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Jun 25, 2015lauranth rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Peeled, by Joan Bauer, is a young adult novel that focuses on the adventures of Hildy Biddle, an aspiring journalist who writes for her local high school's newspaper, The Core. Residing in Banesville, New York, breaking news would consist of the death of the class hamster and what is for lunch. But things do not stay that way for long as mysterious notes start popping up near the creepy Ludlow house. Rumour has it that the ghost of the original owner was out and about again haunting the town. The other local newspaper, The Bee, tries to convince the town of this rumor, and spreads fear across the town. The ensuing conflict has a hint of melodrama some readers may have encountered before. Hildy and her friends are set on a mission to find the truth, no matter what the costs. Hildy is a strong female heroine, so this is a good book for girls out there who just need a source for inspiration and courage, as well as anyone who loves journalism. Humour, mystery, romance, you name it, and Bauer’s got it all packed into this 248-paged book. However, I just wish that it were more thrilling like Nancy Drew, with Hildy investigating the haunted house, but it did not have much action. I would give this novel a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars for helping to be a reminder that teens ARE an important part of every community and that the work they do matters, as well as making the often tedious work of investigative reporting and journalism both highly interesting and relevant to the experience of young people, in the process.