Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Scholastic Inc.
Pages
330
Description
Insecure about the changes high school brings, Abby ignores advice from her parents and her only friend to "make an effort" and, instead, withdraws from everyone but with Luke, who she met online.
Description
Abby is starting high school--it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke--he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.
"A harrowing cautionary tale about the dangers that lurk online... Littman demonstrates how easy it is to fall under the sway of a charming predator."
Littman (Life, After) pens a harrowing cautionary tale about the dangers that lurk online. Fourteen-year-old Abby feels insecure and unhappy as she starts high school, failing to fit in and drifting apart from her best friend Faith. Abby finds an outlet in ChezTeen.com ("kind of like Second Life, but for teens"), where she meets Luke, a sympathetic listener who flatters her. She becomes entirely dependent on him, letting her grades slip, withdrawing from the real world, and rationalizing away red flags that arise: he is twice her age, he tells her he loves her almost immediately, and he asks for (and receives) sexual favors. She decides to meet him. Structured in three parts with alternating narrators (before, during, and after Abby's disappearance) to create suspense, this message-driven story guarantees invested readers. While the novel's trajectory is predictable and no reader will think for a second that Luke aka BlueSkyBoi is a good guy, Abby's actions are entirely believable. To a degree, the novel relies on readers' feeling smarter than Abby, yet Littman demonstrates how easy it is to fall under the sway of a charming predator. Ages 14-up.
"A harrowing cautionary tale about the dangers that lurk online... Littman demonstrates how easy it is to fall under the sway of a charming predator."
Littman (Life, After) pens a harrowing cautionary tale about the dangers that lurk online. Fourteen-year-old Abby feels insecure and unhappy as she starts high school, failing to fit in and drifting apart from her best friend Faith. Abby finds an outlet in ChezTeen.com ("kind of like Second Life, but for teens"), where she meets Luke, a sympathetic listener who flatters her. She becomes entirely dependent on him, letting her grades slip, withdrawing from the real world, and rationalizing away red flags that arise: he is twice her age, he tells her he loves her almost immediately, and he asks for (and receives) sexual favors. She decides to meet him. Structured in three parts with alternating narrators (before, during, and after Abby's disappearance) to create suspense, this message-driven story guarantees invested readers. While the novel's trajectory is predictable and no reader will think for a second that Luke aka BlueSkyBoi is a good guy, Abby's actions are entirely believable. To a degree, the novel relies on readers' feeling smarter than Abby, yet Littman demonstrates how easy it is to fall under the sway of a charming predator. Ages 14-up.
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
330 p.; 8.25 inches
ISBN
9780545151474
Similar in this library
Lexile
L
User reviews
LibraryThing member LauraMoore
Want to Go Private is a realistic and powerful look into the reality of teens and the temptation of "meeting" new people online. Being from a generation where AIM was new and exciting, it was very tempting to talk to random people, esp. those who would tell you that you were pretty and showed an
Abby starts talking to Luke, and he understands her like nobody else does. What starts off as an innocent online friend, becomes something so much more as through there conversations Abby starts trusting Luke more and more and believes that she is falling in love with him. Only when he gains that trust does the conversation change to a more sexual nature and Abby falls victim to the online "love" that she thinks she has found.
Overall, I couldn't put this novel down, I felt for Abby, where at a time she felt alone and that nobody in the world could understand her, she fell victim to Luke's games. I wanted to know what happened to Abby, and if her "love" for Luke would ultimetly lead to her deciding to meet him in real life.
Show More
interest in you that people in your everyday life might not show you. Abby feel a victim to that in this novel, and I think this book is not only powerful but necessary in a time where social networking sites are all the rage, and children and teens of all ages have access and the knowledge to use such internet sites as Facebook and Myspace, etc. I think most people have the "it would never happen to then" mentality, but I think anyone can fall victim to an online predator esp. at an age where your are at your most vunerable. Abby starts talking to Luke, and he understands her like nobody else does. What starts off as an innocent online friend, becomes something so much more as through there conversations Abby starts trusting Luke more and more and believes that she is falling in love with him. Only when he gains that trust does the conversation change to a more sexual nature and Abby falls victim to the online "love" that she thinks she has found.
Overall, I couldn't put this novel down, I felt for Abby, where at a time she felt alone and that nobody in the world could understand her, she fell victim to Luke's games. I wanted to know what happened to Abby, and if her "love" for Luke would ultimetly lead to her deciding to meet him in real life.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ylin.0621
With life becoming more and more digitalized and social networking becomes a must, the danger of internet predators looms overhead. For Abby, starting high school is scary. Best friend Faith begins to spread her wings in high school leaving behind Abby. Alone and betrayed by her best friend and her
Sarah Darer Littman or should I say Sarah “Daring” Littman constantly writes the darker side to life not censoring even the more graphic details. It’s not always rainbows and butterflies, but depression, confusion, and loneliness. Littman was able to capture the life of an adolescent girl with low self-esteem beautifully and somehow transformed her life to one with power and strength. Want to go Private? tugs at the readers’ heartstrings and pulls them along with Abby’s dark journey. Be prepared to feel sadness, sympathy (or empathy), anger, and relief.
Broken into 3 different parts, readers follow Abby through her fall, her capture, and her road to self-redemption. Want to go Private? is told in multiple perspectives to showcase how many people the villain can affect besides the victim. Best friends, parents, siblings, and even crushes from school plays a role in Abby’s rescue and her recovery.
Littman does an amazing job at describing the life after the attack. Abby had been groomed to believe that Luke loved her and cared for her. She becomes reluctant to leave and blame Luke and doesn’t fully understand the true depth of the crime. She willingly goes to Luke and willingly gave herself to him, but to the world Luke is a sick bastard. Abby is judged and bullied by her classmates and her father making them as sick as Luke. Littman doesn’t begin the book with happiness and butterflies and she doesn’t leave the book as such. Instead Littman writes Abby as a survivor who tells the world of what she had been through, which makes her stronger. Want to go Private? is an inspirational novel.
However with all that being said, I wished Littman took her time to cultivate the relationship between Luke and Abby. While Abby was in a dark place making her more susceptible to influences, the level of trust and quickness to agree to meet up with Luke is hard to believe at times. One thing that struck me strange was when Luke asked about Abby’s bra size within the first week of chatting. That to me should have struck an alarm because who asks about the size of a girl’s chest? When Abby replied back believing that because he’s online and that they aren’t face-to-face she’s safe, I wanted to shake her. No! Lie! There are reasons why some things are personal!
Things escalate sexually and I must warn readers that the book gets very graphic. When pictures are shared and videos are streamed, I wondered why Abby never asked Luke to remove his hat. She points out how his face is obscured by his hat and the shadows yet she never asks for a better picture. Abby’s naivety is less endearing and more annoying.
Want to go Private? is still a remarkable novel. Sarah Darer Littman proves as always that she is an amazing storyteller.
