Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Fli
Genres
Collection
Publication
HarperTeen (2003), Edition: Reprint, 256 pages
Description
Young Adult Fiction. HTML: How far would you go to fit in? Paul is new to Gate, a school whose rich students make life miserable for anyone not like them. And Paul is definitely not like them. Then, something incredible happens. Charlie Good, a star student and athlete, invites Paul to join his elite inner circle. All Charlie wants is a few things in return--small things that Paul does willingly. Until one day Charlie wants something big--really big. Now Paul has to decide how far he'll go to be one of the gang. The electrifying follow-up to Alex Flinn's critically acclaimed debut novel, Breathing Underwater, Breaking Point is a tale of school violence that explores why and how a good kid can go 'bad'..
Original publication date
2002
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Talar
This is a book that affected me because I am a teenager going through similar things Paul Richmond went through, though on a much smaller scale. After reading the novel, I was able to learn that one's actions may cause much larger reactions than one may have anticipated. Flinn proposes an
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interesting inquiry whether or not one is able to control one's reactions or if others provoking one instigate one’s reactions. An unpredictable story, Breaking Point is definitely a book I would advise any teenager to read. I do not think this book will catch the attention of adults unless they are in an environment with teenagers. Show Less
LibraryThing member ealaindraoi
This was a good book and a quick read, but there's just nothing special about it. Charlie and Paul come off as believable characters, it's just hard to believe the events that happen to Paul and he never goes and tells anyone. His relationship with his father also stretches the bonds of
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believability. Show Less
LibraryThing member meggyweg
Alas, this is practically a carbon copy of Cormier's much better book The Chocolate War.
LibraryThing member edspicer
I was curious to know if Paul and Charlie got caught, that Charlie would put all the blame on Paul because he seems like that kind of person. Interesting to see how far someone would go for friends and popularity! AHS/H
LibraryThing member Kaydence
Paul is new to GATE high school, a private school where his mom has gotten a teaching job. He is bullied and picked on until he becomes friends with a boy named Charlie. Charlie seems like the perfect child. He doesn’t get in trouble at school, he gets good grades, he is very popular with the
Flinn states that she wrote this book about something that scared her. She wanted to investigate what it would be like to be inside the head of a high school student that was traveling through this uncertainty and struggle with the hatred of his classmates. What would it take for someone to be pushed so hard that they would take drastic measures. As a school teacher, I often wonder the same thing. I studied a lot about violence in schools because I wanted to be someone who would stop it. I enjoy the fact that my students like to be around me even though I can be strict in class. I’ve often found that middle school and high school students put more effort into your classroom when they enjoy being there. I know this aside is not directly related to the book, but it is the reason why I wanted to read it in the first place. I try to read all of the books that I can that involve school violence. This is very well written. I can identify with Paul. I wish that someone would have seen what was going on before the plot escalated. I wonder if people saw the trouble in Charlie and ignored it. That direction is something I would have enjoyed discovering more about. I would recommend this book to young adults that are 14 and over with some discussion from adults. I think it’s an important topic to investigate and discussion is crucial in that investigation. Parents and teachers should definitely read this book with their students/children.
4/5 stars
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students and the teachers, and he is in athletics. When Paul starts hanging out with Charlie everyone becomes his friend. He begins drinking, causing minor destruction like knocking over mail boxes, and leaves campus at lunch with his new friends. Girls start to notice him and he begins to party. The problem is, hanging with Charlie comes at a price. The first time Charlie asks for a favor, it is to break into the school and change Charlie’s grade for one class. Paul hesitates with this and says no. The next day, Paul is back to being bullied. So, Paul decides to do it. Then Charlie and him become closer. Paul goes over to Charlie’s house everyday after school. They play video games together on the computer and tell each other secrets. Charlie calls Paul his best friend. It isn’t until Charlie asks Paul to do something even more dangerous that Paul hits his breaking point.Flinn states that she wrote this book about something that scared her. She wanted to investigate what it would be like to be inside the head of a high school student that was traveling through this uncertainty and struggle with the hatred of his classmates. What would it take for someone to be pushed so hard that they would take drastic measures. As a school teacher, I often wonder the same thing. I studied a lot about violence in schools because I wanted to be someone who would stop it. I enjoy the fact that my students like to be around me even though I can be strict in class. I’ve often found that middle school and high school students put more effort into your classroom when they enjoy being there. I know this aside is not directly related to the book, but it is the reason why I wanted to read it in the first place. I try to read all of the books that I can that involve school violence. This is very well written. I can identify with Paul. I wish that someone would have seen what was going on before the plot escalated. I wonder if people saw the trouble in Charlie and ignored it. That direction is something I would have enjoyed discovering more about. I would recommend this book to young adults that are 14 and over with some discussion from adults. I think it’s an important topic to investigate and discussion is crucial in that investigation. Parents and teachers should definitely read this book with their students/children.
4/5 stars
Show Less
Pages
256