Jennifer Brown
author of Hate List
"Jennifer Brown's Hate List is a compulsive read. Who and why do we hate? Deep, dark and sometimes uncomfortable, this thought-provoking book is a must read!" -- Gail Giles, author of Right Behind You and What Happened to Cass McBride?
it was just a list. nobody was supposed to die...
Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saves the life of a classmate, but is implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things they hated. The list her boyfriend used to pick his targets.
Now, after a
summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns
to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the
boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her
family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come
to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order
to make amends and move on with her life.
"Riveting debut..." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"...This is a startling, powerful, and poignant account of the incidents leading up to, immediately following, and continuing through the teen's senior year of realization and recovery." -- School Library Journal (starred review)"Authentic and relevant, this debut is one to top the charts." -- Kirkus
"After every school shooting unleashes a torrent of questions: what if, what next, why me? Val's in the middle of the storm; her boyfriend pulled the trigger. Now, Val's drowning in guilt, sadness, and confusion. If you've ever been torn up inside and feeling lost, find the time to read Hate List; you'll love it." Patrick Jones, author of Things Change and The Tear Collector
"Wow, oh, wow." -- Lisa Von Drasek, Early Word Kids
"'Hate List' is a powerful book that examines violence and bullying from different angles..." -- The Register-Guard
"Brown walks a fine line and does it well. Here, she has created an excellent piece that parents should not be afraid of their teens reading." -- Deseret News
Chapter One, a Preview!
by
Jennifer Brown
Chapter One
[From the Garvin County Sun-Tribune, May 3, 2008, Reporter Angela Dash]
The scene in the Garvin High School cafeteria, known as the Commons, is being described as "grim" by investigators who are working to identify the victims of a shooting spree that erupted Friday morning.
"We have teams in there going over every detail," says Sgt. Pam Marone. "We're getting a pretty clear picture of what went on yesterday morning. It hasn't been easy. Even some of our veteran officers got pretty shaken up when they walked in there. It's such a tragedy."
The shooting, which began just as students were preparing for their first class, left at least six students dead and countless others wounded.
Valerie Leftman, 16, was the last victim shot before Nick Levil, the alleged shooter, reportedly turned the gun on himself.
Hit in the thigh at close range, Leftman required extensive surgery to repair her wounds. Representatives at Garvin County General list her in "critical condition."
"There was a lot of blood," an EMT told reporters on the scene. "He must have hit her artery just right."
"She's very lucky," the ER nurse on duty confirmed. "She's got a good chance of surviving, but we're being really careful. Especially since so many people want to talk to her."
Reports by witnesses at the scene of the shooting vary, some claiming Leftman was a victim, others saying she was a hero, still others alleging she was involved in a plan with Levil to shoot and kill students whom they disliked.
According to Jane Keller, a student who witnessed the shooting, the shot to Leftman appeared to be accidental. "It looked like she tripped and fell into him or something, but I couldn't tell for sure," Keller told reporters at the scene. "All I know is it was all over real quick after that. And when she fell on him it gave some people a chance to run away."
But police are questioning whether the shot that took down Leftman was an accident or a double suicide gone awry.
Early reports indicate that Leftman and Levil had discussed suicide in some detail, and some sources close to the couple suggest they talked about homicide as well, leaving police wondering if there is more to the Garvin High shooting than originally thought.
"They talked about death a lot," says Mason Markum, a close friend of both Leftman and Levil. "Nick talked about it more than Valerie, but, yeah, Valerie talked about it too. We all thought they were just playing some game, but I guess it was for real. I can't believe they were serious. I mean, I was just talking to Nick like, three hours ago, and he never said anything. Not about this."
Whether Leftman's wounds were intentional or accidental, there is little doubt in the minds of the police that Nick Levil intended to commit suicide after massacring nearly half a dozen Garvin High students.
"Witnesses at the scene tell us that after he shot Leftman he pointed the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger," says Marone. Levil was pronounced dead at the scene.
"It was a relief," says Keller. "Some kids actually cheered, which I think is kind of wrong. But I guess I can understand why they did it. It was really scary."
Leftman's participation in the shooting is under investigation with Garvin County police. Leftman's family could not be reached for comment, and police will only divulge that they're "very interested" in speaking with her at this time...
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