Show More
parents Abby turns to Luke whom she met in the virtual world for comfort. Luke, however, is more dangerous than what is perceived by his screen name.Sarah Darer Littman or should I say Sarah “Daring” Littman constantly writes the darker side to life not censoring even the more graphic details. It’s not always rainbows and butterflies, but depression, confusion, and loneliness. Littman was able to capture the life of an adolescent girl with low self-esteem beautifully and somehow transformed her life to one with power and strength. Want to go Private? tugs at the readers’ heartstrings and pulls them along with Abby’s dark journey. Be prepared to feel sadness, sympathy (or empathy), anger, and relief.
Broken into 3 different parts, readers follow Abby through her fall, her capture, and her road to self-redemption. Want to go Private? is told in multiple perspectives to showcase how many people the villain can affect besides the victim. Best friends, parents, siblings, and even crushes from school plays a role in Abby’s rescue and her recovery.
Littman does an amazing job at describing the life after the attack. Abby had been groomed to believe that Luke loved her and cared for her. She becomes reluctant to leave and blame Luke and doesn’t fully understand the true depth of the crime. She willingly goes to Luke and willingly gave herself to him, but to the world Luke is a sick bastard. Abby is judged and bullied by her classmates and her father making them as sick as Luke. Littman doesn’t begin the book with happiness and butterflies and she doesn’t leave the book as such. Instead Littman writes Abby as a survivor who tells the world of what she had been through, which makes her stronger. Want to go Private? is an inspirational novel.
However with all that being said, I wished Littman took her time to cultivate the relationship between Luke and Abby. While Abby was in a dark place making her more susceptible to influences, the level of trust and quickness to agree to meet up with Luke is hard to believe at times. One thing that struck me strange was when Luke asked about Abby’s bra size within the first week of chatting. That to me should have struck an alarm because who asks about the size of a girl’s chest? When Abby replied back believing that because he’s online and that they aren’t face-to-face she’s safe, I wanted to shake her. No! Lie! There are reasons why some things are personal!
Things escalate sexually and I must warn readers that the book gets very graphic. When pictures are shared and videos are streamed, I wondered why Abby never asked Luke to remove his hat. She points out how his face is obscured by his hat and the shadows yet she never asks for a better picture. Abby’s naivety is less endearing and more annoying.
Want to go Private? is still a remarkable novel. Sarah Darer Littman proves as always that she is an amazing storyteller.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JamesterCK
I first found out about this book through Shelf Awareness and immediately I wanted to read it. I'm constantly watching shows likeTo Catch A Predator on TV, just appalled at the sick, twisted individuals in our society. In this book we meet Abby, who has a pretty typical life. She lives with her
I really liked the characters in this one. Abby and her friend Faith seemed like typical teenagers, trying to make the transition to high school and connected to the world through technology. Unfortunately Abby has to deal with a mom who is constantly telling her how she can make herself better, a dad who is all but non-existent because he works so much, and a little sister who makes her want to tear her hair out. Even though Abby had heard lectures about internetinternet "romance" with Luke. The first part of the book is told entirely from Abby's perspective. The second part is told from the perspective of Lily, Faith, and Billy, so we get a peak into their heads and what they're thinking as well, which I like.
I think this book is amazing because it brings awareness to the very real dangers of internet predators. It just goes to show how even the smartest of people can be gullible and believe in almost anything. Especially since these predators are so good at what they do; they get to know the minors, profess that they have the same interests and make them believe they have so much in common. They build trust slowly and before you know it the kids feel like they know the person and don't see a problem with giving out personal information. Parents need to be more involved in their kids' lives and monitor their internet usage so that this kind of thing doesn't happen anymore. Although some parts of this book are a bit graphic, for example when Abby sends Luke pictures through email and has webcam sessions with him, I think it would be a good read for teens to show them that they aren't invincible and to be safe when chatting with people on the internet that they don't know.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I could relate to it because even as a pre-teen I was chatting with people online and it's scary to think that something like this could have happened to me. I think my mom did a good job though of making sure I understood not to give out any personal information to strangers, no matter how well I thought I knew them. This book has a great message and I hope it helps save even one family from having to go through tragedy over something that could have been prevented.
Show More
mom, dad, and younger sister Lily. She on the honor roll at school. She has a best friend named Faith that she shares everything with. Unfortunately the move to high school has her scared and everyone in her life thinks she needs to try a little harder; with her appearance, trying to make friends...it feels like they're trying to make her into a completely different person. She's tired of feeling alone and trying to be someone she's not, so when she meets "Luke" on a teen chat site one night and he seems to like her for who she is it's like a breath of fresh air. She keeps it hidden from everyone she loves because he tells her no one will understand what they have and so when Abby suddenly goes missing one day everyone is stunned. Where could Abby have gone and will she ever get to come home?I really liked the characters in this one. Abby and her friend Faith seemed like typical teenagers, trying to make the transition to high school and connected to the world through technology. Unfortunately Abby has to deal with a mom who is constantly telling her how she can make herself better, a dad who is all but non-existent because he works so much, and a little sister who makes her want to tear her hair out. Even though Abby had heard lectures about internetinternet "romance" with Luke. The first part of the book is told entirely from Abby's perspective. The second part is told from the perspective of Lily, Faith, and Billy, so we get a peak into their heads and what they're thinking as well, which I like.
I think this book is amazing because it brings awareness to the very real dangers of internet predators. It just goes to show how even the smartest of people can be gullible and believe in almost anything. Especially since these predators are so good at what they do; they get to know the minors, profess that they have the same interests and make them believe they have so much in common. They build trust slowly and before you know it the kids feel like they know the person and don't see a problem with giving out personal information. Parents need to be more involved in their kids' lives and monitor their internet usage so that this kind of thing doesn't happen anymore. Although some parts of this book are a bit graphic, for example when Abby sends Luke pictures through email and has webcam sessions with him, I think it would be a good read for teens to show them that they aren't invincible and to be safe when chatting with people on the internet that they don't know.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I could relate to it because even as a pre-teen I was chatting with people online and it's scary to think that something like this could have happened to me. I think my mom did a good job though of making sure I understood not to give out any personal information to strangers, no matter how well I thought I knew them. This book has a great message and I hope it helps save even one family from having to go through tragedy over something that could have been prevented.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ilikethesebooks
I don't know how it was for everyone, but I know when I was in middle school, it felt like every other day there was a new internet safety presentation. I remember one cop showed a video and in something like three minutes they were able to hack into this kid's account, find out his name and
Abby is an honor student, always home on time, hangs out with nice girls and respects her parents wish's. But when she enters high school, she starts to become overwhelmed by all of the changes. Her dad is a workaholic, her sister is a brat, her best friend seems to be drifting away from her, and more than anything else, she feels like everyone is ignoring her, that no one is listening. When she meets a boy on an internet chat room, she feels like she finally met someone who gets her, who understands, who listens, who cares. Soon Abby finds herself doing things she never thought she would do, things that hurt not just herself, but her friends and family too.
I think the best part about this book is that Abby is not dumb. I was watching The Nine Lives of Chloe King on ABC Family last Tuesday, and something similar happens to a character. I remember saying, "She kind of deserves it for falling for it. She is such an idiot!" Harsh, but something like that is easy to say from the outside looking in. Want To Go Private? was really insightful in how even smart people can get tricked. That the internet predators, however vile and monstrous, are actually intelligent. They know how to manipulate kids into making them think, making them feel, what they want. If Abby was not as smart, I do not think this book would have been so powerful. I began to understand there is much more to it than being "smart" or being "dumb".
