Teen Read '09

the devotion of jenna fox

I've been thinking a lot about Jenna's parents and the lengths they went to in order to keep her alive.  I'v been thinking about their utter devotion and, in their world, their means and ability to bring her back from the brink of death.  I thought it was brilliant that Mary E. Pearson created Jenna as a character who questions their devotion and decisions.  She's a smart, complex and often humorous character and I'm glad to have met her.  

I often use the word "adorable" when describing something that I find especially charming.  But adoration... that's a heavier word.  Worship.  Devotion.  These are words that I associate with the term "adoration."  Jenna's parents worshipped their daughter and looking back on the book I appreciate the correlation between the type of worship that takes place in the ancient mission and Jenna's parents' worship of family and science.

Jenna also is a devoted character.  She's devoted to her friends and to protecting them.  This devotion is an admirable quality - it is her strength and humanity.  For those of you who read the book, what strengths do you think Jenna possesses?  And how does she use these strengths throughout the book?

More thoughts on Savvy

Thanks for your comments, Beverly and Kate.  I'm glad that you're discussing this book with us!  Keep those comments coming.  kate makes a good point about Mibs being confused by, and even a little disappointed in, her savvy.  She wanted her savvy to be a different one and the scene in which she says good-bye to her idea of her dream savvy broke my heart.

This book has me thinking a lot about our skills and talents and the ways in which we see ourselves.  It would be so easy to ask this question, "if you could have one savvy, what would it be?"  But, after reading this book, I think a more appropriate question would be, "what savvy would you WANT, but what do you think your actual savvy would be?"  If I had to answer that question, I think I would say, "I'd WANT my savvy to be having the ability to perfectly do things (like Mibs's mom), but my ACTUAL savvy would probably be the ability to help those around me excel at the things that are important to them."

How would you answer this question?  What savvy would you WANT, but what do you think your ACTUAL savvy would be?

Happy Margo or Sad Margo?

One of the fun things about this book is the fact that it has two covers!  In Paper Towns, Q really believes he knows everything there is to know about the fabulously awesome Margo Roth Spiegelman but finds that sometimes there is a lot more to a person than what we see.  John Green, the author of Paper Towns asked that two covers be made of his book to show two of the ways that people see and label Margo.  One cover is happy the other is sad and serious.  Some say it says something about OUR personalities when we choose one cover over the other!  So,  which is your favorite? You can see both covers here  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780525478188&MICTID=38

Paper Towns by John Green

Quentin or “Q” as his friends call him has known the amazing and perfect Margo Roth Spiegelman since he was two and has had a bit of a crush on her most of that time.  She lives just next door and while they used to be good friends, now that they are in high school they aren’t exactly in the same circles.  Q thinks he knows everything there is to know about her, but does he really know her at all?  Just a month before high school graduation, Margo enlists Q’s help to pull a fabulous prank and then just disappears.  Q is desperate to find her and begins following the clues that Margo has left for him.  Will he be able to find her or is she gone forever?

Savoring Savvy

We're excited to begin discussing this great read.  Right now we're all busy reading this book and look forward to blogging about it throughout the summer.  Feel free to add any comments about this book and keep checking back throughout the summer to hear what others have to say about it.

Approaching... Paper Towns

We're excited to begin discussing this great read.  Right now we're all busy reading this book and look forward to blogging about it throughout the summer.  Feel free to add any comments about this book and keep checking back throughout the summer to hear what others have to say about it.

Hunger Games - whet your appetite

This is one of the most talked about books of the year and many of us are anxiously awaiting the sequel, Catching Fire.  But, until the new book comes out on September 1st, this summer will be a great time to re-read The Hunger Games and re-visit Panem and re-acquaint ourselves with Katniss and Peeta.  How do you think you would battle to survive if you were forced to participate in The Hunger Games?  Why do you think this book is so popular with so many readers?  

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks

In the summer before her sophomore year, Frankie Landau-Banks transforms from a geeky debate club member into a curvy, sharp-tongued knockout. And she has turned into the mastermind behind outrageous pranks at her elite prep school.

What do you admire about Frankie? What do you dislike about her? What do you think life has in store for her after Alabaster Prep?

Nation by Terry Pratchett

A tsunami wipes out life on a small island “somewhere in the South Pelagic Ocean”. Mau, one of the few survivors meets Daphne, a young English girl whose ship was deposited on the island by the tidal wave. Over time other survivors make it to the island and a new nation is born.

Not everyone speaks the same language, practices the same religion, has the same customs and traditions, but they now must work together because their survival depends on it. With humor and wisdom, Terry Pratchett explores how people build a new society when everything has been wiped away. 

It may sound very serious and boring and not summer read like, but there are also funny and thrilling adventures that involve cannibals and secret treasures.

How do you think you would handle building a new society from the ground up with people who may or may not have similar beliefs and values? What would be your ideal society?

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Twilight fan?  Try this first in a series by Claudia Gray.  Sixteen year old, Bianca dreads her first day at her new exclusive boarding school, Evernight.   She knows something is not quite right with the spooky place,  even after she meets and quickly falls for a handsome outsider named Lucas.  Are there secrets that put Bianca in danger?  Is Lucas hiding something?  Is Bianca?  Romance, mystery, danger and a healthy dose of vampires await you in this one.  Give it a try and tell us what you think!