41. Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

ISBN: 978-0-06-440731-1

HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 1999

281 p.

Plot Summary

On trial for felony murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is fighting for his life, fearing that a guilty plea will leave him locked up in jail for at least another twenty years.  Steve stands accused for being the lookout in a drugstore robbery that resulted in the death of the owner.  Unable to handle the constant fear he feels in prison, he decides to write everything down as a movie script, allowing him to distance himself from the realities of prison life and the judgment he faces in the courtroom.  Thinking back to the label the prosecutor gives him, Steve calls the movie, “Monster.”  And looking around the courtroom at the jurors and even his own father, Steve sees that word reflected back at him through their eyes, especially when they shift their eyes away from his.  He believes in the law of “innocent until proven guilty,” but the prejudice that some people have toward a young black man on trial for murder supersedes that law.  All that Steve knows is that he is a good person, but his association with people such as James King and Osvaldo Cruz suggests otherwise.  Insisting that he had no part in the robbery, it is up to the jury to decide if Steve is guilty or innocent.

Critical Evaluation

Written in mostly screenplay format, with a few notes and diary entries included throughout, Monster tells a compelling story of a young man on trial for a murder that he insists he had no part in.  The use of the screenplay in telling the events within the courtroom serves to distance Steve Harmon from the person on trial.  While his diary entries are written in first person, the screenplay is written in third person, reflecting Steve’s inability or unwillingness to see himself as the suspected criminal that the prosecutor views as a “monster.”  Believing himself to be a good person, Steve strives to keep himself sane and prevent himself from turning into the violent criminals with which he shares a jail cell.  As readers, we go into the novel with an assumption about Steve Harmon’s part in the murder.  Because of the connection I felt with the narrator, I naturally wanted to believe that Steve was innocent of the crime.  As Steve continues to tell his story and more information becomes available, I would go back and forth on my position, though always wanting to believe in his innocence.  However, there were a few times when his word is called into question.  For instance, after working with his lawyer on his testimony, Steve writes, “What was I doing?” and “What was I thinking?” on the screenplay, accompanied by two photos of a young black man walking through an aisle of a drugstore taken from a security camera (on p. 220-221.  Then, when Steve is under oath, he says that he was not in the drugstore that day.  After just seeing these two pages, I immediately questioned his statement and wondered if he actually was a part of the robbery plan.  However, the testimony of a woman that was in the store suggests that Steve was telling the truth.  Information such as this led me to constantly rethink my opinion on Steve’s innocence, making it a very fascinating book that is unlike any I had read before.

Reader's Annotation

Suspected of taking part in a robbery turned fatal, Steve Harmon is only sixteen years old and locked up in jail, facing a sentence of 25 years to life if found guilty.

Information About the Author

Walter Dean Myers was born August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia.  Although his birth name was Walter Milton Myers, he was given away to a man named Herbert Dean and his wife, Florence, in Harlem.  As a child, he spent most of his time around the neighborhood and at the church.  He did not do well in school and ended up dropping out, joining the army at the age of 17.

He credits a high school teacher with recognizing his skill at writing and encouraging him to continue writing no matter what, especially because she knew that he was dropping out.  Although he dismissed her advice at first, years later, he remembered her words when working on a construction job in New York.  He started to write at night after work and it led him to write about the teen years, the time period that he identifies as “the most difficult period of my own life.”  Myers has written many novels, including Crystal, Autobiography of My Dead Brother, Street Love, and Monster, as well as a memoir about his youth, Bad Boy.  (information from author’s website: http://www.walterdeanmyers.net)

Genre

Young Adult – Drama/Crime

Curriculum Ties

English - Reading Comprehension and Literary Response and Analysis

Booktalking Ideas

1. Focus on Steve’s constant fear while being in jail.

2. Discuss the prejudice that Steve’s lawyer talks to him about being young, black, and on trial.

3. Tell about Steve’s relationship with his father, mother, and brother.

4. Identify the reasons that Steve would turn to writing a screenplay about his time in court rather than continuing to write diary entries.

