You Don't Know Me by David Klass

You Don't Know Me
by David Klass

Published by HarperTeen (2002)

Summary:
John is a 14 year old boy who is heavily abused as the hands of his almost-stepfather, or as he calls him, "the man who is not my father." The reader goes through day to day with John to "the place that is not a school" and sees how the horror at home affects him in his schoolwork, relationships, and hwo he tries to be a normal teenager.

My Review:
This book was so powerful to me, not so much because of the subject matter, but how John deals with it. I almost felt rude laughing at some parts of the book. John really has a sense of humor and David Klass lets John do that. The way John describes events in his life could possibly be a comedy until a scene comes up where he is abused or his life is threatened and he is in unimaginable situations. This book helped me realize that just because a child may be going through something tragic and horrific, that does not define who they are. They are not "abused children", they are children who are being abused. It made me realize even more what a responsibility we have to help them and bring awareness to their situations so they can let themselves be the creative, funny, loving people they are without living in fear.

WARNING: child abuse, alcohol, teen sensuality, language