The Second Life of Abigail Walker

The Second Life of Abigail Walker

Frances O'Roark Dowell

Atheneum Books for Young Readers

New York

2012

This is the story of a girl named Abigail (nickname Abby). She is chubby and because of this she is considered to be part of the unpopular crowd at school. She speaks out against Kristen and her groupies who are thin and popular. She used to be friends with Kristen until their weight difference became a problem getting Abby teased. Abby decides to embrace her unpopular status. Once she embraces her status, she meets a homeschooled boy named Anders. He is concerned that Kristen and her groupies will hurt Abby. But Anders also has problems at home. His dad is an Afghanistan war veteran. His dad is home from the war and struggles with daily life in a dangerous manner. Abby begins to help Anders with his dad. She finds that helping someone else find hope in the world helps her find hope as well. 

Noteworthy Features:

• Addresses teasing and bullying
• Message of Hope

I liked this book. I think that this is a great book for students to read. It addresses the struggles that our in school with teasing and bullying. But it also puts it into the light of other serious problems people face outside of school. It has a message of hope for both situations. It includes important themes of bullying, school life, being an individual, and friendships. 

Links to Classroom Activities:

• Unit Plan 
• Curriculum Guide