! too amazing too pass up.

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i feel like i'm coming into the game late because i just now found this book. i know it is a young adult book but i am 25 and i still think it is the best book i have ever read. Charlie is so relatable, as were all his situations. granted in high school my experiences were greatly different it was the emotion behing them. i am a wallflower myself and it was great to read about his changes throughout the story. it also gave me hope to see how much he went through and still came out of his shell in the end to "participate"

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As I read this book, I could envision myself in many similar situations, could remember my own unexplainable emotions, during adolescence . Granted, many of Charlie's experiences were nothing like my own, but that doesn't seem to matter when you're wrapped up in the pages of his intriguing story. All that matters is that we can relate to him, and through that we learn and remember more about ourselves.

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i declared this my favorite book before i even finished reading it. i love how it is told in letters. chbosky created such a realistic main character with charlie that i felt like he was a best friend. i've never been able to relate to a character in a book like this before. this book changed my life. i definitely recomend it.

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This book is a wonderful coming of age tell of a young teen and his life, and all the new experiences that change and shape his upcoming years. There's a lot of humor and very meaningful writing throughout the entire book. I could really relate as an awkward new teen and I recommend this book to anyone...

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This is such a great book :) I really enjoyed the form of letters that Stephen Chbosky did. The Perks of Being a Wallflower really inspired me. I love how the ending makes you think..like wait, what just happened? It's a great book! :)

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The softest, most sensitive book I've ever read. If Go Ask Alice is the clitorus, consider this book the g-spot. That's how sensitive this thing is. Everytime I pick it up I want to listen to Iron & Wine and watch Grey's Anatomy. Overall, well written. Fantastic job with the main character, he seems like a real kid, and the author did a superb job making him extremely relatable. Not the most challenging book, doesn't make one think much, but then again, it's published by the same people who make The Hills seem almost dramatic. It's real, it's relatable, and it has prevented more than one teen suicide throughout the years. Can't complain much about that.

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This was one of my all time favorite books. It's deals with just about everything. Drug abuse, Sex, Emotion problems, Love. If you liked any types of books like Go Ask Alice, this is quite similar.

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Every time I read this book, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The author really does a good job on portraying this character.

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Charlie went from being an observant, soft spoken wallflower to becoming a free spirited young man. He went through a lot his first year of high school and I think it taught him how to be more open. His encounter with Sam is no stranger to the typical high school romance. With the drug use, sexual orientaion confusion, and raging hormones, Charlie let us experience the ups and downs of high school through his funny, but sometimes sad letters to a friend.

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This book is absolutely amazing. It had me cracking up laughing at times and sympathizing with Charlie when things went wrong. I reccomend this to anyone!!!!!

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I have read this book time and time again; every time it still manages to blow me away. I read the book when I was 17 and still three years later I have not found a book more astonishing. So many people have banned the books from schools and forbid their children from reading them, in all honesty I believe if parents would let their children read the book it would help them. High school is rough and reading the book makes everything seem so much clearer in the eyes of a teenager. Being brutally honest with "sex, drugs and the rocky horror picture show!" everything in between, 5 stars is what the book deserves! ;D

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I am 27 and I finished this book in one night. It was beautifully written and I just wished that I'd read this earlier during my teenage years.

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i think that the story was titled this after the main character, who sits back for a majority of the novel and whitenesses life go on around him as he ponders what he should be doing (aka: he's a wallflower) And by the end, although not too much changes in character development, we get a feeling that he realizes that in order to understand life, you have to live it. You can't sit back and be a "wall flower" because you'll always be stuck behind a hidden barrier of observing life as it goes by, and never truly getting into it, establishing good relationships, and understanding the emotions that decorate our daily lives.

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:D<3>

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Awesome read. Even if you are far out of high school, this book takes you back to the feelings and memories you had back when. Written in letters, the character explains each situation before he mails them. A fast read and very amusing and though provoking. I highly recommend it for any age.

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I loved this book, it really spoke to me as a teenager. It truely changed my life. I now that every teenager goes through the same things as me and it is normal. I cant believe people have banned this book in some schools. This book should be read by all teenagers, it might just help them like it helped me.

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I read this book in one day. I could not put it down until the end. Its crazy how its all real. I was very happy with this book i bought it the next day and share it with friends.

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I want this book so bad, but i had my librarian order it for me (it would be free!) and she read the first 40 pages then the last 20. She gave it to my guidence conselour and said i couldn't have it :[

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hey im only 15years old and i think this book is awesome i read it in like 2 days i dont know if theres second but if theres im going to read it because thats like the same stuff im going though because im in high school

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I read this book in a day. Anyone can relate to the hardships Charlie experiences. Everyone should read this at least once.

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This is my favourite book ever, it is full of meaningful quotes that have changed my life :)

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower was an amazing book. Anyone can easily relate to Charlie in one way or another. I'll admit that Chbosky's story was a sad one, but also filled with cold, hard, truth. A lot of authors would be afraid to talk about the events that occur in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It was nice to read something that was so close to reality.

