Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Peter Houghton is tired of being bullied. It started the first day of Kindergarten when he was tripped walking down the aisle of the bus and a bigger kid threw his Superman lunchbox out the window; it hasn’t stopped since. He’s tried to ignore it but the abuse has continued and escalated. He’s tried to defend himself but ended up being the only one punished. He’s tried to get help from adults, to no avail. He’s even lost his childhood best friend, Josie, who wants a shot at being part of the popular crowd.

Peter has retreated to the world in his computer, where he is in control, where he is smart, popular, and respected for his craft. But one fateful morning he finally snaps. The nineteen minutes he spends doling out his version of revenge to Sterling High School will forever alter the lives of everyone involved.


“In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game... It’s the length of a sitcom, minus the commercials… In nineteen minutes you can order a pizza and get it delivered… You can walk a mile… In nineteen minutes, you can bring the world to a screeching halt… In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.”