Moon White
Melody Carlson
ISBN 9-78157683-951-5
215 pages
TH1NK Books, 2007
Genre: Christian
Readers Annotation
After a new girl moves into town and supplants Heather as prima ballerina--not to mention steals her boyfriend--Heather feels like her life is spinning out of control. She takes up Wicca in an attempt to control her own destiny but finds her newfound spirituality may not be all she had bargained for.
Plot Summary
17-year-old Heather's mother died four years ago. Her father has recently remarried a younger woman, a free spirit named Augustine, who has remodeled their home and almost erased all memories of her mother. Heather accepts some of Augustine's new ideas, such as embracing veganism, but worries that she is losing control over her life. With her stepmother's blessing, Heather decides to learn about Wicca. Her Christian friend Lucy warns her against it, and then ends their friendship when Heather decides to continue on a Wiccan path. Meanwhile, a new girl, Liz, has come to town. Heather is an accomplished ballerina and has looked forward to dancing the part of the Sugar Plum Fairy in this year's recital of the Nutcracker. However, Liz is an even better dancer than Heather, and Heather assumes Liz will get the part.
Heather and Liz become friends. As Heather learns more about Wicca, she feels more in control of her own destiny. With the help of some love potions, she is able to catch the eye of Hunter, a boy she has always dreamed about. The meditation and focus she develops through her practice improves her dance. Everything seems to be going perfectly for once in Heather's life. But then Hunter and Liz start dating, Heather's dancing falls apart, and Liz takes Heather's place in her old group of friends. Heather starts to loathe Liz as an enemy. A fellow Wiccan tells her about a spell she can cast to put harm on Liz. Should Heather continue down what may be a dangerous spiritual path?
Critical Evaluation
Unlike another Christian novel reviewed in this blog, Hollywood Nobody, Moon White would have little appeal to a non-Christian reader. In fact, non-Christian readers would probably find it downright offensive. Heather's veganism is equated with her decision to follow Wicca; only once she has accepted Christ in her heart can she enjoy a juicy cheeseburger. The entire point of the book is to proselytize; there are no measured discussions about religion, and Christianity is painted as the only right path. While Heather does struggle with spirituality throughout the book, it's clear that Christianity is the only correct answer.
Apart from its role as a cautionary tale, there's little to recommend about this book. The characters are stock, and the writing is flat. Many interesting characteristics about Heather, such as her dance, are not explored in any detail. While Liz's decision to date Hunter is supposed to be a big dramatic moment in their friendship, we can't really blame Liz because, as she points out, Hunter and Heather had not really started dating yet. Similarly, it seems strange that instead of working harder on her dancing, Heather decides to seek revenge on Liz by casting several dark spells against her. For a general reader, there's no appeal here.
Other Books in the Series
There are 10 other books in Carlson's True Colors series, including titles like Bright Purple (in which a Christian girl struggles to accept her friend who has just come out of the closet) and Torch Red (in which a girl decides whether or not to remain a virgin).
About the Author
Melody Carlson has written over 200 Christian-themed books, including many for young adults. In addition to the popular True Colors series, she has written the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. These books, written in diary format, follow the spiritual struggles of a rotating group of teenage girls. She has also written the Carter House Girls series, about a group of unlikely girls who are being turned into debutantes. An Amazon review calls this series a Christian alternative to Gossip Girl.
Curriculum Ties
This book would not be appropriate for use in a public school curriculum because of its clear religious agenda. However, the publisher's website suggests that this book and others in the series be used at church youth group retreats or lock ins, which would probably be a very appropriate use for them.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about why Heather decides to turn to Wicca.
2. Talk about Heather's frenemy, Liz, and her strained relationship with her old friend, Lucy.
3. Talk about Heather's home life: the changes her stepmother has introduced, and her feeling like she is slipping away from her mother.
Reading Interest/Level
These books are appropriate for high schoolers. While junior high readers would definitely be able to read the books, some of the themes at the end of the book may be too mature for younger readers.
Challenge Issues
Because these books have a clear religious agenda, they could definitely be challenged, especially in a school library setting. While there is certainly an audience for this type of book, I personally found it a bit off-putting that the book doesn't make its genre clear. Moon White is part of the True Colors series of books; at least 11 have been published so far. There were two huge displays of these books at a local library's young adult section; I flipped through the back covers of all of them and haphazardly decided on this one. Nothing in the blurbs made it clear that they were Christian books. A teen reader of a different religious background who picked up one of these books would probably be quite offended.
A librarian defending the inclusion of this book in the collection should ideally read the book, or, if unavailable, read reviews of the book. Reviews of the book were not published in the main professional journals; however, reviews of the book can be found on blogs like Teen Reads. The librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy and explain how the book fits those criteria. For this book, the librarian might be able to point to its popularity, especially if it circulated well, and point to other contemporary titles that appeal to readers of different faiths.
Selection Criteria
I picked up this book because a local library had two large displays of this series. I had never heard of it, but I figured it must be popular. I had no idea that they were Christian books, but I decided to pick one up. I noticed the author's name in a blurb review of another Christian-themed book I reviewed for this blog, Hollywood Nobody, so I decided to read it as an example of a book in the Christian genre.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
Ghost World
Written and Illustrated by Daniel Clowes
ISBN 1-56097-427-3
80 pages
Fantagraphics, 1998
Genre: Graphic Novel; Adult Crossover
Readers Annotation
The summer after their graduation from high school, two teenage girls criticize the mundane and celebrate the bizarre in their town.
Plot Summary
Enid and Becky just graduated from high school and spend their days drifting aimlessly through their decaying town. They take pleasure in making fun of everything mercilessly; no one and nothing lives up to their demanding standards. Becky likes watching sordid television shows, while Enid finds strange people around town. At the diner she hangs out at, she meets John Ellis, who defends child pornography and serial killers for shock value, and spies on a middle-aged couple she deems the Satanists.
Enid and Becky meet Josh, who is rightly wary of them--he correctly suspects that they try to make him feel uncomfortable so they can make fun of him--but he's also interested enough in the girls that he lets themselves be persuaded by them to accompany them on some of their adventures. Enid convinces him to take her to a porn shop, and Becky and Enid also get him to drive them to a '50s diner to spy on the writer of a personal ad they have pranked into showing up. They begin to show some remorse in some of their antics; after openly mocking the waiter and the restaurant, Enid returns to leave him a big tip.
Enid's father wants her to apply to a competitive college. Becky at first sees this as a betrayal, but then plans to follow Enid to college. Enid's negative reaction forms a crack in their friendship. So does Becky's burgeoning relationship with Josh, whom Enid is also interested in. By the time the fall rolls around, the girls' lives have moved in separate directions.
Critical Evaluation
This is a funny and smartly observed comic about adolescence. Becky and Enid both portray themselves as tragically hip, as too cool to care about anything, while the reader can see that they both care about things desperately, that their coolness is an act put up to protect themselves against the pain they've both suffered in their lives. Enid's gone through a series of stepmothers and spends the latter half of the novel trying to recapture the happiness she experienced as a young girl, first by listening to her favorite childhood record and then returning to an amusement park she visited as a child.
Enid and Becky's treatment of other people is realistically callous. They treat others as objects of their own amusement. Though never as mean as they were, the work stirred up memories of similar comments and superior opinions I held as a teen.
There are many hints throughout the novel that Enid and Becky's friendship will not last. Often, they appear to be talking about different things. Enid makes fun of things that Becky likes and rightfully--though cruelly--accuses Becky of having no ambition for her own life and following Enid around. Becky ends up choosing a more conventional path, taking a job at a bagel shop and starting a real friendship or relationship with Josh. Enid is left alone and aimless; the ending of the story is ambiguous and sad. Some interpret it to mean that Enid commits suicide, while others believe that Enid has decided to leave her old life behind and start it as a completely new person, as she admits that she has fantasized about.
