[LM_NET] SHARE: Book Reviews for FLIRTIN WITH THE MONSTER and THE CHOSEN ONE (long, sorry..they were great books!)

[Teresa Schauer <pettushs@GMAIL.COM>]

 FLIRTIN' WITH THE MONSTER posted by Mrs.
Schauer<http://pettushs.blogspot.com/2009/05/flirtin-with-monster-posted-by-mrs.html>
<http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_egYGOySPHQw/Shhy_VmaCeI/AAAAAAAAAoc/Z9-QzfOGdf0/s1600-h/Monster_large.jpg>FLIRTIN'
WITH THE MONSTER Edited by Ellen Hopkins
AR: No
Interest Level: Middle and Upper Grades

This is a compilation of essays written by favorite YA authors as well as a
judge, an addiction specialist and other therapists, in response to the
books CRANK, and GLASS, which give readers a glimpse into the life of a
teenager's entry into and spiral down the tunnel of "the monster," crystal
meth. There are also essays written by family members, including "Kristina"
herself.

I loved this book, and think it should be read by parents, teens, teachers,
probation officers, judges and any other person who might come into contact
with this insidious drug, either directly or indirectly. (Which means,
basically, everyone should read it!)

The book opens with an introduction from Ellen Hopkins herself. After
reading it, and the subsequent first contributed essay, I was so taken with
what I read, that I ended up reading my favorite parts aloud to my husband.
I was so touched by the books CRANK AND GLASS, and it was amazing to read
other peoples' reactions and realize that they were so similar to my own. I
also sent an email to Ellen to express my gratitude to her for sharing her
story with the world. I truly believe that an untold number of teens will be
spared the nightmare of dancing with the monster, because of Ellen's
strength and amazing method of getting her personal pain on paper and
sharing it with the world. My favorite quote from her introduction is,
"Never pray lightly. Someone just might be listening."

My favorite contributed essay is by Niki Burnaham, a popular YA author. Her
take on YA literature is one I hadn't considered before. I am one of those
librarians who believes that teens want to read books that are relevant to
them--this means some of the content of such books might not be content that
adults feel are savory or "appropriate" because they might contain
situations and language we don't deem as acceptable for our teens to take
part in or use. Many people feel that YA authors have a responsibility to
limit their writing so it is only about characters who are good role models.
In reading only about "perfect" characters, however, teens aren't exposed to
characters who are real, or believable. Burnham drove her point home when
she talked about popular children's literature...I had never thought about
it before, but even small children are drawn to stories about characters who
have flaws, or who don't always make the best decisions. The example she
used in her essay was a popular children's book about a bunny whose mother
loves him even when he misbehaves. The story is believable and desirable to
small children because they can relate to the bunny's desire to assert his
independence, even if it means he gets in trouble by doing so. By the teen
years, Burnham explains, life has become more complex and the stories teens
read should reflect that reality. In the real world, people swear, they hurt
others, they lie, and they struggle with knowing the right thing to do in
situations that don't always have simple black and white answers, and they
must learn that actions have consequences. Teens don't learn life lessons
from characters who are perfect; they learn from those who are imperfect.
When a book is so sanitized that in contains only perfect characters, or
characters whose role in the story is only to teach a reader a lesson, that
book no longer rings true to the reader. I had never stopped and thought
about all the books for young children that are about characters who aren't
exactly role models for our wee little ones to base their own choices and
decisions on. Teens are drawn to books about broken characters too, and with
older characters, naturally the situations they find themselves in because
of their brokenness are going to be grittier, and sometimes even harsh. This
doesn't mean they're not books that are worthy of being read--it makes them
even more worthy of being read--especially if reading them will impart a
lesson that might prevent the reader from making the same mistakes as the
broken character. As a parent myself, and someone who has established
relationships with many of my own teen patrons, I would rather my kids read
about unsavory situations than experience them for themselves.

I could write my own essay in response to almost every essay contained in
this book, but if I were to do that, then I wouldn't leave you with a reason
to read the book on your own. The sections written by family members,
especially the essays by Kristian and her son Orion, are essays I will read
time and again. This is a fantastic book--fans of CRANK and GLASS will be
drawn to it, and will have a hard time putting it down from the time they
open it, until the last page is read.



THE CHOSEN ONE by Carol Lynch Williams posted by Mrs.
Schauer<http://pettushs.blogspot.com/2009/05/chosen-one-by-carol-lynch-williams.html>
<http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_egYGOySPHQw/Shn3pFYfBQI/AAAAAAAAAoo/BlJHaksGEIY/s1600-h/thechosenone.jpg>THE
CHOSEN ONE by Carol Lynch Williams
AR: Not Yet
Interest Level: Middle and Upper Grades

I first heard about this one by reading a post written by Cynthia Leitich
Smith, praising it's merits. I spent all day yesterday glued to my
Kindle--once I started reading it I could not put it down.

The story is Kyra's, a thirteen year old girl who lives on a polygamist
compound that is home to "The Chosen Ones," and is run with an iron fist by
"The Prophet," a man everyone worships because he claims to be in close
communication with God. Over the years, the prophet has demanded the
compound become more and more closed off from the rest of the world. A huge
fence has been erected around the compound, and all communication with the
outside world, including books and newspapers has become forbidden. Kyra is
the most headstrong of her twenty (yes, twenty!) brothers and sisters. She
is a constant worry for her father and his three wives. She wants to be
obedient, but she sometimes has difficulty blindly accepting the laws of the
prophet.

Kyra carries secrets--she secretly sneaks to the edge of the compound to
meet the Mobile Library on Wheels where she checks out one forbidden book at
a time, that she hides and reads at the top of her favorite tree. She's
secretly in love with a boy named Joshua--whom she hopes and prays will be
able to "choose her" as his wife as soon as he is old enough. Her darkest,
and most fearsome secret though, the one that she fears will cause possible
eternal damnation for her and her family, are her private thoughts--of
killing the prophet.

Kyra's life begins to spiral out of control when the prophet pays her family
a visit and decrees that he has seen vision, and that Kyra has been chosen
to marry her sixty year old uncle. From the minute this announcement is
made, Kyra's life becomes a nightmare. Without going into details, I will
say that Kyra learns the hard way that life on the compound means threats,
beatings, emotional and physical abuse, and banishments. She must decide if
she will continue to live this way, or if she will take the risk of running
away and abandoning her family forever.

This book was an easy, breezy read--as far as textual difficulty is
concerned. I have to say, though, that it ranks up there with one of the
most difficult books I've ever read--on an emotional level.

Bottom line: I loved this book and think it is going to be one of my top
circulating titles as soon as school reopens in the fall.
-- 
Teresa Schauer
District Librarian/Pettus ISD
Pettus, Texas
tschauer@pettusisd.esc2.net

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