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how far/inexcusable
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From: Kellye Carter Crocker <kelcrocker>
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 07:53:21 -0500
Very interesting topics! I?m not familiar with the Larry books...will have to check them out. For books about politically aware kids, the only one that comes to mind is Boy Proof, which is a wonderful new YA by Cecil Castellucci. The social/political stuff only comes toward the end, as the character becomes more aware of the world around her. Chris Crutcher?s new one, The Sledding Hill, deals with far-right Christian book banning, and the kids get involved to stop it. So many ya books that I read tend to have the characters looking inward, I?ve just realized.
Related to what Steven says about good vs. evil, I just read Chris Lynch?s new book (out this fall) called Inexcusable. It?s about a possible
(probable) date rate from the ACCUSED?S point of view. I haven?t heard much buzz about this book yet, but when I mentioned it to various non-writers, they?ve said that there is no ?other side? to such an issue and that such a book shouldn?t be written. (That kind of feeling always makes me nervous.) It?s a very well-done book, and it shows a character (the boy) who is in deep denial in all areas of his life (and therefore, not taking responsibility for what he does...and he messes up in lots other ways, too). Notice I said ?shows.? It never preaches or feels didactic, a real feat for a book like this. I shouldn?t have to say it, but I will just to be clear: In no way am I condoning rape and Chris (if I may be so bold as to speak for him) isn?t either. I heard him speak and he talked about how he wanted to explore this character, that ?no one wakes up in the morning and says, ?I want to be a monster.?? Interestingly, too, Chris, a Printz-winner and popular with boy readers, has written scores of ?gritty? YA novels and says he thinks the climate for publishing them actually is tightening a bit.
(Although no one told him to ?tone down? this book.)
Best, Kellye
Kellye Carter Crocker Freelancer; MFA candidate in Writing for Children; YA book reviewer, The Des Moines Register
on 6/28/05 10:48 PM, Steven Engelfried at sengelfried at yahoo.com wrote:
lly a
now uced
too out a ent's ered hat e ese ness al they ound
Received on Wed 29 Jun 2005 07:53:21 AM CDT
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 07:53:21 -0500
Very interesting topics! I?m not familiar with the Larry books...will have to check them out. For books about politically aware kids, the only one that comes to mind is Boy Proof, which is a wonderful new YA by Cecil Castellucci. The social/political stuff only comes toward the end, as the character becomes more aware of the world around her. Chris Crutcher?s new one, The Sledding Hill, deals with far-right Christian book banning, and the kids get involved to stop it. So many ya books that I read tend to have the characters looking inward, I?ve just realized.
Related to what Steven says about good vs. evil, I just read Chris Lynch?s new book (out this fall) called Inexcusable. It?s about a possible
(probable) date rate from the ACCUSED?S point of view. I haven?t heard much buzz about this book yet, but when I mentioned it to various non-writers, they?ve said that there is no ?other side? to such an issue and that such a book shouldn?t be written. (That kind of feeling always makes me nervous.) It?s a very well-done book, and it shows a character (the boy) who is in deep denial in all areas of his life (and therefore, not taking responsibility for what he does...and he messes up in lots other ways, too). Notice I said ?shows.? It never preaches or feels didactic, a real feat for a book like this. I shouldn?t have to say it, but I will just to be clear: In no way am I condoning rape and Chris (if I may be so bold as to speak for him) isn?t either. I heard him speak and he talked about how he wanted to explore this character, that ?no one wakes up in the morning and says, ?I want to be a monster.?? Interestingly, too, Chris, a Printz-winner and popular with boy readers, has written scores of ?gritty? YA novels and says he thinks the climate for publishing them actually is tightening a bit.
(Although no one told him to ?tone down? this book.)
Best, Kellye
Kellye Carter Crocker Freelancer; MFA candidate in Writing for Children; YA book reviewer, The Des Moines Register
on 6/28/05 10:48 PM, Steven Engelfried at sengelfried at yahoo.com wrote:
lly a
now uced
too out a ent's ered hat e ese ness al they ound
Received on Wed 29 Jun 2005 07:53:21 AM CDT