Clowes' blue-toned pen and ink illustrations are detailed and evocative. While Becky remains visually the same throughout the series, Enid tries on a series of looks, mirroring her desire to try on a series of alternate identities. Clowes portrays the "freaks" and "losers" Enid and Becky make fun of compassionately, showing both why they attract the girls' attention but also treating them with compassion and dignity. (It's important to note that Clowes gives himself the same treatment in the novel, as the comic artist that Enid loves, but dismisses as an "old perv").
About the Author
Daniel Clowes is a graphic novelist closely associated with Generation X and the underground comics movement. Most of his work has been published in Eightball, his own comics anthology, though the New York Times published one of his novels in serial formats. He's best known for Ghost World, which he also helped turn into a critically acclaimed feature film. His screenplay for that film was nominated for an Academy Award.
Curriculum Ties
The book is not particularly well suited for use in a school curriculum, though many have compared it favorably to the freshman year English classic, The Catcher in the Rye. A teacher who was trying to inspire modern teens might assign the graphic novel in conjunction with Catcher and ask students to compare Enid and Holden.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Enid and Becky's ironic attitudes and the types of things and people they love to hate.
2. Are Enid and Becky "frenemies"? Talk about how they may be outgrowing their friendship.
3. Talk about the novel's strange and wonderful supporting cast of characters.
Reading Interest/Level
While intended for an adult audience, the novel has a big young adult following. However, it is appropriate for high schoolers and above.
Challenge Issues
There is some nudity in the book; Enid tells the story of how she lost her virginity. Enid and Becky discuss sex, jokingly saying they "want to do" some of the oddballs they meet. They also discuss masturbation and the fact that they might be lesbians. Enid and Josh go to a porn store, where Enid picks up a giant dildo.
Should the book be challenged, the librarian should ideally read it. If not able to, s/he should read professional reviews of the book and descriptions of its potentially controversial content on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian could point to its popularity, including being named an ALA Popular Paperback, and its general critical acclaim, as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
I wanted to read some graphic novels for this project. I was aware of Ghost World from the movie but had never read the book. I thought its subject matter (the lives of teenage girls) made it a perfect pick for this project.
Written and Illustrated by Daniel Clowes
ISBN 1-56097-427-3
80 pages
Fantagraphics, 1998
Genre: Graphic Novel; Adult Crossover
Readers Annotation
The summer after their graduation from high school, two teenage girls criticize the mundane and celebrate the bizarre in their town.
Plot Summary
Enid and Becky just graduated from high school and spend their days drifting aimlessly through their decaying town. They take pleasure in making fun of everything mercilessly; no one and nothing lives up to their demanding standards. Becky likes watching sordid television shows, while Enid finds strange people around town. At the diner she hangs out at, she meets John Ellis, who defends child pornography and serial killers for shock value, and spies on a middle-aged couple she deems the Satanists.
Enid and Becky meet Josh, who is rightly wary of them--he correctly suspects that they try to make him feel uncomfortable so they can make fun of him--but he's also interested enough in the girls that he lets themselves be persuaded by them to accompany them on some of their adventures. Enid convinces him to take her to a porn shop, and Becky and Enid also get him to drive them to a '50s diner to spy on the writer of a personal ad they have pranked into showing up. They begin to show some remorse in some of their antics; after openly mocking the waiter and the restaurant, Enid returns to leave him a big tip.
Enid's father wants her to apply to a competitive college. Becky at first sees this as a betrayal, but then plans to follow Enid to college. Enid's negative reaction forms a crack in their friendship. So does Becky's burgeoning relationship with Josh, whom Enid is also interested in. By the time the fall rolls around, the girls' lives have moved in separate directions.
Critical Evaluation
This is a funny and smartly observed comic about adolescence. Becky and Enid both portray themselves as tragically hip, as too cool to care about anything, while the reader can see that they both care about things desperately, that their coolness is an act put up to protect themselves against the pain they've both suffered in their lives. Enid's gone through a series of stepmothers and spends the latter half of the novel trying to recapture the happiness she experienced as a young girl, first by listening to her favorite childhood record and then returning to an amusement park she visited as a child.
Enid and Becky's treatment of other people is realistically callous. They treat others as objects of their own amusement. Though never as mean as they were, the work stirred up memories of similar comments and superior opinions I held as a teen.
There are many hints throughout the novel that Enid and Becky's friendship will not last. Often, they appear to be talking about different things. Enid makes fun of things that Becky likes and rightfully--though cruelly--accuses Becky of having no ambition for her own life and following Enid around. Becky ends up choosing a more conventional path, taking a job at a bagel shop and starting a real friendship or relationship with Josh. Enid is left alone and aimless; the ending of the story is ambiguous and sad. Some interpret it to mean that Enid commits suicide, while others believe that Enid has decided to leave her old life behind and start it as a completely new person, as she admits that she has fantasized about.
Clowes' blue-toned pen and ink illustrations are detailed and evocative. While Becky remains visually the same throughout the series, Enid tries on a series of looks, mirroring her desire to try on a series of alternate identities. Clowes portrays the "freaks" and "losers" Enid and Becky make fun of compassionately, showing both why they attract the girls' attention but also treating them with compassion and dignity. (It's important to note that Clowes gives himself the same treatment in the novel, as the comic artist that Enid loves, but dismisses as an "old perv").
About the Author
Daniel Clowes is a graphic novelist closely associated with Generation X and the underground comics movement. Most of his work has been published in Eightball, his own comics anthology, though the New York Times published one of his novels in serial formats. He's best known for Ghost World, which he also helped turn into a critically acclaimed feature film. His screenplay for that film was nominated for an Academy Award.
Curriculum Ties
The book is not particularly well suited for use in a school curriculum, though many have compared it favorably to the freshman year English classic, The Catcher in the Rye. A teacher who was trying to inspire modern teens might assign the graphic novel in conjunction with Catcher and ask students to compare Enid and Holden.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Enid and Becky's ironic attitudes and the types of things and people they love to hate.
2. Are Enid and Becky "frenemies"? Talk about how they may be outgrowing their friendship.
3. Talk about the novel's strange and wonderful supporting cast of characters.
Reading Interest/Level
While intended for an adult audience, the novel has a big young adult following. However, it is appropriate for high schoolers and above.
Challenge Issues
There is some nudity in the book; Enid tells the story of how she lost her virginity. Enid and Becky discuss sex, jokingly saying they "want to do" some of the oddballs they meet. They also discuss masturbation and the fact that they might be lesbians. Enid and Josh go to a porn store, where Enid picks up a giant dildo.
Should the book be challenged, the librarian should ideally read it. If not able to, s/he should read professional reviews of the book and descriptions of its potentially controversial content on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian could point to its popularity, including being named an ALA Popular Paperback, and its general critical acclaim, as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
I wanted to read some graphic novels for this project. I was aware of Ghost World from the movie but had never read the book. I thought its subject matter (the lives of teenage girls) made it a perfect pick for this project.
Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson
Hollywood Nobody
Lisa Samson
ISBN 978-1-60006-091-5
209 pages
NavPress, 2007
Genre: Christian
Readers Annotation
15-year-old Scotty, whose mom works as a food designer for films, tries to figure out family, love, and God as she blogs about her experiences growing up on movie sets.
