Title: What Happened to Cass McBride Author: Gail Giles
Publish Date: November 2006
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 224pp
ISBN: 0316166383
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Range: 14 and up
Price: $13.25
Annotation: Cass McBride has been buried alive by the older brother of the boy who killed himself after she turned him down.
Summary: David Kirby has committed suicide and Cass McBride--the beautiful and popular girl who is on track to becoming prom queen and applying to all the best schools-- feels somewhat responsible. Cass knows what she wants, and knows what it takes to stay on top. If you are on her radar, she is sweet, and if you’re not on her radar, you don’t matter. When David Kirby asked her out, a nobody, Cass was shocked. She was nice to his face, but ripped him apart in a letter to her friend—one found by David. Kyle, David Kirby's big brother, learned too late about the note Cass wrote and holds her responsible for the death of his brother. He decides to kidnap her and buries her underground. Now, Cass finds herself waking up from a drug-induced sleep, realizing that Kyle has buried her alive with a crude air supply system and walkie talkie setup through which he can torture her for what she did to his brother. Cass decides the only way she can get out alive is if she manipulates Kyle’s guilt over leaving his brother with their emotionally abusive mother.
Evaluation: A psychological thriller about how crazy and mean teenagers can be. The style and structure of this book captures the reader from the first page (very Gail Giles like). I liked how each chapter alternates character narration, allowing you the reader to feel their points of view. I also appreciated the straight forward plot line, with a satisfying, but ambiguous conclusion.
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness:
- Think about the way you talk to people—words can inflict pain.
Reason this book was chosen: After reading Shattering Glass I was hooked on anything Gale Giles. I picked What Happened to Cass McBride because of the buried alive storyline—sounded, er, freaky.
Similar Titles:
Author Website: Click HERE
Awards:
Awards:
ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2007
ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 2007 