I am going to go and make a pretty big statement here: I would sit this book on your self next to Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It is one of those book that just need to be read, even if you really don't want to.
Show More
address and it freaked me out. I never had my name or anything personal in my IM accounts because I was afraid of the same thing happening to me. I was one of the kids that the presentation worked on. However, I know most kids just liked the excuse to get out of class early. They were sitting there thinking, "This will never happen to me". And they're right, it probably won't. But it could. That's really the point; it could, and people, especially kids, need to be aware. Want To Go Private? Is raw, it is shocking, and it is terrifying. Seriously, if this book doesn't scare you into safely using the internet, I don't think anything will. Abby is an honor student, always home on time, hangs out with nice girls and respects her parents wish's. But when she enters high school, she starts to become overwhelmed by all of the changes. Her dad is a workaholic, her sister is a brat, her best friend seems to be drifting away from her, and more than anything else, she feels like everyone is ignoring her, that no one is listening. When she meets a boy on an internet chat room, she feels like she finally met someone who gets her, who understands, who listens, who cares. Soon Abby finds herself doing things she never thought she would do, things that hurt not just herself, but her friends and family too.
I think the best part about this book is that Abby is not dumb. I was watching The Nine Lives of Chloe King on ABC Family last Tuesday, and something similar happens to a character. I remember saying, "She kind of deserves it for falling for it. She is such an idiot!" Harsh, but something like that is easy to say from the outside looking in. Want To Go Private? was really insightful in how even smart people can get tricked. That the internet predators, however vile and monstrous, are actually intelligent. They know how to manipulate kids into making them think, making them feel, what they want. If Abby was not as smart, I do not think this book would have been so powerful. I began to understand there is much more to it than being "smart" or being "dumb".
I am going to go and make a pretty big statement here: I would sit this book on your self next to Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It is one of those book that just need to be read, even if you really don't want to.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JackieBlem
I started this book and couldn't stop--I read it straight through. This is the story of Abby, who is having trouble adjusting to high school, especially since she doesn't see very much of her best friend anymore. They don't have classes together and Faith is getting into new activities, like school
This is about online preditors and how they "groom" teens, tweens and even younger children, making them feel safe and loved and special, when in reality it's about exploitation, pornography and sometimes kidnapping and murder. This book takes Abby from the very first online comment to the aftermath of exploitation. It is hard to read because of how easily it is done to thousands of children and teens every day. This book shows the whole trap--and the wide range of consequences for the victims. This book will cause a stir, and I think that is a good thing. This needs to be talked about, and just like this, in real terms within real, average situations. I applaud this author and this book for taking on this subject so boldly.
Show More
plays, that Abby is just not into. So she relies more and more on her online friends at a teen targeted chat site. Especially Luke. He compliments her, he agrees with her, he's THERE for her when no one else is. He's interested in her, and that feels so wonderful that at first she doesn't mind answering some rather personal questions from him, after all, he's probably hundreds of miles away and she's never going to meet him anyway. Then he wants pictures. Then hewants to webcam. Then he sends her a phone. Then he wants....other things...but he says he loves her, so it's all right, right?This is about online preditors and how they "groom" teens, tweens and even younger children, making them feel safe and loved and special, when in reality it's about exploitation, pornography and sometimes kidnapping and murder. This book takes Abby from the very first online comment to the aftermath of exploitation. It is hard to read because of how easily it is done to thousands of children and teens every day. This book shows the whole trap--and the wide range of consequences for the victims. This book will cause a stir, and I think that is a good thing. This needs to be talked about, and just like this, in real terms within real, average situations. I applaud this author and this book for taking on this subject so boldly.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jonilee73
Wow. I had been dying, I mean completely dying to get my hands on this book since I first heard about months and months ago. This right here is my ideal novel. Right up my alley and it did not disappoint. At all.
I remember when chat rooms and AIM where the cool things and people were talking to
Abby's story could easily be found on a survivor's message board online. If someone had handed this book to me with no idea of what it was I would think that it was a true story. Littman holds true to life in such a way that I walked away from the story hoping Abby was ok. She became real to me while reading the book and I connected very well with the character. I was a lot like Abby in high school. I didn't connect well with my peers. I am different from her in the way that it never bothered me that I was a misfit. If I had a little bit more Abby in me when I was 14 who knows. I may have wound up in a chat room talking to a stranger. That's the beauty and also the chilling truth about this novel. It could be anyone of us in her shoes. Even with the internet safety programs out there kids are still kids. They don't think it can happen to them. And predators are so good at what they do that they know how to be convincing and enticing to these minors. The one thing I liked about the book is that "Luke" didn't even pretend to be Abby's age. He came out and admitted right away that he was older. But he did it in a way that made her comfortable with the fact. And that is a way of earning the child's trust. Kids think "If he is a predator he would be pretending to be my age. He wouldn't admit to being so much older than me." And without knowing it they are playing right into the predator's hand. It's downright chilling to think how smart these people are.
This book belongs in every school library in the country. It belongs in classrooms and it needs to be featured in teen sections in libraries. Parents need to read it so they can be educated on this very real threat. The language is strong in this novel. But parents, please. Put that aside. Your teen needs to read this. I urge all parents of teens to buy this book for their child. You will not regret it.
I remember when chat rooms and AIM where the cool things and people were talking to
Show More
strangers from all over the world. I have never been the type of person who connects with people easily so thankfully I don't have a story about meeting someone in a chat room. But I know that I am in the minority there. But my best friend growing up did talk to a lot of people online. One guy I remember well because she gave him her address. He only ever sent her things and they would voice chat with each other. (These were the days before video chatting was standard. It was cool to be able to hear each other, we never in a million years would have thought we could see each other too) The reason I remember it so well is because this guy told my friend that he was from New Zealand and yet when we voice chatted with him he had no accent at all. Not even an accent that would make it seem like he was from a different part of the US. Now at the time I was 13 and thought nothing of it but now, and I brought this up with my friend and she agrees, it seems to us that he was most likely from somewhere close to us since we didn't hear even a hint of an accent in his voice. And I thank my lucky stars that he never came after my friend. He had her address. He easily could have. Let's face it, she was a lucky one.Abby's story could easily be found on a survivor's message board online. If someone had handed this book to me with no idea of what it was I would think that it was a true story. Littman holds true to life in such a way that I walked away from the story hoping Abby was ok. She became real to me while reading the book and I connected very well with the character. I was a lot like Abby in high school. I didn't connect well with my peers. I am different from her in the way that it never bothered me that I was a misfit. If I had a little bit more Abby in me when I was 14 who knows. I may have wound up in a chat room talking to a stranger. That's the beauty and also the chilling truth about this novel. It could be anyone of us in her shoes. Even with the internet safety programs out there kids are still kids. They don't think it can happen to them. And predators are so good at what they do that they know how to be convincing and enticing to these minors. The one thing I liked about the book is that "Luke" didn't even pretend to be Abby's age. He came out and admitted right away that he was older. But he did it in a way that made her comfortable with the fact. And that is a way of earning the child's trust. Kids think "If he is a predator he would be pretending to be my age. He wouldn't admit to being so much older than me." And without knowing it they are playing right into the predator's hand. It's downright chilling to think how smart these people are.