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I teach high schoolers & it is always a challenge to find books that they find relevant and interesting. "Perks" is a well-written, thougtful, sometimes funny, sometimes painful story about a high-schooler named Charlie. Written as a series of letters, the book deals with romance, family, music, sex, and other teen issues. It's no "Catcher in the Rye," but it's a good book for that teen who won't touch a book. Also check out "Speak" and "Please Don't Kill the Freshman."

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hi, my name is chad and im 17. Over the past year my mother became addicted to crack/ cocaine, and my father is an alcoholic, whent to jail for the 3rd time since 6th grade. So school has been very difficult for me. but then i was assigned to read by my english teacher and immediatly fell in love with. i havent read a school book until this one and im very glad i did. Chbosky has touched my life through charlie to a degree i cannot express through words.

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I haven't read this book but i am wanting to, i had to write an paper about a game and a book i would take with me if i was stranded on an island and i said the perks of being a wallflower, and my teacher asked me if i could explain why without a sexual reason, and my reason is everyone says it makes you feel less alone in life.

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I am 15 i read this book last year my teacher told me to read it honestly this is the best book i've ever read charlie teaches you a lesson on how to live your life before i read this book i was always depressed but when i relized that somebody elses actually felt the same way [[charlie]] it made me open up more if you havent read this book then you should its great

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I really liked this book a lot. Something I didn't like was how Charlie was what...15 or something and he was so naive. But, he reminded me of a guy I know. It's an amazing book. =] Carly

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im 13, i was first introduced to this book from my cousin, he is 18. i read this and i have been so inspired ever since reading this book to change my life b/c mine seemed like it had a little to much suffering, and not enough moments to when i could just stand up in the back of a truck, and fly. i would really like that. i have read this book 6 times and it never gets old, it just gets better. if you can, do yourself a favor and read this book.

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Im 16, i enjoyed this book, it relates to everything in the teenage years, this is one of my favorite books and i read quite a bite for my age. I also the the catcher in the rye by J.D. Salinger I read that, that book inspired Stephen Chboskey to write this masterpeice. Phonomonal Book.

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I liked this book, but what makes me hate it is that everyone and their mother thinks it's the greatest book ever. To say it's the greatest book you've ever read just means you haven't read very many books. It's nothing extremely special. It's very well written and was put together nicely. It's one of those books that you can't put down until you've finished it. I think it's a book every teenager should read.

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I read this 4 years ago at 19. It was read to moonlight and flashlight, curled in a sleeping bag. I still remember those few hours fondly. Charlie is an instantaneously likable character writing to an anonymous never-present benefactor. "I am writing you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try and sleep with that person at that party even though you could have." Off Charlie goes. A gentle, codependent high-schooler confessing on a spectrum of issues from an unrequited crush to homophobia to fighting parents to a sad sister to a jock brother to his English teacher who ladles out assignments like a soup nazi. Underneath and above and through it all throbs a shy, tentative voice coming into his own. The results have that special oomph which only comes with true talent. This is a beautiful, soulful, emotional piece. Buy it for your son, your daughter, AND yourself. It's that good.

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I bought this book on sale a few days ago, and read it five times since then. I cannot explain how much my eyes have opened just by reading the first few pages. Charlie's story moved me deeply and though I cannot relate to everything that happened to him, I could imagine it happening to me. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower has become my alltime favorite book and most likely always will be. I think I've recommended it to almost all of my friends. Thank you Stephen Chbosky for writing such an amazing, life changing book.

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IM ON THE PROCESS OF FINISHING THIS BOOK. ITS FANTASTIC. IM NOT FULLY DONE WITH IT BUT I CAN TELL U WHAT I HAVE READ ABOUT THE BOOK. ITS ABOUT A YOUNG BOY NAMED CHARLIE, WHO GOES THROUGH A LOT IN JUST GROWING UP. FOR EXAMPLE: WHEN HE WALKS IN HIS BASEMENT AND FINDS HIS OLDER SISTER HAVING SEX WITH HER BOYFRIEND, WHILE SHES DATING HIM HE BEATS HER AND SHE DOESNT WANT ANYONE TO KNOW, BUT BY MISTAKE IT GETS TO CHARLIES PARENTS EARS. FOR EVERYTHING HE DOES HE GETS BLAMED. MEANWHILE HE IS DEALING WITH PEER-PRESSURE IN SCHOOL WITH DRUGS AND CANCER STICKS. HE FINDS OUT HIS BEST FRIEND IS GAY AND HIS BEST FRIEND NAMED PATRICK IS DATING THE SCHOOLS FOOTBALL QUATERBACK. BUT NOONE KNOWS. THIS SECRET IS AMONG THEMSELVES. THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO READ TO FIND OUT IF EVERYONE IN SCHOOL FINDS OUT ABOUT THEIR AFFAIR ON THE LOW OR IF CHARLIE HIMSELF IS GAY TOO.WHO KNOWS? THERE IS A BIG TWIST IN THIS BOOK BUT YOU WOULD ONLY FIND OUT IF YOU READ IT YOURSELF.