Plot Summary
15-year-old Scotty has never lived a normal life. Her mom works for the movies, as a food designer. They live on the road in an RV, moving from movie shoot to movie shoot. Scotty has an insider's view of the real Hollywood--she's met all the big stars and knows their weird secrets--but her closest friends are the senior citizens who also live the RV life. Scotty's mom, Charley, is an ex-hippie vegan who keeps a tight leash on Scotty. Scotty, whose two biggest passions in life are cheese and Hollywood gossip, relies on her RV and movie set friends to help her get her dairy fix. She secretly runs a blog, Hollywood Nobody, where she gives the inside scoop about Hollywood to her readers.
On a shoot on a remote island off North Carolina, Scotty begins to come of age. She befriends Seth Haas, an up-and-coming actor who is both talented and incredibly nice. She gets to know Joy, the niece of two of her RV friends, who was on the verge of becoming a famous designer in New York, but is now living incognito as a waitress on the island. She wonders about God, deciding to attend a tent revival and to start reading the Bible. And she worries about Charley, who takes mysterious phone calls in the middle of the night and is clearly worried about someone finding them.
Critical Evaluation
Lisa Samson creates a likable character in Scotty. She celebrates that Scotty is not a cookie cutter conformist, emphasizing her love of vintage fashion, her love of food, and her healthy size. Scotty is homeschooled, and she's incredibly self-motivated. Large parts of the books are devoted to Scotty's homework; she picks interesting things out of her life to research further, such as the history of the island where they are staying. She's friends with an interesting variety of people; the only one her own age is Seth. Older than her are: Jeremy, the famous director of the film that's shooting; Grammie and Grampie, two of her RV friends from the road; Joy, the designer; and Seth's parents, who comment at one point that life would be pretty boring if you only hung out with people your own age. It's true for the book, too. Some Hollywood gossip, naming both real and imaginary people, spices things up a little.
There's nothing on the book's cover or back blurb to suggest that it's Christian fiction, although it clearly is in that genre. In this book, Scotty is not a Christian nor a member of any religion, though she spends a good portion of the book pondering religion and Christianity, first from an intellectual standpoint and then from a more personal one. At the end of the book, Scotty decides that faith is a good thing, though she has not yet converted. Reading reader reviews of the other books on Amazon, it seems like religion becomes a bigger part as the series progresses. I believe that the book would appeal to non-Christian readers; the level of religion in this book seemed similar to the level of religion in Judy Blume's classic, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
While not a particularly ground-breaking or innovative work, it's a pleasant book to spend time with.
Other Books in the Series
Finding Hollywood Nobody (2008)
Romancing Hollywood Nobody (2008)
Goodbye Hollywood Nobody (2008)
About the Author
Lisa Samson has written a number of novels aimed at Christian women. The Hollywood Nobody series is her second foray into YA writing. Her first, Apples of Gold, was a fairy tale parable aimed at encouraging chastity in teenage girls.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not well-suited for use in any school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Scotty's strange life on the road, both on the edge of Hollywood and on the edge of nowhere.
2. Explore the friendship between Seth and Scotty, as well as her jealousy of Karissa, the beautiful young starlet who also has an interest in Seth.
3. Talk about Scotty's search for answers about God and her own family background.
Reading Interest/Level
This book would be of interest to junior high students and above. More sophisticated high school readers might find it a little too simplistic, but it would probably appeal to freshman and sophomores.
Challenge Issues
Since the book is part of the Christian genre, it might inspire challenges. Should it be challenged, the librarian should read the book if possible. If not, s/he should familiarize herself with reviews of the book. I did not find it reviewed in any of the professional journals, but there were blog reviews of it on TeenReads and others. The librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's collection policy and be able to explain how Hollywood Nobody fits into the collection. Should it be challenged because it is a Christian novel, perhaps the librarian could point to novels centered around other faiths that are part of the library's collection and explain why having books from all faiths is an important part of a YA collection.
Selection Criteria
I thought it would be important to include some Christian YA books in my database, but I was unfamiliar with any contemporary titles. Through a Google search, I came across the Christy awards, which are given to the best Christian books every year. Hollywood Nobody was the 2008 winner in their young adult category.
Lisa Samson
ISBN 978-1-60006-091-5
209 pages
NavPress, 2007
Genre: Christian
Readers Annotation
15-year-old Scotty, whose mom works as a food designer for films, tries to figure out family, love, and God as she blogs about her experiences growing up on movie sets.
Plot Summary
15-year-old Scotty has never lived a normal life. Her mom works for the movies, as a food designer. They live on the road in an RV, moving from movie shoot to movie shoot. Scotty has an insider's view of the real Hollywood--she's met all the big stars and knows their weird secrets--but her closest friends are the senior citizens who also live the RV life. Scotty's mom, Charley, is an ex-hippie vegan who keeps a tight leash on Scotty. Scotty, whose two biggest passions in life are cheese and Hollywood gossip, relies on her RV and movie set friends to help her get her dairy fix. She secretly runs a blog, Hollywood Nobody, where she gives the inside scoop about Hollywood to her readers.
On a shoot on a remote island off North Carolina, Scotty begins to come of age. She befriends Seth Haas, an up-and-coming actor who is both talented and incredibly nice. She gets to know Joy, the niece of two of her RV friends, who was on the verge of becoming a famous designer in New York, but is now living incognito as a waitress on the island. She wonders about God, deciding to attend a tent revival and to start reading the Bible. And she worries about Charley, who takes mysterious phone calls in the middle of the night and is clearly worried about someone finding them.
Critical Evaluation
Lisa Samson creates a likable character in Scotty. She celebrates that Scotty is not a cookie cutter conformist, emphasizing her love of vintage fashion, her love of food, and her healthy size. Scotty is homeschooled, and she's incredibly self-motivated. Large parts of the books are devoted to Scotty's homework; she picks interesting things out of her life to research further, such as the history of the island where they are staying. She's friends with an interesting variety of people; the only one her own age is Seth. Older than her are: Jeremy, the famous director of the film that's shooting; Grammie and Grampie, two of her RV friends from the road; Joy, the designer; and Seth's parents, who comment at one point that life would be pretty boring if you only hung out with people your own age. It's true for the book, too. Some Hollywood gossip, naming both real and imaginary people, spices things up a little.
There's nothing on the book's cover or back blurb to suggest that it's Christian fiction, although it clearly is in that genre. In this book, Scotty is not a Christian nor a member of any religion, though she spends a good portion of the book pondering religion and Christianity, first from an intellectual standpoint and then from a more personal one. At the end of the book, Scotty decides that faith is a good thing, though she has not yet converted. Reading reader reviews of the other books on Amazon, it seems like religion becomes a bigger part as the series progresses. I believe that the book would appeal to non-Christian readers; the level of religion in this book seemed similar to the level of religion in Judy Blume's classic, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
While not a particularly ground-breaking or innovative work, it's a pleasant book to spend time with.
Other Books in the Series
Finding Hollywood Nobody (2008)
Romancing Hollywood Nobody (2008)
Goodbye Hollywood Nobody (2008)
About the Author
Lisa Samson has written a number of novels aimed at Christian women. The Hollywood Nobody series is her second foray into YA writing. Her first, Apples of Gold, was a fairy tale parable aimed at encouraging chastity in teenage girls.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not well-suited for use in any school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Scotty's strange life on the road, both on the edge of Hollywood and on the edge of nowhere.
2. Explore the friendship between Seth and Scotty, as well as her jealousy of Karissa, the beautiful young starlet who also has an interest in Seth.
3. Talk about Scotty's search for answers about God and her own family background.
Reading Interest/Level
This book would be of interest to junior high students and above. More sophisticated high school readers might find it a little too simplistic, but it would probably appeal to freshman and sophomores.
