Dreamland, Sarah Dessen

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen is about a girl named Caitlin. Her older, perfect sister just ran away from home, leaving a huge gaping hole in her family. Caitlin is now forced to try and fill that hole. She becomes a cheerleader, and her mother jumps on the opportunity to get involved with Caitlin's life. She starts to realize that maybe her older sister didn't have it as easy as she thought. Caitlin feels pressured to do things she wouldn't normally do. She meets Rogerson Biscoe, and he's just what the doctor ordered. At first things are perfect. Then one incident lead to another and he hits her. Will Caitlin be strong enough to break away? I think that Dreamland is a book every girl should read. It shows that when you are in an abusive relationship, no matter what you think, there will be someone there to help you out. You are not alone. It is also written really well. Sarah dessen can really write like a teenage girl. I also thing that this book represents a large portion of relationships. It shows that the world is not all perfect and happy go lucky. Many argue that this book isn't one of Sarah Dessen's best works. However, I think that its because people want to read about how the girl gets with the gorgeous boy in the end and they all live happily ever after. But in real life, that's not the case. This book shows reality, and it's like a wakeup call for Caitlin and for the readers too. -Reviewed by AP, grade 9 .