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    Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey
    Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey
    Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey
    Ebook148 pages1 hour

    Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

    By Margaret Peterson Haddix

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    About this ebook

    Things are so bad, I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't do something...

    Everyone has to keep a journal in Mrs. Dunphrey's English class, but the teacher has promised she won't read any entry marked "Do not read this." It's the kind of assignment Tish Bonner, one of the girls with big hair who sit in the back row, usually wouldn't take very seriously. But right now, Tish desperately needs someone to talk to, even if it's only a notebook she doesn't dare let anyone read.

    As Tish's life spins out of control, the entries in her journal become more and more private...and dangerous. Is she risking everything that matters to her by putting the truth on paper? And is she risking more by keeping silent?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
    Release dateSep 6, 2011
    ISBN9781439115275
    Author

    Margaret Peterson Haddix

    Margaret Peterson Haddix is the author of many critically and popularly acclaimed YA and middle grade novels, including the Children of Exile series, The Missing series, the Under Their Skin series, and the Shadow Children series. A graduate of Miami University (of Ohio), she worked for several years as a reporter for The Indianapolis News. She also taught at the Danville (Illinois) Area Community College. She lives with her family in Columbus, Ohio. Visit her at HaddixBooks.com.

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    Reviews for Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

    4/5

    106 ratings6 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Tish's English teacher, Mrs. Dunfrey, requires the students to write in a journal 3 times a week. She specifically said that if the students mark an entry "Do Not Read" she will not read it. At first, Tish distrusts the promise. She tests Mrs. Dunfrey by writing about harmless things that no one else would know (the fact that Tish can crochet for example). Once Tish realizes that the journal is safe, she begins writing freely and talking about how difficult her life is becoming. Her father is abusive and has left them. Her mother is depressed and doesn't do anything except cry that she wants the father back. Tish has an 8-year old brother, Matt and she takes care of him. She talks about how much she misses her Granma and how she doesn't really care about school. She talks about her job and how she deals with problems there.
      Tish started doing the journal because she was required to, but she gradually comes to realize that writing in the journal is like talking to a friend. But, will she ever let Mrs. Dunfrey read any of her real entries? And what is going to happen to Tish & Matt.
      My Opinion
      I enjoyed this book. It is told completely through Tish's journal entries which are very heartfelt and meaningful. Tish struggles to be the adult in her family and is dealing with issues far beyond her years. I liked her strength and her vulnerability. And the end of the book is satisfying without feeling too trite.
    • 3/5
      Margaret Haddix is an excellent storyteller. Here she gets to the heart of why so many young people just can't make school work for them. excellent read.
    • 5/5
      Excellent! A page-turner that I read in one sitting. Written as journal entries, one of my favourite formats, this book is impossible to put down. For the older or mature teen this is a rivetting story of a 15 year old girl who has become the parent in her family, of her seven year old brother and their eventual abandonment. We follow the girl's plight in her journal entries as she is afraid to tell anyone about her circumstances. It is a heartfelt journey we travel with her, hoping she will reach out for help.
    • 4/5
      This was an okay book. Very short and an easy read, took me about an uninterrupted hour on the couch.Enjoyed is not the right word, but I am glad I read this book. It was really interesting and kept me reading the whole time. Despite its short length, it was very descriptive of what it might be like to be a young girl responsible for her younger brother. Her mother is dysfunctional and her father is absent (although he does come back into the picture for a brief time) and her younger brother is scared. So is she (our heroine, Tish), but she's got to be strong for her brother. It very accurately describes what it might be like to try and be an adult and a teen at the same time. Tish isn't old enough to handle all the responsibility thrust on her, but at the same time, she has to shoulder it and her friends don't understand what's going on as she's afraid to confide in anyone. Not only does she have problems at home but a crush by one of her managers at her fast food job makes her life even more difficult. All in all I thought it was a good view of what it might be to be struggling to get by and the responsibility that a teen might be under with inadequate parents. I don't know how "real" this book is, but it came across as very authentic. The only part that I found disingenuous was the ending. Too fairy tale for the reality of the rest of the book, but since it's a upper middle grade book, not surprising. I'd give this 3 1/2 stars.
    • 4/5
      Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey was a story that even at my age I could relate to. I was a huge journal writer as a young teen, and it was definitely a way for me to really let my inner thoughts flow. It is amazing how we can really not see the chaos and drama that is going on in a teen's life. Or anyone's for that matter. Tish follows through on her assignment to make several journal entries each week for Mrs. Dunphrey's English class. Because of a promise to not read anything marked "Don't Read This," Tish is actually able to really let her life out on paper that probably doesn't match what her friends and teachers imagine. The story moves swiftly and is really a pretty short book at just 125 pages. Tish is a teen character that is believable and one that many can relate to. Your emotions just might get caught up in this story. My emotions were definitely caught. Tish is a girl you could actually know, but would be surprised to find out how little you might know. Reading this caused me to really open my eyes to those around me. This was an excellent book, and I am so glad I stumbled on it. :)Side Note: Another little treat was because I got it on Paperback Swap it was not just a good deal but also used. The inside cover made me giggle, because first it was signed by one girl who owned it and then another signed it and also drew some funny pictures on the inside cover. Silly but it was kind of sweet to see.
    • 4/5
      Very engaging read. Heartwrenching and inspirational. Highly recommended.