This book belongs in every school library in the country. It belongs in classrooms and it needs to be featured in teen sections in libraries. Parents need to read it so they can be educated on this very real threat. The language is strong in this novel. But parents, please. Put that aside. Your teen needs to read this. I urge all parents of teens to buy this book for their child. You will not regret it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Strawberryreviews
Want to Go Private is a very powerful book about the dangers of meeting people online. It was absolutely amazing and I love every page of it.
The book starts off with Abby just starting high school and she is feeling neglected by her best friend and the rest of her family so she turns to a guy she
This book is scarily realistic. To see the way Abby felt about "Luke" and what he had done to her was definitely frightening and eye opening. I really could feel for Abby. She was having a rough time and turned to the only person who would listen and the only person who she felt understood her.
This book was very well written, absolutely amazing, and I 100% recommend it.
The book starts off with Abby just starting high school and she is feeling neglected by her best friend and the rest of her family so she turns to a guy she
Show More
met online. This guy tells her everything she wants to hear to feel special and basically makes her fall in one with him. Nobody realizes this is going on until one day Abby went missing.This book is scarily realistic. To see the way Abby felt about "Luke" and what he had done to her was definitely frightening and eye opening. I really could feel for Abby. She was having a rough time and turned to the only person who would listen and the only person who she felt understood her.
This book was very well written, absolutely amazing, and I 100% recommend it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member lisagibson
It is so frightening to think about a child just disappearing. And worse, you know they are with a sex offender and you’re left behind, helpless. How terrifying. Abby’s descent down the rabbit hole was difficult (to see as a parent) but absolutely realistic as well.
I can fully see how teens get
I can fully see how teens get
Show More
sucked into the vortex of communicating with these predators. Abby was a great character. It was scary to see her separating herself from her friends and family. Similar to watching an accident happen. Her friends and family were all wonderful characters as well. I think Ms. Littman did a wonderful job relaying a story that is a very real concern for teens today. Her characters were likable, relatable and very human. It would be a great book for teens to read and discuss with friends and family. Maybe giving them pause to consider what they would do given the same situation. This one gets 4 ½ kisses! Show Less
LibraryThing member KarenBall
Eye-opening, amazing, and heartbreaking. Abby is having trouble adjusting to life in high school, especially when she feels so alone. Even her best friend Faith isn't enough to keep school from feeling like prison, and Faith is getting involved and finding new friends at school. Abby's found
Show More
someone new too, but she doesn't want to tell anyone about him... everyone thinks it's so weird to meet someone online. But Luke is different - he's interested in her, and what she thinks, and they've talked online so often he's no stranger. And he says he loves her, which is exactly what Abby knows she needs: someone who understands her and adores her. It doesn't matter that her grades are dropping, she has no afterschool activities, and she's not going out with her friends, right? All that matters is Luke. As Abby gets deeper and deeper into this relationship, and Luke asks more and more of her, Abby refuses to see anything wrong with what's going on. When he asks to meet her in person, she agrees... and disappears. At this point, the point of view shifts, and each chapter is from another character's perspective. Her family and friends are left to work with the police to figure out what happened and where she went, and who Luke really is. Based on the author's research with the police and the FBI, using real case transcripts, the events are intense, and the reactions of the family and friends are realistic. This is a disturbing, cautionary tale of an internet predator, with mature content and language suitable for 8th grade and up. As I've said to all of my students who come for booktalks, "you may not be ready for this, and that's okay. Anyone who starts it and finds it's too much or it bothers you -- just bring it back and we'll find you something else. You may not be ready for this until high school." For those who are ready, this is a serious wakeup call about what can happen online. Note: Sarah Littman is a local author, and she asked me to be an early reader of this novel in the spring of 2010. Show Less
LibraryThing member poetrytoprose
This book was terrifying. I decided to start reading it before I had to head off to work and it was nearly impossible to pry myself away from it when it was time to go. I needed to know how Abby’s story ended.
Though I did feel some sympathy for her, I must say that I was more than a little put
I can understand that Abby found a semblance of normalcy and stability with Luke but, for someone who apparently knew all about the dangers of internet predators, I thought she fell into his trap a bit quickly. I’m probably way too harsh on her because I obviously knew what she was getting herself into, but I really can’t wrap my head around how she was okay with some of his behavior, knowing that he was significantly older than her. How could she not put the pieces together?! Littman very much surprised me by not holding back in this novel. Some of Luke and Abby’s interactions were explicit and, as much as they made me want to throw up, they also made this reading experience very real.
I started using the internet when I was a little younger than Abby and this book made me SO grateful that I never got myself into a situation like hers. I can’t even imagine getting to that point and I really hope this book opens the eyes for some readers about their online activities and the people they interact with. This is a definite must-read.
Though I did feel some sympathy for her, I must say that I was more than a little put
Show More
off by Abby at the beginning. It was frustrating to see her so down about every little thing. Yes, at her age everything seems to be the end of the world, but nothing seemed to be that horrible to me. Was it really surprising to her that her parents would be disappointed by her bad grades? Some of the pressure from them was unnecessary, sure, but really now. It was easier to empathize with her growing distance from her best friend, Faith, as well as her transition into high school. It became obvious that she wasn’t one for change and, as most of us know, high school can really shake things up a bit.I can understand that Abby found a semblance of normalcy and stability with Luke but, for someone who apparently knew all about the dangers of internet predators, I thought she fell into his trap a bit quickly. I’m probably way too harsh on her because I obviously knew what she was getting herself into, but I really can’t wrap my head around how she was okay with some of his behavior, knowing that he was significantly older than her. How could she not put the pieces together?! Littman very much surprised me by not holding back in this novel. Some of Luke and Abby’s interactions were explicit and, as much as they made me want to throw up, they also made this reading experience very real.
I started using the internet when I was a little younger than Abby and this book made me SO grateful that I never got myself into a situation like hers. I can’t even imagine getting to that point and I really hope this book opens the eyes for some readers about their online activities and the people they interact with. This is a definite must-read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kristy.hamby
I have to say I haven't read many (zero really) books on internet predators. It's obvious that's what the book is about from just the cover. What did shock me was how young our main character Abby was, 14!
She is a freshman in high-school. Yes, some parts were cheesy, but on the whole, this is a
Spoilers coming up:
Abby is lonely and confused. She is a normal and smart 9th grade girl. She makes some incredibly stupid decisions, ie., giving "luke" her address, telling him her real name, sending him naked pictures, agreeing to meet him and run away with him for a while. I feel judgemental sitting here saying she was stupid, I'm sure a lot of us have let tidbits slip out online, especially when you've been talking to someone for a while and feel comfortable. But, we are all stupid. Seriously, there are some sicko mean-ass people out there. We should all (not just teeny-boppers) be more careful than we are.
For me everything happened too fast. Abby and Luke had talked what, all of two times, before he was asking for her bra size???? Seriously, red flag there girls!!! All of which led to asking him to show her "t*ts" and touch herself. Another Red Flag! Creep factor is definitely reconizible, but she feels flattered and like he wants her. I get it to a point, but another part of me is just in awe at how STUPID (yes, I said it again) she is being. Then he asks her to keep them a secret?!?!?! Seriously?!?!?!?!?
