Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging

The Bibliography
Rennison, Louise. 2000. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780064472272

The Characters
Georgia Nicolson, a totally fab 14-year-old British girl, is the main character of Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. Other characters include her 3-year-old sister, Libby, her parents, Mutti and Vati, her best friend, Jas, and her massive cat, Angus. Oh, and her sex-god of a love interest, Robbie. While the book is Georgia's diary, the other characters are what fill the diary with ridiculous problems and strategies for teen survival.

The Plot
Georgia writes about her life as a 14-year-old budding woman in this diary of a novel. She shares her ups (I am now nearly Robbie's girlfriend, hahahaha. Summer love, summer love!!! (234)) and downs (Eyebrows haven't grown back. (21)) and inner-most thoughts (Am I schizophrenic as well as a lesbian? (47)) in this hilarious diary. Will she make it through this year at school without completely embarassing herself? Probably not!

The Setting
England
...Which is why there is a glossary and why none of the words will really make sense to a teenager outside of the UK reading this book. But that's what gives it so much charm!

The Theme
growing up while attempting to be normal

...like that's possible for any teenage girl, but that's all Georgia wants... and boobs, and a boyfriend, and a smaller nose, and a million other things every other teenage girl wants

The Style
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging is a diary of a fourteen year old girl with a crush, best friends and a giant cat. These sometimes fragmented entries full of thoughts and feelings are really what make the book special.

The Strengths and Weaknesses
The book is absolutely hilarious. Laugh out loud funny even. (I'd never say LOL.) I nearly cried when Georgia waxed off her eyebrows! Anyone who picks up this book should get a good laugh out of it. Definite strength.

The only weakness I can think of is that there is quite a lot of British slang in the book, but there's a glossary, so it shouldn't be a problem, really. Also, a lot of it is pretty easy to figure out. And all of us plain-ol' US folk should really pick up on that fancy way of British speaking anyway!

The Favorite Lines
"monday september 28
11:00 a.m.
At break I told Jas and Jools everything. They went, 'Ergghhhlack, that's truly disgusting. Your cousin? That is sad.' Jools said that she had actually seen her brother's 'how's your father' quite often. She said, 'It's quite nice, really, like a mouse.' She lives in a world of her own (thank God). Well bless us, Tiny Tim, one and all, I say" (66). Georgia's diary entry the day after her cousin tried to kiss her and what her friends thought.

The Reviews
Teri Lesesne (VOYA, June 2000 (Vol. 23, No. 2))
... Georgia is relentless in her journal entries, which come across as comic riffs. She questions all authority, wanting to know WHY and HOW and WHEN. It is Georgia's distinct voice that will capture readers and leave them wanting a sequel so they can find out how Georgia's budding relationship with Robbie pans out. The clever title and catchy cover surely will attract loads of readers. The only element that might keep this book from flying off the shelf is the preponderance of British slang in Georgia's journal entries and in the conversations among the main characters. Although the author includes a glossary at the end of the novel, some teens may not find using it repeatedly "double cool with knobs," but rather "poxy."

Michael Cart (Booklist, July 2000 (Vol. 96, No. 21))
American readers wondering what on earth "full-frontal snogging" is will find the answer in the helpful (and hilarious) glossary appended to this antic diary of a year in the life of an English girl named Georgia Nicolson.Snogging is, simply, "kissing with all the trimmings," and it's much on 14-year-old Georgia's mind these days. For even though she's still reeling from her devastatingly bad decision to go to a party dressed as a stuffed olive, she has fallen in love with an older man (he's 17), a Sex God named Robbie. The trouble is, S. G. is dating a girl named Lindsay who--brace yourself--wears a thong. Honestly, how wet (idiotic) can you get! In the meantime, life on the homefront is spinning out of control. Dad has gone to New Zealand in search of a better job, and pet cat Angus, who can usually be spotted stalking the neighbor's poodle, has gone missing. Although performer and comedy writer Rennison clearly owes a large debt to Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary (1998), her Georgia is a wonderful character whose misadventures are not only hysterically funny but universally recognizable. This "fabbity, fab, fab" novel will leave readers cheering, "Long live the teen!" and anxiously awaiting the promised sequel.

The Connection
A great way to connect teens to this book would be to have them write a diary of the everyday normal things that happen to them. They'd then realize that maybe some of their problems that they feel so terribly about maybe aren't all that bad. I'm sure Georgia thought it was absolutely dreadful when she shaved off her eyebrows, but later, if she were real anyway, she could laugh about it.

