Poison Ivy Thorns

Product Description
New York Times bestselling author of The DUFF Kody Keplinger and artist Sara Kipin reimagine an iconic DC antihero with a gothic-horror twist.
There's something unusual about Pamela Isley--the girl who hides behind her bright red hair. The girl who won't let anyone inside to see what's lurking behind the curtains. The girl who goes to extreme lengths to care for a few plants. Pamela Isley doesn't trust other people, especially men. They always want something from her that she's not willing to give.
When cute goth girl Alice Oh comes into Pamela's life after an accident at the local park, she makes her feel like pulling back the curtains and letting the sunshine in. But there are dark secrets deep within the Isley house. Secrets Pamela's father has warned must remain hidden. Secrets that could turn deadly and destroy the one person who ever cared about Pamela, or as her mom preferred to call her...Ivy.
Will Pamela open herself up to the possibilities of love, or will she forever be transformed by the thorny vines of revenge?
From School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up—Keplinger and Kipin offer a straightforward backstory for one of DC's most iconic villains. Teenage Pamela lives with Dr. Isley, her secretive scientist father who demands that she help with his strange experiments despite the toll it takes on her. She is isolated at school and harassed by a boy she dated just once, but the principal won't help. Pamela's only pleasure comes from chemistry class and performing daring experiments with plants. She does manage to connect with Alice, and romance blossoms between the two. Alice moves into the Isley home when she's forced to evacuate hers due to a toxic gas release. Slowly, the secrets around Pamela's life and Dr. Isley's mysterious experiments are revealed. Alice sticks with Pamela through some frightening incidents but understands things will change. Tired of tolerating mistreatment from men, Pamela uses her chemistry skills and power over plants to strike back, taking the name Poison Ivy and starting down a new path. Characters have just enough depth to move the plot, and the romance is short-lived but sweet. The artwork's somber palette uses dark neutrals to convey Pamela's sadness, brightening slightly when she's surrounded by plants. Spare backgrounds keep the focus on Ivy's experience. The book goes beyond using abuse as a plot point and includes resources for readers who may be experiencing exploitation. Pamela and her father are white, Alice is Asian, and their teachers and classmates are a mix of white and brown-skinned people. VERDICT An intriguing and sympathetic introduction to DC's nefarious Poison Ivy.—Carla Riemer, Berkeley, CA
About the Author
Kody Keplinger is the
USA Today and
New York Times bestselling author of many books for young adult and middle grade readers, including
The DUFF, which was adapted into a major motion picture in 2015, and
That's Not What Happened. She teaches writing classes at the Gotham Writers Workshop in New York City. When she isn't writing, Kody can usually be found playing
Dungeons and Dragons, cuddling with her two black cats, or taking long walks with her German shepherd. You can find her online at kodykeplinger.com or @Kody_Keplinger on Twitter.
Sara Kipin is an illustrator and visual developer based out of Burbank, CA. She graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2016 and has been working in the animation industry ever since.