Guides to Books, Library Science, and anything awesome!
Thanks for joining me! Feel free to comment on any of the posts or to contact me in regards to any of the posts! Some of the content was created for various Grad School projects but the rest of it will be on topics that interest me!
When you come to a fork in the road, take it. — Yogi Berra
A young female viking warrior is outcast from her village for being lesbian and decides to go on a journey filled with adventure, and Norse gods.
General Information:
Plot:
The plot of this graphic novel follows the story of Aydis who is a female viking warrior who gets caught kissing another female within her village. Her father was the leader of the village and was supposed to take her out to the wilderness to kill her but he instead lets her go wishing her luck on her journey. Aydis decides that she must prove herself and decides to rescue the immortal valkyrie Brynhildr. Upon doing so she is whisked away by the goddess Freyja in an attempt to keep both Aydis and Brynhildr safe from Odin’s wrath. Odin the god-king of the norsemen was the one who originally imprisoned Brynhildr and sets the laws of the land including the law that Aydis broke. This is the first book of a series of graphic novels.
Reading and Interest Level:
This graphic novel is marketed for older teens from 10-12 grade and ages 15-18. This is likely appropriate due to the content within the title itself.
Evaluation:
My evaluation of this graphic novel is that it is excellently written, drawn, and is a unique medium to deliver the story and messages the story carries. The pacing and writing of this graphic novel is nice and smooth to make it relatively easy to read which is good due to the flashbacks that occur hundreds of years in the past (they are gods). It’s value is creating a LGBTQ story that contains action, adventure, and in a completely different setting of ancient northern europe during the time of norse mythological stories. This is very unique and may open up the avenue of reading an LGBTQ story to someone who may not like the more typical ones that tend to be more love stories that are biopic of the main characters life.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value in this book comes from the plot itself and the way that Aydis is a very relatable character for readers to connect to. She is a strong and independent woman which is a great role model for young female readers. It depicts a lesbian in a world where not only is it not acceptable but your punishment is usually death (even harsher than today’s society) and it shows how Aydis deals with this problem. Then finally it is a story of friendship, vengeance, and proving oneself in the face of literally overwhelming odds. Teen readers will be able to see themselves within Aydis or at least be aware of her situation and relate to it either directly or through the symbolism shown in the title. Overall this graphic novel is a great read that can provide a lot of bibliotherapeutic value for its readers.
Issues Present:
The issues present in the book that may make it controversial or get the title challenged tend to come from the visual representation of Freyja who is always topless, the idea that slavery is acceptable in various forms (have to remember this is norse mythology where slavery was common practice), and the LGBTQ aspect of the story as the main character is self proclaimed a lesbian. All of these are common themes that are brought up within various book challenges and are likely to be brought up in the face of this title.
Defending the Title:
The defense of title starts with the fact that it is intended for older teens. At this point in their schooling they should have likely studied some mythology whether it be norse, greek, or egyptian and should be understanding that many of the issues from above come with the territory of mythology. Goddesses are very commonly portrayed as topless (see Aphrodite) and in the time period where mythology was the prevalent religion slavery was a common occurrence. This book is not advocating for slavery and many times it was self enforced as is the case within this title. Finally the idea that a book should be banned for LGBTQ themes is censorship and though personal or religious beliefs may cause a person to not allow themselves to be a part of the community it is not acceptable to censor other peoples chance to read such titles. All of these points are legitimate points to bring up to a reconsideration committee if the book does get challenged.
Book Talk Idea:
If I was running a book talk and decided for the club members to read Heathen I would have them focus on the scenes involving Aydis and Freyja. These scenes contain a lot of the material that people may find offensive and want to challenge but it also is a scene where many people may relate to different aspects of the scene or have it stir up certain feelings and emotions. Unfortunately I cannot provide any page numbers as this is a graphic novel but the scenes or towards the middle of the novel and provide a good insight on the world and how Aydis may view it.
Genre:
The genre of this book is Teen Graphic Novel with the subject matter of Norse Mythology, LGBTQ, and fantasy. The book follows Aydis a lesbian viking warrior as she takes on Odin himself while pursuing Brynhildr’s freedom.
Similar Reads:
Author’s Website:
Home
Awards Won:
YALSA Great Graphic Novels For Teens 2017
Professional Reviews:
https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/vault-comics/heathen
http://www.outrightgeekery.com/2016/01/15/interview-heathen-creator-natasha-alterici/
Why I chose to read this title?
As a huge fan of graphic novels and also a huge fan of ancient civilizations and mythology this book screamed read me as soon as I saw it on kickstarter. The artwork is unique and refreshing and the plot is well crafted and keeps everything moving at a steady pace. This book is probably not well known by many people yet but I would always recommend it as it is that good in my opinion. It also has a lot of my favorite elements to read about so that always helps.
Delve into the lives of high school teens as they deal with the ups and downs of life as a high school student including boys, to crushes, cliques, sex, bullying, and communication.
General Information:
Plot:
The plot of l8r, g8r follows the final year of high school for Angela, Maddie, and Zoe. Like the previous books in the series this whole book is written in shorthand/texting language and made to look like instant messages on the page. This book includes a lot of drama such as a distrust between Angela and her friend Zoe, Jana and the three girls fighting over various issues such as the knowledge of her having a teddy bear named boo boo bear or the fact that Angela’s boyfriend cheats on her with Jana. Zoe becomes sort of distanced from her friends as she dotes on her boyfriend who she wants to have sexual intercourse with. All among a high school backdrop that includes even more daily high school drama. No matter what happens throughout the book the threesome winsome stay together and end up growing tighter at the end of the story in order to enjoy their graduation together before they all ship off to different colleges.
Reading and Interest Level:
This book is marketed for the reading and interest levels of 10-12 grade teens and ages 15-18. Due to the content of the book that contains sex, strong language and other heavier content this is likely the correct age range to market this book for.