Challenge Issues
Since the book is part of the Christian genre, it might inspire challenges. Should it be challenged, the librarian should read the book if possible. If not, s/he should familiarize herself with reviews of the book. I did not find it reviewed in any of the professional journals, but there were blog reviews of it on TeenReads and others. The librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's collection policy and be able to explain how Hollywood Nobody fits into the collection. Should it be challenged because it is a Christian novel, perhaps the librarian could point to novels centered around other faiths that are part of the library's collection and explain why having books from all faiths is an important part of a YA collection.
Selection Criteria
I thought it would be important to include some Christian YA books in my database, but I was unfamiliar with any contemporary titles. Through a Google search, I came across the Christy awards, which are given to the best Christian books every year. Hollywood Nobody was the 2008 winner in their young adult category.
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Crank
Ellen Hopkins
ISBN 978-0-689-86519-0
537 pages
Simon Pulse, 2004
Genre: Issue Novel, Controversial, Verse Novel
Readers Annotation
While visiting her estranged father, gifted high school junior Kristina becomes hooked on crystal meth. Her life soon spirals out of control.
Plot Summary
Good girl Kristina hasn't seen her father in eight years; during her parents' divorce, her mother fought for sole custody, declaring his numerous addictions made him an unfit parent. A judge orders her to visit him, so Kristina flies from Reno to Albuquerque for a three-week visit. Annoyed by her mother's self-obsession and remarriage, Kristina looks forward to being reunited with her daddy, but from the moment she's reunited with him at the airport, it's clear that her dreams won't measure up to the reality. Hanging around at her father's squalid apartment, Kristina meets a boy named Adam. Impulsively, she introduces herself as Bree. Though Adam already has a girlfriend, they're immediately attracted to one another. Adam introduces Bree to crystal meth--also known as crank or the monster. Her father, also a crank user, snorts up with them. Bree loves the high. However, things end badly when Adam's girlfriend sees them kissing and jumps off a balcony, ending up in a coma.
When it's time for Bree to return home, Adam promises to love her forever. She flies home high. Her mother almost senses something is wrong, but her family is so caught up in their own lives that no one notices the huge changes in Kristina. Emboldened by her newfound confidence as Bree, she becomes bored with her old friends and starts hitting on new boys at school, including Chase, the school's bad boy, and Brendan, a beautiful lifeguard. Both Chase and Brendan are crank users, and as Bree looks around the world with new eyes, she notices crank use everywhere, including on the cheerleading squad. For awhile it seems she might quit, but after Adam dumps her and Brendan shows his true colors, she turns to crank for comfort. Then she can't stop chasing the monster. She's lost all her old friends, she's failing school, and her family starts to notice something is wrong, not to mention the fact that she's almost drained her entire savings. Can Bree ever return to Kristina, whose life was more boring but safe and secure? Will the monster ever release its hold on her life?
Critical Evaluation
Like all of Ellen Hopkins' novels, Crank is written in free verse. The story is told through a series of poems. Hopkins plays a lot with form in these poems; in one, words on the verso line up in neat columns, showing the order Kristina's life had before crank. Words on the recto are scattered all over the page, making it hard to read and showing the chaos of Bree's life on crank. In another, as Kristina longs for the comfort of home, the words take the shape of a house.
Hopkins wrote the novel about her own daughter's experiences with crystal meth addiction. Before the story starts, she tells the readers about the story's origins, which may make readers take the story to heart more than they would if they figured it was just another cautionary tale. Hopkins explores exactly why Kristina started to use drugs and why it was so appealing. While Kristina's life looks perfect on the surface, in reality, she has resented her mother for her remarriage and her focus on herself and a burgeoning writing career. She also blames her mother for her estrangement from her father. Though even she has to admit that her mother was probably right to excise him from their lives completely, enough tension exists in their relationship that she is unable to confide in her mother once things start to go bad in her life. Her stepfather is actually an excellent parent, the first one to suspect Kristina is in trouble, but Kristina resents his very presence in her life.
Hopkins is effective at showing why the drug is so appealing to Bree at first and how it sucks her into a completely different life experience. She meets new friends both good and bad--Brendan turns out to be truly evil, while Chase is a sensitive soul. The new experiences she has at first are exciting and dangerous, but by the time she realizes how much she has given up, it is too late to turn back. At that point, her addiction has completely taken hold, and she needs the drug just to function; it's completely deadened her emotions and she's unable to feel anything unless she's high.
It's an engrossing read; I stayed up late to finish it and can't wait to pick up the sequel. While the book ends on a slightly hopeful note, I have a feeling that Bree will soon be back in the grip of the monster.
Additional Books in the Series
Glass (2007) tells the continuing story of Bree/Kristina. A third book, Fallout, is due in 2010.
About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is known for her contoversial novels, which are all written in free-verse. Crank and its two sequels are based on the true experiences of her daughter, a crystal meth addict. Her other books include Burned, reviewed elsewhere in this blog, about a girl raised in an abusive Mormon household, and Impulse, about three teens whose paths cross while they're in a psychiatric hospital.
Curriculum Ties
This book is probably too controversial to be included in any school curriculum, but if it were able to be used, it could be used in a health class to engage kids in honest dialog about drug use.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain Kristina's transformation into Bree--her personality change and her drug use, and the influence each has on the other.
2. Talk about the three boys in Kristina's life: Adam, Chase and Brendan. Explain why she is attracted to each, and what their flaws are.
3. Talk about Kristina's family life. Why does she fall into drugs so easily? Why doesn't anyone notice how drastically she has changed?
Reading/Interest Level
This book's subject matter make it appropriate for high school students and adults.
Challenge Issues
The whole book is a challenge issue: from its primary subject matter (teen drug addiction), to the things it leads to (unsanitary tattoos, sex, rape, teen pregnancy, and general deliquency). There are also strong swear words, and Kristina/Bree's sister is a lesbian.
Should the book be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book to be able to properly defend it; if that is not possible, s/he should read as many professional reviews as possible about the book and read descriptions of the potentially controversial content on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian should also be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy.
To defend the book, the librarian could point to the book's fairly positive reviews, its overwhelming popularity, and its awards (such as being named an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers and an ALA Popular Paperback). The librarian could also point to statistics about teen drug use, including teen meth use, as proof that the topic is quite relevant to students and explain that Hopkins meant the book as an honest portrayal of the drug that would help teens decide against using it.
Selection Criteria
I chose to read Burned because of its inclusion in section 10's presentation on controversial literature. I enjoyed that book, and while reading reviews of that novel, everyone mentioned the overwhelming popularity of Hopkins's first novel, Crank. This inspired me to read the book.
Ellen Hopkins
ISBN 978-0-689-86519-0
537 pages
Simon Pulse, 2004
Genre: Issue Novel, Controversial, Verse Novel
Readers Annotation
While visiting her estranged father, gifted high school junior Kristina becomes hooked on crystal meth. Her life soon spirals out of control.
Plot Summary
Good girl Kristina hasn't seen her father in eight years; during her parents' divorce, her mother fought for sole custody, declaring his numerous addictions made him an unfit parent. A judge orders her to visit him, so Kristina flies from Reno to Albuquerque for a three-week visit. Annoyed by her mother's self-obsession and remarriage, Kristina looks forward to being reunited with her daddy, but from the moment she's reunited with him at the airport, it's clear that her dreams won't measure up to the reality. Hanging around at her father's squalid apartment, Kristina meets a boy named Adam. Impulsively, she introduces herself as Bree. Though Adam already has a girlfriend, they're immediately attracted to one another. Adam introduces Bree to crystal meth--also known as crank or the monster. Her father, also a crank user, snorts up with them. Bree loves the high. However, things end badly when Adam's girlfriend sees them kissing and jumps off a balcony, ending up in a coma.
