#NeverAgain

[Hailey]

Hogg, D., & Hogg, L. (2018). #NeverAgain. New York: Random House.

This novel is the story of Lauren and David Hogg. Both Lauren and David were students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, also recognized as the school in which the Parkland shootings took place. This call to action novel discusses Lauren and David’s memories of this tragic day and how they are using their survival to spark a movement. The #neveragain movement calls for young adults to stand up to and end gun violence. This novel inspires a movement through tragedy and discusses how each individual can make an impact on gun violence laws across the United States.
This non-fiction novel follows recounts the tragedy of the Parkland shooting from two survivors’ eyes. It is difficult to evaluate the characters compared to other texts, because the characters are the authors of the novel. I believe that the authors did an amazing job of describing the setting, and the plot that led up to this nation-wide movement as well as respectfully remembered those suffering from tragic losses of the shooting there and shootings all over the world. The language may be intended for more mature audiences; however, it is real and thus the profanity helps encompasses the accounts of the students involved in this event. All readers should be informed not only on the events that happened, but on the events that will happen in the future due to this movement that these students began.
This novel is quite clearly a mirror for any student or individual involved in a school shooting, or any shooting for that matter. This novel can also serve as a mirror for young activists making their voices heard in protest for change. This novel could serve as a window for those who were not directly affected by a shooting, but know of someone who has been or even have followed the stories closely. Finally, this text serves as a window for individuals looking to get involved in a protest such as the #neveragain movement, for people who feel passionately for change and want to make a difference.
This novel, being nonfiction, would be best served for more mature students, particularly those in high school. The first lesson that this novel could be implemented into would be a politics class. With the pressing issue of gun violence and the amendments that protect it, this novel would be a great way to discuss why people are so adamant on changing the laws, but also gives students who oppose an opportunity to see both sides of the story, and to share their thoughts as well. Another way this novel could be used in instruction would be when talking about speech and debate. These high school students mentioned in the book felt so passionately about this matter that they took to publicly speaking in front of thousands of people to make their voices heard. Students taking a speech class could use this book as inspiration on how these students made their thoughts clearly heard amongst large audiences.