Evaluation:
This book is very valuable as it is a glance into the lives of three high school seniors who are female. They each have different personalities and different issues happening to them though they are all good friends who constantly message each other. That alone makes this a very effective and valuable book for the marketed age group as many of the characters are considered very relatable by the readers. The other part of this book that is very effective is how it is written. The book is written in shorthand and made to look like a collection of instant messages which is essentially how most teens communicate in today’s world anyways. It is a different way of reading a book which many teens can find refreshing compared to a traditional novel.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value of l8r, g8r stems from the relatable nature of the three main characters in the book. All three of the main characters are dealing with very typical high school problems that can be seen daily throughout most high schools. By showing these problems such as the girls feud with Jana which ends with them finding out that her family was falling apart due to an affair her mother was having. This example is one of many but it shows a very typical high school situation but it also shows that a lot of times there is more than meets the eye. This young lady acted out and engaged cyber bullying essentially with the three main characters but in the background her life itself was in turmoil. Other dilemmas shown within the book include Zoe and wanting to have sex with her boyfriend who she is extremely dependent on causing other relationships to fail. In high school love lives are fickle and many times people may be clingy to their partners due to that and this book represents what can happen if you act in such a manner. Overall there’s so much relatable material that most people would find this book therapeutic.
Issues Present:
The issues present within this book that cause it to receive challenges and be considered controversial include sexual acts and the talk of sexual acts, cyber bullying/bullying, language, unfit for the age group, and it is poorly written material (written in shorthand). All of these issues are possible reason that may be given when the book is challenged as it has been repeatedly challenged in the recent years.
Defending the Title:
The defense of this book should start with the value of the book, and that value comes from the fact that the book is very relatable. People always want representation in anything they be reading or watching and this book represents a wide range of high school teens in a variety of different ways that are quite realistic. I would also add the fact that the book is meant to be read by teens that are older and in the later years of high school. By this point in there lives they are likely to either know about or have experienced many of the more controversial issues within the book and it should not be shocking to them in that sense. In order to defend the writing style, this is one of the most popular book series for teens in high school and has been critically acclaimed for its unique style of writing to reach out to teen readers.
Book Talk Idea:
The book talk idea that I would suggest for those reading this book would be to focus on the various relationships between the three main characters and their boyfriends throughout the book. Each of them have different personalities and approach the problems with their boyfriends in very different ways. Talking about how each of them initially reacted versus how the group handles it (they all always try to help each other handle everything) would be a very interesting topic of discussion. The page numbers that could help support this would be 11, 30, 48, 80, 108, 174, 209, 223, etc.
Genre:
The genre of this title is Teen fiction romance, with the subject matter of social themes, friendship, girls, and relationships!
Similar Reads:
Author’s Website:
Awards Won:
Most Banned book in 2009
Professional Reviews:
http://yalitwit.blogspot.com/2011/09/banned-series-author-showcase-internet.html
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/l8r-g8r-the-internet-girls-book-3
Why I chose to read this book?
At the teen center in the library that I work at, we have a popular picks shelf and the whole internet girls series will generally be on it which is impressive considering how old the series is. Between that and the whole idea that the books are written completely in shorthand piqued my interest enough to read the books. I can safely say why they are so popular to this day as opening it and reading it, brought back a lot of memories of similar incidents or at least talk of incidents of when I was in high school. Overall the plot isn’t something that normally would hook me but when you combine it with its unique presentation it really is a quite interesting read.
A grand adventure starring a boy with a monkey tail who is a master martial artist goes on an adventure to find the seven magical dragon balls.
General Information:
Plot:
The plot of volume one in the Dragonball manga series starts with a young Goku who is practicing his martial arts in a remote area, living in the jungle training. He is a peculiar boy with a monkey tail but is clearly gifted at martial arts. There is where he runs into Bulma, a young lady who is travelling looking for the seven dragon balls scattered across the globe in order to have a mystical dragon grant her a wish. Goku’s grandpa left him a dragonball and she tries to get Goku to give it to her. He refuses and she tries to persuade him using feminine wiles (does not work as Goku has zero contact with the outside world at this point). Bulma then convinces Goku to go on this quest with her to keep the dragonballs safe and find the rest of them which he is glad to do! Eventually he meets other key characters such as Krillin and Master Roshi and acquires a magical staff and a flying nimbus (cloud) as his tools besides his incredible strength and great martial arts skills.
Reading and Interest Level:
This manga has a marketed reading and interest level for 4-6 graders and ages 9-11. I believe that the writing level may be appropriate for that age but the content within it has a lot of adult innuendos within the text and may be more appropriate for 6-12 graders.
Evaluation:
Dragon Ball Volume 1 is one of the most well written/illustrated manga that a library can own. This manga was the first volume of an immense fan base that has stretched multiple generations and had at least 3 sequel series to date. It is a mixture of action/adventure, martial arts and fighting, and comedy rolled into one series. Volume one in particular is effective and valuable because Goku is setting out on his own finally and learning about the world right at the age a lot of middle schoolers are also starting to learn more about the world as their knowledge and life experience starts expanding. They are confident just like Goku but easily influenced and may be misguided on certain facets of life such as Goku is. They can grow up with Goku and watch his transformations (literally in some cases) as they also grow and transform. Overall it is a very effective book as it reaches so many readers.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value of this book stems from the relatable characters and the way the story is written. Goku is someone who has little outside knowledge of the world but he does have certain skill sets. He goes off and learns while going on a grand adventure. Throughout the adventure friendship and morality are all themes that Goku must deal with as the real world tests him in ways that even his super strength and martial arts skills may not be able to easily deal with. All of this is very relatable for readers of all ages but particularly middle school and early high school students.
Issues Present:
The issues present in Dragon Ball Volume 1 that cause the book to be controversial and repeatedly challenged stem from nudity, inappropriate sexual innuendos, violence, and unacceptable per religious beliefs. This book has been challenged and banned multiple times throughout its existence and will likely continue to be.
