Sharon Draper has never been afraid to explore the tough issues teens today face. Panic (Atheneum 2013) is no exception. Diamond does the unthinkable. She leaves the mall with a stranger–a man who promises fame but delivers horror.

Meanwhile, her friends and family are left behind to worry–and to face problems of their own. Justin has to deal with the taunts of a bully and former friend, especially since he is one of the few boys in the ballet class (and who is very good). He also has a crush on Layla, who can’t see past her abusive boyfriend. Mercedes is wracked with guilt over Diamond’s disappearance since she stayed behind when at the dance store.

Even though it seems like a book that might go overboard with “issues,” it doesn’t read that way because of the role of dance in each of their lives. These friends come together through dance, and dance gives them a way to express and deal with the things going on in their lives. The dance teacher,, Miss Ginger, is one of my favorite adults ever in YA literature.

Dance ties the story together, from the spring recital to the auditions for the annual musical–a ballet based on Peter Pan. The chapters alternate points of view between Diamond and the friends who worry about her. Each chapter begins with an apt quote from Barrie’s Peter Pan even though these kids have to grow up in a hurry.

While the topics Draper includes might be too much for some younger readers, she handles the issues in a way that is not graphic but still portrays the horror felt by the students and family. This book would pair well with Sarah Darer Littman’s Want to Go Private is opening opportunities to discuss the ways sexual abuse and technology can combine to impact lives.

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