When it's time for Bree to return home, Adam promises to love her forever. She flies home high. Her mother almost senses something is wrong, but her family is so caught up in their own lives that no one notices the huge changes in Kristina. Emboldened by her newfound confidence as Bree, she becomes bored with her old friends and starts hitting on new boys at school, including Chase, the school's bad boy, and Brendan, a beautiful lifeguard. Both Chase and Brendan are crank users, and as Bree looks around the world with new eyes, she notices crank use everywhere, including on the cheerleading squad. For awhile it seems she might quit, but after Adam dumps her and Brendan shows his true colors, she turns to crank for comfort. Then she can't stop chasing the monster. She's lost all her old friends, she's failing school, and her family starts to notice something is wrong, not to mention the fact that she's almost drained her entire savings. Can Bree ever return to Kristina, whose life was more boring but safe and secure? Will the monster ever release its hold on her life?
Critical Evaluation
Like all of Ellen Hopkins' novels, Crank is written in free verse. The story is told through a series of poems. Hopkins plays a lot with form in these poems; in one, words on the verso line up in neat columns, showing the order Kristina's life had before crank. Words on the recto are scattered all over the page, making it hard to read and showing the chaos of Bree's life on crank. In another, as Kristina longs for the comfort of home, the words take the shape of a house.
Hopkins wrote the novel about her own daughter's experiences with crystal meth addiction. Before the story starts, she tells the readers about the story's origins, which may make readers take the story to heart more than they would if they figured it was just another cautionary tale. Hopkins explores exactly why Kristina started to use drugs and why it was so appealing. While Kristina's life looks perfect on the surface, in reality, she has resented her mother for her remarriage and her focus on herself and a burgeoning writing career. She also blames her mother for her estrangement from her father. Though even she has to admit that her mother was probably right to excise him from their lives completely, enough tension exists in their relationship that she is unable to confide in her mother once things start to go bad in her life. Her stepfather is actually an excellent parent, the first one to suspect Kristina is in trouble, but Kristina resents his very presence in her life.
Hopkins is effective at showing why the drug is so appealing to Bree at first and how it sucks her into a completely different life experience. She meets new friends both good and bad--Brendan turns out to be truly evil, while Chase is a sensitive soul. The new experiences she has at first are exciting and dangerous, but by the time she realizes how much she has given up, it is too late to turn back. At that point, her addiction has completely taken hold, and she needs the drug just to function; it's completely deadened her emotions and she's unable to feel anything unless she's high.
It's an engrossing read; I stayed up late to finish it and can't wait to pick up the sequel. While the book ends on a slightly hopeful note, I have a feeling that Bree will soon be back in the grip of the monster.
Additional Books in the Series
Glass (2007) tells the continuing story of Bree/Kristina. A third book, Fallout, is due in 2010.
About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is known for her contoversial novels, which are all written in free-verse. Crank and its two sequels are based on the true experiences of her daughter, a crystal meth addict. Her other books include Burned, reviewed elsewhere in this blog, about a girl raised in an abusive Mormon household, and Impulse, about three teens whose paths cross while they're in a psychiatric hospital.
Curriculum Ties
This book is probably too controversial to be included in any school curriculum, but if it were able to be used, it could be used in a health class to engage kids in honest dialog about drug use.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain Kristina's transformation into Bree--her personality change and her drug use, and the influence each has on the other.
2. Talk about the three boys in Kristina's life: Adam, Chase and Brendan. Explain why she is attracted to each, and what their flaws are.
3. Talk about Kristina's family life. Why does she fall into drugs so easily? Why doesn't anyone notice how drastically she has changed?
Reading/Interest Level
This book's subject matter make it appropriate for high school students and adults.
Challenge Issues
The whole book is a challenge issue: from its primary subject matter (teen drug addiction), to the things it leads to (unsanitary tattoos, sex, rape, teen pregnancy, and general deliquency). There are also strong swear words, and Kristina/Bree's sister is a lesbian.
Should the book be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book to be able to properly defend it; if that is not possible, s/he should read as many professional reviews as possible about the book and read descriptions of the potentially controversial content on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian should also be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy.
To defend the book, the librarian could point to the book's fairly positive reviews, its overwhelming popularity, and its awards (such as being named an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers and an ALA Popular Paperback). The librarian could also point to statistics about teen drug use, including teen meth use, as proof that the topic is quite relevant to students and explain that Hopkins meant the book as an honest portrayal of the drug that would help teens decide against using it.
Selection Criteria
I chose to read Burned because of its inclusion in section 10's presentation on controversial literature. I enjoyed that book, and while reading reviews of that novel, everyone mentioned the overwhelming popularity of Hopkins's first novel, Crank. This inspired me to read the book.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Little Brother
Cory Doctorow
ISBN 978-0-7653-1985-2
382 pages
Tor, 2008
Genre: Issue Novel, Politics
Readers Annotation
After a terrorist attack on San Francisco, the Department of Homeland Security institutes new measures that threaten citizens' civil liberties. With a motto of "Never Trust Anyone Under 25," teenager Marcus and his hacker friends fight back.
Plot Summary
17-year-old Marcus and his friends are skipping school when terrorists bomb the San Francisco Bay Bridge. In the confusion after the attack, Marcus and his friends are taken in by the Department of Homeland Security, where they are secretly imprisoned and questioned for days. Upon their release, the DHS warns them never to tell what happened, and Marcus doesn't even tell his parents.
Marcus is concerned by what he sees as infringements by the DHS of basic civil liberties. The adults in his life, however, seem to accept that the loss of liberty is a small price to pay for additional security. Marcus decides to fight back. Known only by his handle "m1k3y," he creates Xnet, an underground computer network using hacked XBox consoles that he persuades his friends and acquaintances to use. The network grows, and the Xnetters find ways to foil DHS's security attempts.
Marcus is incredibly secretive about his new identity, not wanting to be picked up by DHS again. However, as Xnet's influence grows, the DHS takes note and tries to find the mysterious m1k3y.
Critical Evaluation
Little Brother was pulsating with excitement; it seemed as caffeine-fueled as Marcus and his friends (and that's a good thing). Doctorow is really clever at setting it in a sort of Anytime, with details that make it both seem futuristic and contemporary. The book makes a compelling case for the power of youth; with their slogan, "Don't Trust Anyone Over 25," teens and young adults are shown as the primary force fighting to preserve American freedoms. Older folks view the teens as naive and idealistic, whereas the teens wonder why everyone else is so complacent and accepts so blindly the new limits on their freedom.
These are clearly very pertinent issues, and the book seemed to be in part a direct reaction to some actions of the Bush administration. (The president described in the book seemed to have an awful lot of Bushy characteristics.) The book mentions that Congress has approved "the Patriot Act 2," and at the end of the book, Marcus is waterboarded.
The book is quite successful at making its political points and explaining the technology behind Xnet and their many hacks. The book makes all this sound very cool and exciting, and indeed there are several essays and a bibliography at the back of the book that encourage readers how to get involved--and explain just how to do so. It's tightly plotted, and I wanted to keep reading "just a few pages more" to see what would happen. Characterizations are not particularly deep; the romance between Marcus and his new girlfriend Ange is a big part of the second half of the novel, but I didn't feel particularly invested in their relationship. I also felt like Marcus was too hard on his parents; while they dismiss his concerns, I felt like he also dismissed theirs and didn't try to understand why his father in particular was so anxious to believe that DHS was acting in the country's best interest.