The end was a huge shocker for me. I am very suprised that the author chose to let Abby live. It's probably not the realistic ending.
I'm also suprised at how long the police department took to report her missing, retrieve information from her computer and turn over to the FBI. It's scary.
If I was a mother to a teenage daughter I would try my hardest to slip this one into her lap. It's a taboo topic, but this one is realistic without scaring the pants off you. It's all from Abby and her friends/family's point of view, so there is no inside the pedophile's mind scenarios.
4 stars.
(with the acknowlegdement that this book could have been written better, but there is not much else on the subject, so it feels important)
She is a freshman in high-school. Yes, some parts were cheesy, but on the whole, this is a
Show More
pretty important read. Spoilers coming up:
Abby is lonely and confused. She is a normal and smart 9th grade girl. She makes some incredibly stupid decisions, ie., giving "luke" her address, telling him her real name, sending him naked pictures, agreeing to meet him and run away with him for a while. I feel judgemental sitting here saying she was stupid, I'm sure a lot of us have let tidbits slip out online, especially when you've been talking to someone for a while and feel comfortable. But, we are all stupid. Seriously, there are some sicko mean-ass people out there. We should all (not just teeny-boppers) be more careful than we are.
For me everything happened too fast. Abby and Luke had talked what, all of two times, before he was asking for her bra size???? Seriously, red flag there girls!!! All of which led to asking him to show her "t*ts" and touch herself. Another Red Flag! Creep factor is definitely reconizible, but she feels flattered and like he wants her. I get it to a point, but another part of me is just in awe at how STUPID (yes, I said it again) she is being. Then he asks her to keep them a secret?!?!?! Seriously?!?!?!?!?
The end was a huge shocker for me. I am very suprised that the author chose to let Abby live. It's probably not the realistic ending.
I'm also suprised at how long the police department took to report her missing, retrieve information from her computer and turn over to the FBI. It's scary.
If I was a mother to a teenage daughter I would try my hardest to slip this one into her lap. It's a taboo topic, but this one is realistic without scaring the pants off you. It's all from Abby and her friends/family's point of view, so there is no inside the pedophile's mind scenarios.
4 stars.
(with the acknowlegdement that this book could have been written better, but there is not much else on the subject, so it feels important)
Show Less
LibraryThing member marielovesbooks
Want To Go Private? is a very realistic and scary look at what teens today are prone to face while online. Abby is starting high school and she's not excited about it, not like her best friend Faith is.
I felt for Abby during her transition into high school. It was easy to relate how she was feeling
So many times I wished Abby would just stay away from Luke and go on another date with Billy. Poor Billy. He was patient and supportive and really there for her, but it was just so hard for he to see. But I loved Billy's character. Another character I really could not stand was Abby's sister. I know sisters are suppose to be annoying and a pain but she was REALLY annoying and SERIOUSLY a pain. Every scene with them together literally made me thankful I don't have a sister.
Want To Go Private? is not a light read. It's dark, scary, completely realistic and it's graphic. I'm no newbie to the internet or to chat rooms and meeting people online (every friend I have in San Francisco I met online, but this was back in the AOL days, before webcams and such) and I'd like to think I know it all, but having situations that you know are real and that do happen in your face... how much you know or experienced doesn't make it easier when you see it happening to someone else. I'm glad that this book is published and that it's out in the world, maybe someone will pick it up and read it before something like this happens to them.
As for myself, I'm one of those this-could-never-happen-to-me people. Except, it never really could. To me the internet is a whole other world, I'm free to play pretend (which I did, at 13 I was really 16 and my name was Anna Mae and I lived in Arizona), be whoever I want to be and no one would know the difference. I guess that's sort of how predators look at it too, except for me it was to keep my identity safe and to distance myself from my real life. Like Abby, growing up was hard for me and being online was my escape.
I don't really recommend this book to anyone over maybe 18 years old, but I do highly recommend it to the much younger crowd (even if there are a lot of super graphic scenes, I think that's what makes it the scariest).
I felt for Abby during her transition into high school. It was easy to relate how she was feeling
Show More
as far as Faith "ditching" her for all these new friends and activities. And yeah I could say well why didn't Abby just join her instead of being so bitter about everything, but I know how hard starting high school and feeling alone is. So when Luke shows up, I didn't really question why she was spending all her time talking to him or why she was doing the things she was doing... she finally had someone she considered a friend. Someone who "understood" and "listened" to her. Sarah does an amazing job with Luke, he was believable. He said all the right things to Abby and at the right time. Luke was obviously not my favorite character. The way he manipulated Abby and lied to her was really frustrating, especially when it was SO easy to see. So many times I wished Abby would just stay away from Luke and go on another date with Billy. Poor Billy. He was patient and supportive and really there for her, but it was just so hard for he to see. But I loved Billy's character. Another character I really could not stand was Abby's sister. I know sisters are suppose to be annoying and a pain but she was REALLY annoying and SERIOUSLY a pain. Every scene with them together literally made me thankful I don't have a sister.
Want To Go Private? is not a light read. It's dark, scary, completely realistic and it's graphic. I'm no newbie to the internet or to chat rooms and meeting people online (every friend I have in San Francisco I met online, but this was back in the AOL days, before webcams and such) and I'd like to think I know it all, but having situations that you know are real and that do happen in your face... how much you know or experienced doesn't make it easier when you see it happening to someone else. I'm glad that this book is published and that it's out in the world, maybe someone will pick it up and read it before something like this happens to them.
As for myself, I'm one of those this-could-never-happen-to-me people. Except, it never really could. To me the internet is a whole other world, I'm free to play pretend (which I did, at 13 I was really 16 and my name was Anna Mae and I lived in Arizona), be whoever I want to be and no one would know the difference. I guess that's sort of how predators look at it too, except for me it was to keep my identity safe and to distance myself from my real life. Like Abby, growing up was hard for me and being online was my escape.
I don't really recommend this book to anyone over maybe 18 years old, but I do highly recommend it to the much younger crowd (even if there are a lot of super graphic scenes, I think that's what makes it the scariest).
Show Less
LibraryThing member readingthruthenight
This is Such A Horrific Book and it has #nightmare written all over it. If this was a movie I would be watching it with my hands covering my eyes, peeking through for broken images. Since all of the visualizations were in my head and I couldn't visualize a pair of hands to cover up the horrid
Hands down I would not want to be a kid in today's technological era. Nor would I want to be a parent when there are so many ways for predators to reach out. And THIS BOOK takes those fears and makes them real.
Abby is fourteen and she's starting her freshman year in high school, but she's a bit of a wallflower while her best friend from forever ago is a bit more open to possibility. Because of this Abby feels lost and alone forming a friendship with this twenty something online who totally gets her.
And it's so obvious she wants a connection. Luke gets that. He works with it.
But goodnight there are moments in this book where I wanting to grab a hold of Abby and shake her. It's absolutely scary how easily kids can fall for these creepers. I remember what it was like to think that you're in love while in reality having no idea what that really means. And it's that kind of naivete that led Abby to make some really outrageously and heartbreaking decisions.
