Gaby Rodriguez decided early on that she wouldn’t be another stereotype. Even though her mother and older sisters had babies while they were teenagers, Gaby realized that she wanted more and worked hard in school to ensure that her future would be bright. So it was quite a shock that for Gaby’s senior project she decided she was going to fake her own pregnancy.
Telling very few people the truth, Gaby perpetuated a pregnancy in order to find out what it was like to be a pregnant teen. Would all of her accomplishments be negated because of this one mistake? What would people say about her? Who, if anyone, would offer their support? The implications would go much deeper and spread far wider than Gaby could have ever dreamed.
Gaby’s story is told in a straight-forward, easy-to-read manner that I think will be appealing to teens, but for me it fell flat in places. It was hard for me to connect emotionally to her writing. Her tone is reflective and puts distance between the reader and the events. Other than that, I think she has a strong message on an issue that has become something of an epidemic in this country and a real heart for those in need.
The Paper Pusher 