Hello my readers!
Last week, my class broke into small groups to discuss the first classic novel we read for Young Adult Literature. This post is a reflection of that discussion and will contain spoilers for Looking for Alaska by John Green and, to a lesser extent, spoilers for The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
You have been warned.
The group I was in was comprised of five students, including myself. We had all read the John Green novel Looking for Alaska. (For a brief summary of the book, check out my post here.) Our discussion started with the ending. How did the ambiguity of the ending (never really finding out if Alaska died from just an accident or if it was a suicide) impact the book?
I feel like we all struggled a little with it. I know I did. What we ultimately came up with was that the ambiguous ending made the book more powerful. By not knowing for sure what really happened, Looking for Alaska has a duality when you read it. If you believe it's a suicide, you read it a little bit differently than if you believe it's an accident. This makes the book more relatable for the teens who read it: almost everyone knows of someone who has died of either suicide or an accident, and it lets both spectrums of youth feel less alone.
Another thing we noted in our discussion was how Alaska's death happens in the middle of the book. Most books have the death of a character near the end, so you never really get to see how their friends handle the grief. Because the accident happens in the middle of the book, we as readers get to see how Pudge and his friends deal with their grief. We get to watch them continue to grow; it makes for a refreshing take on a book like this.
What makes Looking for Alaska so great is that there is the whole countdown (the sections in the first half of the book are listed as "x days before") to the death which causes the reader to get dragged into the book. We really loved that in our group. Then you have the opposite ("x days after") after the accident. We decided that this technique of writing and labeling gives teens the incentive they need to stick with the book to the end.
Finally, we all agreed that Looking for Alaska has a very "Breakfast Club" kind of vibe. The kids are ultimately a group of misfits that band together so they survive this boarding school they reside at. It's something every generation can relate with and makes the book humorous as well as meaningful for everyone who reads it.
Overall, Looking for Alaska is a mature book that we would recommend to upper high schoolers. The ambiguity of how Alaska died is crucial in making it more relatable to youth and adults, and the countdown in labeling the sections is important in helping readers stay engaged throughout.
Looking for Alaska was not the only book option we had for our Classic Novel selection. The groups for each other book gave us a blurb about what to expect with the other three books in the Classic Novel 1 section. Here is what I took away from each:
The One and Only Ivan is a book about a gorilla living in a mall. When a baby elephant is brought in to be on display with him, he gets mad and decides that living in an enclosure is no life for her. The spokesperson form the group that read it said it's a great book geared for middle school. He told us not to judge text by size; even though the book is filled with larger print, the story is immensely complex. He explained that the book contains many levels of complexity and great one liners. Overall, he would recommend that you have young readers read it twice (once in middle school and once again in high school) so that they can gather all the levels in it.
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel about the lengths teens go to fit in. The group leader explained that it's comprised of three different stories that all wrap together with the use of mythology, the Bible, and modern day settings. He told us that it explores the use of stereotypes in America as well as cultural differences across the board. The book is recommended for high schoolers and is something that a lot of young people can relate to on some level.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a down to earth read for teens. It follows a teen who group up on a reservation and decides to go to a white school. The group leader for it explained to us that it really is about taking risks and finding yourself, which is something all teenagers are trying to do. The book is filled with humor and drawings. She also said that the writing comes off as extremely honest, which is something that teens need. Overall, the book is recommended for 9th and 10th grades.
So what did I learn from all of this?
It's so important to have books and stories that young adults can relate to. The view of the world can be similar, but far away enough that it's easier for the readers to deal with than if it's happening to the young adult in real life. This allows the teens to explore their own world in a safe environment and gives them ways to deal with what is going on in their own lives.
Also, the world of Young Adult Literature is a great bridge for the gap between young adults and adults. If you read the books, you know what your students are possibly dealing with; it also encourages the youth to trust you because you aren't shying away from them. Overall, young adults and adults can find a middle ground through reading.
What are your thoughts?
~Meaghan
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