Sticks and Stones

It seems like Trudy (aka Jujube)’s dreams have come true when she’s asked to a school dance by Brent Floyd, the boy she’s liked forever. However, when things get a bit intimate in the back of Brent’s car at the dance, Brent seems to be pushing just a little too hard, and Jujube gets uncomfortable and pulls away. 

Despite this, everything seems to be okay between them, and they make their way back to the dance as if nothing weird has happened. However, the next day at school, Jujube notices that she is getting a lot of odd looks and comments from her classmates. It doesn’t take her long to work out that Brent had been spreading lies about what “really” happened at the dance, and everyone else is jumping on board to mock her.

As the story progresses the rumours escalate, and before long Jujube discovers graffiti on the walls of the school bathrooms labelling her as a ‘slut’. This hurts Jujube more than she can say, and she struggles to explain to her best friend, Carlos, just why this behaviour is so hurtful to its victims. Eventually, Jujube and Carlos come up with a plan to stop the bullying and the rumours once and for all, and to engage the school in a dialogue about ‘slut shaming’. 

Sticks and Stones is a very powerful and relevant story for teen readers about the harm of spreading rumours and the enormously negative culture that surrounds sex and relationships in high schools. Dealing with some sensitive and complex topics, this book handles its subject matter with an appropriate level of care and sensitivity, while still telling an engaging and enjoyable story.

High school, sex, shaming, peer pressure, bullying, spreading rumours

1. The plot of the book centres around Jujube’s relationships with Brent and, to a much lesser extent, Carlos. Jujube references being a virgin (p. 5), as well as mentioning thinking about Brent taking his shirt off (p. 5). Brent puts pressure on Jujube to have sex with him in the back of his car (p. 7-11); while they are kissing Brent begins unbuttoning Jujube’s shirt, and she stops him. Throughout the rest of the story there are frequent references to kissing and sex, particularly a variety of innuendos about Jujube’s supposed promiscuity, and a note is passed ot her iwth images of couples having sex (p. 33). 2. Sophie’s mum has been in an alcohol rehab program (p. 13). 3. Mention of Sophie’s dad being physically abusive towards her and her mum (p. 13). One of the girls in the ‘Slut Club’ mentions that her parents ‘beat her’ when they discovered the rumours circulating about their daughter (p. 51). 4. Language: ‘hooking’ (referring to rumours about Sophie being a prostitute [hooker], p. 31), ‘porn star looks’ (p. 52). The word ‘slut’ is used frequently throughout the story, as well as on the front cover and spine, and the main plot of the book centres around public and personal opinions of and reactions to this word.