This could also happen in your class, unless…
This moving story cuts to the core of the high school experience
Grade 9 is going on a school trip to Terschelling, an island 15 miles off the Dutch coast. The students are excited to stay at a farm, where they will sleep in tents. They board the ferry and the mood on the way to the camp site is elated. Everyone would consider them a well-behaved class, but the reality is different. Throughout the school year, a group of boys has been ruining the atmosphere in the classroom with their antisocial behavior. Mainly they pick on Ivan. At school the situation is more or less under control, but away from the watchful eyes of their teachers, it soon escalates. The bullies are making Ivan’s life hell, and what happens next will forever change the lives of everyone involved.
Each chapter moves the story forward from the point of view of a different student. Despite the serious subject, it is written with a lot of warmth and humor. Looking through their eyes, you get to know the students one by one.
˃˃˃ The climax hits you like you yourself were part of the class
The Flight of the Seagull is the English translation of the Dutch book Al het water van de zee, one of the best-known books about bullying in The Netherlands. Universally popular with Teens and Young Adults, this book is also used by teachers to start a discussion about the issue in the classroom, and it can certainly be recommended to parents, because it gives a clear picture of the process of bullying and being bullied.
Above all, it is a fascinating read providing an insight into high school dynamics through a wealth of young minds