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Wow. That's all I have to say. I've read this book three times in the last year. It just gets better, and better. I just wish I could tell Stephen Chbosky how this book has affected my life. I've read The Catcher In The Rye, but I read it after The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I was greatly disappointed. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was a hundred times better. This should be required school reading. I love this book. =]

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I just finished The Perks Of Being a Wallflower today. I picked it up just to pass the time, and it has turned out to be one of my favorite books. Charlie pulls you in to his world of growing up and becomming a person. This is a wonderful book.

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This is the best book i have ever read i wish i knew other books that were as good. Read it because it relates to teenagers a lot

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower has captured the spirit of Holden Caulfield beautifully. This book shows the thoughts of someone and i think everyone needs to read something to the effect of this style of writing at least once in their lives. As you read the book, you begin to feel as if you know Charlie and if you don't, you might feel that you want to know him. Many people are hypocritical and Charlie shows the true side of him that not many see. He may be somewhat soft emotional, but its better than having someone completely hard and one who doesnt let others in. His life is one that many people can relate to, and it helps us to think about things that are not going on in our lives for once. It is a great book.

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My grandson lent me this book to read, and I found it fascinating and revealing. He said it is his favorite book. He's the same age as Charlie and evidently related to a lot of the people in the book. It's led to open healthy dialogue between us. A great book for anyone with an open mind who wants to learn more about what it's like to be a high school student today, it will make you laugh, love and cry.

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This book will either be an amazing book to you or emo trash; it all depends on how deeply you look at the book. Charlie is not your average high schooler, but everyone can find elements of themselves within him. A complex character, we see how much he loves those around him and follow as he reaches a state of elightenment. As Charlie finds peace with himself, he helps you realize the person you want to be, and what part of your personality in the true part. When I read it, from 2 to 7 AM, I realized how much I love my friends, and resolved to show it. Not in trite words or cliche aphorisms, but by greeting everyone with a smile and a genuine interest in them and their sould. Through the novel, Charlie helps others just by listening, caring, and understanding. The person I want to be is the person that always happy to see you, and when I speak with you, you can tell that I am there for you, and because of that the feeling of isolation that we all feel is lessened. Love always,

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i think this book is such a good read, i havent got the book myself but i read the first 10 pages of my friends copy and wow it got me hooked, unfortunatly every book shop i have been in hasnt got it so i cant read the rest of the book. i recommend this book to anyone normally my books only include harry potter but my friend recommended this and im glad she did.

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a poetically written book, revealing the truths and secrets of a teenager, recognizing and validating the reader's own experiences. an enjoyable and likeable main character, i missed him when the book ended.

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This is simply one of my favorite books ever. I felt so different after i read this book and i can't quite explain it. I can relate in many ways to Charlie because he is in everyone in some way or another. The way he is so brutally honest about everything kept me reading. I've read it at least five times and it never gets old. This book is a way to understand yourself without meaning to. "I am very interested and fascinated by how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other." "I just wish that God or my parents or Sam or my sister or someone would just tell me what's wrong with me. Just tell me how to be different in a way that makes sense. To make this all go away. And disappear. I know that's wrong because it's my responsibility, and I know that things get worse before they get better because that's what my psychiatrist says, but this is a worse that feels too big."

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I read this book on vacation this summer in one night. I came away from the book with a feeling of calm... like everything would be okay. The book has sat on my desk for weeks so I can look at it when I need to. Having dealt with a lot of family problems with alcoholism, there are a lot of passages that really helped me. My personal favorite is on page 211 when Chbosky writes, "I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there." I highly recommend it to anyone.

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my all time favorite book i have read over the summer! I liked this book so much i have read it over 2 times. This book tells nothing but the hardships of high school and they are so true. -a freshman in High school

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Abook about a teenage boy who just doesn't seem to fit in,and how he copes through life. The author takes you through his school years, drugs,dates and being a wallflower, and you will even laugh at times. Very well written and a great book for all.

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i love this book!!! favorite one of all time! its so.... yeah! its just awsome

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This book was so hard to put down!! I think that it would have been a little more interesting if they author would have given a hint towards who Charlie was writing to. The fact that we aren't supposed to know at all isnt really that challenging. I enjoyed that we were looking through the eyes of someone that normally I would not be friends with. Charlie starts out very naive and childish and throughout the book, he matures alot. I REALLLY enjoyed this book, myself being a teen. It covered alot of issues and things that go on in my high school. It's funny to think that almost the same thing goes on in all highschools. It's nice to know we're not alone.

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I thought this was a great book! Charlie writing letters to an anonymous person made it even more interesting. This book talked about so many great issues and the ending was incredible! I would recommend this book to all ages. Only problem with reading it is that you can't put it down;)