Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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:

Paperback: 224 pages
Price: $6.60
Publisher: MTV Books; Media Tie-In edition (August 14, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781451696196
ISBN-13: 978-1451696196
ASIN: 1451696191

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.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/aug/07/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower-stephen-chbosky-review

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.

Iceman by Chris Lynch

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:

Age Range: 12 and up
Price: $6.89
Grade Level: 7 – 9
Lexile Measure: 0880
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (March 5, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1442460016
ISBN-13: 978-1442460010

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.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

This Sic-Lit features two star crossed lovers with terminal illnesses and overcoming them to find some joy within their lives.

General Information:

Paperback: 352 pages

Price: $7.59

Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition (April 8, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 014242417X

ISBN-13: 978-0142424179

Plot:

The Fault in Our Stars follows the story of Hazel Grace Lancaster who is diagnosed with a terminal illness, who meets a young man by the name of Augustus Waters, who also has a terminal illness, at a cancer support group. At first the two do not hit it off well with Hazel instantly becoming angered by him after seeing him with a cigarette (later we learn that he never actually smokes it) though eventually they start hanging out together and forming a bond. After reading each other’s favorite books they travel to Amsterdam to find the author of Hazel’s book to find out what the ending of the book is supposed to have been. He ends up being extremely rude but in the midst of this trip Hazel and Augustus fall in love with one another. Unfortunately shortly after coming back Augustus falls extremely ill and end up passing away. At the funeral the author shows up to apologize but Hazel ends up not accepting it as she reads Augustus final letter which essentially says that hurt is inevitable though sometimes we get to pick who hurts us. Hazel ends the story stating that she is glad that she got hurt from meeting Augustus.

Evaluation:

My evaluation of The Fault in Our Stars is a positive evaluation as this book is an effectively written story that takes what was a very overwritten genre (sick-lit) and created a valuable and engaging read for teens and young adults. The overall writing of the novel is not overly difficult from a technical level however its message and the way it portrays it was clever and well presented by the author. Its value is within the morals and themes that it represents towards teens while representing a specific group of people who may have terminal illness or know someone who does.

Reading and Interest Level:

The reading level and interest level that The Fault in Our Stars is marketed for by Baker and Taylor is for the grades 10-12 and ages 15 and up. I think that this book could easily be read by a slightly younger audience as though it mentions things such as death (from terminal illness) and sex it never graphically describes anything as it is stated in a matter of fact tone. I would likely increase the age range to 8-12 grade personally.

Bibliotherapeutic Value:

The bibliotherapeutic value of The Fault in Our Stars is shown through the way it reaches teens and explains to them the shortness of life and the fact that we may not be in charge of larger issues such as terminal illnesses but what we can control is our attitudes and who we choose to share ourselves with/get hurt by. The story lets teens know that the world is not perfect and you will end up hurt at some point but sometimes it is worth getting hurt to enjoy the experiences while you can. It is a great tale that throws in romance and wise words and though some critics may slam it as a cash grab on the coattails of the sick-lit train, John Green makes sure that the book provides a purpose and something relatable for all teens and or young adults who may read this book.

Issues Present:

The issues present within The Fault in Our Stars revolve around the idea that the book is not appropriate for teens to read. Many challenges include the fact that the two main characters have sex (under the age of 18) and that it is inappropriate and distasteful to write a romance novel taking advantage of terminal illnesses. These were all reasons why the book itself has been challenged numerous times and at one point was completely banned from a group of middle schools in California.

Defending the Title:

The defense of this book from possible challenges involving the issue that were laid out above would be to first make it clear that terminal illnesses are something that many teens have to deal with whether with themselves or more likely with a friend or family member. Next the sexual nature of the book and the teens having sex with each other after such a short time being together has been brought up as an issue and first you must put into context why such actions were occurring (both teens could die at any moment) also none of the sexual content was graphically described within the book. Overall The Fault in Our Stars is a valuable book and can be easily defended with the right information and facts about the book.

