Just Another Hero [Paperback]

Jericho, November, Arielle, and their friends must step up big time to prevent a deadly school tragedy in this harrowing conclusion to Sharon M. Draper’s Jericho Trilogy.

Arielle Gresham, disliked and mistrusted by most of the students at her school, has a secret past, an unbelievably complicated present, and a shaky future. But no one knows or cares because she has managed to alienate anyone who could help her. She tries to cope with problems at school, but difficulties at home almost break her spirit. Then, as the school tries to deal with an outbreak of false fire alarms, a series of thefts, and Arielle discovers that one classmate is addicted to prescriptions drugs, and another who is a victim on vicious online bullying. Outward appearances are seldom what they seem to be—everyone is dealing with something, it’s all a matter of how you deal with it, Arielle is figuring out. But one kid can’t, and as he starts to crack, could he take the school tumbling down with him?

A hero is needed. But what makes a hero?Just Another Hero

ARIELLE

CHAPTER 1

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3

“GRAB HIS ARMS!”

“Now pick up his legs!”

“Hey, quit! Stop! Leave me alone!”

“This is gonna be too funny!”

“Hurry up, before a teacher shows up.”

“He’s slippery like a little worm, man.”

“Quit wigglin’, little punk! You gonna make me throw you in the pool!”

“Let me GO!”

Arielle Gresham, who had come to school early to get some homework done, was sitting alone in a side hall near the boys’ gym, lost in her own thoughts. Startled by the noise, she turned her head to see two big guys carrying a kicking, flailing smaller boy into the hall that led to the swimming pool.