Friendship, Gossip, and High School Drama in Sequel to Karen McManus' Best Seller One of Us Is Lying

Fans of Karen M. McManus will be excited to know that the long-awaited sequel to her best seller One of Us Is Lying is here. One of Us Is Next is a page-turner with all of the high school drama that continues after the death of Simon. All of the familiar characters at Bayview High are present in this new thriller. Who will be the next to follow Simon as the new gossip king or queen?

A new game of truth or dare comes to Bayview High and readers will be challenged with wondering who will be next to be king or queen in the high school drama of gossip and be present in the dangerous situation that has come to Bayview High. Gossip is always a huge part of high school and Simon was at the top of his game of gossip before his death. Now the students must find a new leader for the gossip game. Phoebe is first to be tagged. She must decide if her choice is truth or dare in the gossip game. Others follow. Who will fill Simon's place in the gossip game? New rules are added to the game and students have a situation on their hands.

McManus writes with her familiar thrilling variety of plots in her novels for teens. Readers will find this sequel to be filled with twists as Maeve follows Phoebe in the truth or dare game. The dares of the game become more dangerous as the story progresses. Someone wants to keep Simon's reputation as the king of gossip alive. Teen readers will be challenged to pick their choice for the character who they think will take Simon's Place.

One of Us Is Next was published by Delacorte Press, a division of Random House Children's Books. It is a somewhat longer book than some teens might be accustomed to and is recommended for ages 14 and up. It has an ISBN of 978-525-70796-7.

Teachers who teach English or reading for teens will want to add this best-seller to the classroom library. One of Us Is Lying is a page-turner that students will find easy reading, albeit being somewhat long. There is a wealth of ideas for creative writing assignments for student to participate in after reading the novel. The book is recommended as a good choice for a reading list through the year for students to choose for writing projects.

*Assign a creative writing activity for students to choose their favorite character. Who do they think will follow Simon as the leader in high school gossip?

*Assign a creative writing activity in which students write a scenario with a "Truth or Dare" of their own. What are the ideas behind their story?

*Engage students in a group discussion about high school gossip. How is this habit harmful to students? Can gossip ever be helpful?

*Engage students in a group discussion of how each character in the novel handle their role as a new target for the truth or dare game. Who do the students think is more successful in how they handle this new game with the new rules?

*Assign a creative writing activity for students to write about a true piece of gossip that was started in their school. Who may have started the gossip? What were reactions to the piece of gossip and how long did it stay as a topic of conversation throughout the school. Was a student hurt by the gossip?

*Take a class poll of students who would choose either Truth or Dare if they were participating in this kind of game. What would be their reason for their choice? Which one do they think is easier to come up with an answer?

*Engage students in a group discussion about the surprising ending. Was the ending anticipated by the characters?

Enjoy this creative read with your students.