For sweet dreams: Guyaholic

Guyaholic, by Carolyn Mackler, is a pseudo-sequel to Mackler's Vegan Virgin Valentine. But instead of following her main character, Mara, from Vegan Virgin Valentine, she actually follows the protagonist's neice (who is only two years younger than Mara). The reader does not need to have read VVV, but it helps to understand the family dynamics better.

Virginia, or V as she's known by friends and family, is a classic 'bad girl.' She likes sleeping around, smoking pot, and she has a strained relationship with her mother. By the time Guyaholic begins the story, V has actually started to get her life together and she's preparing to go to college the following year- most likely on a scholarship for her singing and acting skills. V, gets hit in the head with a hockey puck at a game and she wakes up bleeding on a cute boy's lap. This cute boy, Sam, becomes her latest infatuation. Sam is a good guy and V's family- at least the grandparents she lives with- loves him.

But of course, this it just the beginning of the book.

Things are all fine and dandy until Sam starts to ask V about her mom and Sam starts to expect V to show up to his family functions. V, not wanting to be 'attached' to someone, or even be perceived as being attached to some one, decides to do what she does best-- screw up. She starts a fight with him and then proceeds to get caught by Sam's little sister making out with a previous fling.

V, regrets her actions, only in that she still wants Sam. About this same time, V and her mom seem to be on decent terms, even though V's mom managed to flake out again and she didn't/ "couldn't" show up for V's graduation. For some crazy reason, V decides to take up Amy (her mom) on visiting her in Texas. As a reader, I cringed knowing that something would manage to show Amy as unreliable yet again.

V runs into Sam's little sister at the grocery store and finds out that Sam is in California already for college, even though it doesn't start for another month or so.

V, with her mom's help, convinces her grandparents that she has enough money and is responsible enough to travel across the country (V lives in New York) to visit Amy, her mom.

Along the way, V gets lost on the first leg of the trip, sleeps with a friend's friend's son (V is staying at the friend's friend's house), meets up with old family friends and babysits for a few days, and then finally makes it to Texas with only a few hours until possibly seeing her mom.

Of course, things don't exactly go as planned. V has some major realizations and a random salsa-making bartender helps her come to her senses.

Overall, this was the perfect read for the summertime and it might have been even better if I'd been on a road trip. It didn't seem to show V in as edgy as VVV did (but VVV was also from a different perspective), but it was good for showing that boredom breeds drama.

Saint Iggy

Saint Iggy, by K.L. Going, was another early summer read for me. It's another good read for someone interested in witnessing the effects of drugs on families and entire communities. While Crank includes a female protagonist whose father is a user (and she becomes a user), Saint Iggy uses a male protagonist who abstains, but knows all of the ins and outs of the trade because his mother has been a user as long as Iggy's been alive.

Iggy's story begins with him getting kicked out of class and being sent to the principal's office for following a cute girl to class and being belligerent with the teacher. Iggy realizes he doesn't want to simply be a waste as he's talking with the principal. Iggy wants to do something to make people think he's special or outstanding in some way. Henceforth, Iggy digs for ideas to become great while he serves an out of school suspension. Iggy finds himself in limbo because he's trying to figure out how to become stand-up citizen while he waits to have a hearing about whether or not he'll be allowed to remain at school or if he'll be expelled.

In the meantime, Iggy visits his pseudo-friend Mo, who is a privileged college dropout with a penchant for pot and bastardized Buddhist tendencies. Iggy looks up to Mo because he thinks he's smart and super chill, but as the story goes on it's easy to see that Mo has idealized the idea of poverty and choosing to do without. Iggy and Mo are bored and Mo agrees to try to help Iggy come up with a good idea for Iggy to win over the Superintendant at the upcoming expulsion hearing. Instead, Iggy ends up showing Mo where to find more drugs, because Iggy is hoping to locate his absentee mother, who's been 'out visiting' for several weeks.

