Friction

New girl Stacy begins spreading rumors about the friendship between Alex and Alex's beloved teacher Simon, and soon other kids begin to believe Stacy's hype. Stacy's manipulations cloud Alex's own feelings about Simon, leading to palpable feelings of agony and guilt when things fall apart. As Alex writes in a letter to Simon, "I feel so bad because I wasn't smart enough to know that you'd never hurt anyone..." E.R. Frank writes about hurt and regret in a very tangible way.

Surprisingly good. The story is about a 12 year girl trying to figure out who and what to believe, about the new girl in school, her teacher, her best friend and herself. The book seems to capture perfectly the confusion that the awkward "tween" years and the change in feelings they produce. I was particularly pleased with the ending, but won't say why to avoid a spoiler.

I really enjoyed this book and will look for others by E. R. Frank.

I truely enjoyed Friction, and it is a great novel to read. Remembering, telling to truth can save your life; literally.

This book was about the complications of love, truth, and friendship. Alex befriends the new girl, Stacy, who causes nothing but trouble. She really pushes it though when she says stuff about Simon (the coolest teacher at Alternative) and Alex having sexual activities. The whole thing though ends in an horrible tragedy with Stacy up and leaving out of no where, and Alex finds out that Stacy was being sexual abused by her father. Its an excellent novel stating the importance of telling the truth, no matter how much it hurts.

This book would be great for anyone who is curious to know about how a child reacts to being show more sexually abused or to anyone who wants to enjoy a good book. I would suggest though that a mature person reads this, so 15+. I would also like to say that child abuse and sexual abuse should not be tolerated within any circumstances, and that it is reported even with the slightest suspicion of either occuring. show less

The author of America looks at another hardhitting issue - sexual molestation. The new girl at Forest Alternative School accuses Simon, the seemingly flawless and hip young teacher, of inproprieties with Alex, the only female soccer player on the school team. Appropriate teacher/student behavior is scrutinized, with not much good coming out by the end of the book. Very believable situation, with a young teacher, perhaps inadvertantly, demonstrating some questionable practices in today's era of heightened sensitivities.

E.R. Frank’s young adult novel, entitled Friction, addresses the topics of teen sexuality, peer-pressure, and child abuse through the life and emotions of the narrator and the main character, Alex, a 12-year-old girl. Alex is the average girl with a best friend named Tim. She does attend an alternative school where her teacher, Simon, teaches with unorthodox methods that Alex and her classmates enjoy until a new girl named Stacey enters the scene. She insinuates and begins rumors about Simon and Alex, which throws everyone’s beliefs into confusion. The School Library Journal states that Stacey “starts rumors about Simon’s attraction to Alex, and casts a sticky web of sexual discomfort over the class. Everything Alex sees, feels, show more and knows becomes laden with ulterior meanings,” which results in the novel’s controversy/problem of child abuse. Tunnell and Jacobs write that a good novel “must tell a satisfying story…presents a conflict or problem that affects human beings and how this obstacle is overcome” (128). Frank hints to issues regarding the problem, when Stacey lies about her father’s death, her outlandish sexual advances and innuendos, her being afraid to be touched, and her comments of Simon liking Alex in a sexual way. This lasts throughout the novel.
Stacey’s actions affect every human being in this novel, some more than others. Alex is confused and begins self-doubting what she knows is true. Simon is charged with molesting a student which is not true; however, it causes him to leave his job, resulting in Alex’s relationship with her parents and best friend, Tim to be affected and changed. False accusations by Stacey result in the novel’s “friction” as it relates to family secrets, lies, boundaries, truths, and abuse. Despite questioning herself, Alex, with the help of her parents, tells the truth; consequently, the reader finally realizes the truth.
Frank understands the minds of young adults as the reader can see in the relationships throughout the novel, whether it is between best friends, enemies, teacher and student, or parent and child. Frank also manages to show and explain to the reader what a child and adult relationship should be. With such a disturbing topic, Frank manages to not color “innocence and guilt in black and white, [but to]…invite readers to explain the large grey area between truth and falsehood.” (Brown) In this novel, words can have a lasting repercussion of being used carelessly.
Frank, E.R. Friction. New York: Atheneum, 2003.

“Friction.” School Library Journal 49, no.6 (2003): 138.

Roback, Diane, Jennifer M. Brown, and Jeff Zaleski. “Friction.” Publishers Weekly 250 (April 2003):68.

Tunnell, Michael O. and James S. Jacobs. 4th ed. Children’s Literature Briefly. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2008. show less

It was okay. I was a little childish for the big problem at hand. Also it annoyed me how Simon (the teacher) was so close with his students and how immature the kids were themselves.

The writing style got on my nerves... it was very juvenile.