This is a book that I think EVERY PARENT AND CHILD should read together.
Show More
pictures, I spent most of the book biting my bottom lip.Hands down I would not want to be a kid in today's technological era. Nor would I want to be a parent when there are so many ways for predators to reach out. And THIS BOOK takes those fears and makes them real.
Abby is fourteen and she's starting her freshman year in high school, but she's a bit of a wallflower while her best friend from forever ago is a bit more open to possibility. Because of this Abby feels lost and alone forming a friendship with this twenty something online who totally gets her.
And it's so obvious she wants a connection. Luke gets that. He works with it.
But goodnight there are moments in this book where I wanting to grab a hold of Abby and shake her. It's absolutely scary how easily kids can fall for these creepers. I remember what it was like to think that you're in love while in reality having no idea what that really means. And it's that kind of naivete that led Abby to make some really outrageously and heartbreaking decisions.
This is a book that I think EVERY PARENT AND CHILD should read together.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Candacemom2two
Wow. This is a book that certainly leaves an impression. It's one you don't easily forget and I have a feeling I'll be thinking about it for years to come. It's very powerful, emotional and at times difficult to read. The author doesn't hold back, she tells it how it is. The whole scary situation
As an adult it was difficult for me to see how Abby could be so easily deceived by a guy that so obviously seemed to be a predator. But then I stepped back and thought of when I was 14, how eager I was for attention and approval and for someone to listen to me and suddenly I could see how Abby would be blind to it. I would never have gone as far as she did and I think it seemed a bit out of character for her, but I guess it just shows how desperate she was for someone to listen to her, care for her, understand her. And her obsession with him, I got that part of it 100%. It's easy to focus your mind on one thing, one person and that becomes your everything. And while Abby allowed herself to be naive she also knew the dangers of the internet. So Luke was careful as he slowly reeled her in and gained her trust. Still naive of her, but still understandable as well.
I loved the way the author laid the story out. The first bit (close to half?) is Abby having a hard time as her and her best friend drift apart, she feels like she has no friends, her parents are always on her case, her sister is a tattle tale brat and life is just not going so well for her. Then she meets 'Luke' in a chatroom and he is there for her and listens all the time. Their relationship progresses, she becomes obsessed and thinks she's in love and then things take a step further and she agrees to meet him. Once she meets up with him we are no longer in Abby's head and we switch perspectives between her bratty sister Lily, her best friend and even her one time date, Billy who has liked her the whole time. We see what everyone else is going through as they try to figure out what happened to Abby. Where did she disappear to? What are all these secrets they are discovering? We see the hurt, the anger, the sense of betrayal they feel and the loss as well. Then later we are back in Abby's head, we discover what all happened in just sneak peaks of her memories and we see the turmoil she's going through. We see all sides (well, except Luke) and it was brilliant. I think the author couldn't have done it any better because we see how it affected others as well as Abby. And we see how her, her family and her friends deal with it, come to terms with everything and find some sort of healing. We see it all from beginning to end.
The author doesn't hold back on some things that actually had me blushing a bit and it wasn't easy to read. I think it was necessary in order to get the point across, but it just seemed a little much for a young adult book. But it was honest. I mean, that's exactly how it is, that's how grown men talk and what they would say and do. And while there is sexual talk and we know stuff that goes on it's not like we get all the descriptions. It's mainly what Luke says to her, and then later things she's reliving in her head. I think this is a book that teens to need to read, and adults as well, especially adults with teens but I would use caution with younger readers. I would say some middle graders should read it, but for others it would be a bit much. I DO think they really need the strong message though, so I guess I'm torn. That's up to the parents and what you think your child needs and/or is ready for.
Overall this was a fantastic book and it will be stuck in my head for a very long time, I very highly recommend it if you enjoy real life young adult contemporary that doesn't hold back on the issues.
Show More
and the horrific events that can happen.As an adult it was difficult for me to see how Abby could be so easily deceived by a guy that so obviously seemed to be a predator. But then I stepped back and thought of when I was 14, how eager I was for attention and approval and for someone to listen to me and suddenly I could see how Abby would be blind to it. I would never have gone as far as she did and I think it seemed a bit out of character for her, but I guess it just shows how desperate she was for someone to listen to her, care for her, understand her. And her obsession with him, I got that part of it 100%. It's easy to focus your mind on one thing, one person and that becomes your everything. And while Abby allowed herself to be naive she also knew the dangers of the internet. So Luke was careful as he slowly reeled her in and gained her trust. Still naive of her, but still understandable as well.
I loved the way the author laid the story out. The first bit (close to half?) is Abby having a hard time as her and her best friend drift apart, she feels like she has no friends, her parents are always on her case, her sister is a tattle tale brat and life is just not going so well for her. Then she meets 'Luke' in a chatroom and he is there for her and listens all the time. Their relationship progresses, she becomes obsessed and thinks she's in love and then things take a step further and she agrees to meet him. Once she meets up with him we are no longer in Abby's head and we switch perspectives between her bratty sister Lily, her best friend and even her one time date, Billy who has liked her the whole time. We see what everyone else is going through as they try to figure out what happened to Abby. Where did she disappear to? What are all these secrets they are discovering? We see the hurt, the anger, the sense of betrayal they feel and the loss as well. Then later we are back in Abby's head, we discover what all happened in just sneak peaks of her memories and we see the turmoil she's going through. We see all sides (well, except Luke) and it was brilliant. I think the author couldn't have done it any better because we see how it affected others as well as Abby. And we see how her, her family and her friends deal with it, come to terms with everything and find some sort of healing. We see it all from beginning to end.
The author doesn't hold back on some things that actually had me blushing a bit and it wasn't easy to read. I think it was necessary in order to get the point across, but it just seemed a little much for a young adult book. But it was honest. I mean, that's exactly how it is, that's how grown men talk and what they would say and do. And while there is sexual talk and we know stuff that goes on it's not like we get all the descriptions. It's mainly what Luke says to her, and then later things she's reliving in her head. I think this is a book that teens to need to read, and adults as well, especially adults with teens but I would use caution with younger readers. I would say some middle graders should read it, but for others it would be a bit much. I DO think they really need the strong message though, so I guess I'm torn. That's up to the parents and what you think your child needs and/or is ready for.
Overall this was a fantastic book and it will be stuck in my head for a very long time, I very highly recommend it if you enjoy real life young adult contemporary that doesn't hold back on the issues.
Show Less
LibraryThing member skstiles612
First of all let me say that I am aware that many people don’t believe anyone under the age of 14 should read this book. I happen to disagree. I teach 6th grade middle school. Let me tell you. I can see what most of my students are posting on Facebook if I wanted because they have no security set
Abby and Faith have been best friends for a long time. When they reach high school, Faith moves on making friends quickly while Abby feels she is being left in the dust. Things are not any better at home. She’s constantly fighting with her sister and her parents just don’t seem to listen or care. That is how Abby feels about everyone around her. She has gotten so low she feels everyone is ignoring her. That is until she meets Luke in a chat room. He understands her and listens to her. Before she knows it she finds herself falling for him. When things escalate at home she turns to Luke. He suggests they run away together. Then Abby goes missing. Things didn’t turn out the way she thought they would and she is abused. This story takes a look at how things got to this point and then they look at how her friends react to it. This is a book that should be on every shelf. It is a definite must read. It is a hard read. This topic is not a feel good topic. The land this book takes kids to is one they need to learn about no matter how hard. Trust me, they all think this kind of thing would never happen to them. I want to make sure I do everything in my power to make sure it never does happen to them.
