This is a solid, well-intentioned anti-bullying book that does what it sets out to do: give kids a story where the underdogs use their smarts to fight back, and where speaking up leads to real change. The lessons about collective action, online responsibility, and the complexity of revenge are genuinely valuable.

That said, it's not going to blow anyone's mind in 2025. The email-forum premise feels like a time capsule from the early 2000s (because it is—original publication was 2003). Kids today would probably organize via Discord or an anonymous Instagram account, not a school email system. The pacing is thoughtful rather than thrilling, which means it works better as an assigned class read or for a kid actively dealing with bullying than as a beach read.

The 4.3 Amazon rating and Bank Street award signal it's done right by many families. If your middle schooler is struggling with social dynamics or you want to open conversations about standing up to injustice, this delivers. Just don't expect them to race through it like Percy Jackson.