Peeled [Paperback]

There is nothing more that sixteen-year-old Banesville High School junior, Hildy Biddle, wants, than to be a serious, hard-hitting journalist. Someone who breaks the big news before anyone else. Interviews countless people on a quest for an unsuspected scoop. But, as much as Hildy loves her hometown of Banesville, New York, the little apple harvesting town can't exactly be called a hotspot for news. In fact, some of the biggest stories have involved the Apple Blossom Queen, farmer's market scandals, and hotheaded city officials. That is, until the story of a lifetime drops right into Hildy's lap.

For decades people have embellished and spread rumors about a ghost that supposedly resides in the old Ludlow house. A ghost who is evil, has murdered people in the past, and is determined to kill again. Many in Banesville have believed these stories; Hildy has always written them off as rumors. But when controversy revolving around the old Ludlow house, and a ghost begin to resurface, Hildy knows that she has to be on the case. As the top reporter at her high school's newspaper, Hildy is aware that the responsibility of writing and publishing the facts for readers is up to her; therefore, she's determined to solve the mystery, and put it in writing for the world - or, at least all of Banesville - to see. But when you're sixteen-years-old, not everyone is interested in taking you, or your quest for journalistic integrity, seriously; especially when you're up against a local newspaper like The Bee. Anyone with a brain knows that The Bee, along with its publisher and editor, Pen Piedmont, is a farce. The stories are fabricated, blown out of proportion, and more often than not, completely inaccurate. Unfortunately, much of Banesville relies on this fodder for their information. When Piedmont begins publishing stories featuring eerie headlines, spooky happenings, and sightings of ghosts and apparitions, Banesville is in an uproar. Suddenly the quaint little town is flooded with tour buses, creepy characters, and death. Hildy knows that it's up to her to report the truth, but with no one talking, doing that may just be a problem. Unless she can find the words she needs to uncover the truth, and save Banesville.

I have never read anything by Joan Bauer before; but, I will confess, I devoured PEELED in just a few hours, and couldn't have loved it more. Hildy Biddle is a girl after my own heart. Her inquisitive nature, quick wit, sharp tongue, and ability to get people to spill their guts is humorous and fun; while her determination to save her fellow community members is admirable. The commitment and passion Hildy displays towards Banesville is so refreshing and enjoyable; while the descriptions of an apple harvesting community couldn't be more quaint. Bauer's characters are off the wall, intriguing, unique, humorous, and, to put it bluntly, tons of fun. Each community member possesses their own outlandish personality - from the innocent Elizabeth, to the senior citizens who make up the group the Elders Against Evil. Every word Bauer has written in PEELED is a gem in and of itself; and, as a Psychology student, I really enjoyed, and appreciated, Bauer's inclusion of propaganda and mass hysteria; two topics you so rarely see covered in books - especially teen fiction. Bauer has won a fan for life via PEELED, and I can honestly say that I will certainly be seeking out more from her in the future. Crisp and juicy!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Peeled, the latest from Newbery Honor winner Joan Bauer, has a most enticing cover. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to read this book.

Hildy lives in a small town in upstate New York with an apple-based economy. Hildy fits in her ambitions to be a journalist between her duties on the family farm- baking, picking and giving tours to elementary school kids. The big festival every year is around harvest time. She is the best writer for her high school newspaper, "The Core" (see the theme here?). When freaky things start happening at the old Ludlow house in town, Hildy knows it's bunk, but isn't sure how to prove it.

Hildy always uses the 5 W's in her questioning (who? what? when? where? why?) and her friends (including cute science geek Zack) to arrive at the truth, and doesn't skip over the hard parts. She's determined and gutsy, and doesn't even back down when the articles she prints start to make some grownups angry. Hildy is a strong female protagonist and this book would be great for kids interested in journalism or creative writing. There's nothing offensive or romantic in here, so this would work for even upper elementary readers.

Rumors of a haunted house ignite the curiosity of teen reporter Hildy Biddle. She starts investigating the story only to have her school newspaper shut down. What Hildy uncovers and how she overcomes the obstacles that would have her silenced are at the core of Joan Bauer's new book, PEELED.

Bauer regularly writes about adolescents who work. Her Newbery Honor book HOPE WAS HERE is about a teen waitress. RULES OF THE ROAD features a young shoe salesperson. PEELED ambitiously takes on the subject of investigative reporting and responsible journalism.

The book is set in the community of Banesville, which has an economy almost entirely dependent on apple growers. Several bad harvests have the farmers and the town struggling. The mayor keeps promising a community redevelopment project without providing any details. The ensuing conflict --- pitting town farmers against the forces of commerce with an inevitable showdown against a bulldozer --- has a hint of melodrama some readers may have encountered before.

The story's villains --- a turban-wearing psychic, a muckraking journalist who goes by the name of Pen Piedmont, and an unscrupulous mayor --- are also stock characters from melodrama, as is the mysterious "haunted" house at the center of the controversy.

It is the other characters in the novel --- the "good guys" --- who make PEELED worth reading. Hildy's plucky heroism puts her in the company of other teenage sleuths. What makes her unique is her methods of investigation and reporting. Her extensive research and interviewing techniques provide excellent models for effective and responsible investigative journalism. Her journalism teacher --- a man who is clearly far more experienced and talented than his work as an advisor for a school newspaper would indicate --- is also an intriguing, original character.

But Hildy's biggest supporter is Minska, a Polish immigrant who grew up under Poland's repressive Communist regime. Minska tells her about Poland's solidarity movement and the prominent role female journalists played in the underground press:

"'They called the women in the underground press the Dark Circles,' she said. 'because they didn't get enough sleep; they wrote night and day. When you have something so important, something that you'll stay awake for, something you know that you were designed to do, well, it's worth getting a few dark circles, don't you think?'"

Drawing inspiration from Minska's stories about Poland's solidarity movement, Hildy and the rest of her school newspaper's staff run their underground newspaper from the back room of Minska's restaurant. Together they provide the momentum to get other members of the community to stand up for themselves.

PEELED works best as a fable about a community facing a campaign of fear-mongering to influence their behavior to the advantage of those who would control them. The book takes the often tedious work of investigative reporting and makes it interesting and relevant to the experience of young people. It is also a reminder that teens are an important part of every community and that the work they do matters.

--- Reviewed by Sarah A. Wood