Show More
up and they chat with anyone. I hear their conversations and know that at this age many of them are dating with their parent’s permission. May of them are already sexually active. We have talked on several occasions about online safety. It is scary to realize so many of them don’t think there is anything wrong with talking to someone online that they don’t know. They see no harm in it. Will I put this book on my shelf for 6th graders? You bet I will.Abby and Faith have been best friends for a long time. When they reach high school, Faith moves on making friends quickly while Abby feels she is being left in the dust. Things are not any better at home. She’s constantly fighting with her sister and her parents just don’t seem to listen or care. That is how Abby feels about everyone around her. She has gotten so low she feels everyone is ignoring her. That is until she meets Luke in a chat room. He understands her and listens to her. Before she knows it she finds herself falling for him. When things escalate at home she turns to Luke. He suggests they run away together. Then Abby goes missing. Things didn’t turn out the way she thought they would and she is abused. This story takes a look at how things got to this point and then they look at how her friends react to it. This is a book that should be on every shelf. It is a definite must read. It is a hard read. This topic is not a feel good topic. The land this book takes kids to is one they need to learn about no matter how hard. Trust me, they all think this kind of thing would never happen to them. I want to make sure I do everything in my power to make sure it never does happen to them.
Show Less
LibraryThing member readingdate
Today’s teens spend a lot of their free time online, and they are taught early on by teachers and parents about Internet safety and the threat of online predators. They are educated to only interact with kids they know and to not give out personal information. Why then are predators still able to
The story begins the day before the first day of high school. Straight-A student Abby is apprehensive and thinks high school will be just as disappointing as middle school was, when she was bullied by the popular kids. Her mother, along with her best friend Faith tries to help her put her best self forward by advising her with hair and makeup and encouraging her to try new things. Abby goes through the motions half-heartedly. High school is trying for Abby and to make matters worse she feels she’s losing her grip on her friendship with Faith. Things at home are wearing as well with her annoying and popular little sister, her overworked father, and her mother pressuring her in her academic and social pursuits.
One day she meets someone named BlueSkyBoi in a chatroom on a new teen site and he is very sympathetic to Abby’s school and home frustrations. He begins “grooming” her by being an attentive listener and showering her with compliments. Abby knows that she shouldn’t talk to strangers online, but she feels like she knows him with all the attention he gives her. They start to meet in private chat rooms where the boy reveals his name to be Luke. Luke gradually asks for more personal details and is able to obtain her real name, address, and revealing photos, and finally suggests that they meet face to face. Abby keeps this online relationship a secret from everyone, and stays up late talking to Luke via web cam.
About halfway through the book the story shifts perspectives from Abby’s once it’s determined she’s gone missing. Her little sister, best friend, and a boy from school interested in Abby all shed light into the aftermath of Abby’s disappearance. The tension is palpable with the reader following the story through the eyes of those left behind and left imagining the horrific situation Abby must be in. There is sadness, confusion, and anger as those closest to Abby try to piece together what happened to her and why. We get a behind the scenes look into the FBI investigation and aftermath of Abby’s disappearance. The details are frighteningly realistic and disturbing and showcase the gritty realities of the crime and consequences.
It was frustrating seeing this intelligent young girl cast her doubts aside to trust this online predator. It definitely makes you think about Internet safety training and how someone like Abby fell through the cracks. She did exhibit some warning signs that make you wonder if steps could have been taken to prevent this dangerous situation from happening. The story rings so shocking and true it was as if it was pulled from news headlines.
This book is recommended for a mature teen audience due to the subject matter and graphic nature, including explicit sexual situations and rough language. This book strikes a chord as a parent and makes me more aware of the threats awaiting our children online. Sometimes the book gets a little preachy, but it’s a sensitive and worthwhile read and I hope it gets into the hands of the teens at risk, their parents, and educators.
Show More
lure some Internet savvy kids who have been taught to know better? Want to Go Private is the chilling story of fourteen-year -old Abby Johnston who falls victim to one such predator. This gripping cautionary tale is a must read for parents, educators and teens. This suspenseful and fast-paced book kept me up late reading and has given me a lot to ponder with regards to Internet safety.The story begins the day before the first day of high school. Straight-A student Abby is apprehensive and thinks high school will be just as disappointing as middle school was, when she was bullied by the popular kids. Her mother, along with her best friend Faith tries to help her put her best self forward by advising her with hair and makeup and encouraging her to try new things. Abby goes through the motions half-heartedly. High school is trying for Abby and to make matters worse she feels she’s losing her grip on her friendship with Faith. Things at home are wearing as well with her annoying and popular little sister, her overworked father, and her mother pressuring her in her academic and social pursuits.
One day she meets someone named BlueSkyBoi in a chatroom on a new teen site and he is very sympathetic to Abby’s school and home frustrations. He begins “grooming” her by being an attentive listener and showering her with compliments. Abby knows that she shouldn’t talk to strangers online, but she feels like she knows him with all the attention he gives her. They start to meet in private chat rooms where the boy reveals his name to be Luke. Luke gradually asks for more personal details and is able to obtain her real name, address, and revealing photos, and finally suggests that they meet face to face. Abby keeps this online relationship a secret from everyone, and stays up late talking to Luke via web cam.
About halfway through the book the story shifts perspectives from Abby’s once it’s determined she’s gone missing. Her little sister, best friend, and a boy from school interested in Abby all shed light into the aftermath of Abby’s disappearance. The tension is palpable with the reader following the story through the eyes of those left behind and left imagining the horrific situation Abby must be in. There is sadness, confusion, and anger as those closest to Abby try to piece together what happened to her and why. We get a behind the scenes look into the FBI investigation and aftermath of Abby’s disappearance. The details are frighteningly realistic and disturbing and showcase the gritty realities of the crime and consequences.
It was frustrating seeing this intelligent young girl cast her doubts aside to trust this online predator. It definitely makes you think about Internet safety training and how someone like Abby fell through the cracks. She did exhibit some warning signs that make you wonder if steps could have been taken to prevent this dangerous situation from happening. The story rings so shocking and true it was as if it was pulled from news headlines.
This book is recommended for a mature teen audience due to the subject matter and graphic nature, including explicit sexual situations and rough language. This book strikes a chord as a parent and makes me more aware of the threats awaiting our children online. Sometimes the book gets a little preachy, but it’s a sensitive and worthwhile read and I hope it gets into the hands of the teens at risk, their parents, and educators.