Overall, though, it's a hugely entertaining and thought-provoking work.
About the Author
Cory Doctorow is an editor for the hugely influential blog Boing Boing, which started out as an underground zine in the late '80s. He has also written extensively for Wired magazine. In addition to his non-fiction journalism, he has released several science fiction novels. He has been a huge proponent of digital media rights and indeed has released online versions of his novels for free under the Creative Commons license. In the acknowledgements of Little Brother, he credits young adult authors Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier for encouraging him to write for a young adult audience.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used to discuss issues of civil liberties, the proper role of the government, revolution, civil discourse, technology, security, and youth culture.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain how being secretly held by the DHS turns Marcus into something of a revolutionary.
2. Talk about how the XNetters get around some of the measures DHS has instituted.
3. Explore the ideas of youth culture in the book: "Don't Trust Anyone Over 25."
Reading Interest/Level
I think this book would be most appropriate for high schoolers and adults. Some of the themes may be a little too sophisticated for younger readers.
Challenge Issues
There are many descriptions of violence in the book: people are trampled to death in a mob, Marcus is waterboarded and mentally tortured by the DHS, and his friend Darryl is stabbed. There is also some sexual content in the book; Marcus loses his virginity to his girlfriend Ange. There are some swear words used in the book, along with depictions of teenage drinking.
If the book were to be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book; if not able to, s/he should familiarize herself with the book by reading reviews, as well as descriptions of the potentially controversial material on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian should also be able to explain the library's selection policy and how the book fits those criteria. As proof of its worth, s/he could point to the book's numerous starred reviews in professional review journals, as well as its awards, such as being named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008.
Selection Criteria
I first became aware of this book because it was assigned as part of this course, but its multiple positive reviews make it a worthy selection indeed.
Cory Doctorow
ISBN 978-0-7653-1985-2
382 pages
Tor, 2008
Genre: Issue Novel, Politics
Readers Annotation
After a terrorist attack on San Francisco, the Department of Homeland Security institutes new measures that threaten citizens' civil liberties. With a motto of "Never Trust Anyone Under 25," teenager Marcus and his hacker friends fight back.
Plot Summary
17-year-old Marcus and his friends are skipping school when terrorists bomb the San Francisco Bay Bridge. In the confusion after the attack, Marcus and his friends are taken in by the Department of Homeland Security, where they are secretly imprisoned and questioned for days. Upon their release, the DHS warns them never to tell what happened, and Marcus doesn't even tell his parents.
Marcus is concerned by what he sees as infringements by the DHS of basic civil liberties. The adults in his life, however, seem to accept that the loss of liberty is a small price to pay for additional security. Marcus decides to fight back. Known only by his handle "m1k3y," he creates Xnet, an underground computer network using hacked XBox consoles that he persuades his friends and acquaintances to use. The network grows, and the Xnetters find ways to foil DHS's security attempts.
Marcus is incredibly secretive about his new identity, not wanting to be picked up by DHS again. However, as Xnet's influence grows, the DHS takes note and tries to find the mysterious m1k3y.
Critical Evaluation
Little Brother was pulsating with excitement; it seemed as caffeine-fueled as Marcus and his friends (and that's a good thing). Doctorow is really clever at setting it in a sort of Anytime, with details that make it both seem futuristic and contemporary. The book makes a compelling case for the power of youth; with their slogan, "Don't Trust Anyone Over 25," teens and young adults are shown as the primary force fighting to preserve American freedoms. Older folks view the teens as naive and idealistic, whereas the teens wonder why everyone else is so complacent and accepts so blindly the new limits on their freedom.
These are clearly very pertinent issues, and the book seemed to be in part a direct reaction to some actions of the Bush administration. (The president described in the book seemed to have an awful lot of Bushy characteristics.) The book mentions that Congress has approved "the Patriot Act 2," and at the end of the book, Marcus is waterboarded.
The book is quite successful at making its political points and explaining the technology behind Xnet and their many hacks. The book makes all this sound very cool and exciting, and indeed there are several essays and a bibliography at the back of the book that encourage readers how to get involved--and explain just how to do so. It's tightly plotted, and I wanted to keep reading "just a few pages more" to see what would happen. Characterizations are not particularly deep; the romance between Marcus and his new girlfriend Ange is a big part of the second half of the novel, but I didn't feel particularly invested in their relationship. I also felt like Marcus was too hard on his parents; while they dismiss his concerns, I felt like he also dismissed theirs and didn't try to understand why his father in particular was so anxious to believe that DHS was acting in the country's best interest.
Overall, though, it's a hugely entertaining and thought-provoking work.
About the Author
Cory Doctorow is an editor for the hugely influential blog Boing Boing, which started out as an underground zine in the late '80s. He has also written extensively for Wired magazine. In addition to his non-fiction journalism, he has released several science fiction novels. He has been a huge proponent of digital media rights and indeed has released online versions of his novels for free under the Creative Commons license. In the acknowledgements of Little Brother, he credits young adult authors Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier for encouraging him to write for a young adult audience.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used to discuss issues of civil liberties, the proper role of the government, revolution, civil discourse, technology, security, and youth culture.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain how being secretly held by the DHS turns Marcus into something of a revolutionary.
2. Talk about how the XNetters get around some of the measures DHS has instituted.
3. Explore the ideas of youth culture in the book: "Don't Trust Anyone Over 25."
Reading Interest/Level
I think this book would be most appropriate for high schoolers and adults. Some of the themes may be a little too sophisticated for younger readers.
Challenge Issues
There are many descriptions of violence in the book: people are trampled to death in a mob, Marcus is waterboarded and mentally tortured by the DHS, and his friend Darryl is stabbed. There is also some sexual content in the book; Marcus loses his virginity to his girlfriend Ange. There are some swear words used in the book, along with depictions of teenage drinking.
If the book were to be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book; if not able to, s/he should familiarize herself with the book by reading reviews, as well as descriptions of the potentially controversial material on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian should also be able to explain the library's selection policy and how the book fits those criteria. As proof of its worth, s/he could point to the book's numerous starred reviews in professional review journals, as well as its awards, such as being named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008.
Selection Criteria
I first became aware of this book because it was assigned as part of this course, but its multiple positive reviews make it a worthy selection indeed.
New Moon (film) dir. Chris Weitz
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Chris Weitz
Running Time: 130 minutes
Imprint Entertainment, 2009
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Genre: Supernatural; Romance
Viewers Annotation
After vampire Edward deserts his true love Bella, she falls into a deep despair that only lifts as she deepens friendship with Native American Jacob... but he has secrets of his own.
Plot Summary
Bella and Edward are typical high school sweethearts, except that he's a vampire. On her 18th birthday, Bella has a nightmare that she ages into an old woman, while Edward stays forever 17. She tells him that she wants him to change her into a vampire, but he refuses, because he believes doing so will take away her soul. After her birthday party, when a paper cut sets off his brother's blood lust, Edward breaks things off with Bella, saying that there is no way their relationship can ever work. Before he leaves, he makes her promise that she will not do anything reckless and in return promises that she will never see him again. Bella spirals into a deep depression, having screaming nightmares at night and losing touch with all her friends.
While riding on a motorcycle, Bella is visited by a vision of Edward, who reminds her that she promised him not to do anything reckless. Because she is so desperate to see her love again, she decides to rebuild two broken motorcycles with her Native American friend Jacob, a 16-year-old who is handy with mechanics. Being with Jacob is the only thing that makes Bella happy, and when she's around him, she feels like her old self.