Defending the Title:
Now defending this book generally starts with where it is located. My library shelves it in the teen collection but I have seen many librarians put it in the juvenile manga sections and that is where some issues may occur. The nudity in this book is not drawn in any sexual manner as Goku runs around naked in the jungle. At one point this becomes a running joke in the book as Bulma forces him to get dressed. The sexual innuendos are not something a young child will likely understand as they are extremely subtle in nature, likely to appeal to some of the older readers as comedic relief. There is a lot of violence in the book as he is a super strengthened martial artist but then is little to no blood in the fight scenes and no one dies in them. The final issue of it being unacceptable from a religious point of view falls under the library bill of rights and how others do not have the right to censor based off of personal feelings or opinions.
Book Talk Idea:
The book talk idea that I would run with this manga would be for my readers to focus in on Goku and how he handles what should be normal interactions within the civilized world. First off, a lot of it will provide some comedic relief but it also is a great insight of how a child with limited knowledge no matter how powerful will look goofy as he is learning about the world in a grander scope. They will be inquisitive and possible do unexpected things (such as patting genital areas to check peoples gender) in order to further themselves. As this is a manga there are no page numbers but there are many instances throughout the book that can support a discussion on this topic.
Genre:
The genre of this book is Teen Manga with subject matter being adventure, friendship, fighting, and comedy.
Similar Reads:
.
Author’s Website:
There is no official website but the author does use a twitter account!
https://twitter.com/rptoriyama?lang=en
Awards Won:
Top Selling Manga Series
Was the inspiration of many other top selling series
Professional Reviews:
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/index.html
www.rationalmagic.com/Comics/DragonBall1.html
Why I chose to read this series?
I was originally going to use this series as the basis behind the controversial book challenge presentation before I read Living Dead Girl. This series is one of the best series written and drawn and continues to be one of the most circulated items within our teen collection. We rarely actually see more than a volume or two within the shelves as this book and all of the subsequent books are almost always checked out. This book is an inspiration for may series and is one of the greatest books to give to reluctant readers, especially male reluctant readers.
Insightful look at what the Iraq war was like for a soldier tasked with helping rebuild the country of Iraq into a democracy after the initial push into Baghdad.
General Information:
Plot:
The plot of Sunrise Over Fallujah follows a soldier who recently joined the army after the 9/11 attacks. His name is Robin Perry though throughout the book he will become known as Birdy. Birdy is in a special unit that is tasked with helping the local populace recover and implement a democratic society as it rebuild from the presumed toppling of Saddam Hussein. Throughout the books letters between Birdy and his family members (mainly the uncle) show the thought process and turmoil that Birdy is dealing with internally. The rest of the book describes what it was really like on the battlefield in Iraq, which was very confusing as no one was completely sure who the enemy was and how to deal with them. It ends with a letter to his uncle saying that everyone had been reassigned and his understanding of why his uncle never really talked a lot about what he experienced while fighting in the Vietnam War as their are no words to really do it justice.
Reading and Interest Level:
The reading and interest level of this book is marketed for grades 10-12 and ages 15-18. Due to the realistic views of wartime activities and the look into the damage war does on one’s psyche I believe that the marketed reading and interest level is correct.
Evaluation:
Sunrise Over Fallujah is a very well written book that engages its reader in a unique style. The book discusses that realities of war, focusing on the Iraq war and describes what war does to a person not only physically and mentally. This book is effective in spreading its message as it describes everything about being over in Iraq not just focusing on the battles or scary moments but using those to augment everything else that happened over there. It’s value comes from the ability to share this story in such a creative and well thought out way. The book itself has the main character write to his uncles and state that he now knows why his uncle wouldn’t tell him more about his time in the Vietnam War as he understands the difficulty in expressing what happened in words. That is the value of this book as it attempts to help bridge the gap in our knowledge of what war is like as it is not easy for those who have been through it to talk about it.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value of this book is very high especially for teens that may be in military families or those who are trying to learn more about current/recent issues in the modern world. As stated previously sometimes it is very hard for veterans and teens who may be children of those vets likely will have difficulty learning more about what happened to their loved ones over in the war. This book gives a realistic insight to what it was like and though everyone’s experience is different there are common themes that occur to people who experience such an event. This book also does a great job at showing the perspective of those that are deemed to be enemies. The perspective of these people from the outlook of a soldier is a much more different angle of reading than that of many other books. The different angle may be beneficial to those who are trying to learn more about the topic. Other topics of bibliotherapeutic value would include dealing with, friendship, PTSD, as all of these topics are covered within the book in some form and capacity. Birdy deals with his new found comrades being reassigned at the end of the book and the PTSD that occurs from being within an active war zone.
Issues Present:
The issues present within Sunrise over Fallujah mostly deal with the showing of death and violence within a war zone. Surprisingly enough the author Walter Dean Myers manages to stay away from high usage of swear words/bad language throughout the book which is impressive as it is a book about the military. Some who challenge the book may reference the crude jokes/references and mental/physical trauma that the soldiers within the book are shown to have gone through while in the combat zones.
Defending the Title:
The defense of the book stems from its bibliotherapeutic value. Not many books, especially teen books are able to examine and give a detailed realistic fiction look into into war. Walter Dean Myers not only does so but manages to do so without the involvement of heavy language or drug/alcohol which is an important in regards to the younger readers that may want to learn more about this topic. Delving deeper within the story allows readers to learn some history and context within the book in order to learn more about a war that has generally been decisive and confusing to most americans since its beginning.
Book Talk Idea:
The book talk for this book could go in multiple different directions as there is a lot of ground covered within the title. Personally if I was running a book talk group for a group of teens, I would have the book discussion follow Robin (Birdy) Perry and the letters that he both sends and receives. I would want them to discuss the contents of the letters which generally depict his state of mind at the time after whatever event had just occurred to him. It is a great way to delve into his character and what happens within the war zone in relation to the soldiers. Page Numbers to look at: 1, 59, 87, 106, 123, 137, 249, 280, etc.
Genre:
The genre of the book is listed as Teen Fiction with the subject matter of the 2003 Iraq war, Military, History. The book follows Robin Perry during his first tour in Iraq.
