Allow me to flip this book’s narrative on it’s flipping head.

Flipped delivers a powerful message about how you should treat other people; especially kids. And we all know from school that kids can be the worst people to each other. So with this narrative in mind, all me to introduce myself: I am the worst people. At least I was when I originally read this book.

This book doesn’t shy away from making Julia Baker eccentric and a little bit weird, which I appreciate because having met some eccentric people as I kid myself, I reacted similarly to Bryce. But here’s the real key to flip that switch in your brain: Julia’s character development allows you to look past her exterior and get to know some of her admittedly great qualities.

But GUESS WHAT

Dumb brain little kid me didn’t care!

I was with Bryce. I was Bryce. The girl was weird. I didn’t want anything to do with her. Even… reading about her I guess. So when Bryce flips his lid, Julia flips her perspective, and then Bryce flipped his heart (I don’t know what I’m saying anymore) I was genuinely against it. Why was he going for the weird girl? She finally left him alone, now was his chance to live a normal life.

Horrible things to think, right? I truly was the worst people.

But THEN. I got older. I became not the worst people. I am still am a pretty terrible person though for continually using the word “people” like it’s a singular noun. Besides that point, my view on the narrative flipped.

The second time going through this wild ride I could not believe how much of a jerk Bryce was and how he went out of his way to be mean. It’s absurd. But you know what’s more absurd?

You know why I was mad at Bryce? Because I know better! It’s too late to learn this lesson! But somehow, through all it’s earnest effort, this book taught me nothing as a child than weird kids are weird and Bryce is a dummy. Forgive me for flipping out.

All in all, this book gets

4 OUT OF 5 BACKFLIPS

I enjoyed it both times, despite the different feelings I had while reading it. You should give this book to kids, so long as they’re not boneheads like me.