Book Talk Idea:

The Fault in Our Stars provides many different questions and viewpoints for book discussions, however, if I was to be in charge of a book discussion I would have us talk about how much of Hazel’s life was limited by the disease versus self inflicted limitations. Some page numbers where this can be seen would be on pages 5, 24, 38, 57, 124, 168 etc. (examples being not willing to go outside the house, forced by her mom to go to the support group, etc. she clearly opens up as her relationship with Augustus grows)

Genre:

The genre and subject matter for The Fault in Our Stars is Teen Fiction more specifically teen romance. It follows the love story of Hazel and Augustus who happen to be both terminally ill.

Similar Reads:

Author’s Website:

www.johngreenbooks.com/

Awards:

Washington Evergreen Young Adult Award Nominees 1995 (And Ongoing)

Oregon Reader’s Choice Award Nominees And Winners 2012-2013 (And Ongoing

Ohio Buckeye Teen Book Award Nominees 2013 (And Ongoing)

Wisconsin Golden Archer Book Award Nominees 2003-04 (And Ongoing)

Wyoming Soaring Eagle Book Award Nominees 2003-04 (And Ongoing)

New Jersey Garden State Teen Book Awards 1998 (And Ongoing)

Colorado Blue Spruce Book Award Nominees 2003-04 (And Ongoing)

Professional Reviews:

https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/aug/05/review-john-green-the-fault-in-our-stars

http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/11098-the-fault-in-our-stars

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/john-green/fault-in-our-stars/

Why I chose to read this book?

I chose to read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green purely based off of having previously seen the movie. I rarely watch a movie before reading the book but this was a film that I normally would not go to myself. John Green is a well known YA author and I did enjoy the movie so I decided to give the book a try as the book is usually better than the movie. There was not much other initial motivation to pick up this book though I did find it a fun and engaging read.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

A gang of greasers and soc who never get along go to far in their antics causing someone to die. In the process Ponyboy learns a lot about himself and the world around him.

.General Information:

Age Range: 12 and up
Price: 7.99 Paperback
Grade Level: 7 – 9
Lexile Measure: 750L (What’s this?)
Paperback: 142 pages
ISBN-10: 014240733X
ISBN-13: 978-0142407332

Plot:

The Outsiders is a story told through the eyes and perspective of a young Teenage boy named Ponyboy that is a coming of age story while living as an outcast in society’s eyes. Viewed as an outcast also known as a greaser in the context of the novel Ponyboy learns of societal prejudice and daily threats/violence with the Socs. When the violence is taken too far, Ponyboy learns a lot about society and growing up facing many problems that range from drug/alcohol use, using violence to solve problems, and social tensions/cliques.

Reading/Interest level of the book:

Content of this book is marketed towards those that are 12 and older. I think that the way it was written and the content of the book itself is right along those age lines as well. The “bad” language used in the book isn’t heavily used and the violence through realistically told is not written in a way that the older middle schoolers and young high schoolers would be turned away from it. The writing style used within the book is relatively straightforward and easy to read at a younger age reinforcing the fact that anyone 12 and up should be able to pick the book up, understand it, and enjoy the book/lessons learned from the book. These lessons and life issues should tend to make most kids ages 12 and up interested in the book as they are problems that show up in high school and middle school (though maybe not always as extreme as the ones in the story).

Evaluation:

This book is very well written even though it is not necessarily a tough or elaborately written novel. The author tells this story in a way that you can relate to the characters and the problems and no one in the book is a good guy nor a bad guy. It is hyper realistic in the sense that it describes problems of the world that a young person will likely face such as social cliques, being branded a label whether that label is viewed positively or negatively by society. It talks about drugs and alcohol without it taking center attention of the story. Overall the story itself is valuable in the way it was written and how easily approachable the characters are to the young readers. There is a reason this book is considered a classic and part of that reason is as this book ages some of the imagery may no longer be relevant but the messages and tropes within the book continue to do so.

Bibliotherapeutic value:

This book as mentioned previously in this review does a great job in describing social constructs through school and teens but also within society itself. The main source of the conflict is described between the Greasers and the Socs’, however as one reads deeper into the story you can understand how the lines aren’t really that distinct between the two groups. This book helps teens who may be going through that phase of being in the outcast group or facing social exclusion from various social cliques and how to continue being themselves in the face of all of the societal pressure.