Mo ends up buying more drugs than he can pay for, so he owes Freddie the dealer several thousand dollars. Iggy realizes what a terrible position Mo is in, so he agrees to help Mo pay off Freddie. Mo and Iggy go to visit Mo's mom, who Mo hasn't had contact with for some time. Mo's mom turns out to be a rich, doting, full-time volunteer. Mo plans to use his mom's guilt against her to get the drug money and it backfires. She refuses to give him the money (she doesn't know it's to pay off a drug dealer) and in the meantime Iggy ends up bonding with her and he tells her about his potential expulsion. Mo's mom takes Iggy in and treats him to an expensive haircut and lends him Mo's clothes for the hearing, all while Mo tries to figure out how to get the money from his mom.

While giving Mo some time to try to beg his mom for money, Iggy finds himself at a church looking for some answers as to how to become a hero. It's obvious that Iggy isn't familiar with church, but he ends up deciding to come back for the Christmas Eve service, which is the same night Mo owes the money to Freddie. As much as the reader simply wants Mo to fall off a cliff and have Iggy move in with a functional parent, Iggy realizes he can't take Mo's place. Iggy helps Mo go meet with the drug dealer, Freddie, and Iggy has a last minute plan that helps Mo the way he needs to be helped the most.

Buzzing on: Crank

I had numerous students that read Crank (by Ellen Hopkins) before I finally set it on my book pile on my dresser. I was particularly thrilled with how quickly I flew through it since it's a series of poems- free verse, shape poems, etc.- that all tell the story of Kristina, AKA Bree. Kristina visits her deadbeat dad one summer for a few weeks and it gives her the opportunity to fall into lust with a cute, dangerous two-timing drug user. Kristina starts to go by Bree when she introduces herself with this fake name to this bad-boy named Adam. Strangely enough, her dad doesn't seem to mind her hanging out with Adam too much as long as it doesn't get in the way of his habits- alcohol, pot & crank. Her dad spends lots of time sleeping off his hangovers and when he's not high (and sometimes even when he is) he works at a local bowling alley.

Kristina becomes hot and heavy with her new squeeze, Adam, but she never actually does the deed with him. But, she does witness Adam's other girlfriend, Lince, land in the hospital after doing too many drugs and taking a flying leap (or trip?) off a balcony onto her head. Adam is obviously torn between the two girls, but somehow he just manages to compartmentalize- and Bree doesn't seem to really mind that much. Adam arouses all kinds of new sensations for Kristina (Bree) as she finds her 'bad' self- snorting powder and fooling around in semi-public and private places.

Kristina finally has to fly home. She realizes that her dad really is a pathetic loser, but she doesn't see any problems with picking up his bad habits. Before she knows it, she's home having problems with her Mom and Stepdad and she's the new center of attention in her hometown. She's dropped weight because she's never hungry (she's using still) and she gets involved with a couple of guys- both of whom she runs into at the town pool. Slowly, what's left of Kristina, fades completely into irritable and dangerous Bree- who's always looking for action.

Bree gets calls from Adam and he continues to tell her that he loves her, but then he talks about he's back together with Lince. Meantime, Bree is on the verge of giving up her V-card, but she can't decide when and which guy- Brendan or Chase- to give it up to. Finally, Brendan makes up her mind for her, when he gets annoyed at her reluctance and rapes her. Only at this point does she realize that Chase is the obvious better pick and she begins spending all of her time with Chase, who is also getting her drugs.

Bree continues her love affair with 'the monster' and she realizes one of her dorky friend's sisters knows where to find more crank. Meantime, Bree's mother is in a state of denial, while her step-father is obviously concerned and tries to make the mother come to. Of course, something in the story has to change in order for Bree to realize she's totally screwing up her life, but it isn't her parents getting tough with her. It's something a little bit more "revealing."

Overall, the book is captivating, but could easily be seen as glorifying the lifestyle of using because the author has a way of making your mouth water for more drama. It also makes you want to rebel a little, but snap out of it when you realize you appreciate having a loving family, trustworthy friends and all of your teeth.

Slacking and Breaking Dawn

To say the least, I've been completely on my summer schedule, which means nothing has a set time and I've been trying to get my master's research done in lieu of teaching regular classes. Nonetheless, I have been reading. A lot. The book that led me into summer was Breaking Dawn- for better or worse.

