My daughter, who's super into books with realistic characters and a bit of drama, picked this up for a school assignment. "Bad Influence" is about Amelia, a girl who's dealing with a viral video incident and trying to navigate the complicated world of middle school popularity. It deals with some heavy stuff like bullying and feeling like you don't fit in, so I was curious to see what she thought.
She really got hooked on it, especially because she said Amelia's struggles felt relatable. Apparently, there's a lot about social media and how quickly things can spread, which is something they talk about at school, too. The writing style is pretty straightforward, nothing too complicated. It kept her turning pages, and she finished it in a few days. She did mention that some of the characters are kind of mean, but that it felt realistic to how kids act sometimes. No pictures, just straight text, and she said it was a good length, not too overwhelming.
The AR level is 4.8, which is perfect for her grade level, and she earned 12 points for it. At almost 78,000 words, it's a decent-sized book, but not so long that it felt like a chore. It definitely held her attention better than some of the shorter, simpler books she sometimes brings home.
This would be a good choice for a kid who likes stories about navigating middle school drama and dealing with tough situations. If your child is sensitive to bullying or topics like underage vaping, it might be worth reading alongside them or having a conversation about it afterward. But overall, it sparked some good discussions between me and my daughter, which is always a win in my book.