Harmless

The Bibliography
Reinhardt, Dana. 2007. Harmless. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 9780385746991

The Characters
Anna, Emma and Mariah are the main characters in Harmless. Each girl has her own personality that shifts as the lie they told gets progressively worse. Anna is shy, but becomes more outgoing as the story goes on; Emma is Anna's best friend, but recedes into the shadows; Mariah is a wild girl that slowly grabs the reigns of her life.

The Plot
Three girls tell their parents that they're going to a movie, but go to a party instead. When their parents find out that they didn't really go to the movies, they tell another lie in hopes of keeping the party a secret. Then, it blows up in their faces. It's just a harmless little lie...

The Setting
Orsonville, New York
This setting is important for two of the three girls. Emma's family moved to the small town of Orsonville from New York City, which she has a problem with and Mariah also hates the small town life.

The Theme
telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

What's the harm in telling one little lie? Okay, more than one little lie. Okay, maybe not even so little... These girls have to realize on their own that telling the truth is easier and safer than lying.

The Style
first person, written from Anna's, Emma's and Mariah's points of view
The reader gets an insight into what each girl is thinking, but only in her own chapter. The girls can't quite figure out what her friends are really up to, and that can be seen in each chapter as the story develops.

The Strengths and Weaknesses
I like that Harmless was told from all three girls' points of view. It gives a good idea of what is going on in each of their heads and how the lies are affecting them individually. This is good because it shows teen readers that everyone reacts to things differently.

I do not like that nothing bad really happened. Also, it's not very believable. I don't think any cop would walk into a school and arrest three girls that have never been in trouble before in front of all their classmates for telling a lie. The story would have been better if something would have actually happened. When I first started reading it, I thought that Emma was going to end up pregnant after sleeping with Owen, which would then cause the lie to be that she was raped by the man by the river or even Owen, which would have made for a better story, but no.

The Favorite Lines

"I thought, more than once, more than twice, during those beats when Silas's hand held on to my arm, when his knees were touching mine, of telling him the truth. The truth about our lie. The truth about our lie? Or was it a lie about the truth? Truth and lies. Lies and truths. Lielielielielie. Truthtruthtruthtruthtruth.... Lies destroy you" (194). Mariah deciding whether she should tell Silas, her crush and Emma's older brother, the truth about what happened.

The Reviews
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 3))
... Reinhardt successfully avoids a sanctimonious tone in imparting this moral lesson and infuses the story with enough drama to avoid banality. Worthwhile, but not spectacular.

Linda Martin (Library Media Connection, April 2007)
Harmless is novel with a moral, but never preachy or condescending.... This novel is a page-turner that addresses real-life situations experienced by older teens, making it inappropriate for some middle-schoolers, despite its easy reading. Alcohol use and sexual experimentation are handled in sensitive, straightforward ways, but the negative consequences are clear. Students will like this book for its suspense, believable characters, and the non-judgmental way in which the girls learn right from wrong.

The Connection
Sharing this book, then having a frank discussion about lying and telling the truth would be a good program with a small group of teenagers, but teens that really trust you and wouldn't be afraid to tell you the truth.

Boyfriends With Girlfriends

The Bibliography
Sanchez, Alex. 2011. Boyfriends With Girlfriends. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781416937739

The Characters
Lance, Allie, Sergio and Kimiko are the main characters of Boyfriends With Girlfriends. They each have a different sexual orientation, but SURPRISE, they're normal teens! (That was sarcasm. Of course they're normal!)

The Plot
Lance has never had a serious boyfriend. Sergio has had relationships with boys and girls. Kimiko likes girls, but hasn't found a way to tell her family that she's a lesbian. Allie's been dating Chip for a long time, but now she doesn't love him anymore, but she feels a strong pull toward Kimiko. They all have questions about their lives and relationships, but develop strong ones with each other after figuring themselves out first.

The Setting
Smalltown America
Setting a book like this, with all the different sexual orientations of the characters, in a Smalltown, America, nondescript sort of place lets teens know that if they're thinking these things and having these questions, chances are, someone else is, too. It's not just big city teens, it's teens in every neighborhood.

The Theme
figuring out just who you are, and being okay with it
That's the only way teens will survive. You have to love and accept yourself first before everyone else will.

The Style
third person subjective
The reader knows just what each character is thinking... almost to the point of wanting to shake the book and scream "YES, SERGIO!! LANCE LIKES YOU! CALL HIM BACK!!!" and/or "YES, LANCE!! SERGIO LIKES YOU! CALL HIM BACK!!!" and/or "KIMIKO, STOP SAYING 'DUDE'!"

The Strengths and Weaknesses
Boyfriends With Girlfriends is a sweet story of figuring out just who you are. It has a positive message and could be helpful for teens that are LGBTQIA, most especially the B and Q parts. And it's multicultural! A definite plus!

