Author Description

Zack is a small, unusual looking, mildly autistic fifteen-year-old boy who has been relegated to the bottom of the pecking order at a large suburban high school in Southern California. The consequences for being "different" are horrific. One autumn day he is physically and emotionally abused beyond his limits to endure. He makes a plan to get revenge. Out of desperation he does what he has been practicing in video games for years: he brings a semi-automatic gun to school, shoots his abuser, and paralyzes him for life. The Pecking Order illuminates the lives of the shooter -- and the boy he shoots -- before and after the shooting. It also tells the story of the school's principal who courageously puts his career on the line to make changes that will improve the quality of life, connections, and education for the students.