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[CCBC-Net] First comments Printz books
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From: wwilson2
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 00:32:31 -0500
In defense of Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, I have never read a book with more of a wallop at the end. That last page alone was worth any number of awards and proves a talent with technique that is quite exceptional. The writer used no unnecessary words , yet left the reader simmering, smoldering. Masterful restraint!
I was, though, surprised to see it in the list of otherwise very, very serious Printz winners and thought the committee might have included it just for balance, which the list needed. A novel doesn't have to be heart wrenching or earth shaking to be noteworthy or worthwhile. After all, most of us (and certainly most young adults) lead lives that don't include dealing with dead siblings, rapist fathers, abject poverty, hateful bullies, or extreme physical disabilities, although those situations do exist and deserve to be examined.
Georgia Nicholson in her daily (hourly) manic?pressive roller coaster reactions speaks to me, as I remember myself as a teen, better than almost any YA heroine I can think of. Talk about agony and ecstasy! And those "young adults" that we serve deal with that constantly.
What's more, Rennison makes kooky things happen without overdoing the "kooky" or "zany" aspect; she's a light touch with humor that makes it even funnier. A stuffed olive! Most American writers for children draw things out too far and turn them into silly.
Which brings up the next point: I can't get past thinking that the book or the author is British and not eligible for the Printz, or is this award different? I don't know anything about the book or author's background, but that was another reason I was surprised to see it on the list.
Finally, it's nice to read about a teen whose virtue is still intact and who still thinks that full frontal snogging is a big deal and thongs are stupid and yet is never for one second preachy. Let's have more such books for our kids!
Maybe some of you didn't like the book because you read such rave reviews beforehand; I think reading pleasure has a lot to do with expectations, and sometimes books are so built up that they could never be as good as they're said to be. And reviews often reveal too much and annihilate the author's technique by telling us something that should come as a shock as we figure it out with the character in the book.
So, I applaud the choice of Angus as a Printz Honor book.
Of course, this is only my humble opinion.
Cassie Wilson
Received on Sat 17 Feb 2001 11:32:31 PM CST
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 00:32:31 -0500
In defense of Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, I have never read a book with more of a wallop at the end. That last page alone was worth any number of awards and proves a talent with technique that is quite exceptional. The writer used no unnecessary words , yet left the reader simmering, smoldering. Masterful restraint!
I was, though, surprised to see it in the list of otherwise very, very serious Printz winners and thought the committee might have included it just for balance, which the list needed. A novel doesn't have to be heart wrenching or earth shaking to be noteworthy or worthwhile. After all, most of us (and certainly most young adults) lead lives that don't include dealing with dead siblings, rapist fathers, abject poverty, hateful bullies, or extreme physical disabilities, although those situations do exist and deserve to be examined.
Georgia Nicholson in her daily (hourly) manic?pressive roller coaster reactions speaks to me, as I remember myself as a teen, better than almost any YA heroine I can think of. Talk about agony and ecstasy! And those "young adults" that we serve deal with that constantly.
What's more, Rennison makes kooky things happen without overdoing the "kooky" or "zany" aspect; she's a light touch with humor that makes it even funnier. A stuffed olive! Most American writers for children draw things out too far and turn them into silly.
Which brings up the next point: I can't get past thinking that the book or the author is British and not eligible for the Printz, or is this award different? I don't know anything about the book or author's background, but that was another reason I was surprised to see it on the list.
Finally, it's nice to read about a teen whose virtue is still intact and who still thinks that full frontal snogging is a big deal and thongs are stupid and yet is never for one second preachy. Let's have more such books for our kids!
Maybe some of you didn't like the book because you read such rave reviews beforehand; I think reading pleasure has a lot to do with expectations, and sometimes books are so built up that they could never be as good as they're said to be. And reviews often reveal too much and annihilate the author's technique by telling us something that should come as a shock as we figure it out with the character in the book.
So, I applaud the choice of Angus as a Printz Honor book.
Of course, this is only my humble opinion.
Cassie Wilson
Received on Sat 17 Feb 2001 11:32:31 PM CST
