From: Katherine Richter <krichter>
Date: Thu, 9 Jun 2005 14:20:48 -0500

I'm not sure if I found Weetzie Bat in college (when I still frequented the YA area in the local public library) or when I was in graduate school at UW-Madison in the early 90's. I loved Weetzie Bat and wanted to read it out loud. The language/style was so much fun. I had absolutely nothing in common with the characters, but I devoured all of her books. When Missing Angel Juan came in at the CCBC (a non-circulating library), I couldn't wait to find it at the public library, or anywhere else. I sat near the window between classes and didn't move until the last page was over. I didn't care about my paper or anything else that was due.
  I haven't read all of her most recent work, but I did find some of the short stories in Girl Goddess #9 confusing/disturbing, in an "I have to think about this, way, not an I hate this, way".
  I still like the Weetzie Bat books best. What I find most appealing besides the language/style is the idea of creating a refuge from the far too serious/threatening world with family and friends, even if it's not a biological family.
  Kathy Richter Jefferson Park Branch Chicago Public Library
Received on Thu 09 Jun 2005 02:20:48 PM CDT