League of Strays

League of Strays by L.B. Schulman
high school & up

Charlotte receives an unexpected invitation to meet with with a group of kids. Once there she finds out that others have also been invited. They only have one thing in common: they're basically friendless. Kade wants them all to secretly band together to take revenge on those who have bullied them. Everyone is in until Kade's revenge on the gym teacher attracts police attention and gets worse from there.


Very compelling book. Almost from the beginning you're sure that there is something a tad off about Kade but can't quite put your finger on it. It's pretty subtle but I had to keep reading to find out when the group would figure out what was up. I liked seeing how Charlotte grew thanks to her attempts to figure out Kade's true character. I liked one of the other characters in the League also. Darned if I can remember her name right now though. It was the girl with the drunk mom. She was an interesting character; the others in the League were a tad flat.

Perfect for a discussion on trying to fit in with others. This is kinda a worse case scenario of being a follower. It could help a counselor make a point about learning how to be your own person. Which is definitely something a lot of teenagers need to learn.

Verdict: recommended