Those are the superficial strengths of the book. It has a great message and it's warm and fuzzy, but the characters are SO stereotypical and it bothers me. Definite weakness. Not all gay boys sing show tunes like Lance does on nearly every page. Not all lesbians wear motorcycle jackets and say dude like Kimiko does on nearly every page. It's not always so obvious to tell the sexual orientation of people, but this book makes it seem so. It's a little too much.

The Favorite Lines
"Why am I such a sex wuss?" (115) Lance to Allie about chickening out while making out with Sergio.

The Review
Michael Cart (Booklist, Mar. 1, 2011 (Vol. 107, No. 13))
Starred Review* ... Leave it to Lambda Literary Award–winner Sanchez (for So Hard to Say, 2004) to sort it all out. In the process, he’s written another innovative, important book that explores, with empathy and sympathy, largely ignored aspects of teen sexual identity. While lip service is routinely given to these aspects in the acronym GLBTQ, there have been only a handful of novels that so plausibly and dramatically bring the nature of bisexuality and sexual questioning to life. Sanchez does both, and in the process establishes welcome possibilities for other authors to explore.

The Connection
Alex Sanchez shares a positive message in all of his books. Sharing any of them with teens that approach you as LGBTQIA would surely help them. Even beginning an LGBTQIA club would be good, especially at a public library, but then you might not want to advertise that fact since some of the teens might not be comfortable with themselves yet. It's a delicate balance, but at least being there for all teens and letting them know the library is a safe place for them and will make them feel better, no matter what.

The Outsiders

The Bibliography
Hinton, S. E. 1967. The Outsiders. New York: Viking. ISBN 0670532576

The Characters
Ponyboy Curtis, his brothers Sodapop and Darry, Dally, Johnny, Two-Bit and Steve are the Greasers, the main characters in The Outsiders. The main main characters are Ponyboy, Johnny and Dally. There are also other characters, the Greasers' rivals, the Socs.

The Plot
Greasers and Socs don't get along. They fight over anything and sometimes, for no reason at all, other than the fact that the Greasers don't have money and the Socs have too much. After Johnny gets beat up by the Socs, he's scared all the time. When he and Ponyboy get jumped by a couple of drunk Socs one night after the movies, things take a turn for the worse. The Socs try to drown Ponyboy, but Johnny just can't take it anymore. He kills one of the Socs with his knife, so he and Ponyboy have to run away. While they're away, the boys learn a few life lessons and, what else, become heroes after pulling kids out of a burning church. Tragically, Johnny doesn't survive long after the fire, which leads Dally, his mentor and hero, to get himself killed.

The Setting
a city in Oklahoma, or at least that's what I deduced from watching the movie and reading background information on the author

The Theme
division of social classes

The Style
first person, written from Ponyboy's point of view

The Strengths and Weaknesses
I know I've said previously that I think anyone with enough creativity and who does enough research can write anything they want to, but I think I'm going to have to retract that statement. S.E. Hinton, who happens to be female (which I didn't know prior to reading this book and doing research myself) was 16 when she wrote this book. I felt a little odd reading it and finding out that Ponyboy thinks his brothers are handsome and that some of the Socs look good in their burgandy sweaters. It seems a tad on the girly side to me. The Greasers get a little bit too emotional I think for dirty ol' boys that get into knock-down-drag-out fights. That's a definite weakness of The Outsiders.

There are strengths, too, of course. Anyone who reads this book will feel an attachment to anyone they consider a close friend. They'll relate to Ponyboy's devotion to Sodapop and Johnny's to Dally, and likewise, Dally's to Johnny.

The Review
Booklist
(November 15, 1997; 9780440967699 )

Gr. 7^-10. In a book now considered a classic, Ponyboy can count only on his friends when it comes to mixing it up with the Socs, a gang of rich kids who like nothing better than beating up on greasers like himself.

The Connection
The most perfect connection would be to read this book, then watch the film adaptation of it by Francis Ford Coppola. A lot of the girliness that I didn't like about the book was left out in the movie, although the boys do still cry a lot. Plus, all the 80s hunks are in it, like Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe and Matt Dillon.

The Graveyard Book

The Bibliography
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. The Graveyard Book. Ill. by Dave McKean. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060530938

The Characters
Nobody "Bod" Owens is the main character of The Graveyard Book. Other characters include his guardian, Silas, and the man who killed his famiiy, the man Jack Frost. There are other characters, but these are the most important ones.

The Plot
Nobody Owens is kind of a normal boy. When he was a baby, his parents and sibling were murdered and only he escaped. And to where did he escape? The graveyard. Taken in by ghosts, Nobody spends all his time in the graveyard until he discovers what happened to his parents and exact revenge.

