Candor by Pam Bachorz

Here is a journal entry I wrote and presented to my class as a booktalk. I wrote it from the point of view of the main character, Oscar:

Dear Journal,

I can't believe I'm actually resorting to writing in a journal right now, but things are that crazy. And all because some girl has decided to move into Candor and shake things up. Okay, I'll admit it: Nia is not just some girl. She's only the most beautiful and refreshing person I've ever met in my life--but that's beside the point. What is she thinking riding a skateboard around Candor?! No one even owns a skateboard around here. Skateboards are for rebels, kids who go against the grain--kids like me. But those kids aren't allowed to exist in Candor. If only my dad knew. It won't be too long before dad's brainwashing messages start seeping into her brain. With all the hidden speakers around town, it won't be long till her total personality changes. These messages will convince her to drop all her rebellious behavior to become a perfect, obedient child and citizen of Candor. Everything that makes Nia Nia will be gone. And that's exactly why I'm going crazy. For some reason, I can't bear to see her changed. I don't know why--I've seen dad's messages turn every new kid that has moved here into a cookie-cutter clone, who eats healthy, studies for fun, and strives to please his parents. But, I can't see that happen to her. So, I think I'm going to save her. I'm going to feed her my own messages--the messages I listen to to keep ME in control--the messages that my dad doesn't know about--the ones that tell me to stay strong and to stay in charge. I've gotta be careful though. If dad were to suspect that I or Nia knew the truth, or that we were fighting his messages, we'd be sent to the Listening Room. Then we'd be goners for sure.