And that's what it was about: for better or for worse, Bella and Edward actually are married. Yes, Bella gets pregnant and everyone freaks out about it. Jacob is still Bella's weird friend-love interest, but Bella keeps Jacob at a safe distance. The book is written from Jacob's perspective and Bella's perspective, but surprisingly it never takes Edward's perspective- which was a disappointment. It seemed that a large focus of this book was vampire sex- without ever saying the word sex (if i remember correctly). Bella also starts to find herself dreaming about a child and not so surprisingly we find out she's pregnant- even though all of the vampires didn't think that a vampire could impregnate a mortal- despite distant legends of such things.

Of course the entire Cullen family dotes on Bella, and Bella needs it because she's being broken from the inside by her vampire baby. Bella does have the baby under dire circumstances and she gets ripped open by the other vampires in order to save her (vampire's teeth are the only thing that can open up her calloused belly0. And on this note, as Bella is dying on the makeshift delivery table in the Cullens' home, Edward transforms her and she begins her recovery process. The only thing I could think during this scene was "How are they going to put that in a PG-13 movie?" While the rest of the books were pretty tame, this one does include some gruesome stuff- then again that's pregnancy. No one ever said it was pretty.

Of course the Italian Vampires are ticked about the potential of an immortal child. But, the child isn't immortal- it's just 'gifted'. So, the Cullens are on the run until Alice hatches a plan and then 'runs away'. We find out Bella actually does have a 'gift'- which is the highlight of the whole book. (So I won't actually give that away.) Was it worth reading 600 some pages? Nope, except to know that any movie version will be so bastardized and potentially gruesome that it probably won't happen.

To stop thinking about nightmares: Seedfolks

Last night I kept waking up because I was having terrible nightmares. All the nightmares were a variation of one theme: being hunted by someone wanting to kill me. To say the least, the last thing I wanted to do each time I woke up was think about violence, which made me wish a had a copy of one of my favorite books at home: Seedfolks.

I continue to enjoy reading Seedfolks because it's one of the few books I can always count on to leave me feeling warm and fuzzy while reading, but not because it's sappy. I've even tried reading some silly kids' poems by Shel Silverstein and even reading Silverstein's poetry while I'm upset can be problematic because he sometimes has really bizaare illustrations and bizaare topics for the poetry (Skin-stealer is the name of one!). I love Silverstein's work, but sometimes I need something even more G-rated. I also have a birding guide, a tree guide and a flower guide on my nightstand in case I'm having a hard time clearing my head of stressful thoughts.

Seedfolks is a wonderful, short novel by Paul Fleischman (Sid Fleischman's son). It's set in Cleveland, OH, which is one of my favorite cities. The book follows 12+ different characters and it's told from each of their perspectives. There are a few characters mentioned in the novel briefly, but they don't get a chance to give their perspectives as well.

One of the main themes of the book is the notion that gardening is a universal theme- which means gardening bridges all cultures. The story shows problems with racial prejudice and the author is fabulous in that he recognizes stereotypes and he turns them upside down- by having the characters give their perspectives. This is a fabulous book for students to read in order to think about perspectives and the irrationality of prejudices.

As well, I enjoy this book because it shows the reader that individuals can make a difference. Reading Seedfolks makes you want to get involved in your community rather than sit back and simply gripe about the problems. I'm in the process of using this book as a spring board for talking about environmentalism, community, and diversity.

Another reason I love this book is because it's short! Most students can read this book in 2-3, 45 minute class periods. I set aside two periods to read it and allow my slow readers to borrow the book overnight. Depending on the version of the book, it's anywhere from 60 pages to 100 (which includes an afterward by the author). It's perfect for squeezing in between projects or even as a quick wrap-up book for the end of the year (especially because it's nice to read about the outdoors during spring/summer). As a whole, my students seem to really enjoy it and can usually relate to at least one of the characters because of the character diversity (from pregnant hispanic teen to a middle aged widower working as a janitor). The students also appreciate the little humor in such situations as a teenage boy being convinced to grow pumpkins for profit rather than farming marijuana.

Sleeping problems? Easy solution: Kipling's "Kim"

So I may be unfair in saying this, but Kim by Rudyard Kipling is far from a sleeper pick... unless you mean you want to be snoring. I know I've said previously that I'm a picky reader, but I gave Kim more than a fair chance. I actually read the whole thing. What did I get out of it? All but the Red Badge of Courage. (That's another book for another day.)