Similar Reads:
Author’s Website:
Awards Won:
Christopher Award in Books for Young People Category
Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice
New York Times Best Book of 2008
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Professional Reviews:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/walter-dean-myers/sunrise-over-fallujah/
https://thebrownbookshelf.com/2008/06/13/ya-book-review-sunrise-over-fallujah/
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-439-91624-0
Why I chose to read this book?
I have always been a history buff, and my undergraduate degree was in history. Generally American history does not interest me a lot but the reviews of this book as an insight to the mind of an american soldier in the 2003 Iraq war was very intriguing to me. I liked that it was a war book that wasn’t about the fighting but the day to day grind and experiences these soldiers were experiencing. Overall it was a very good book that was surprisingly informative and valuable in sharing the experiences even if they may be of an fictional character.
The culmination of the series, Harry Potter and friends face off with Voldemort in the final battle of good versus evil in this magical series.
General Information:
Plot:
The final book of the seven book series. Harry must escape the clutches of Voldemort as he, Hermione, and Ron scour the country looking for the last of Voldemort’s horcruxes. Along the way there are a lot of trials and tribulations the group goes through as well as many of the other peripheral characters from throughout the series. The book ends at the battle of Hogwarts where the final showdown occurs. Some characters step up and become heroes, and some fan favorites end up dying before the end. Almost all of the loose strings are tied up from previous books and we get to see a lot of background information on some of the more pivotal characters.
Reading and Interest Level:
This book is written in a low sixth grade level but the interest level is for everyone. A lot of the long time fans are older teens or Young adults currently and it is a book that sort of transcends generations.
Evaluation:
Evidenced by the immense book sales and movies, spin-offs and fan clubs one has to say that this book is the last of some of the greatest books written. They may not be over hard to read but with the size of them having good pacing and structure is critical. Also with such a grand story and world building occurring it does a very good job in keeping everything in order. There are very few if any contradictions and it always keeps the readers on their toes.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
Harry Potter is a book series that people grew up with. Many Young Adults and older Teens grew up with Harry Potter and as such find value within the books by relating their own growing pains to those in the book. Granted most of us aren’t being chased and hunted by a dark wizard, a lot of the relationship troubles, and friendship quarrels, sneaking out of school, cheating on homework, etc are all things that the readers can relate to and their is so much more. Overall this is one of the most therapeutic books out there and it actually probably caused some readers pain when it was over.
Issues Present:
The main issues as is with the rest of the series is with the use of magic. Many religious groups view it as satanic in nature. This last book does have its share of language, violence, war scenes, racism, and death within it which may also draw some challenges from certain parents. Most of the challenges do however come from religious groups.
Defending the Title:
This book is written at a very easy level and is intended for most ages. As stated before most of the challenges will be received from religious groups and as such one must look to the library bill of rights to explain that we will not be censoring books off of personal beliefs or reasons. Though the book may be in disagreement with what one parent thinks or wants to teach their children we will not be removing it from our shelves.
Book Talk Ideas:
If I was running a book talk involving the last Harry Potter book, I would follow the trials and tribulations the various friends go through. It is an interesting discussion topic as many times Harry Potter squeaks through purely off of the help of friends and it goes to wonder how different the series would have been if Harry had not been so generous and helpful in the previous books. Pages to support this discussion are very numerous but to throw some down 36, 78, 123, 166, 204, 384, 412, 427, 502, 543, etc. (Plus the whole final battle)
Genre:
This book is Teen Fiction (sometimes considered Juvenile and Adult as well as my library shelves it in all three spots) with the subject matter of Magic, friendship, war, fantasy.
Similar Reads:
Author’s Website:
Awards Won:
Professional Reviews:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jk-rowling/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/jul/28/booksforchildrenandteenagers.jkjoannekathleenrowling
Why I chose to read this book:
As a popular materials library I have offered this book and series to many children and I was surprised how many hadn’t read it because their parents wouldn’t let them. Though they were in the minority a lot of parents cited religious reasons for mot letting their kids read the Harry Potter books. For that reason alone I felt the need to reread them and put them on this blog post for future reference.
A young girl named Weetzie Bat uses three wishes from a genie to build her “perfect fairy-tale” family and nothing goes as planned.
General Information:
Plot:
The plot for Weetzie Bat follows a unique girl named Weetzie Bat. Weetzie comes upon a genie and with her three wishes she finds a man as unique as her to fall in love with and then shapes and forms her very non traditional family. Unfortunately many of her wishes were given as literally as possible which causes multiple problems that Weetzie must overcome.
Reading Level:
The reading level of this book is for young middle school readers but it is marketed for grades 7-9 and ages 12-14. Overall I believe that with the odd storyline it would appeal to the marketed age groups quite well.
Evaluation:
When evaluating this book it takes the plot line and the issues that it is dealing with and creates an engaging story that is written like a fairy tale. There are a lot of fantasy elements within the story itself such as the genie and the witch, etc, which resonates well with its target audience. Though Weetzie is essentially living out her fairy tale, she still has many real life problems that she has to contend with and it’s through these problems that the book is extremely effective in spreading its message to its readers. That message is very valuable as it spreads the idea that life will not go perfect no matter how much you mold it but you can still get through it and live happily ever after.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value of Weetzie Bat comes from the eclectic storylines and nature of her within the story. She represents the side of teens that thinks no one is like her or can understand her and her feeling/wants. She eventually gets to build her own perfect family thanks to a genie in order to have what she wants. Even that goes wrong and certain mistakes are made with people not understanding everything that she wants and that is the value of this book. It is make believe fantasy land and things still do not go perfect for her and in the end everything works itself out. That is what teens can gain value from, as they can realize that a lot of people will not understand them or they may feel ostracized but even those who seem like they have everything perfect run into problems as well. In the end though if you stay true to yourself things tend to work out just like they did for Weetzie Bat.
Issues Present:
The issues present within this book are rather numerous in number for how small of a story this book is. First off the book gets challenged for its magical (satanic) themes, the unorthodox representation of family, LGBTQ, underage sex, glorifying of teen pregnancy, and cultural appropriation. This is quite the list for a 128 page book but I believe a lot of this stems from the fact that it is meant for older middle school readers, whereas it may not receive as much backlash if it was intended for older high school students.
