Kate Hattemer’s debut novel The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy tells the story of how four friends respond when faced with adversity. The four friends go to a fine arts high school that has agreed to host a reality television show on their campus. The reality show butchers what the school stands for. So, the friends band together in order to bring down the toxic TV show. They also receive assistance from their trusty gerbil, adding to this quirky, great read. Hattemer definitely sends the message to the reader of not selling out and sticking to their instincts, even if they aren’t necessarily profitable. I was happy to read the book and hope I could convince others to as well.

In contrast, the book does have some slowly developing plot points, and a few lulls. However, they are usually made up with the great voice and writing style. The more subtle underlying plots are fantastic as well. Mainly, I would recommend this book to young adult readers as it is written to appeal to that audience. Other than that, The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy is a great book well worth the time to read.