Show Less
LibraryThing member KarenBall
Abby is having trouble adjusting to life in high school, especially when she feels so alone. Even her best friend Faith isn't enough to keep school from feeling like prison, and Faith is getting involved and finding new friends at school. Abby's found someone new too, but she doesn't want to tell
Show More
anyone about him... everyone thinks it's so weird to meet someone online. But Luke is different - he's interested in her, and what she thinks, and they've talked online so often he's no stranger. And he says he loves her, which is exactly what Abby knows she needs: someone who understands her and adores her. It doesn't matter that her grades are dropping, she has no afterschool activities, and she's not going out with her friends, right? All that matters is Luke. As Abby gets deeper and deeper into this relationship, and Luke asks more and more of her, Abby refuses to see anything wrong with what's going on. When he asks to meet her in person, she agrees... and disappears. At this point, the point of view shifts, and each chapter is from another character's perspective. Her family and friends are left to work with the police to figure out what happened and where she went, and who Luke really is. Based on the author's research with the police and the FBI, using real case transcripts, the events are intense, and the reactions of the family and friends are realistic. This is a disturbing, cautionary tale of an internet predator, with mature content and language suitable for 8th grade and up. As I've said to all of my students who come for booktalks, "you may not be ready for this, and that's okay. Anyone who starts it and finds it's too much or it bothers you -- just bring it back and we'll find you something else. You may not be ready for this yet." For those who are ready, this is a serious wakeup call about what can happen online. Note: Sarah Littman is a local author, and she asked me to be an early reader of this novel in the spring of 2010. Show Less
LibraryThing member brandileigh2003
I completely connected with the main character of Want to go Private? Abby is such a smart girl, and doesn't have the confidence or the popularity. She is pretty and smart, but she doesn't see herself that way. I have always had self esteem problems and I saw so much of myself in her. So when a
I can see her getting more and more obsessed with Luke and being by her computer. It is so hard to watch her giving up things in real life, friends and grades, all because she is addicted to Luke, to feeling special, to being his girl. I so wished that the story could have gone differently... That she didn't isolate herself from her best friend since 2nd grade Faith, or cute and flirty while very nerdy Billy. She just didn't realize what was in front of her.
Speaking of Faith and Billy. I loved the secondary characters in this book. Their depth and kindness and sincerity. Faith is not perfect.. she doesn't realize that Abby feels left behind when they all of the sudden don't have classes together, and Abby feels replaced by a new friend, Grace and the drama club that Faith joins. But Faith loves Abby, and is and has been there for her. And Billy is so sweet, nerdy and funny. I LOVE characters like him. He isn't broody, or super hot, he is a normal sweet guy who sees the good in Abby, that she is pretty and funny, and smart but he has been too shy until it was too late and she was wrapped up in Luke.
I did not want to put this book down, and I kept rooting for Abby to open her eyes, and wishing that I could pad the ground for her for her inevitable fall into danger.
I also really appreciated the other pov and what it brought to the book. It really showed how others saw Abby and how it effected them.
Bottom Line: Powerful book where I was sympathetic to the main character.
Show More
guy, online starts telling her she is beautiful and worth it, she listens. I can see how easy it would be to fall into this trap. I mean, we all know about online predators, and that we can't give out our personal information. But she gets to know him, he asks her questions, remembers details of her day, and most of all makes her feel special. So, little by little, she gives more to him. Her address, because he wants to give her presents, and taking off her shirt, because it all of the sudden doesn't seem like a big deal. He thinks she is beautiful after all, right? This is the guy who listens and understands how she doesn't feel like she fits in at high school. He is the guy that sees beauty in her where people at school she might as well be invisible.I can see her getting more and more obsessed with Luke and being by her computer. It is so hard to watch her giving up things in real life, friends and grades, all because she is addicted to Luke, to feeling special, to being his girl. I so wished that the story could have gone differently... That she didn't isolate herself from her best friend since 2nd grade Faith, or cute and flirty while very nerdy Billy. She just didn't realize what was in front of her.
Speaking of Faith and Billy. I loved the secondary characters in this book. Their depth and kindness and sincerity. Faith is not perfect.. she doesn't realize that Abby feels left behind when they all of the sudden don't have classes together, and Abby feels replaced by a new friend, Grace and the drama club that Faith joins. But Faith loves Abby, and is and has been there for her. And Billy is so sweet, nerdy and funny. I LOVE characters like him. He isn't broody, or super hot, he is a normal sweet guy who sees the good in Abby, that she is pretty and funny, and smart but he has been too shy until it was too late and she was wrapped up in Luke.
I did not want to put this book down, and I kept rooting for Abby to open her eyes, and wishing that I could pad the ground for her for her inevitable fall into danger.
I also really appreciated the other pov and what it brought to the book. It really showed how others saw Abby and how it effected them.
Bottom Line: Powerful book where I was sympathetic to the main character.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
Another book I decided to pick up from my tbr pile because I remember how emotional it would be. Other bloggers that have read it, said it was good and truthful. After I read it, I have to say that they were right.
Plot: This is about a girl who meets a guy in a chatroom. He manipulates her and gets
Friendship: One thing about Abby is that she was very vulnerable to begin with. She has low self-esteem and didn’t really have much friends to keep her grounded. Instead, she search for love/friendship elsewhere hence her meeting “Luke” and thinking he is the one. Things quickly escalated from there and the next thing you know…she’s gone.
Disappearance: Despite that teens think they know it all, they don’t. The world is a much darker place than it was when I was a kid and well, the internet is even worse. You have to be careful with what you say and what you do on the internet.
This story has a very good lesson to be told. It carries a good message that I think all teens should read. It faces the reality of what could really happen should you fall for this trap. Want To Go Private? is a breathtaking tale that you won’t forget.
Plot: This is about a girl who meets a guy in a chatroom. He manipulates her and gets
Show More
her to meet him. She goes missing for days. Now and days the internet is a very scary place. People would chat and meet up and who knows…you could end dead in a alley somewhere. This is that plot. That what if? What if the person you are talking to aren’t who they say they are? It’s scary.Friendship: One thing about Abby is that she was very vulnerable to begin with. She has low self-esteem and didn’t really have much friends to keep her grounded. Instead, she search for love/friendship elsewhere hence her meeting “Luke” and thinking he is the one. Things quickly escalated from there and the next thing you know…she’s gone.
Disappearance: Despite that teens think they know it all, they don’t. The world is a much darker place than it was when I was a kid and well, the internet is even worse. You have to be careful with what you say and what you do on the internet.
This story has a very good lesson to be told. It carries a good message that I think all teens should read. It faces the reality of what could really happen should you fall for this trap. Want To Go Private? is a breathtaking tale that you won’t forget.
Show Less
LibraryThing member devafagan
Reading this book was not necessarily a pleasant experience. The subject matter (an internet predator seducing and abducting a young girl) is highly disturbing and portrayed with unflinching and horrifying realism.
But it's a highly compelling and eye-opening book, and made me much more aware of how
I'd suggest this for mature teens only, though. It gave me nightmares!
But it's a highly compelling and eye-opening book, and made me much more aware of how
Show More
insidious such predators can be, and how even a smart young girl who has had lectures on internet safety could be bewitched. I'd suggest this for mature teens only, though. It gave me nightmares!
Show Less
LibraryThing member heike6
I'm pretty sure I saw this as an after-school special. Too transparent for my taste.
Awards
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee — 2013)
CCBC Choices (2012)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2012)
Call number
YA A Lit