Defending the Title:
The defense of this book starts with the issues at hand. First off the magical themes in this book were purely for plot purposes and those who challenge the book over the magic or usually doing so in reference to religious beliefs. Those beliefs do not allow the to censor the books for other readers. As for the other issues within the book many teens do not live in traditional family atmospheres anymore, LGBTQ is a legitimate community of people, Weetzie is in high school where sex and/or sexual exploration is commonplace. The last issue is arguably the hardest issue to defend as the book clearly has Weetzie using cultural appropriation but does so in a way that means no harm to anyone and is more in reference to respecting that culture and doing so by incorporating it into her and her families lives.
Book Talk Idea:
If Weetzie Bat was the subject matter for a book talk there are a couple of various ways to lead a discussion about it. If I was running the book talk group I would choose to have a discussion on the concept of what Weetzie Bat thought was perfect. Throughout the book she is trying to mold the perfect family for herself but in the process of doing so makes some critical mistakes and bad choices that somehow always work out for her in the end (fairy tale aspect of the book). These instances within the book are great talking points as it readers can discuss the impacts of these actions and what real life implications it causes in Weetzie’s fantasy world.
Genre:
The genre of Weetzie Bat is teen fiction with the subject matter covering social themes and fantasy elements.
Similar Reads:
Author’s Website:
Awards won:
2009 Phoenix Award
Professional Reviews:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/francesca-lia-block/weetzie-bat/
https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/weetzie-bat-meets-the-genie/
Why I chose to read this book?
I chose to read Weetzie Bat purely off of the title and the synopsis of the book. The title alone is unique and intriguing and the synopsis portrayed what seemed like a wonderful fantasy world. The combination of the two really peaked my interest as I am a big fan of fantasy books especially those containing some form of magic. Overall it was a very interesting book and though I probably wouldn’t read it again it was definitely interesting enough to warrant reading once!
This is an uplifting tale about a girl who seems to have it all, finding herself and her sexuality changing her life dramatically.
General Information:
Plot:
The plot for Keeping You A Secret follows the life of Holland Jaeger who seems to have everything going for her. She has good grades, is attractive, has a boyfriend who got into Stanford, and is the president of the student council. Holland has an incredibly busy schedule that is pushed upon her by her mother who had Holland at a very young age which led to her being kicked out of her house at a young age. Now she married a man named Neal who also has a daughter a little younger than Holland named Faith and a baby named Hannah. The plot thickens when Cecelia (Cece) who is a Junior transferred from another school and her locker is positioned right by Hollands’. Holland immediately starts experiencing feelings for this girl but it takes a while for her to really acknowledge them and act upon them. Eventually Holland does act upon her feelings and breaks up with her long time boyfriend before dating Cece. Cece at first has Holland hide the fact that she is a lesbian and it ends up backfiring when Hollands mom finds out and freaks out as she hits her daughter and kicks her out of the house. Eventually Holland finds her feet and her path choosing a college and keeping her options open (including reconnecting with her best friend Leah) as her and Cece continue their relationship.
Reading and Interest Level:
The reading level and interest level of this book is marketed for older teens grades 10-12 and ages 15-18. In reality this book could be read by freshman as it is not a difficult book to read and though it brings various issues to the foreground none of them are graphically depicted. I would actually rate this book for 9-12 and 14-18 when looking to recommend it.
Evaluation:
Keeping You A Secret is a well written book on a taboo subject matter. A lot of times in these stories depicting LGBTQ communities they have endings that end with the couple together but the rest of their lives are up in the wind. Keeping You A Secret also ends with Hollands life in upheaval but by the end of the book her life has stabilized and she has regained her best friend, her stepsister now has a relationship with her, she is entering college and doing what she wants to do in regards to it. She gets to see her baby sister and most importantly she is openly lesbian and dating Cece which relieves a lot of stress as she is no longer keeping her sexuality a secret. The effectiveness of writing in this way comes from the realistic view of Holland’s life. With society not being naturally accepting of any LGBTQ activity their will naturally be upheaval, however it will not destroy everything. Those who really care for you will still be their and though things may not be the same it will open other doors for yourself that were not there before. Showing that ray of hope makes it very valuable and well written novel for those seeking a book on this community.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value of this book comes from the subject matter within the book. It will be a great book for anyone (especially females) who are experiencing feelings for someone of the same sex unexpectedly, or if they have known that they are a part of the LGBTQ and want to come out but are afraid to do so. It also is great for those who are not apart of the the LGBTQ community and teens in general. It shows what people of this community go through on a daily basis and how ignoring the group only enables hatred to grow within the community. As for the teen problems in general it covers, teen relationships, minors having sex, over controlling parents, gaining a step parent/sibling, and the stress of picking a college and career path while still in high school. All of these are issues that plague most teens in some way shape or form and this book is a window into another teen dealing with all of these problems themselves.
Issues Present:
The issues present within this title that may make it controversial and/or cause it to be challenged are; minors having sex (it is hinted that it is unprotected as she uses birth control), hate crimes against LGBTQ community, language, and parental abuse. All of these issues are common reasons for challenges against many other titles as well which makes it noteworthy to note.
Defending the Title:
The defense of the book and the issues laid out above revolve around the idea that the importance of these topics being represented outweigh any negatives of presenting these topics to minors. Most of these topics are covered in daily news outlets and are commonplace topics for teens to read about or listen to from social media or other news sources. It is more uncommon for teens to not know about these issues, though the way they get represented is another matter. That is the other way to defend this title, as it is important for teens to be able to read about issues they or someone they know may be going through. For example, I listed parental abuse above as an issue, there really is not your prototypical parental abuse as in physical or verbal abuse (besides the scene after Holland’s mother finds out she is lesbian), but comes from helicopter parenting and having every iota of your life controlled by your parents. They may mean to provide the best life for you but it is proven that parenting that way can be much more detrimental in the long run and this book shows what happens when a parent does that and the fact that everything will be alright if you decide that isn’t the path for you.
