Reviews - The Yearbook Committee

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94 reviews for:

There's nothing like a sucker punch to the gut when reading a YA novel! This had everything that my teenage self loves - a Breakfast Club-like collection of misfits, the making of a yearbook and lots of pop culture references. It's a bit like Looking for Alibrandi, with its private/public school setting and the characters who are from different socio-economic backgrounds. Difference is handled well and encourages tolerance as it deals with current teenage issues. This is an intelligent read, and seriously, you get sucked in. I was, and it meant that when crunch time came I was devastated!

katie_jane2021's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

catherine_mack's review against another edition

3.0

This is a good read for anyone (like me!) who enjoys the "Breakfast Club" trope. This disparate group of teens are thrown together (for various) reasons to create the yearbook for their final year of high school. I really liked getting to know the backstory of each of the characters, they were original yet recognisable and very easy to relate to. The antagonist's motives were also believable as was her character. The only reason this book didn't score higher on my little scale was that I could not buy the coincidences at the end and I also felt that while the climax was spot on, the characters reactions to it seemed underplayed. Please don't let a three turn you off of it. I enjoyed the book and will be recommending it to students at our school.

melissa_bookworm's review against another edition

3.0

This book was pretty enjoyable. I could definitely see the parallel's between the Breakfast Club and the Yearbook Committee. It was easy to read and had an interesting enough narrative for me. There were some really strong stereotypes that I think were a little unnecessary but overall I enjoyed it.

julie_reads15's review against another edition

4.0

'The Yearbook Committee' by Sarah Ayoub is a young adult contemporary novel.
Five teenagers, who are in their final year of high school, are thrust together to creae their school yearbook.
Charlie is the new girl. She's a feminist who has just moved interstate. She's determined not to form any roots so she can move back to Melbourne to reunite with her friends.
Matty is the loner. He's the scholarship kid who doesn't fit in. He's looking after his mother who has depression, and working to try and keep them afloat.
Tammi is the popular girl's best friend. She gives in to peer pressure from her best friend and her boyfriend. She lets everyone tell her what to do and how to think because she doesn't want to lose the only friends she has.
Ryan is the school captain. He dreamed of being a soccer player until an accident took his dreams away. Now he has to reevaluate what he wants to do with his future.
Gillian is the politician's daughter. She's the only person who actually volunteered to be on the yearbook committee. She's constantly bullied by the popular kids and is constantly in the spotlight due to her father's job.
The story is told in five alternating points of view and chronicles Charlie, Matty, Tammi, Ryan and Gillian's final year of high school.
The book dealt with a number of different issues such as depression, bullying, disability, peer pressure, and parental expectations.
The book was very character driven. It took a little while to adjust to the five different points of view and to get to know the characters. After that, the story seemed to flow quickly. I liked watching the characters overcome their personal struggles and develop into better and stronger people. I also loved watching how they all developed strong friendships with each other.
It was refreshing to read a contemporary young adult novel set in Australia.
I thought it was creative how there were Polaroid pictures and Facebook status updates at the start of every chapter.
The tragic event at the end happened too suddenly. It was very abrupt and it felt like it was brushed over. I wish there was more closure.
I recommend this book to anyone who's 15 years and older and wants to read a book similar to The Breakfast Club movie.

wanderlustnz's review against another edition

3.25

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

1madchild's review against another edition

3.0

i dont know what everyone is whinning about, i liked it and the ending was grate.

mischief_in_the_library's review against another edition

3.0

Cool idea, but not executed as well as it could be. I got quite confused with the five different POVs at the start, though I managed to differentiate them a bit easier after about half the book. Some of the events seem to be recounted without enough...gravity. Or time given to consequences of them. I always like books set in an Australian school, though!