No one ever wants to be categorized as a person who cannot keep a secret or mind his or her own business. For teenagers, knowing when to sing like a canary can make or break their high school years. In Snitch by L.J. Wilson, Seneca Allen has to wear the brand of being called a snitch. She did what had to be done in order to save herself from serious trouble with her parents. However, is she really a snitch if she was only trying to clear up the mess someone else caused?

Seneca is best friends with Darren and Valencia, who happen to be a couple. She is loyal to both and tries her best to stay out of their relationship. However, when Darren and Valencia keeps pushing her for information on the other, Seneca finds herself stuck in a really hard position. Tension builds between Seneca and one of her friends, causing a string of issues that she is now tangled up in, all because of someone else’s anger and hurt feelings. This person’s action has just about the entire student body calling her a snitch. Being a true friend, Seneca keeps quiet never wanting any of her friends to feel the way she does. What will be the outcome of this friendship? Can they get past the betrayal among friends?

I enjoyed Snitch. I can remember being a teenager and always trying to stay away from gossiping classmates. I know it was difficult back then and cannot imagine how hard it is in this day and time. The realistic nature of this story had me shaking my head, because peer pressure and honor among friends can ruin the lives of children. As a concerned parent, I worry about my own children. I am going to share Ms. Wilson’s book with my two older children and save it for my youngest. They can benefit from the message and lessons the characters reveal as they deal with the everyday burden of being a teenager learning how to make decisions on their own. I recommend Snitch to parents of teens. Maybe as a family they can read the story and then discuss it.

The author provided a copy of the book for review purposes.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

Another African American Literature book review by APOOO Books.

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