Book Talk Idea:
If I was running a teen book club that chose to read this book, I would have the teens focus on the various parts of Hollands life that were being affected (both positive and negative) by the helicopter parenting style of her mother. I would then have them look at the LGBTQ aspects of the book and discuss all of the great things that Holland would have missed out on if she had followed the path that was laid out in front of her, ignoring her true feelings. The following are some examples of pages that could be used to support the discussion: 1, 28, 53, 73, 89, 135, 153, 180, 215, 225, 241, etc.
Similar Reads:
Authors Website:
No Personal Website Found
Awards Won:
Iowa High School Book Award Nominees 2004-05 (And Ongoing)
Lambda Literary Awards-Children And Teen Titles 1988 (And Ongoing)
ALA Popular Paperbacks For Young Adults 1997 (And Ongoing)
Professional Reviews:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/julie-anne-peters/keeping-you-a-secret/
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-316-70275-1
https://www.teenreads.com/reviews/keeping-you-a-secret
Why I chose to read this book?
When approaching Julie Anne Peters books, I was not that enticed by her more well known piece Luna. The book really did not engage me off the first couple pages and the summary. So I decided to look at some of her other works and Keeping You A Secret was one that I perused and the writing of it coupled with the reviews and summary on the back really interested me and made me want to read it. It was an LGBTQ story but the focus wasn’t necessarily on that solely as the book was more about Holland finding herself through falling in love. I felt that the experiences Holland have are very relatable and the way she reacted to things in the first couple of pages really hooked me into the book.
Harry and Craig kiss for 32 hours straight while live in order to promote positive for the LGBTQ community in particular the gay community as others are struggling in the same city.
General Information:
Plot:
Two Boys Kissing is a story of many teenage boys and one transgendered boy (female to male) and how their lives are intertwined with Harry and Craig who are setting a record by publicly kissing for 32 hours straight. This book takes place in a world where being a part of the LGBTQ community is frowned upon by society, and as such causes different levels of turmoil within the boys lives. Some like Cooper can’t handle the inane pressure put upon him by society and tries to drink and sleep around before an attempted suicide. Others such as Harry and Craig try to bring light to the issue by publicly kissing for 32 hours but not before Craig has his family torn from him due to their unwillingness to accept that he is gay and be okay with it. Others such as Avery and Ryan face public harassment and ridicule from their peers. Tariq tries to hide it and ends up being publicly assaulted to the point that they break his ribs. All of this happens and they are all trying to understand what it means to be gay and how to live their lives in a world that shuns them, while Harry and Craig are publicly defying society with their public 32 hour long kiss.
Reading and Interest Level:
The reading and interest level for this book is marketed for grades 7-9 and ages 12 – 14. After reading this book I agree that grade 7 or 12 years of age is probably an appropriate age to start reading this title though its interest level should go through 12th grade even if the reading level may not be that tough. This is purely based off of the message and themes within the story.
Evaluation:
Two Boys Kissing is an interestingly written book that creates multiple storylines that are happening simultaneously within the book without ever truly being directly in contact. This is what makes it such an effective read in my opinion. This book is about the LGBTQ community specifically the gay community (amongst men) and the transgendered community (Avery). It treats the community as a collective and highlights all of the different responses everyone gets, and how each person tries to deal with those responses. Some get shunned by their peers, others by their families, some get accepted for who they are by the ones closest to them but society is still won’t accept them, etc. By showing all of these angles this book is a valuable read for the whole community to not only read about someone similar as yourself but also to show how others in the community may be being treated or how they may be feeling.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value of Two Boys Kissing stems from the effectiveness of the book that I previously mentioned. The book provides a safe look into the world of gay teenage boys/transgender teenagers and can be an invaluable tool in relating these real life situations to a character within the book. There are many examples within the book, one being Craig. Craig’s parents find out about his online chats and his father is enraged, yelling and screaming obscenities before hitting him. This book shows teenage boys one way of handling it. Peter and Neil who are another couple within the book have a different dynamic being shown. Peter and his family are well aware and accepting of his sexual orientation and extend that acceptance to Neil. Neil’s family are aware but they shy away from that fact as much as possible allowing the hatred from society rumble around them without even acknowledging it. Neil unlike others in the book confronts his family and he explains that he knows that they know, and they don’t yell obscenities and hit him like Craig’s father did to him but they don’t acknowledge it like Peter’s family. Eventually his sister and his father verbally acknowledge that he is gay and Peter is his boyfriend and that makes all the difference to him. These examples are all within one book and it is a great way for teenage boys in this community to see all the different possible avenues that can happen with belonging to this community, but also on how to deal with each of them. I think one of the most critical storylines is Cooper’s as he is the boy who tries to commit suicide at the end of the book before he is stopped by a police officer. The book plainly explains all of the young boys who were not stopped and did hang themselves, or jump from a bridge, or overdose on pills, and that the community tries to save each one but it generally is impossible. Though if one person can be saved it will not bring the others back but it will be a victory nonetheless for the community and this book is looking to make sure that other boys in the community do not follow down Cooper’s path thinking that they are alone. Overall the bibliotherapeutic value in this book is extremely high.
.Issues Present:
The issues present in Two Boys Kissing revolve around the fact that it is filled with LGBTQ material mainly gay relationships (though some transgender references: Avery). Though when one sees Two Boys Kissing being challenged they generally see complaints about the language, sexual references, and underage drinking within the book. Finally, some have argued that the book promotes suicide as an answer to being a part of the LGBTQ community. All of these are generally tied into the challenges along with the idea that the book is spreading unholy ideas in the eyes of most religions. For these reasons the book is considered controversial and is repeatedly challenged.