Issues Present:

The Outsiders is commonly challenged for Juvenile violence, gang violence, and drug/alcohol use by minors. All of these topics are present in the book however even more controversial may be the topics of family abuse, societal neglect for those of a lower income, and bullying that escalates into major incidents of violence.

Defending the Title:

Everything in The Outsiders, even though it was written a long time ago, is relevant in some shape or form to today’s teens. Social constructs/cliques, and economic disparity is still very relevant in today’s society and just because you are labelled as something as a teen does not mean that is all you can be. These are critical life lessons that need to be learned and taken on as a teen which is all the reason to have this book and endorse it more. Nothing in the book is overly graphic in detail or unnecessarily violent in order to push the story. The real life situations however are completely relevant and something that teens should be allowed to read about.

Book Talk Ideas:

The descriptions of characters and how they develop would be an interesting book talk idea as the beginning of the book they greasers and Socs’ are described and each character is labelled as such as if that is what they were. Throughout the book we learn more about the characters and they no longer are just Greasers or Socs’ and we learn that there are many similarities and labels don’t limit who you are. These ideas are shown on many pages though good examples are: Pages 9, 10, 19, 28, 29, 66, 67, 101, 108 etc.

Genre/Subject:

The Outsiders genre is fiction though a more specific filing system would list it under realistic fiction. It is a story of self-identification, social constructs, economic disparity.

Similar Reads:

Authors Website:

http://www.sehinton.com/

Awards Won/Accolades:

New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List, 1967

Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book, 1967

Media and Methods Maxi Award, 1975

ALA Best Young Adult Books, 1975

Margaret Edwards Award

Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, 1979

Professional Reviews:

https://www.hbook.com/1967/08/choosing-books/reviews/review-of-the-outsiders/

Why I chose to read it:

The Outsiders is a book that I read way back in middle school and have always remembered and references to it have always popped up throughout my life. After setting up my libraries banned book week display in the Teen Center that was one of the titles that was used in the display. Seeing the book in the “banned” book section made me want to read it again to truly remember what it was about.

Loser’s Bracket by Chris Crutcher

A young lady who is in the foster system is in the process of finishing high school and going to college while continually being dragged back in to her biological family.

General Information:

Hardcover: 256 pages
Price: $9.99
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (April 3, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062220063
ISBN-13: 978-0062220066

Plot:

Loser’s Bracket by Chris Crutcher follows the story of a young lady as she is finishing up high school and having to deal with being a child of the state as a foster child and yet having her life intertwined with her biological families lives and problems. As the story progresses we learn more about Annie both through the telling of her story but also by her therapists notes, which are told from the therapists point of view. Annie’s intertwined life leads to problems on both fronts in her foster home and with her biological family while also highlighting the world of foster care and adoption from both viewpoints of the adopters and the adoptees.

Reader and Interest Level:

The Loser’s Bracket is marketed for Juvenile Grades 7-9 Ages 12-14. The story will likely appeal to older high school students likely grade 10-12 for ages 15-18.

Evaluation:

When evaluating this book I would say that it was extremely well written. Both from the perspective of how the story flowed and kept me engaged as a reader but also from the perspective of how accurate the portrayal of the foster system is through the eyes of Annie. Chris Crutcher clearly did his background research and it was obvious to tell due to my own personal experiences with the world of fostering and adoption. I myself was in the foster system and was adopted at the age of 4 years old but the legal battles and biological family trying to pull me back into their family has followed me throughout the years. As such, I know what Annie is going through and how it affects a person as I was Annie. Based off of that alone I can safely say that not only was this story effective in explaining this world to those who have not experienced it, but also valuable due to its effectiveness. Loser’s Bracket is valuable to the individual who has lived and experienced this world by letting them know that they are not alone and that this world has its issues but also has potential to be successful as well. The value of this book also extends to those not familiar with the system by introducing them to the true nature of the system, not just the glorified side that is often portrayed in the media especially when they are showing people of stature or wealth adopting or fostering children.
“Annie’s life in the Loser’s Bracket is her trying to escape quicksand. Unfortunately for Annie that quicksand is two whirlpools of quicksand, one her biological family, and one her foster family, doing their best to drag her away from success.”