Reading Level/Interest Age

12+

Challenge Issues

Monster contains some potential challenge issues, such as adult language and descriptions of violence.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 

In watching a YouTube video of a talk that Laurie Halse Anderson held, I learned about the high reverence she holds for Walter Dean Myers and I wanted to find out where that comes from by reading one of his novels.

40. Wake by Lisa McMann

Wake by Lisa McMann

ISBN: 978-1-4169-5357-9

Simon Pulse, New York, 2008

210 p.

Plot Summary

Since she was eight years old, Janie Hannagan has been pulled into other people’s dreams.  Merely by being in the same room with someone dreaming, her vision darkens until all she sees is that person’s dream.  Now seventeen years old, Janie is tired of her inability to control this and get some sleep of her own and maybe even experience her own dreams.  For the most part, the dreams of her fellow students that fall asleep in study hall or during class are of the falling or naked without anyone noticing kind, but, when driving by a student’s house at night, thanks to an open window, Janie is pulled into a gruesome nightmare of a monster with knives for fingers attacking a man and decapitating him.  Also, many of the dreamers have been turning to her in their dreams and asking her to help them, but every time she tries, Janie finds that she cannot speak or move to protect them.  Tired from both her lack of sleep and the energy that entering dreams takes out of her, Janie is determined to figure out how to control her ability and how she can possibly help people with it.

Critical Evaluation

Wake is a suspenseful novel that blends together supernatural elements and the everyday realities of teen life.  In addition the Janie’s problem of not being able to control her ability, she faces issues in both her school and home life.  As one of the less affluent students at school, she is ostracized by the rich girls and only has one true friend, Carrie.  Also, she is dealing with having an alcohol mother and has learned how to take care of herself, forcing her to mature at a young age.  These problems are reflective of many teens’ problems around the world and help to establish Janie as a realistic and relatable character.  Even though she has supernatural powers, she is still very much a teenager as she deals with relationships and her insecurities, especially when it comes to her love interest, Cabel. 

In order to help the reader understand the chronology of the events, the author chose to break down each chapter by date and time, resembling diary entries.  At the beginning of the novel, when providing the reader with back-story about what happened to Janie and how she realized her ability, the segments jump from hours to years apart and it took a little while for me to get used to the writing style.  However, after a couple of chapters, I was hooked on the story and the numerous twists involved.  The novel is definitely one that I would recommend to young adults that are interested in mystery or suspense novels, as well as reluctant readers that need a novel with a story that sucks you in, just as Janie is sucked into the dreams. 

Reader's Annotation

Janie Hannagan has been sucked into other people’s dreams since she was eight years old, unable to control entering the dreams or offer help to those seeking it.  When one dream puts her face-to-face with a knife-fingered monster, Janie needs to learn how to pull herself out of the dreams and finally have some of her own.

Information About the Author

Born in Holland, Michigan, on February 27, 1968, Lisa McMann has known that she wanted to be a writer since the 4^th grade.  Now married with two children, McMann calls Phoenix, Arizona home.

McMann has published four novels to date, The Wake Trilogy and her newest, Cryer’s Cross.  In August, she will release a dystopian fantasy novel, The Unwanteds.  She has also published many short stories, including a creative nonfiction essay, “When You’re Ten,” and the award-winning short story, “The Day of the Shoes.” (information from author’s website: http://www.lisamcmann.com/index.html and Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_McMann)

Genre

Mystery/Psychological Thriller

Curriculum Ties

English - Reading Comprehension and Literary Response and Analysis

Booktalking Ideas

1. Retell Janie’s first experience being pulled into a dream.

2. Focus on Janie’s relationship with her mother.

3. Describe the friendship between Janie and Carrie.

4. Talk about Janie’s feelings for Cabel.

Reading Level/Interest Age

13+

Challenge Issues

The novel contains scenes of teen and adult alcohol and drug use, as well as a few descriptions of violence.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 

I first heard about this novel during the Author/Genre presentations and the premise of being pulled into others’ dreams intrigued me.

39. Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel

Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel

ISBN: 978-0-8109-8349-6

Amulet Books, New York, 2010

120 p.

Plot Summary

During the 1960s, Janis Joplin broke through the barriers for rock musicians, becoming the first woman rock star with her blend of blues and rock, as well as her command for the stage.  When her dependence of alcohol and drugs ultimately led to her death in 1970, at only the age of 27, Janis’ music career ended after only about three years.  However, there are still many today that are fascinated by this woman, in part because of her talent and also because of the tragedy of her death coming at the pinnacle of her career.  Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing delves deeper into Janis’ life, finding numerous contradictions, such as dichotomy of the confidence she had on stage and the insecurities she had in her everyday life.  Through interviews with Janis’ sister, Laura, as well as Janis’ friends and colleagues, author Ann Angel gives readers a glimpse beyond the famous persona and attempts to understand the real Janis Joplin from Port Arthur, Texas.

Critical Evaluation

Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing is a truly enjoyable book to read.  Although many say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” in the case of this book, the cover gives the reader a good indication of what to expect.  It is designed with three pictures of Janis Joplin—one from a photo shoot and the other two taken during a concert—and each of the pictures explains a little bit about what made Janis famous.  The fonts of the title and author name, as well as the design around the pictures, are bright colors, swirling around the cover.  The swirl design in mimicked throughout the pages of the book, as well.  Just like Janis embraced the hippie movement, the book mirrors this feeling and the colors help make the book stand out amongst less vibrant literature.  While the biography is not that in-depth, the numerous interviews with friends and family allow the reader to see Janis as something more than just the tragic rock star she appears.  Also, the pages are filled with pictures of Janis throughout her life, as well as album covers and posters of gigs at which she played.  As someone that is mildly aware of Janis’ impact on rock music, I feel that the book serves as a good stepping-stone into moving past the persona and learning about the real person, insecurities and all.  While many may assume that Janis’ alcohol and drug problems were simply the result of her fame, the book reveals the true hopes and fears that stem from her childhood that brought Janis to her fate.  I believe that many teens will be able to relate to Janis, recognizing themselves in her rejection of social norms and her ability to embrace and celebrate her differences.

Reader's Annotation

Still heralding as a rock legend, Janis Joplin broke the barriers placed on female musicians with her wild, free-spirited performances.  Through interviews with friends and family, as well as pictures from Janis’ journey, Ann Angel attempts to discover the true person behind the persona.

Information About the Author

Ann Angel is a writer, journalist, and teacher.  She currently teaches at a women’s college in Milwaukee, Mount Mary College.  She is married with four grown kids and grew up in an extremely large family of nine children.  She went to a Catholic grade school and high school and went on to receive her bachelor’s in education from the college she currently teaches at, Mount Mary College.  After that, she earned a master’s in journalism from Marquette University and an MFA in writing from Vermont College.

In addition to the biography of Janis Joplin, Angel has written biographies for young adults on Amy Tan and Robert Cormier, as well as edited a collection of short stories about beauty titled Such a Pretty Face.  She has published articles in The ALAN Review and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  For an adult audience, Angel co-edited a book titled Silent Embrace: Perspectives on Birth and Adoption. (information from author’s website: http://www.annangelwriter.com)

Genre

Music Biography

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1. Focus on differences between Janis Joplin’s stage persona and her home life.

2. Discuss the expectations placed on Janis Joplin, as well as other young women, growing up during the 1950s.

3. Talk about Janis Joplin’s performance style as something people had never seen before.

4. Address the impact that drugs and alcohol had on her life and relationships.

Reading Level/Interest Age

14+

Challenge Issues

The book contains many references to drugs and alcohol, especially concerning Janis Joplin’s death.  Also, a few curse words are present in the text and there is a topless picture of Janis.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 

With more fiction than nonfiction in my collection, I wanted to include another nonfiction material and, after noticing this book at my local library, I was interested in learning about Janis Joplin’s life.

