Module 14: Tricks

Summary: Ellen Hopkins profiles five different teens--Eden, Seth, Whitney, Ginger, and Cody who all turn to prostitution for different reasons. Eden is the daughter of  preacher who falls into prostitution after her father discovers her illicit relationship with a young man. After escaping a camp designed to "reform" her,  she turns to prostitution to survive. Seth's father kicks him out of the house after discovering he is gay. After drifting from man to man and trying to find a place to live, Seth becomes a prostitute to survive. Whitney is forced into prostitution by her rebound boyfriend. Ginger is a victim of sexual abuse by her mother's boyfriend. Cody becomes a prostitute to support his family.

Citation:

Hopkins, E. (2009). Tricks. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Impressions: Much like Crank, this book unflinchingly tackles a controversial issue. Hopkins never sugarcoats the truth so at times, this book was difficult to read. Like her previous books, it shows how a few wrong choices can result in devastating consequences. Considering how popular media tends to romanticize prostitution, this is a sobering example of how the real world works.

Reviews:

Gr 9 Up-- Five teens desperately seek to find their way through the darkness in Hopkins's latest epic novel in verse. Eden flees an evangelical household; Cody blocks out a family illness with gambling and sex; Whitney gives up her body in exchange for the love she finds so elusive; Seth struggles to define himself as a homosexual; and Ginger comes to terms with an awful truth about her neglectful mother. Burden after burden piles on the teens' shoulders until they resort to the unthinkable in order to survive. As they near rock bottom, their narratives begin to intersect. It is only when their paths converge that a glimmer of redemption appears out of the hopelessness. From the punch delivered by the title, to the teens' raw voices, to the visual impact of the free verse, Hopkins once again produces a graphic, intense tale that will speak to mature teens.


Maza, J. H. (2009, October). Tricks. School Library Journal, 55(10), 128-128. Retrieved May 8, 2016, from Academic Search Complete.

Library Use: I think it would be an excellent discussion starter about the consequences of our decisions and the reality of prostitution. I think it is an excellent way to let teens know that there is help out there and they are alone.