Bibliotherapeutic Value:

This book has multiple uses of bilbiotherapeutic usefulness. The greatest example of this that would portray towards Teen readers would be the way that Annie works out her self-worth in the therapy sessions (which are told from the therapists’ point of view). Many teens are in a constant state of change and flux as they are trying to figure out who they are supposed to be and in many instances that can lead to doubt and worry about ones self-worth. Throughout this book they work through these doubts and feelings and in the end Annie learns a lot about herself and whether or not she can succeed at life with gentle nudging’s from her therapist along the way. Teen readers will be able to relate to Annie’s feelings but also follow her path on towards her realization of self-worth.

Issues Present:

Why may this book be challenged or considered controversial in nature? First off this book is written by Chris Crutcher who is a well-known YA author that has not been shy about writing on controversial topics which will lead to people challenging the book purely based off its author. As for challenges with any merit, it may be challenged for drug and alcohol reference and use, domestic abuse, adultery, strong language, racism, anti-lgbtq, and overall inappropriate material for targeted age group.

Defending the Title:

How should those issues be countered? A potential reader cannot presume negative thoughts about a title purely based off of a previous reputation an author may or may not have. As for drug, and alcohol usage being challenged within the book, as well as sensitive topics such as domestic abuse, adultery, and strong language, this book is a great example of realistic fiction. It is about a young girl the same age and grade as what they target audience for the book would be and the situations that are happening within the story are classic examples of the things that people go through in real life. Many of the issues portrayed may not be pleasant to talk about yet they are subjects that must be understood as a part of growing up. Many teens that may be interested in this book may have seen these instances whether it be personally or through a close friend or family member. As such it is of the utmost importance to provide them a window to view these problems and how they can be dealt with in real life.

Book Talk Ideas:

If leading a book discussion with a group of teens I would focus upon the character Annie but more importantly how she approaches her problems. Essentially how she grows up and learns not only about herself but what she is capable of. As such I would really focus on those session summaries that are told by her therapists throughout the story and really highlight not only Annie’s mental state of mind but also how she progresses throughout her senior year of High school. These therapy session summaries can be found on pages: 31, 52, 159, 239 etc.

Genre:

Genre-Subject Matter: Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Foster/Adoption, learning to accept one-self.

Similar Reads:

Authors Website:

http://www.chriscrutcher.com/

Awards:

N/A at the moment as this is a relatively new book

Professional Reviews:

http://bi.galegroup.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/essentials/article/GALE%7CA529863600/3ee5f8d6acf812bbf83a7c656303913f?u=csusj

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-222006-6

Why I chose to pick this book up?

I was intrigued by the concept of a book involving adoption and the foster care system that was written by an author that is well known for pushing the “boundaries” and writing terrific realistic fiction. It was especially interesting to me personally after looking at the summary as I myself am adopted.

Bloom by Kevin Panetta

A young man exits high school and enter the real world completely unsure of who he is and what he wants to do until he meets his new boyfriend.

General Information:

· Paperback: 368 pages

· Price: $17.14

· Publisher: First Second (February 12, 2019)

· Language: English

· ISBN-10: 1626726418

· ISBN-13: 978-1626726413

Plot:

The book Bloom follows the story of Ari a Greek-American who lives with his family as he is graduating from high school and does not know what to do with his life. His family owns and works the Kyrkos Family Bakery where he also helps out working there. Ari at the time is a part of a band and thinks that he wants to follow them to the city to continue playing in gigs until they make the big-time. However, his father tells him that they need him home to help out with the bakery now that his older sister has left after her marriage. Ari in frustration puts out a flier trying to find some help for the bakery and eventually stumbles along a boy named Hector. Hector is a top chef that dropped out of culinary school and is around Ari’s age. This story is one of self-discovery, growing up, and falling in love in the LGBTQ community. It really is a wonderful read as Ari goes on to grow as a person throughout the story and finally figure out exactly what he wants.

Reading and Interest Level:

This book is marketed for 7^th-9^th graders and ages 12-14. I think that that is a fair assessment of the book, though I think anyone from 7^th through 12^th grade would like this book. It is an easy read as a lot of the story is told through images rather than words but there is nothing graphic within it and it is a relatable tale whether you are LGBTQ or not.

