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Two teens try to save a class of first-graders from a gun-wielding soldier suffering from PTSD
When high school seniors Emery and Jake are taken hostage in the classroom where they tutor, they must work together to calm both the terrified children and the gunman threatening them--a task made even more difficult by their recent break-up. Brian Stutts, a soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq, uses deadly force when he's denied access to his son because of a custody battle. The children's fate is in the hands of the two teens, each recovering from great loss, who now must reestablish trust in a relationship damaged by betrayal. Told through Emery and Jake's alternating viewpoints, this gripping novel features characters teens will identify with and explores the often-hidden damages of war.
- Sales Rank: #966193 in Books
- Published on: 2012-10-25
- Released on: 2012-10-25
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.60" h x .80" w x 5.75" l, .75 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 224 pages
From Booklist
It’s already rough going when exes Emery and Jake are paired together to teach French to a class of first-graders. But then Brian Stutts, an Iraq War vet suffering from PTSD, charges into the class to take his kid. The teacher resists and out comes a gun, and from that moment everyone in the room is held hostage. Cops, ambulances, and SWAT teams gather, angling for a way to reason with Stutts. In alternating chapters, we discover how both Emery and Jake are processing the situation as well as their past relationship. The fact that there’s a gun being waved around sometimes makes these tangents feel too leisurely, and it’s also unclear how the two are able to hold private conversations inside the same room as the gunman. That said, the setup is irresistible, and McDowell’s authentic handling of the confusion and fright of the class of first-graders lends the story a constant undertone of tension. Purposeful in parts, but fans of Todd Strasser and Paul Volponi will relish it. Grades 6-9. --Daniel Kraus
Review
"Fast-paced, suspenseful thriller. . . . The hours-long standoff comes to a dramatic and violent climax. . . . A vividly depicted and gripping tragedy." — Kirkus Reviews
“The setup is irresistible, and McDowell’s authentic handling of the confusion and fright of the class of first-graders lends the story a constant undertone of tension. . . . Fans of Todd Strasser and Paul Volponi will relish it.” — Booklist
“What makes this story stand out are the discussions between Emery and the gunman, who is suffering from PTSD. . . . . McDowell balances the gunman’s plight against his son’s shame, fear, and divided loyalties. Written in a format that will appeal to reluctant readers . . . an excellent choice for sparking classroom discussion.” — School Library Journal
“Ripped from the headlines. . . . Fast-moving story that will keep the reader’s attention with bits of humor to lighten the mood. McDowell excels in depicting the voices of the teenage narrators, the first-graders, and a soldier suffering from PTSD.” — Library Media Connection
About the Author
Beck (Rebecca) McDowell lives in Huntsville, Alabama. This Is Not a Drill is her first novel.
Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Gripping read
By librarychick
As much as I love YA literature, this is not a book that I would usually read. However, once I started reading it, I could not put it down. While it's been a while since I have read it, the storyline has stayed with me and was brought back into the forefront of my mind when I heard of the tragic events at the elementary school in Newtown Connecticut. While I am not going to diminish the event by comparing and contrasting fiction vs. real-life, I am going to say that the heroism of the two main characters in trying to save those kids is truly amazing and humbling and echoes the real-life heroic efforts of many of the school staff. Moreover, the insight into the killer's troubled mind is well-done and creates a complex character that explains the events that led up to this event. While this may be a little too soon for many to read a book like this, readers will truly find this a compelling and well-written book and well worth the read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
This Is Not A Drill
By princess bookie
My Thoughts: This Is Not A Drill was a pretty intense novel. It deals with a very serious subject and is very emotional.
We are introduced to Emery and Jake who had a rough breakup. Jake made some mistakes and Emery hasn't forgiven him, and she plans on not forgiving him.
They are paired together to teach students at a elementary school. Just had to be karma that they get put together and have to work together as partners.
One day while at the elementary school, one of the children's dad Brian comes in demanding to take his son out. The teacher encourages him to sit down and talk this out, but he refuses to listen. Brian has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from serving in Iraq and he is always on high alert to his surroundings. He takes the kids hostage and won't let anyone go. Brian has gotten himself in quite the ordeal and he doesn't know how to stop it or change things.
Gosh, this book was pretty frustrating for me. I liked it, but I felt like I was reliving the story over and over again because we are basically just getting to know him and what he went through. It was hard to stay focused because I just wanted him to let everyone go.
I get it, I do. He just wanted to take his child home and be able too. His wife had been having problems with him and was wanting a divorce. Brian is going through a lot after coming back. But I can understand why he can't take poor Patrick with him.
I loved seeing things from Jake and Emery's point of view. This Is Not A Drill switched back and forth so we could see things from each side. We could get into the characters heads and know what they were thinking. I also liked seeing all the different sides of the children. Each one was so unique.
The ending, ouch. Can't help but want things to end differently.
I liked this novel, I did. I just didn't like it as much as I had hoped.
Overall: Probably more of a 3.5 cupcake novel for me. I did like it a bit more than a 3 but not quite as much as a 4. It's always hard to rate these kind of books. This Is Not A Drill is an interesting look at how this could all go down. And I was so proud of both Emery and Jake for being so brave.
Cover: Like it. Think it fits perfectly, even the school desk. Very nice cover.
What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes
_______
Taken From Princess Bookie
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Decent thriller
By Liviania
Beck McDowell doesn't shy away from big subjects in her debut. In THIS IS NOT A DRILL, an armed veteran comes to an elementary classroom looking to take his kid out of school early. The completely awesome teacher tells him he needs to follow procedure and refuses to just let Brian Sutton take his son away - leading to Sutton taking the class hostage.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL is told through the alternating points of view of Emery and Jake, high school seniors who tutor the class part time. They've very clearly got a past - Emery dislikes working with Jake and is mad at him for some reason. The exact details unfold as the two work together to protect the kids. Jake, I would say, has a more dynamic character arc than Emery, but both are fairly stock characters. But THIS IS NOT A DRILL isn't about their character growth, so it doesn't matter that they're pretty thinly drawn. It's a thriller with a decent-sized helping of political commentary.
McDowell puts little kids in danger, which both ups and lessens the tension. It's scarier because no one wants little kids to get hurt and the kids are terrible at behaving and not angering the upset gunman. They need to go to the bathroom, they can't sit for too long, they get into fights. They're kids. But it's less scary because I never felt that McDowell would actually transgress convention and kill one of the kids. Only the older characters felt like they were in danger. (McDowell also gives the death count at the beginning, which definitely makes it seem like the kids will be fine.)
As for Sutton, he's suffering from PTSD and clearly didn't integrate well into civilian life after his tour and Iraq. His wife definitely has grounds to divorce him and go for full custody, and he definitely overreacts, but McDowell still makes a decent point. Soldiers not getting the psychological support they need after spending time fighting a war is a real problem. At the same time, the message of THIS IS NOT A DRILL is delivered in such a ham-fisted manner that I literally cringed while reading.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL is a surprisingly quick and easy read, given that it's about a school shooting. There are some really clever moments, as the teacher, Emery, and Jake try to get help without Sutton noticing and hurting someone. And I did hope than none of them would be included in the final body count, no matter how unlikely that seemed. But what could have been a taut thriller went off the rails every time it started to harp on PTSD and the government's responsibility to soldiers. It's even a point I agree with, but it just kept killing momentum instead of being folded into the action. THIS IS NOT A DRILL is an okay read, but ends up being more forgettable than hard hitting.
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