Prom

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Published: 2005, Viking
224 pages

So this was supposed to be a "week-long series of posts," but then I fell asleep around 9 last night and fell behind on the second day.  Whoops!  Let's see if I can catch up.  This is not a book I would normally pick up myself, because the cover makes it look like pure chick lit.  I don't have a problem with chick lit, but it's just not my favorite style.  I had to read this book for a class and I'm glad I did because it turned out to be a really entertaining and worthwhile read.

Ashley, a 17-year-old senior in a Philadelphia high school, comes from a lower-middle-class family.  She's an average teenager with a pretty large group of girlfriends and one best friend Natalia.  Natalia is on the prom committee and completely obsessed with everything "prom."  Ashley doesn't even plan on going to prom, and has already mostly disengaged herself from high school, focusing most of her energy on her embarrassing job, moving in with her slacker boyfriend T.J., and life after high school.  When a math teacher steals the prom money and Natalia finds herself somewhat incapacitated, Ashley ends up at the heart of the prom committee, dealing with issues she didn't even think she cared about.

This book didn't completely blow my mind, maybe because the subject matter is light and "chick-lit-ish," but I definitely got some good laughs out of it.  Both Ashley's and Natalia's families are quirky and hilarious, and I really enjoyed Anderson's honest portrayal of high school and family life.  It is Ashley's normalcy that makes her a completely refreshing YA character.  She's not extremely rich or poor, like so many characters in YA literature.  She doesn't go to boarding school, and her parents and siblings are a constant presence in her life, another (realistic) characteristic that sets her apart from many YA characters.  Additionally, Anderson's writing style is engaging and hard to put down.  The chapters are short, and the dialogue is nicely done.

Laurie Halse Anderson's debut novel, Speak, was a finalist for the National Book Award and also received a Printz Award Honor, quickly establishing her as one of the most influential YA authors of our time.  I haven't read Speak yet, but from what I've heard it has very heavy subject matter (often described as "gritty"), and I'm interested to see how it contrasts with this lighthearted and mostly-upbeat story.  The fact that Anderson was able to pull off both styles successfully really "speaks" (ha!) to her versatility as an author.

How Angel Peterson Got His Name

Author: Gary Paulsen
Published: 2004, Yearling
128 pages

This book is the definition of “short and sweet.”  I read it in half a sitting.  Paulsen starts out with a lighthearted dedication: “This book is dedicated to all boys in their thirteenth year; the miracle is that we live through it” and carries this sweet humorous tone throughout his true tales of dangerous teenage boy behavior.

In the title story, one of Paulsen’s friends decides he wants to break the world record for speed on skis and the results, as well as the journey leading to the results, are hilarious.  All of Paulsen’s tales are endearing, with a sweet sense of nostalgia, and very entertaining.

Many reviewers laud this book as an ideal read for elementary-age or teenage boys, but I could see many girls really enjoying this book as well.  I know that my own thrill-seeking teenage girl self (I used to light rolls of toilet paper on fire “just because” and also “to see what would happen.”) would have really appreciated the antics these boys resorted to out of sheer boredom and curiosity.