Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Someone Like You
Sarah Dessen
ISBN 978-0-14-240177-4
281 pages
Viking, 1998

Genre: Coming of Age, Issue Novel

Reader's Annotation:
Though Halley's life is falling apart, she knows she must stay strong for her best friend Scarlett, who found out she was pregnant after her boyfriend died.

Plot Summary:
Halley and Scarlett have been best friends ever since Scarlett and her mother moved in the house across the street. Scarlett's always been the brave one, helping Halley navigate the social waters of school.  When Scarlett's boyfriend Michael is killed in a motorcycle accident just before the start of junior year and she realizes she's pregnant with his child, though, she must rely on Halley to help her get through.

Halley wants to be strong for her best friend, but she also has her own demons to battle with. These days she can't even manage a civil conversation with her mother, a well-respected counselor who's famous for dispensing advice on how to get along with your teenage daughter. And jealous of the relationship Scarlett and Michael shared, Halley enters a relationship with Macon, Michael's best friend, a freewheeling bad boy. Halley finds Macon exciting and dangerous, but both Scarlett and Halley's mother worry about his influence and how he may be pressuring her.

Critical Evaluation:
Dessen creates very well-rounded and believable characters. She perfectly captures the age where all of a sudden, you can no longer get along with one or both of your parents, but nobody's quite sure what happened and how to fix it.  She also captures how critically important one's friends are in this period when one may not be able to reach out to one's family for help.  Both Scarlett and Halley are failed by their mothers, but they're able to nurture each other and help each other make positive decisions.  And when Halley fails Scarlett, too, there's yet another friend there to provide support and pick up the pieces.

The story is a little slight; it's rather short, and of course, of course, Scarlett goes into labor on the night of the prom.  On the other hand, it's very honest and well-observed. One can see exactly why Halley is attracted to Macon, even though it's clear to everyone but her what a bad influence he is.

About the author:
Dessen has written eight other young adult books, which have been critically well-reviewed and remain extremely popular among YA readers. She's known for her thoughtful brand of "chick lit," in which the power of female friendship is stressed. This book was merged with another book by Dessen, That Summer, and turned into a movie called How to Deal starring Mandy Moore.

Curriculum Ties:
Teen pregnancy, Parent/Teen relationship

Booktalking Ideas:
1. Focus on the friendship between Halley and Scarlett
2. Describe the troubled relationship between Halley and her mother, and Scarlett and her mother
3. Explain the relationship between Halley and Macon

Reading/Interest Level:
8th and up

Challenge Issues:
Teen sex and pregnancy, drug use, underage drinking

If this book is challenged, one should be aware of the library policy on selection and be able to explain it to the challenger.  One could point out how highly acclaimed this book was, pointing to its many positive reviews and its being named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and Best Book of the Year by SLJ.

Selection Criteria:
Because I'd read several glowing reviews of Dessen's latest novel, Along for the Ride, I decided to try some of her novels.  This one caught my eye because of the aforementioned "Best Book" awards.