I used to teach Literature and Composition to 9th, 10th and 11th graders. (People always ask why I left teaching. Well, it was too little pay for too much heartache, and not enough support from parents, administrators, the district, the state and the federal government. Not enough books, no basic supplies, and too much of my meager salary being spent on novels, copy paper, pens, drinking water, tissue and tampons for the students. Too much sadness-- not enough reward.) I’m not a high school teacher anymore, but I still read a lot of adolescent lit.
It’s my favorite genre…I think it always will be. Francesca Lia Block is still queen of my heart (despite the fact that I think nothing she’s written since the Weetzie Bat books has been as good as they are, and they were written in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s).
I read this the other night; it’s Better Than Running at Night by Hillary Frank. It’s a small novel about a first-year art student named Ladybug who falls in love (or lust, or something akin to love-n-lust) for the first time with a good-looking guy who happens to be a bit of a player, as they say. I like that the narrator is quiet and independent, and serious about her studies. At times you want to go into the story and give her a good shake… but we’ve all been there when it comes to boys and men, I suppose. She’s a character you can empathize with and worry about. You can read the novel in just a few hours, and it’s something reluctant readers would get into, but it’s also grown-up enough for adults. It’s good!
http://www.hillaryfrank.com/
1 comment:
The book club I belong to are about to read The Higher Power of Lucky - our 1st adolescent book, it will be interesting. I was in education for awhile myself and it is too depressing.
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