Panic by Lauren Oliver

I've read a few books by Oliver and have enjoyed them all. This book is set in a poor town in New York. Kids have a real sense of hopelessness when they finish high school. The lack of money really impacts what the future has in store for them. But one graduating senior has a chance to make a great deal of money and have a future outside of the town. All they have to do is win at the game called Panic. Panic is a game that challenges your courage and your ability to overcome the panic you feel when faced with a scary situation. Every senior must pay the entrance fee, but not every senior has to compete, that choice is yours. Heather never had any intention of joining in the game. She had been watching for years, watching kids die or get in terrible accidents. But at the last minute, she finds herself declaring her entry into the game. Then there is Dodge, who has been waiting for the last several years to participate in the game. He is fearless and knows he has what it takes to win. WAs the stakes get higher and higher and the challenges get scarier and scarier, Heather and Dodge find themselves unlikely allies as they both strive to win at all costs. I enjoyed reading this book, although as a mother, the idea of teens competing in this type of game scared the heck out of me. Heather and Dodge are like so many young adults, trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in with the world. As the main characters are high school seniors, there is some content that is meant for older students. But having said that, there is nothing that would stop me from putting it in an intermediate classroom.