✶ PRE-READING ✶
I’ve really enjoyed Tamsin Winter’s previous books, especially how she blends humour with serious, thoughtful themes. Girl (in Real Life) is one of my favourite teens books and a really good look at influencer families as the children are growing up. With this novel, I was expecting a sharp, contemporary story with emotional depth, and I was especially curious how she’d explore friendship and internet culture through the lens of risky dares and viral challenges.

✶ POST-READING ✶
As I thought... The friendship at the heart of the story felt real and layered, full of highs, lows, and everything in between. I liked how the story built gradually from light-hearted fun to something more unsettling, without ever feeling like a sudden shift in tone. It’s funny - but the kind of funny where you know it’s heading somewhere serious. You can sense a bit of daredevil in Willow and a calmer personality in Alma, and see how they push each other in different directions.

It surprised me by... Just how effectively it captured the emotional pressure of performative culture - not just online, but within friendships too. There’s a moment when you realise it’s not just about going viral anymore, it’s about who’s in control, who’s being watched, and who’s afraid to say no. That shift is handled really well, especially for a younger teen audience.

✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦
Book Recommendation: The Year I Didn’t Eat by Samuel Pollen – also about a young person under pressure, told with honesty and empathy.


TV or Movie Recommendation: Eighth Grade – for its raw and awkward portrayal of life online and the emotional toll of trying to be seen.

I literally did not want to read the end of this book because I was so invested in the characters and was worried about what was going to happen. It has such a strong message that screams about the risks of Tik Tok challenges, peer pressure and the desire for social media fame.
Willow and Alma are best friends but come from very different social background. Alma's parents are able to financially support her in her dream to become an actor, where as Willow's family are less well off. When WIllow finds out that Alma might be heading off to a stage school without her, she is hurt and it increases her desire to go viral so she can have the same opportunities. Because of this, the girls start taking bigger and bigger risks, Which leads to some serious consequences.

I think this book would be great to read with Year 7 and 8 pupils to help them think through the dangers of social media. It has a lot of talking points that would make for powerful discussions in the classroom. However, there is a serious accident at the end of the book so I would advise that adults read through and consider their class before reading.

Willow & Alma are thirteen-year-old best friends and joint owners of the ‘Wilma’ TikTok account where they video each other doing dares and challenges in the hopes of going viral and finding fame as influencers. When the basketball hoop challenge goes wrong they have to be rescued by the fire brigade, but the video is a huge hit and they get caught up in trying to do increasingly extreme challenges to chase the high of social media views. The chilli challenge and the duct tape challenge are marginally successful, but when Willow sees the fireball challenge she knows that it is their ticket to finally going viral. Alma is not convinced the fireball challenge is a good idea, she’d rather focus on her stage school audition, but she lets Willow talk her into it and the aftermath of that decision will change both of them forever.

This story is told from the perspective of both girls, and despite the fact that they both love acting, their lives are very different. Willow is the stronger character but her family is not as affluent as Alma’s, which means she has stronger motivation to seek internet fame as a means of escape from their small town. Alma is easily led by Willow, especially as she feels guilty for not telling Willow that she has applied to a stage school that Willow would never be able to afford.

‘I Dare You’ is the very definition of a cautionary tale. It is painful to watch Willow and Alma consistently make the wrong decisions over and over again, but also easy to understand how they are sucked into the relentless and addictive quest for social media affirmation. Once again Tamsin Winter proves her capacity to write for the teen category with authenticity, empathy and insight – a thought-provoking and frighteningly plausible read.

As a school librarian and with dwindling budgets, Tamsin Winter is one of the few authors I would preorder before publication for my library as I know I am in safe hands and I know my pupils will devour her books and recommend them to their peers. Having read this book, I can safely say she is still at her best. This book is both a funny read but a shocking read. Tamsin has always been excellent in her character depictions, especially when it comes to dialogue. She is a master of this which I think is why she is my 'go-to' for contemporary fiction for years 7 and 8, both girls and boys. Without wanting to mention 'spoilers' I was apprehensive on first reading the last third of the book, but on completing the novel I was bowled over how well Tamsin handles this tricky subject and I loved the ending. Who was I to judge,.. it was never in doubt. Buy and read it at your earliest opportunity!

Another good, thought-provoking read from Tamsin. From the start you can see how the two girls get sucked in to chasing likes and approval on social media and it is believable to see how that escalates. By acknowledging why someone might do it, it helps readers to see how they could end up there. Throughout runs the theme of friendships and the bonds they create, but also how as you get older they can start to change and drive someone to do something they might otherwise not do. I liked that the ending was not an easy answer as one of the girls tries to hide what she has done, even though really she knows it will come out eventually.
The story is told from the viewpoint of the two main characters. At times I did find it hard to work out who it was and had to flick back to check the chapter heading. I would have liked to have more distinct voices for each character.

Tamsin Winter’s books perfectly capture the essence of being in your early teens; her writing beautifully portrays the nature of childhood friendships and modern family life. I Dare You is about social media and how the pursuit of more and more likes and followers and the desire to go viral can be an addiction that takes over from common sense. We all remember doing dares with our friends but sharing them online takes things to a completely different level.
A story which is totally authentic and believable.

A modern and "daring" take on friendship, being a young adult, relationships with class and family, and the perils of going "too far" for the sake of likes and comments. I found this book believable, and the world of "willow" very recognisable from my own youth - albeit we were more into the "jackass"-style dares/stunts and not posting them online!! Definitely recommend for young people who have shown an interest in being "internet famous". A sad ending that is all-too believable.

Tamsin Winter is an expert in writing teen voices with authenticity, humour and depth. I Dare You is an excellent novel that looks into social media culture and just how far we as humans are willing to go in order to become viral. There is an excellent depiction on friendship in the novel which gives you great background as to the driving factors behind their need for going viral. I cannot recommend this novel enough to peers and youths alike!

A perfect YA novel that touches on the current culture of social media and what it means to go viral. A great look at friendship and the power of how social media should be fun and safe but the consequences of what can happen if we take it too far.