Life in Forks is never easy, though. Though Bella remains in love with Edward, Jacob is clearly falling for her. Bella's father is busy with reports of a mysterious large animal that has been spotted killing area hikers. And Jacob is worried about a pack of boys on the Rez, who all follow their leader around blindly, who seem to be coming for him next....
Critical Evaluation
There's only one thing I can say about this film: at one point, I laughed.... loudly. The entire theater turned to look at me. And the scene? It wasn't supposed to be funny.
I wanted to like this movie. I really, really did. But I couldn't because, well, it was terrible. Most of this movie rests on Kristen Stewart's shoulders; she's in practically every scene. But while I've enjoyed her in other films, including Speak and Twilight reviewed elsewhere in this blog, she just doesn't have the acting chops to carry this film and spends most of the film looking pained. As Edward, Robert Pattinson does better, but he has very few scenes in the movie. In his big dramatic scene at the movie's climax, his makeup is noticeably bad. The viewer wonders why Bella is struggling to choose between Edward and Jacob, when Edward looks like death warmed over. Taylor Lautner is a bright spot; his scenes with Stewart are the movie's best, and the only time where Stewart seems comfortable, and with his open smile and his six-pack abs, Bella's choice seems easy.
It's certainly not only the actors fault; the pacing of this movie is strange, and the editing should have been much, much tighter. We spend way too much time at the beginning of the movie on inconsequential details, so halfway through the movie, the viewer is willing the pace to pick up. The special effects are laughable; the first transformation of the Native Americans into werewolves was, in fact, what had me laughing out loud. The director relies on Matrix-like camera tricks to show the vampire's stealth and speed, but somehow it just comes out looking cheesy.
The screenwriter failed to make the necessary changes from the book to the screen. The reader learns about Bella's torture, her choice to live dangerously to prolong the visions of Edward through her risky behavior, through her narration. The viewer is not so lucky; people who have not read the book will be very confused as to what's going on in many scenes. While voice-overs can be a clunky technique, I think it would have helped this film tremendously. More experienced actors might have been able to convey these complex emotions wordlessly, but the teenage cast cannot.
That said, teenage fans of the book are flocking to this movie despite the bad reviews. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if many of them left as members of Team Jacob instead of Team Edward.
About the Director
Chris Weitz previously found huge success with young adults as co-director of American Pie, a raunchy sex comedy that also had a lot of heart. (His brother Paul was the other director.) Their next project was About A Boy starring Hugh Grant, based on the Nick Hornby novel. The movie was critically acclaimed, especially for its nuanced characterizations. Weitz' previous directing project was the film version of the modern young adult classic The Golden Compass.
Curriculum Ties
None, although its use in non-educational settings (such as a movie night at a library) would undoubtedly be popular.
Viewing Interest/Level
The film is appropriately rated PG-13 for scenes of action and violence. While teens and adults are the intended audience for the movie, younger teens in junior high will undoubtedly be curious about it, too, and the film would be appropriate for them as well.
Challenge Issues
Since parents tend to understand the MPAA rating system, I do not think it's likely that this film would be challenged in a library collection. It is appropriately rated PG-13 for scenes of violence and action.
Selection Criteria
Because of all the hype surrounding this movie, I decided to see it opening weekend. Indeed the theater was packed with young adults!
Chris Weitz
Running Time: 130 minutes
Imprint Entertainment, 2009
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Genre: Supernatural; Romance
Viewers Annotation
After vampire Edward deserts his true love Bella, she falls into a deep despair that only lifts as she deepens friendship with Native American Jacob... but he has secrets of his own.
Plot Summary
Bella and Edward are typical high school sweethearts, except that he's a vampire. On her 18th birthday, Bella has a nightmare that she ages into an old woman, while Edward stays forever 17. She tells him that she wants him to change her into a vampire, but he refuses, because he believes doing so will take away her soul. After her birthday party, when a paper cut sets off his brother's blood lust, Edward breaks things off with Bella, saying that there is no way their relationship can ever work. Before he leaves, he makes her promise that she will not do anything reckless and in return promises that she will never see him again. Bella spirals into a deep depression, having screaming nightmares at night and losing touch with all her friends.
While riding on a motorcycle, Bella is visited by a vision of Edward, who reminds her that she promised him not to do anything reckless. Because she is so desperate to see her love again, she decides to rebuild two broken motorcycles with her Native American friend Jacob, a 16-year-old who is handy with mechanics. Being with Jacob is the only thing that makes Bella happy, and when she's around him, she feels like her old self.
Life in Forks is never easy, though. Though Bella remains in love with Edward, Jacob is clearly falling for her. Bella's father is busy with reports of a mysterious large animal that has been spotted killing area hikers. And Jacob is worried about a pack of boys on the Rez, who all follow their leader around blindly, who seem to be coming for him next....
Critical Evaluation
There's only one thing I can say about this film: at one point, I laughed.... loudly. The entire theater turned to look at me. And the scene? It wasn't supposed to be funny.
I wanted to like this movie. I really, really did. But I couldn't because, well, it was terrible. Most of this movie rests on Kristen Stewart's shoulders; she's in practically every scene. But while I've enjoyed her in other films, including Speak and Twilight reviewed elsewhere in this blog, she just doesn't have the acting chops to carry this film and spends most of the film looking pained. As Edward, Robert Pattinson does better, but he has very few scenes in the movie. In his big dramatic scene at the movie's climax, his makeup is noticeably bad. The viewer wonders why Bella is struggling to choose between Edward and Jacob, when Edward looks like death warmed over. Taylor Lautner is a bright spot; his scenes with Stewart are the movie's best, and the only time where Stewart seems comfortable, and with his open smile and his six-pack abs, Bella's choice seems easy.
It's certainly not only the actors fault; the pacing of this movie is strange, and the editing should have been much, much tighter. We spend way too much time at the beginning of the movie on inconsequential details, so halfway through the movie, the viewer is willing the pace to pick up. The special effects are laughable; the first transformation of the Native Americans into werewolves was, in fact, what had me laughing out loud. The director relies on Matrix-like camera tricks to show the vampire's stealth and speed, but somehow it just comes out looking cheesy.
The screenwriter failed to make the necessary changes from the book to the screen. The reader learns about Bella's torture, her choice to live dangerously to prolong the visions of Edward through her risky behavior, through her narration. The viewer is not so lucky; people who have not read the book will be very confused as to what's going on in many scenes. While voice-overs can be a clunky technique, I think it would have helped this film tremendously. More experienced actors might have been able to convey these complex emotions wordlessly, but the teenage cast cannot.
That said, teenage fans of the book are flocking to this movie despite the bad reviews. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if many of them left as members of Team Jacob instead of Team Edward.
About the Director
Chris Weitz previously found huge success with young adults as co-director of American Pie, a raunchy sex comedy that also had a lot of heart. (His brother Paul was the other director.) Their next project was About A Boy starring Hugh Grant, based on the Nick Hornby novel. The movie was critically acclaimed, especially for its nuanced characterizations. Weitz' previous directing project was the film version of the modern young adult classic The Golden Compass.
Curriculum Ties
None, although its use in non-educational settings (such as a movie night at a library) would undoubtedly be popular.
Viewing Interest/Level
The film is appropriately rated PG-13 for scenes of action and violence. While teens and adults are the intended audience for the movie, younger teens in junior high will undoubtedly be curious about it, too, and the film would be appropriate for them as well.
Challenge Issues
Since parents tend to understand the MPAA rating system, I do not think it's likely that this film would be challenged in a library collection. It is appropriately rated PG-13 for scenes of violence and action.
