Book Review <em>Peeled</em> by Joan Bauer

Peeled by Joan Bauer
Peeled by Joan Bauer. Penguin Group, 2008. Hildy Biddle, a journalist for her high school newspaper, goes on a search for the truth and finds herself defending truth in a battle larger than she feels equipped for. The book begins with this quote from Pete Hamill’s News is a Verb. “In the age of information overload, newspapers must be the medium that people believe. They don’t have to be first. They can even be last. But they must be right.” In this book, Hildy and her friends fight to make sure that their small town paper does not forget that what they report “must be right.” With great mentors and role models to guide her along the way, Hildy is able to uncover the truth and win the battle.
I love that this book reminds us to seek the truth, but I also love its message to teenagers summed up in Hildy’s last words, “Teenagers are a lot like bees at night, I think. We don’t like waking up and we don’t always get with the program immediately, but once we figure out our mission, we’ll see it through.”