What do I remember about the book? I remember Kim being some sort of go-between servant who does a bit of traveling by foot (if I'm actually remembering correctly). The book seemed to be set in colonial India, which has plenty of potential for richness in texture and interest for the reader, but I don't remember getting any such satisfaction out of the book. I'm sure I was just simply 'missing something.' Then again, sometimes readers and critics like to hype books for being 'so deep' when the author was actually unfocused and meandering without a real point, except for a point for the 'readers to discover.' In reality, this means the author forgot his/her original intent (if there was any!) and the author needed a cop-out phrase. Which brings me back to Kim.

A friend recently bought this book at a used book sale and I told him afterward that had I known he was going to buy the book, I would have told him to save his 30 cents- unless he was planning to use it as fire-starter.

I originally bought the book at Barnes and Noble because I respect the idea of reading classics. This is mainly due to my previous belief that being well-versed in classic literature was the key to nirvana. Which is probably why I made the mistake of reading Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse as well. Consider yourself cautioned... unless you're looking for material to bore you to tears or to bore you to sleep.

Awake because of nightmares: Sold

I started reading Sold by Patricia McCormick last Wednesday evening. I read about half of the book in one setting and I was quite impressed. Patricia McCormick also wrote Cut, which is about self abuse and the idea of 'cutting,' so I knew I had a safe bet by returning to read more of McCormick's work.

While I had a tough time getting past the first few pages of Sold because the book is written more as lyric poetry, I quickly found myself swept away with the main character's story. She's a girl- some might even dare to say young woman- named Lakshmi, about 13 years old living in Nepal. Her mother is trying to support the girl, herself, a sickly baby and a crippled and seemingly lazy step-father. The reader gets a rich description of the shack and small village in which the girl and her family are living. The reader also finds out that Lakshmi is already promised to be married to a boy in the village. Her mother, Ama, seems sweet and fragile because of her co-dependence on any man willing to be married to her. The baby is helpless and restless, and the young protagonist merely is naive and optimistic. The step-father has a gambling problem and he considers himself unfit for work because of his crippled arm. While Ama dotes on the baby and her 'big baby' of a husband, Ama is unable to support the family with meager vegetables, especially by the time the drought and the flood hit the vulnerable family garden.

Bad becomes worse. The mother sells her earrings, which were meant to be the young protagonist's dowry, in order to feed the family. While at a local festival, the Lakshmi happens upon a woman who promises to make the girl enough money to pay for nice things, food and enough money to buy her family a new roof (apparently it rains a lot in Nepal). The less-than-sympathetic step-father agrees with the girl's plan to go to the city and work "as a maid."

After the naive Lakshmi eaves for the city with her "Auntie," who is the woman who made the promises of working for money, the girl is then sold to a man who makes the girl call him "her husband." The reader can see the writing on the wall, but the protagonist obviously is too busy trying to figure out the city to see where her fate is leading her. A few days of traveling from one city to the next larger city, Lakshmi finally arrives at "Happiness House." Just as the reader may guess; it is no place of 'happiness.' Instead the protagonist is forced to work as a prostitute, even though the she has never even had sex before. The girl protests once she finds out how the system works and the madame of the House beats and starves Lakshmi into submission.

Finally, another one of the Happiness House girls comes to visit the Lakshmi to explain how to make the best out of the situation. She explains how sex works, how the girls get paid for it, how to hide the 'tips' she makes from the madame, Mumtaz, and how she may even ask her customers to use condoms (but she will get in trouble if the men make a fit about it).

As the story progresses, the Lakshmi begins to form bonds with the other women and with the children living in Happiness House. As well, one night a man comes to her and she refers to him as the one who 'holds her.' She then begins to count the days since this kind man has visited her and she begins to give up hope that he may visit again...

Sold deals with several topics of consequence: sexism, human trafficking, poverty, STDs, and planned pregnancy. Overall, Sold is considered a Young Adult Fiction novel, but it definitely has some mature themes. Is the book pornography? No. Definitely not. But, could some of the topics make parents squeamish? Definitely. Would I teach this book to my classes? That's a hard one, but probably not. This is only because I'm not sure that all parents would appreciate the content and I'm not sure that I'd want to open up that can of worms. Would I recommend it to mature and interested students? Definitely and I already have. And I recommend it to you, too, my mature and interested student. ;)