Selection Criteria
Because of all the hype surrounding this movie, I decided to see it opening weekend. Indeed the theater was packed with young adults!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Burned by Ellen Hopkins
Burned
Ellen Hopkins
ISBN 1-4169-0354-2
531 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2006
Genre: Issue Novel, Controversial, Verse Novel
Readers Annotation
Raised in a strict, conservative Mormon household with an abusive father, Pattyn begins to question all her previously held beliefs about love and God.
Plot Summary
Pattyn is the oldest of seven daughters in a strict Mormon household. Her abusive father wants a boy and expects little other from his wife than to churn out babies, so most of the childrearing and household duties fall to Pattyn. A librarian at her high school takes a special interest in Pattyn and introduces her to the wider world through literature. After reading some racy classics, Pattyn has a sexual dream involving one of her classmates. She's been taught that all sexual activity before marriage is a sin, but decides she can't be held accountable for her dreams; she tries to discuss this matter with the church, but she's frustrated by the lack of answers, as well as its misogyny. Though the church leadership knows that her alcoholic father beats his wife regularly, they do not intervene. Frustrated, Pattyn starts dating a non-Mormon boy from school. When her father finds out, he forbids her to see him again. Pattyn punches the boy's new girlfriend in the nose and then accidentally throws her backpack through a window in the library. Her father banishes her to live with his estranged sister from the summer.
Pattyn's world changes dramatically at Aunt J's ranch. She learns some disturbing truths about her father from Aunt J, but she also develops a sense of worth and self-confidence she never had before. She also meets a boy, Ethan, with whom she falls deeply in love. But what will happen when she has to go back home at the summer? And what will happen if her father finds out she's dating another non-Mormon?
Critical Evaluation
Like all of Ellen Hopkins' novels, Burned is written in verse form. Each page is like its own little poem. Hopkins plays freely with the form of these poems; some sprawled across the page, some are written in couplets. Because of this, we get a very strong sense of Pattyn's interior life. The verse almost gives the reader a stream-of-consciousness effect, but with a heightened sense of emotions. The chapters where Pattyn's father eventually starts beating her are almost too painful to bear.
I found Pattyn's growth throughout the novel quite moving. Her relationship with Ethan is a tender first love, and Hopkins gives it the respect it deserves. For older readers, it will conjure of memories of their first intense summer love, but Pattyn insists theirs is a "forever love" and wise old Aunt J. tends to agree. The relationship between Pattyn and Aunt J. is also well-drawn. We get a sense of Aunt J., what a survivor she is and how much she has already been through... but she teaches Pattyn to soldier on and never stop believing in herself or in love.
The ending of the book, which is quite controversial, came up a little short to me. Though I believe Hopkins intended to show the rage Pattyn felt when everything she cares about is torn away from her--and the incidents that got her sent to live with Aunt J. show us that she is indeed capable of great rage--I also do not think that the Pattyn who loved and was loved by Aunt J. would resort to such violence.
About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is known for her free-verse novels. She touches upon many controversial topics in her work. The Crank series is about a teenage girl who becomes addicted to crystal meth, while Tricks is about teenage prostitution.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used to discuss issues of religion (especially religious corruption), abuse, and violence.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Pattyn and her family life: her lazy mother, her abusive father, and her gaggle of younger sisters. Why is going to Aunt J's so liberating for her?
2. Talk about how Pattyn starts questioning the religious beliefs she was raised with -- especially its culture of misogyny and its lack of intellectual curiosity.
3. Talk about Pattyn and Ethan's relationship. Is it true love?
Reading Interest/Level
The themes and format of this book make it appropriate for high school students and above.
Challenge Issues
This book has a number of challenge issues: teenage sexuality, teenage drinking, abuse, and school violence to name a few. To defend it against challenges, the librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy and explain how Burned fits those criteria. S/he should ideally read the book, but if unable to, should read reviews to familiarize with its content and critical worth. S/he could point out the books many positive reviews and its many awards as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
Burned was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. It was also a National Book Award nominee.
Ellen Hopkins
ISBN 1-4169-0354-2
531 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2006
Genre: Issue Novel, Controversial, Verse Novel
Readers Annotation
Raised in a strict, conservative Mormon household with an abusive father, Pattyn begins to question all her previously held beliefs about love and God.
Plot Summary
Pattyn is the oldest of seven daughters in a strict Mormon household. Her abusive father wants a boy and expects little other from his wife than to churn out babies, so most of the childrearing and household duties fall to Pattyn. A librarian at her high school takes a special interest in Pattyn and introduces her to the wider world through literature. After reading some racy classics, Pattyn has a sexual dream involving one of her classmates. She's been taught that all sexual activity before marriage is a sin, but decides she can't be held accountable for her dreams; she tries to discuss this matter with the church, but she's frustrated by the lack of answers, as well as its misogyny. Though the church leadership knows that her alcoholic father beats his wife regularly, they do not intervene. Frustrated, Pattyn starts dating a non-Mormon boy from school. When her father finds out, he forbids her to see him again. Pattyn punches the boy's new girlfriend in the nose and then accidentally throws her backpack through a window in the library. Her father banishes her to live with his estranged sister from the summer.
Pattyn's world changes dramatically at Aunt J's ranch. She learns some disturbing truths about her father from Aunt J, but she also develops a sense of worth and self-confidence she never had before. She also meets a boy, Ethan, with whom she falls deeply in love. But what will happen when she has to go back home at the summer? And what will happen if her father finds out she's dating another non-Mormon?
Critical Evaluation
Like all of Ellen Hopkins' novels, Burned is written in verse form. Each page is like its own little poem. Hopkins plays freely with the form of these poems; some sprawled across the page, some are written in couplets. Because of this, we get a very strong sense of Pattyn's interior life. The verse almost gives the reader a stream-of-consciousness effect, but with a heightened sense of emotions. The chapters where Pattyn's father eventually starts beating her are almost too painful to bear.
I found Pattyn's growth throughout the novel quite moving. Her relationship with Ethan is a tender first love, and Hopkins gives it the respect it deserves. For older readers, it will conjure of memories of their first intense summer love, but Pattyn insists theirs is a "forever love" and wise old Aunt J. tends to agree. The relationship between Pattyn and Aunt J. is also well-drawn. We get a sense of Aunt J., what a survivor she is and how much she has already been through... but she teaches Pattyn to soldier on and never stop believing in herself or in love.
The ending of the book, which is quite controversial, came up a little short to me. Though I believe Hopkins intended to show the rage Pattyn felt when everything she cares about is torn away from her--and the incidents that got her sent to live with Aunt J. show us that she is indeed capable of great rage--I also do not think that the Pattyn who loved and was loved by Aunt J. would resort to such violence.
About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is known for her free-verse novels. She touches upon many controversial topics in her work. The Crank series is about a teenage girl who becomes addicted to crystal meth, while Tricks is about teenage prostitution.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used to discuss issues of religion (especially religious corruption), abuse, and violence.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Pattyn and her family life: her lazy mother, her abusive father, and her gaggle of younger sisters. Why is going to Aunt J's so liberating for her?
2. Talk about how Pattyn starts questioning the religious beliefs she was raised with -- especially its culture of misogyny and its lack of intellectual curiosity.
3. Talk about Pattyn and Ethan's relationship. Is it true love?
Reading Interest/Level
The themes and format of this book make it appropriate for high school students and above.
Challenge Issues
This book has a number of challenge issues: teenage sexuality, teenage drinking, abuse, and school violence to name a few. To defend it against challenges, the librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy and explain how Burned fits those criteria. S/he should ideally read the book, but if unable to, should read reviews to familiarize with its content and critical worth. S/he could point out the books many positive reviews and its many awards as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
Burned was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. It was also a National Book Award nominee.
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