All Eyes on Her

Gr 9 Up–Tabby and her boyfriend go on a hike in the woods and only Tabby returns. Tabby loves being in the spotlight and can be unpredictable. Did she kill her boyfriend, the so-called golden boy? Everyone has a different story to tell: her sister, her best friend, her boyfriend’s best friend, and her classmates. Text messages paint Tabby as jealous and controlling. With her own questionable reputation and bold personality, the jury of public opinion is quick to side against her. Soon the conversation extends from people in their town to online articles, anonymous commenters, and features in national magazines before her trial even begins. Is it possible for Tabby to be all the things everyone says she is; the good, the bad and the in-between? Chapters offer alternating viewpoints from those closest to Tabby. Her own take on all this only shows up at the very end, daring readers to make rash judgments just like everyone else in Tabby’s life. Through its characters, the novel explores how young women are often put into black-and-white categories by society.