    Book preview

    Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey - Margaret Peterson Haddix

    Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

    Also by Margaret Peterson Haddix

    Because of Anya

    Escape from Memory

    Just Ella

    Leaving Fishers

    Running Out of Time

    Takeoffs and Landings

    Turnabout

    The Shadow Children Sequence:

    Among the Hidden

    Among the Impostors

    Among the Betrayed

    Among the Barons

    Among the Brave

    Available from Simon & Schuster

    www. SimonSaysKids.com

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    With thanks to Janet Peterson, Susan Zaffiro, Bob McHale, and the wards of the state of Indiana who told me their stories.

    This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

    This Simon Pulse edition June 2004

    Text copyright © 1996 by Margaret Peterson Haddix

    SIMON PULSE

    An imprint of Simon & Schuster, Children’s Publishing Division 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

    www.SimonandSchuster.com

    All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

    The text of this book was set in Century Book.

    Manufactured in the United States of America

    8 10 9 7

    The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

    Haddix, Margaret Peterson.

    Don’t you dare read this, Mrs. Dunphrey / Margaret Peterson.—1st ed.

    p. cm.

    Summary: In the journal she is keeping for English class, sixteen-year-old Tish chronicles the changes in her life when her abusive father returns home after a two-year absence.

    ISBN-13: 978-0-689-80097-9 (hc.)

    ISBN-10: 0-689-80097-5 (hc.)

    [1. Child abuse—Fiction. 2. Father and daughters—Fiction.

    3. Diaries—Fiction.] I. Title.

    P27.H1164DO 1996

    95-43200

    ISBN-13: 978-0-689-87102-3 (pbk.)

    ISBN-10: 0-689-87102-3 (pbk.)