38. Greenwood Daily Life Online Through History (Database)

Greenwood Daily Life Online Through History

Accessed via Los Angeles Public Library Databases

Summary

Greenwood Daily Life Online Through History is a database designed by ABC-CLIO that provides users with the opportunity to explore what life was like dating back from 10,000 BCE up to the present.  When clicking on the “Eras” tab, users find that history is broken up into six time periods: Ancient World, Medieval World, Renaissance, the 17^th and 18^th centuries, Revolutionary and Industrial Times, and the Modern World.  Under each category, there are lists of several different regions, as well.  After selecting a region, users can read through an overview of the culture and then decide if they want to learn more by clicking on one of the subjects.  Users can also look at images or read documents relating to the culture.  If they want to read analysis about a civilization, users may select the “Analyze” tab at the top and choose from several different options.  Finally, there is an advanced search option in which users can limit a search by category, era, region, and subject.  The database is also connected with The African American Experience and The Latino American Experience databases; the advanced search gives the user the option to search across all of these databases.  Overall, Greenwood Daily Life Online Through History gives students and others interested the opportunity to examine the similarities and differences they have with past civilizations.

Critical Evaluation

The database is extremely unique, giving users a glimpse into the daily lives of people from years past.  I feel that Greenwood Daily Life Online Throughout History will appeal to students seeking a more tangible view of history.  Rather than focusing on the events and memorizing dates, the database allows users to investigate different parts of civilization members’ lives.  While there are certainly more bland topics such as “Economic Life,” there are plenty of topics to which students can relate.  Not only can students find out about the education of the time, but they can also discover what types of entertainment people preferred and what sports and games were practiced.  Because many students want to learn about things that relate to their own lives, being able to see the activities of centuries past and how closely they may resemble sports and games that they currently play may help establish an interest about a particular time period.  From there, students may choose to explore the database further, learning about other aspects of the civilization, as well.  In this way, the database can serve as an example of how to introduce students to events and people in history by creating a connection between students’ lives and the lives of others that came before them. 

Reader's Annotation

Greenwood Daily Life Online Through History gives students and others interested the opportunity to examine the similarities and differences they have with civilizations ranging from the Ancient World up through to the present.

Information About the Company

ABC-CLIO is an award-winning publisher of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development content, created to help students, educators, librarians, and general readers of all ages wrestle with complex challenges. Throughout history, they have invested resources in the development of new content genres, giving their diverse customer and reader communities the opportunity to explore deep factual treatments of the topics that matter, and delivering the most current scholarship and perspectives on those topics.

The editorial staff compiles some of the reference content on their databases, while other reference material is gathered from recognized scholars and writers in various fields. Objectivity and balance are always of the utmost importance to their staff, both in writing pieces and editing work submitted by contributors. They are guided by editorial boards and advisers, as well as their own editorial policies and fact-checking procedures. (information from company’s website: http://dailylife.abc-clio.com.ezproxy.lapl.org/Home/About)

Genre

N/A

Curriculum Ties

This database could be helpful in a history class.

Booktalking Ideas

N/A

Reading Level/Interest Age

This database is suitable for any age, but may be especially relatable to students from elementary school to high school.

Challenge Issues

N/A

Why Include Database in Selection? 

The database was rated the “Electronic Resource of the Month” for November 2009 by the Los Angeles Public Library and the idea of being able to delve deeper into the lives of people throughout history intrigued me.

37. Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz – Book One of the Alex Rider Series

ISBN: 0-14-240611-2

Speak by the Penguin Group, New York, 2000

234 p.