Defending the Title:
The defense of Two Boys Kissing staying on YA shelves is relatively simple in nature. For the most part a lot of challenges stem from the fact that the book is about the LGBTQ community and as such is religously unacceptable and socially unacceptable. This may be the view of certain individuals and maybe even communities but according to the Library Bill of Rights in ALA an individual cannot censor material based off of personal reasons and or beliefs. Secondly, the book does have a lot of language and their are random cases of violence and underage drinking within the book, however nothing is graphically shown. The underage drinking happens once in the book by Cooper and is a relatively common problem within our society. The violence shown involves some punches and verbal abuse but the worst of it is described when Tariq gets jumped. They describe him having a bloody mouth and broken ribs but that is all which is a lot more mild than most teens see on a daily basis in shows, movies, and video games. As for the idea that the book promotes suicide as a possible answer to being a part of the LGBTQ community makes one question if the person ready the entire book. There is a whole section of the book being dedicated to the fact that the LGBTQ community would love to catch every child and teen who gets consumed by the concept of suicide. Unfortunately many go through with it before it is too late, but this book in no way endorses that as a legitimate possibility.
Book Talk Idea:
If I was running a book talk for the book Two Boys Kissing I would focus on the individual hardships each character faces throughout the book and explain its importance in context to real life and how this book handles each situation. I believe this would stimulate a lot of conversation from both people in and out of the LGBTQ community and allow for a great back and forth debate on ideas and where everyone is coming from.
Some pages that contain the conflict that I would talk about include but are not limited to: 57, 89, 100, 127, 130, 143, 165, 190
Genre:
The genre of this book is Teen Fiction/Romance with subject matter covering LGBTQ, Social Themes, Feelings, and Gay Romance. It follows the lives of multiple gay boys and one FTM Transgender boy during a 32 hour long publically streamed kiss by Harry and Craig.
Similar Reads:
Author’s Website:
Awards Won:
Stonewall Book Awards Winners and Honors 2012 (And Ongoing)
Capital Choices Book Awards 2013 (And Ongoing)
Nevada Young Reader Award Nominees Grade Young Adult 2004-05 (And Ongoing)
Library Journal Best Books 1997 (And Ongoing)
YALSA Best Fiction For Young Adults 2014 (And Ongoing)
Professional Reviews:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-levithan/two-boys-kissing-levithan/
https://www.teenreads.com/reviews/two-boys-kissing
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-307-93190-0
Why I chose to read this book?
I chose this book purely off of the reviews on the back of the book that indicated how uplifting and cheerful this book was. I really wanted to read a controversial book without the doom and gloom that many may seem to have. Once I started reading it I enjoyed the multiple perspectives of the different teens who all belong to this community but each have their own difficulties and how they handle these difficulties. The multiple perspective writing was reminiscent of a mixture of GRR Martin and Ellen Hopkins but not the their extremes which was enjoyable. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an uplifting tale that may be a bit controversial in nature.
A coming to age tale following a freshman boy who is an introvert but opens up to his new friends Sam and Patrick as they open up his horizons.
General Information:
Plot:
The Perks of being a Wallflower is a coming of age story discussing the life of Charlie in his first year of high school. The story starts off on a somber note as Charlie must deal with the death (and apparent suicide) of his good friend Michael at the end of his eighth grade year. When Charlie enters high school his oldest brother has left to play football at Penn State and his older Sister is a high school senior at the same school as himself. Charlie is learning about who he is as a person throughout this story which includes being in a slightly dysfunctional family, in a world filled with sex and drugs in the high school scene. To help him along the way he becomes good friends with two older high school students named Patrick and a girl name Sam. They both open him up to looking at things from a different perspective while also introducing him to different things in the world such as some recreational drug use, love, and emotional connections.
Reading and Interest Level:
The reading and interest level for this book is marketed for grades 10 thru 12 and ages 15 up. I think due to the content within this book with clear references to sexual encounters (some of which are forced) some racially charged talk and drug/alcohol usage by minors.
Evaluation:
Chbosky’s book is written from Charlie’s perspective in letters written to someone about his experiences. This form of writing is unique and refreshing and a great way to let the readers know what Charlie is experiencing from his perspective and by showing us rather than just telling us. The book contains a lot of life lessons and through his technique of writing it is well delivered. Each memory that Charlie writes down in these letters is a realistic occurrence for many teens to go through personally or see personally throughout high school. All of which is something that can be relatable and therefore valuable to see from another perspective.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value within this book is extraordinary due to the overwhelming amount of relatable material within this book for teens to read and realize that yes it does happen to other people as well. The material covers so much information including domestic abuse, suicide, dysfunctional family setting, drug and alcohol use, racism, violence, sexual encounters, sexual assault, learning to love, and last but not least finding one self. It is stunning how much material Chbosky is able to fit in this novel and keep it so free flowing and well paced. YA books that provide a window or a mirror for their readers tend to provide much more value and Chbosky’s book provides all of that for his readers.
Issues Present:
The issues in this book that may be deemed controversial by those who challenge the book are quite numerous. The grandpa is racist. Charlie and other high schoolers smoke marijuana and take LSD while under age drinking. There is intercourse and talk of masturbation, and some of the intercourse is forced with a scene of a girl essentially forced to perform sexual acts with her boyfriend as she keeps muttering no. There is violence both domestic (Charlie’s sister and her boyfriend) and between students (apparently Charlie is a terrific but very dirty fighter). All of this is present throughout the books and is generally underscored by a lot of language.
Defending the Title:
The defense of this book would theoretically seem difficult with such a large range of issues present, however, the value of showing these issues in this light for teens is what makes the book so defensible. The first thing to do is to remind everyone that the target audience for this book is for older teens. As such many of these teens have likely experienced or know someone personally that has experienced a fair amount of the issues within the book. Nothing including the various sexual acts are graphically described beyond some light details. Also for the drug and alcohol references, the main character acknowledges that he knows that it isn’t healthy for him and it is mentioned throughout the book but never glorified. Overall the value that these issues provide the book are instrumental in making the book as great as it is.
Book Talk Idea:
During a book talk for The Perks of being a Wallflower I would have the group follow Charlie and his interactions with various issues and how it changes (or possibly stays the same) throughout the rest of the book. This can include interactions involving sex, or Sam, or drugs, etc. The pages that could really support this type of discussion include but aren’t limited to: 3, 19, 27, 31, 44, 92, 100, 124, 137, 144, 204, etc.