    eISBN-13: 978-1-43911-527-5

    Contents

    Chapter 1: August 28

    Chapter 2: August 30

    Chapter 3: September 1

    Chapter 4: September 4

    Chapter 5: September 7

    Chapter 6: September 11

    Chapter 7: September 13

    Chapter 8: September 16

    Chapter 9: September 22

    Chapter 10: September 23

    Chapter 11: September 25

    Chapter 12: September 28

    Chapter 13: October 1

    Chapter 14: October 6

    Chapter 15: October 7

    Chapter 16: October 12

    Chapter 17: October 15

    Chapter 18: October 21

    Chapter 19: October 23

    Chapter 20: October 24

    Chapter 21: October 27

    Chapter 22: November 3

    Chapter 23: November 6

    Chapter 24: November 7

    Chapter 25: November 12

    Chapter 26: November 18

    Chapter 27: November 17

    Chapter 28: November 23

    Chapter 29: November 26

    Chapter 30: December 3

    Chapter 31: December 5

    Chapter 32: December 8

    Chapter 33: December 10

    Chapter 34: December 16

    Chapter 35: December 18

    Chapter 36: December 21

    Chapter 37: December 28

    Chapter 38: January 12

    Chapter 39: January 15

    Chapter 40: January 20

    Chapter 41: January 22

    Chapter 42: January 27

    Chapter 43: January 27

    Chapter 44: February 1

    Chapter 45: February 4

    Chapter 46: February 12

    Chapter 47: February 15

    Chapter 48: February 17

    Chapter 49: February 23

    Chapter 50: February 24

    Chapter 51: February 25

    Chapter 52: February 28

    Chapter 53: March 5

    Chapter 54: March 7

    Chapter 55: March 11

    Chapter 56: March 15

    Chapter 57: March 17

    Chapter 58: March 24

    Chapter 59: March 26

    Chapter 60: March 27

    Chapter 61: March 30

    Chapter 62: April 1

    Chapter 63: April 7

    Chapter 64: April 8

    Chapter 65: April 12

    Chapter 66: April 13

    Chapter 67: April 15

    Chapter 68: April 22

    Chapter 69: April 26

    Chapter 70: April 27

    Chapter 71: April 27 Again Really April 30 very Early

    Chapter 72: September 15

    Chapter 73: Later

    August 28

    All right, Mrs. Dunphrey, you said we had to do these journals, but if we wanted to write something personal and private we could mark an entry, Do not read. And then you wouldn’t read it, you’d just check to make sure we’d written something. Right? Okay that’s what I want. Don’t read the rest of this entry.

    Did you stop reading? I can’t believe a teacher would be so stupid. That’s what Eric Lynch was getting at, when he asked, So, like, we could mark every single entry, ‘Don’t read’? And then we could write anything? Everybody knows that Eric handed in the words to Row, Row, Row Your Boat, written over and over again, instead of outlines in his history notebook last year. And Mr. Tremont never even noticed, because he doesn’t really check anything, even though he says he does. Eric told everyone Mr. Tremont wrote, Good job. Nice penmanship. A

    And you’re telling us you don’t check? I can tell you’re a first-year teacher, Mrs. Dunphrey.

    But what if I do write something personal, and you really are reading these?

    I’m going to give you a test. I’m going to write something that’s secret, that no one else would know about me, and see if you are reading this. Let’s see, the secret is… I know how to crochet.

    You think that’s not such a great secret? Well, you probably haven’t figured out whose journal this is. This is Tish Bonner writing. I’m one of the girls who sits in the back row. We all have big hair. Mr. Tremont calls us the gum-cracking brigade. You looked kind of scared when Sandy, Rochelle, Chastity, and I walked into the room today. Let me clue you in: we don’t crochet. Crocheting’s for old ladies and prissy girls like Heather Turner. You probably haven’t met her yet—you’d know her because she’s got the flattest hair in the school. It’s a little greasy, too. She wants to be a home ec teacher when she grows up. She had a crush on Mr. Tremont last year (Have you met him yet? He’s bald and ugly and has a stomach bigger than the globe in his classroom.) and she brought him homemade cookies. Oatmeal. That’s Heather Turner. That’s not me.

    So, you’re probably wondering, how is it that I know how to crochet?

    Hey, I said one secret. That’s it. If I can’t trust you—if you are reading this—I can’t give too much away.

    August 30

    Don’t read this, Mrs. Dunphrey.

    Do you know what a drag school is? Maybe you really don’t—maybe you liked it when you were a kid. Maybe you think it’s fun now. You looked like you were having fun today, or trying to, talking about commas at the board. I mean, commas! Who cares? Don’t you have anything more important to worry about?

    I do, let me tell you. And I would tell you, but I haven’t handed this in yet to see if you pass my test.

    School, though. That’s what I was talking about. You’ve got us doing this stupid journal, Mr. Tremont wants another stupid history notebook from us every six weeks, Mrs. Rachethead (oops, sorry—Mrs. Racheau) is going to make us dissect frogs soon, Mr. Steinway gives us three pages of geometry homework every night… Who cares? I’ve got to work at Burger Boy most nights and almost every weekend. If I don’t—hey, no clothes, no food, no nothing for Ms. Tish Bonner. Or probably not for Matt Bonner (that’s my brother), either. You don’t think my mom gives us money, do you?

    If it weren’t for getting to see my friends at school, I’d probably drop out. Hey—that’s another test for you, isn’t it? You teachers are programmed to freak whenever someone talks about dropping out. If you really are reading this, I’d be slapped into the dropout prevention program so fast my head would spin. You know what everybody calls the dropout prevention program? Drip prevention. Smart, huh? It gets the drips out of school without them dropping out.

    Really, I can’t drop out, though. Then what would I do? No laying around the house watching TV for Ms. Tish Bonner. My mother’s already doing that herself. (Ha, ha.) I’d probably have to go to full-time at the Burger Boy. I’d probably be doing that the rest of my life.

    And you know what? I really hate the Burger Boy. A lifetime of dishing out burgers and curly fries—no thanks.

    September 1

    Don’t read this, Mrs. Dunphrey.

    You sure you want us to write in these twice a week? My life’s not so exciting that I have something to say twice a week. I don’t have anything to say at all. But you said we had to have four entries

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