Plot Summary

Fourteen-year-old Alex Rider wakes to the sound of someone knocking on the door.  When the housekeeper, Jack Starbright, answers the door, they discover that Alex’s uncle, Ian Rider, was killed in a car crash.  Having already lost his parents in an airplane crash, Alex is shocked by the news, but his shock quickly turns to suspicion when the police tell him Ian was not wearing his seatbelt.  With years of experience of Ian emphasizing the importance of wearing his seatbelt, Alex is determined to figure out what actually happened.  Because Ian was a banker, Alex cannot imagine why the police would cover up the accident, but his investigation leads him to a surprising reason—Ian was a spy killed while on a mission.  Alex meets Alan Blunt and Mrs. Jones, the leaders of his uncle’s team, MI6, and, after putting him through a series of tests, they ask him to continue Ian’s mission.  Using some coercive techniques, Blunt convinces Alex to take up the task and spy on Herod Sayle, an Egyptian billionaire that is giving away “Stormbreaker” computers to every school in England.  Traveling to Sayle’s home, Alex must figure out exactly why he is donating such a large amount of computers before it is too late.

Critical Evaluation

Anthony Horowitz’s Stormbreaker is a fast-paced action novel full of excitement and multiple cliffhangers at the end of chapters.  The novel is written in third-person, but it is rare that the reader finds out things before Alex Rider.  Having this limited view helps keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat, feeling the suspense and fear along with Alex.  While there are instances in which the reader experiences anxiety over what is around the corner, the word that I feel most encompasses the tone of the novel is fun.  Just as with other spy stories, there are cool gadgets that help the hero get out of trouble.  However, these gadgets stand out because they were designed to resemble things that a teenage boy would carry in his luggage, such as a pimple cream that can eat through metal and a Game Boy system that can scan documents or set off a smoke bomb.  I found the character of Alex Rider especially entertaining as he tries to reconcile his uncertainty about his abilities with his tendency to take risks and act on impulse.  Ultimately, the reveal of the mystery was a little disappointing, but the non-stop action kept me hooked on the novel all the way through.  This novel will especially appeal to reluctant readers because of its quick pace and the entertaining situations Alex gets himself into.

Reader's Annotation

After discovering that his recently deceased uncle was actually a spy, Alex is recruited to continue the mission, despite being only fourteen years old.

Information About the Author

Anthony Horowitz had an extremely unhappy, though privileged, childhood.  Although the memories still haunt him, they gave him inspiration for his writing.  He also found solace in the escapism of James Bond films and continues to share his love of the films with his two sons.

Anthony Horowitz is perhaps the busiest writer in England. He has been writing since the age of eight, and professionally since the age of twenty. In addition to the highly successful Alex Rider books, he is also the writer and creator of award winning detective series Foyle’s War, and more recently event drama Collision, among his other television works he has written episodes for Poirot, Murder in Mind, Midsomer Murders and Murder Most Horrid. Anthony became patron to East Anglia Children’s Hospices in 2009.  (information from author’s website: http://www.anthonyhorowitz.com/about/)

Genre

Young Adult – Action/Thriller

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1. Tell the story of when Alex discovers his uncle’s true identity.

2. Imagine Jack Starbright’s side of the story.

3. Focus on Alex’s first encounter with Herod Sayle.

4. Describe the action-packed tone of the novel.

Reading Level/Interest Age

10+

Challenge Issues

The novel contains some violence and death.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 

I had not yet chosen an action-adventure novel and, after hearing about the success of the Alex Rider Series, I decided to start with the first of the series.

36. American Teen (Feature Film)

American Teen (Feature Film)

2008

Directed by Nanette Burstein

Paramount Vintage/A&E IndieFilms

Total running time: 95 minutes

Plot Summary

American Teen is a documentary focused on Warsaw Community High School in Warsaw, Indiana.  While there are numerous teens featured, the film follows five main students in both their school and personal lives, depicting the stressors that they feel in both atmospheres.  Because the teens are all high school seniors, the college application and selection process is also included, adding to the stress of the year.   Highlighting the presence of cliques at the school, American Teen includes teens that each fit a certain stereotype: Hannah (rebel), Colin (jock), Megan (“queen bee”), Mitch (heartthrob), and Jake (geek/gamer).  Beginning on the first day of the school year and continuing through to graduation, the documentary chronicles the drama that is present in the everyday lives of the teens as they try to balance the demands of school with their friendships and relationships.  Also, the one-on-one interviews with the director give insight into the innermost thoughts and fears of teens everywhere.