Evaluation:

I would say that this book is well written but perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that it was well illustrated. The authors of the book have done an impeccable job of using the images and little dialogue to create this story and give it depth. The intricate line work and they terrific use of facial expressions really push the emotions and thoughts that are running through Ari at a given moment throughout the book. It also allows the author to use limited text bubbles as much of the story is conveyed through its images. The text bubbles do a lot of work themselves as each line of text really pushes the story and leads towards an aspect of importance. It helps guide the reader to the intended meaning of the images on the page without having to explain everything word by word like a novel would need to do. This is a valuable piece of work as it is a serious yet fun graphic novel. Many times graphic novels get the reputation that they are for kids and cannot be used for serious topics. Yet Bloom proves otherwise as it discusses the topic of growing up and how to find what a one truly wants within themselves, all wrapped around a budding love story set in the LGBT community. This book is effective in the way that it reaches out to multiple communities all at once with various messages and yet can be enjoyed by all of those communities simultaneously. Though it is yet to hit the markets fully, I think Bloom will end of being a very valuable and much sought-after graphic novel, especially by teens.

Bibliotherapeutic Value:

The Bibliotherapeutic usefulness of this book is varied in multiple categories. First and foremost this book is most broadly useful to teens in the sense that it helps portray and teen that is finishing high school and does not know what he wants to do with his life. Ari is restless at home and wants to go out into the world or at least that is what he thinks he wants but in reality he doesn’t know. This sense of unrest at a time of transition is a feeling that many teens face and is very relatable. The other Bibliotherapeutic usefulness of this book would be aimed at teens in the LGBTQ community, especially for guys. Ari is male who ends up falling in love with another male named Hector as the story unfolds. Though this is a time of transition for Ari he is supported by his parents and they never question the fact that he is in a same sex relationship. The book is great at supporting the fact that you never know where and who you may fall in love with or even when it will happen. They don’t flaunt the gay relationship in your face either but rather subtly tells us about it just like any other story about someone falling in love.

Issues Present:

The issues present in this book are about its strong ties to the LGBTQ community. The book visually shows two males falling in love and at one point kissing each other passionately. The fact that it is visually shown throughout the book will drive people of certain religious orientation and thought processes to want the book banned. The LGBTQ community is a hot topic issue for certain people and with it will bring along many challenges from people who do not agree with that lifestyle.

Defending the Title:

The defense of these potential controversial issues is relatively straight forward. First off the book is much more than an LGBTQ book as it should be easy for teens to strongly relate towards as the book is also about Ari in a time of transition and trying to discover what he actually wants. Second off the book does have a Gay couple in it and yes it visually shows them kissing but nothing more. It does not push the LGBT “agenda” on to its readers and the scenes of falling in love are no different than those that would be shown in other novels such as John Green or Sarah Dessen besides the fact that it is visually shown and happens to be of a gay couple. The argument that it is LGBTQ is one that has no substance and should be taken care of rather easily in the sense of controversy.

Book Talk Ideas:

The plot line that I would focus on the most is when Ari and Hector are together. Not only do these scenes show the relationship growing but they also mark important moments of growth for Ari as he gets more deeply intertwined with Hector. Some of the pages that show this are 28, 29, 60, 61, 80, 81, 82, 99, 100, 126, 127, 138, 139, 158, 160, 184, 185, 224, 225, 248, 264, 265, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 350, 351, 352, 353

Genre:

The genre of this book is realistic fiction/romance graphic novel. It is about a teen (Ari) who is trying to find his own way and find what he want for himself while falling in love with another teen boy (Hector).

Similar Reads:

Authors Website:

http://kevinpanetta.com/

Awards:

N/A Will be officially published in February 2019 though many reviews have been implemented on sites such as good reads.

Professional Reviews:

This is limited to the book being new:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250196910

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29225589-bloom

Why did I choose to pick this book up?

I saw Bloom in a pile of prepub books that are given to our Youth Department all the time and immediately was drawn towards the art style and the blue wash over the stories illustrations. As I was reading I got more pulled in by the images and how the images really progressed the story with little conversation bubbles within the story itself. Though it is a simple and slow moving story with romantic ties within it, I found my drawn in and wanting to know if Ari and Hector get together and if they both finally figure out what they want to do with their lives.