Please Ignore Vera Dietz

King, A. (2010). Please ignore Vera Dietz. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Vera Dietz has been in love with her best friend Charlie Kahn since they were four years old. Their whole life they had been inseparable, until their senior year when Jenny Flick and the rest of the Detentionheads ruined it all. Vera had kept Charlie’s secrets all her life, but now it is up to her to reveal his secrets in order to clear his name and help everyone find peace after his tragic death. Vera feels that if she had spoken up that awful night then maybe Charlie wouldn’t be dead. Months before dying Charlie betrayed Vera and broke her heart and part of her still hates him for that. Vera’s journey to the truth will also lead her to some of Charlie’s other secrets including the way he really felt about her. This novel meets several of elements of dark modern realistic fiction. Violence is portrayed in the novel as readers follow Jenny Flick and her buddies as they bully and torment Vera and other kids at school. Drug abuse is also very prominent in the novel. There is also the grief that Vera has to deal with throughout the novel as she tries to deal with Charlie’s death. This novel is an excellent tool to teach teens about the dangers of drug abuse and the importance of choosing good friends.