The Setting
an English graveyard and the surrounding town

The Theme
belonging

The Style
The Graveyard Book is written in eight (very nearly) stand alone short stories.

The Strengths and Weaknesses
The creativity of this book is definitely a strength. Neil Gaiman never fails to surprise me in the oddities that he creates. The graveyard world that Bod lives in is beautifully described and imagined, but Gaiman's world's always are.

As far as weaknesses go, since this book is made up of short stories, I think I would have been content to begin at The Interlude and finish the book from there. I really didn't care for the beginning, like, I almost put it down and didn't pick it back up, but I trudged along and finally made it to something worthwhile. I just wish it didn't take 165 pages for me to get there.

The Review
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2008 (Vol. 76, No. 16))
Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy. Gaiman's riff on Kipling's Mowgli stories never falters, from the truly spine-tingling opening, in which a toddler accidentally escapes his family's murderer, to the melancholy, life-affirming ending. Bod (short for Nobody) finds solace and safety with the inhabitants of the local graveyard, who grant him some of the privileges and powers of the dead—he can Fade and Dreamwalk, for instance, but still needs to eat and breathe. Episodic chapters tell miniature gems of stories (one has been nominated for a Locus Award) tracing Bod's growth from a spoiled boy who runs away with the ghouls to a young man for whom the metaphor of setting out into the world becomes achingly real. Childhood fears take solid shape in the nursery-rhymeûinspired villains, while heroism is its own, often bitter, reward. Closer in tone to American Gods than to Coraline, but permeated with Bod's innocence, this needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.

The Connection
I've had the (completely ridiculous) desire to make dioramas lately, and I think Neil Gaiman's books would be perfect to do that with. His books are so artistic and, well, macabre. Who wouldn't love making a miniature graveyard scene with ghosts all around from The Graveyard Book or a mom with creepy button eyes from Coraline? I think the teens in my library would!

I Am the Messenger

The Bibliography
Zusak, Marcus. 2002. I Am the Messenger. New York: Random House. ISBN 0375836675

The Characters
The main character of I Am the Messenger is Ed Kennedy, 19 year-old taxi driver in Australia. Other characters include his three best friends, Marv, Ritchie and Audrey, and several supporting characters - the recipients of his messages.

The Plot
Hopeless and lacking confidence in his life, Ed spends most days driving his taxi, playing cards with his friends, and sharing coffee with his smelly old dog, The Doorman. After foolishly stopping a bank robbery, things change for Ed. He receives a mysterious card in his mailbox, the Ace of Diamonds, and written upon it are three addresses. Ed realizes that he must visit these addresses and deliver a message to the people that live there. Not all messages are peaceful, not all are pleasant, but all are life changing, for Ed in particular.

The Setting
an unnamed city in Australia

The Theme
overcoming mediocrity

The Style
mostly first person vignettes

The Strengths and Weaknesses
I quite enjoyed I Am the Messenger. I had heard it was a good book, but sometimes, when people say something is great, I tend to avoid it on purpose. I don't like to be let down by books. This one was not a let down, though. I enjoyed that the sections of the book were broken down into 13 mini chapters/vignettes, one for each playing card value, Ace through King. I was impressed that Ed never did anything seriously terrible, like killing the rapist, even though I thought he did and/or should have. I'm also glad he ended up with Audrey in the end, even though she was a little on the easy side. I really find no weaknesses in this book.

The Review
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2005 (Vol. 73, No. 1))
In this winner of the Australian Children's Book Award for Older Readers, 19-year-old Ed Kennedy slouches through life driving a taxi, playing poker with his buddies, and hanging out with his personable dog, Doorman. The girl he loves just wants to be friends, and his mother constantly insults him, both of which make Ed, an engaging, warm-hearted narrator, feel like a loser. But he starts to overcome his low self-esteem when he foils a bank robbery and then receives a series of messages that lead him to do good deeds. He buys Christmas lights for a poor family, helps a local priest, and forces a rapist out of town. With each act, he feels better about himself and builds a community of friends. The openly sentimental elements are balanced by swearing, some drinking and violence, and edgy friendships. Suspense builds about who is sending the messages, but readers hoping for a satisfying solution to that mystery will be disappointed. Those, however, who like to speculate about the nature of fiction, might enjoy the unlikely, even gimmicky, conclusion.

The Connection
I think it would make an interesting scavenger hunt for teens at a library program if you sat them down with some playing cards to play silly games like Blind Man's Bluff, but then sneak secret messages on some of the cards where the teens will have to go scavenging around the library to complete these hidden tasks. It would be similar to the messages Ed receives in I Am the Messenger, but also a fun activity.