Critical Evaluation

With the increasing presence of reality shows, it has become public knowledge that many of the events, especially the most dramatic, are staged or scripted.  However, with documentaries, such as American Teen, it is believed that the events are real and that the director is merely capturing what she sees developing, but the viewer can never be completely sure.  Nevertheless, assuming that the events that happen in American Teen, such as the topless picture that one girl sends to a friend of Megan and the relationship between Hannah and Mitch, are all unscripted and true, the very presence of the director and cameras has an effect on the subjects of the documentary and the teens may be acting up in front of the cameras, even subconsciously.  Given all of this speculation, the film is still an intriguing portrait of the lives of high school students.  Although Warsaw is a small town, the high school could be any high school in America, with teens of all personalities.  While the town is mostly white and conservative, this is something that adds to Hannah’s reasons for wanting to move to California—a place she considers much more free-thinking and fitting to her personality.  In addition to showing Hannah’s first love and first heartbreak, the film demonstrates just how nasty and alienating bullying can be through Megan’s joy at emailing everyone she knows the topless picture of her guy friend’s date and Jake’s feeling that everyone either makes fun of him or doesn’t notice him at all.  Also, the stress of getting into college resonates with Colin and Megan in particular.  As the star athlete, Colin knows that his only chance of going to college is by getting a basketball scholarship and the pressure seems too much for him.  While Megan is financially able to get into any college, her family’s history of going to Notre Dame leads to her stressing out about getting into Notre Dame, as well.  I found it particularly interesting when her father talks to her about whether she is stressing out about the acceptance letter for herself or for him.  Although she says that she is stressed out for herself, her confessions to the camera about the importance of going to Notre Dame because of her family reveals that her father plays a bigger role than she will admit, at least to his face.  All in all, the documentary is a moving look into the struggles that all teens go through during what many of us were told would be the best years of our lives.

Reader's Annotation

Five high school seniors in Warsaw, Indiana, deal with the pressures of life inside and outside of school.

Information About the Director

Nanette Burstein studied film at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.  In 1997 she collaborated on her first film with Brett Morgen, producing and directing On the Ropes, a low-budget documentary that follows the fates of three young boxers and their trainer. The film, shot mainly on BetaSP, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary (feature length), won Special Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance, won the Directors Guild of America’s award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary. The film also won the International Documentary Association’s Feature Documentary award, a Silver Spire at the San Francisco International Film Festival, the Urbanworld Film Festival Best Documentary, and the Land Grant Award at the Taos Talking Picture Festival. The film was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award (“Truer than Fiction” award).

In 2004, she produced a documentary television show Film School for IFC with Jordan Roberts, following four film students at their alma mater, Tisch. In 2007 Burstein was executive producer and writer on the VH1 Rock Doc NY77: The Coolest Year In Hell which showcases the rise of hip hop, punk, disco, and graffiti in New York City in 1977. She also executive produced the doc American Shopper.  Her latest documentary American Teen was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. For the project, she lived in the small town of Warsaw, Indiana for 10 months, filming daily. She ended up with 1000 hours of footage, which took a year to edit. (information from director’s Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanette_Burstein)

Genre

Teen Documentary

Curriculum Ties

This film could be shown in a life skills class in order to let teens know that others are going through similar problems.

Booktalking Ideas

1. Discuss the struggles that teens face to balance their school and personal lives.

2. Focus on the stereotypes depicted in the film.

3. Address the instances of bullying in the documentary.

4. Identify the different types of stress the teens put on themselves and feel from others.

Reading Level/Interest Age

13+

Challenge Issues

The film includes profanity, sexual situations, and teen drinking and smoking.

When confronted with complaints about this film, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews listed on Amazon.com, as well as reviews from teens that have seen the film.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Film in Selection? 

I saw this documentary when it came out a couple of years ago and I wanted to watch it again as part of this project to look more closely at the teen issues.

35. Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block

Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block

ISBN: 0-06-020534-2

HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 1989

113 p.

Plot Summary

Living in Los Angeles, or as she prefers to call it, “Shangri-L.A.,” Weetzie Bat hates high school because she cannot find anyone that understands her or the magic of living in the city.  With her bleach-blonde flattop and eclectic style, she stands out from the rest of the students, until she finds her soul mate in Dirk.  Instantly connecting, Dirk confesses to Weetzie that he is gay.  Unfazed, Weetzie simply exclaims that they will go Duck-hunting together, each searching for their perfect boyfriend.  When Dirk’s grandmother gives Weetzie a family heirloom, she dusts it to discover a tiny genie pop out.  Only worried about the happiness of herself and Dirk, she wishes for a house and two boyfriends, one for her and one for Dirk.  When all of her wishes come true, Weetzie realizes that everything is not perfect and sometimes Shangri-L.A. can be Hell-A, but happiness is what matters.

Critical Evaluation

Weetzie Bat reads like a modern fairytale, blending magical elements of genies and witches with the realistic struggles of young adults learning to cope with what life throws them.  Weetzie views Hollywood as a magical place with the memories of stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin all around her.  However, despite the whimsy quality of the story, the novel contains several heavy topics that are anything but magical.  In searching for her secret agent lover man, Weetzie attempts relationships with physically abusive and drug-addicted men, with one of them giving her a bruise on her arm.  Once the genie grants her wish, she runs into a man named My Secret Agent Lover Man and the love connection is instant, as is Dirk’s with Duck, demonstrating the literal way Weetzie’s wishes were granted.  In contrast to most fairytales, Weetzie and Dirk find their loves in the first half of the novel, giving the relationships time to grow and encounter problems rather than instantly result in a happily-ever-after.  My favorite aspect of the novel was the importance that Weetzie and Dirk place on family.  Although Weetzie’s parents divorced when she was young and Dirk’s parents died years before, they recognize the power of having a support group.  Because Weetzie and Dirk only have each other and their significant others, they all move into the cottage that Dirk’s grandmother left them when she passed away and form an unconventional family.  When Weetzie discovers that My Secret Agent Lover Man does not want to have children, she is devastated until Dirk and Duck convince her that they should have a baby together and raise him or her together.  Although they do not know which of the three men is the father, they all love the baby the same.  Weetzie Bat shows readers that it is possible to create a family where there wasn’t one before and that family can bring support and happiness to all within it.

Reader's Annotation

In the lights and glamour of Shangri-L.A., Weetzie and Dirk form a bond as strong as any.  With happiness in mind, Weetzie makes three wishes to a tiny genie, sending them on a trip through the ups and downs of love.

Information About the Author

Author Francesca Lia Block is renowned for her groundbreaking novels and stories—postmodern, magic-realist tales that transport readers through the harsh, gritty landscapes of contemporary life to transcendent realms of the senses where love is always our saving grace.

Born in Los Angeles, where she still lives, Block’s work pulsates with the language and images of the city’s sprawling subculture. Lauds a reviewer for the New York Times Book Review, “Block writes about the real Los Angeles better than anyone since Raymond Chandler.” (information from author’s website: http://www.francescaliablock.com/bio)

Genre

Young Adult – Fantasy/Realistic

Curriculum Ties

English - Reading Comprehension and Literary Response and Analysis

This novel can also be used in a unit on fairytales for students to read a new take on the fairytale.

Booktalking Ideas

1. Discuss the importance of having a “family.”

2. Focus on the relationship between Weetzie Bat and Dirk.

3. Talk about the absence of adult role models.

4. Identify the fairytale feel of the novel.

5. Address the incorporate of homosexuality in the novel.

Reading Level/Interest Age

12+

Challenge Issues

The novel has a few challenge issues, such as mentions of abuse and drug and alcohol use, as well as homosexuality and premarital sex.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 

I had previously read Violet & Claire when I was in junior high and loved it, so I wanted to read another of Francesca Lia Block’s novels.