Genre:
The genre of this book is Teen Contemporary Fiction and it does have a subject matter that includes social themes and some LGBTQ themes.
Similar Reads:
Authors Website:
No Official Website.
Publisher Page is www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Stephen-Chbosky/1843916
Awards Won:
Illinois Read-For-A-Lifetime High School Reading List 2004-05 (And Ongoing)
Professional Reviews:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/stephen-chbosky/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower/
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-671-02734-6
Why I chose this book:
I chose to read this book purely due to the movie. As a huge Emma Watson fan, I loved the movie but I was curious to see if the book was better (as it usually is). I also was quite intrigued about the writing style that Stephen Chbosky used within the book. I had not seen that writing style used throughout a whole book in that way before. Besides that it was recommended by both my coworkers and a couple of YALSA lists I was peering through. That is why I chose to read The Perks of being a Wallflower and I am glad I did as it was an excellent book that was much better than the movie.
Learning how to control ones anger and find balance is not as easy as it looks especially when you are unsure of who you are and what you really want.
General Information:
Plot:
Iceman follows the story of Eric who is a part of an Irish family of four from the New England area. He is in high school and lives with his father, mother, and older brother Duane who used to be the star athlete in the family before he stopped everything and took up music and focused on education much to his father’s disappointment. That disappointment was filed by Eric playing hockey and he is a terrific player, maybe not as technical as Duane but the story starts off with him as a bruiser on the ice. He hits everyone and everything as hard as he can and can take over the game when he wants but at other times he doesn’t have his heart in it and may take someone out (albeit dirtily) but they end up losing. The story is Eric trying to discover who he is and what he likes to do. This coupled with the fiery nature of his family leads to a lot of inner turmoil and he uses that to fuel his rage on the ice. Eventually a terrific canadian player who he plays against in a tournament has a heart to heart with him after a brutal slugfest on the ice and Eric eventually finds who he is and what he is about in order to calm himself and find true happiness.
Reading and Interest Level:
The reading level for Iceman is for 7-9th grades and ages 12-15. However I believe the interest level for this book would likely be more for high school students. I think that middle school students can read this book and enjoy it however the subject matter will likely mean more to the High School students.
Evaluation:
My evaluation of Iceman is a positive one. It is not one of Chris Lynch’s more well known titles however it is definitely written in his style. The writing is concise and easy to understand with his points and themes coming across strongly. The reader will feel engaged but it has enough though provoking moments to keep the reader thinking about Eric the main character and the issues his character is working through. In this matter it also drives the reader to think about those issues as they tend to be shared by many people during their teenage years. As such the book is thought provoking which therefore makes it an effective book at sharing Chris Lynch’s thoughts.
Bibliotherapeutic Value:
The bibliotherapeutic value of this book comes both from the message within the book and also how it was written. This book is written with a male audience as its intended main target and it provides an insightful look to growing up with a slightly dysfunctional family and with inner turmoil which can lead to some anger issues and general uneasiness about your life and situation. It provides a terrific look at how channeling anger and aggression through sports can be helpful but at some point in time you must sit down and look at oneself to deal with the root of these issues, otherwise even your sport will start to not bring you joy out their anymore.
Issues Present:
The issues present within the book Iceman are as followed: excessive violence, endorsing of violence within a sports setting, and a view of poor parenting. This book may not be as controversial as some of Chris Lynch’s other books however it does have its moments and with the targeted audience being so young it makes the issues highlighted previously much more important.
Defending the Title:
The defense of this book is that it is very realistic and it does not do anything “just to do it” when it came to the violence in the book. Many teen boys turn to sports to deal with issues (many others don’t as well) and those who do turn to sports may funnel their troubles into their playing style. This book highlights that situation which is very important so that teens don’t lose track of why they are playing a sport and that it can’t fix the problem at its source which is what really needs to happen. When it doesn’t other parts of your life start falling apart such as Eric’s when he stopped going to school as much and then the sport itself started not being fun anymore. Overall this is a terrific gateway book for reluctant male readers with a relatable tie in to sports that is well written by a well known YA author.
Book Talk Idea:
If one was to run a book talk discussion about the book Iceman, I would recommend the discussion to revolve around the situations of Eric discussing non-hockey things with his family. Throughout the book the story revolves around hockey as it is the main backdrop for the book however the insightful look into Eric’s psyche and thought process tends to come during the non-playing moments whether it be at home or in the car or between periods in the locker room. The pages that some of the more important moments happen on would be: 9, 14, 27, 49, 84, 95, 99, 110, 128, etc.
Genre
The genre of the book is Teen Fiction with sports, emotions, feeling, and family dynamics being the core subject matter within the book.
Similar Reads:
If one was to run a book talk discussion about the book Iceman, I would recommend the discussion to revolve around the situations of Eric discussing non-hockey things with his family. Throughout the book the story revolves around hockey as it is the main backdrop for the book however the insightful look into Eric’s psyche and thought process tends to come during the non-playing moments whether it be at home or in the car or between periods in the locker room. The pages that some of the more important moments happen on would be: 9, 14, 27, 49, 84, 95, 99, 110, 128, etc.
The genre of the book is Teen Fiction with sports, emotions, feeling, and family dynamics being the core subject matter within the book.
Similar Reads:
Authors Website:
I could not find a personal website for Chris Lynch though he does have many sites on publishers pages such as:
www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Chris-Lynch/16756570
Awards Won:
ALA Best Book for Young Adults List
ALS/YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
Professional Reviews:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/chris-lynch/iceman/
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-023340-2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/467429.Iceman
Why I chose to read Iceman?
In High School I devoted a lot of my pent up energy, frustrations and anger issues towards sports, playing every contact sport I could such as Football, Wrestling, Water Polo, Lacrosse, and Rugby (in college). I saw the summary of Iceman and was really curious what a renown author such as Chris Lynch has to say about this situation. I was pleasantly surprised at what I found in the book and I am really glad I picked the book up as it was enjoyable to read. I think that this book can be really useful for a lot of boys who may find themselves in this kind of position.
Librarianship 