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[CCBC-Net] no stones, just a different view Re: American Indian Youth Book Awards 2008
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From: Betty Tisel <tiselfar>
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:36:33 -0600
As a parent, a school library volunteer, a middle-school book club leader, and a voracious reader, I think the blend of the hilarious, poignant, and tragic aspects of ABSOLUTELY TRUE make it a great book for, perhaps, grade 8 and up (and for more sophisticated younger readers)
I think Alexie is using not a paintbrush but a lens to give us his view of a young man who is struggling to bridge two very real worlds. In my book club yesterday (we're reading tangerine) a seventh grade boy asked the other boys if they'd read ABSOLUTELY TRUE. He wanted to recommend it to them. (I'm the only other person who had read it.)
The illustrations and the humor soften the impact of the harsher parts of the story.
Betty Tisel Minneapolis MN
On 1/18/08 2:23 PM, "Patricia L. Jarrach, Esq." <trish at mmcollects.com> wrote:
> Okay, time for an unpopular opinion...
>
> I finished reading ABSOLUTELY TRUE last week and I can not support this book
> for the YA age group. I believe a lot of it is inappropriate for a YA book.
> If the reader is old enough to read about having to shoot a dog because
> there is no money and someone's sister being burned to death because she was
> too drunk to get out, they should be reading adult books, not YA. Where's
> the firestorm over the "n" word? Appropriate in its' useage, but not a peep
> about it? And, I just can't see it winning the American Indian Youth Award
> because it casts American Indians in a horrible light. They're all drunk or
> have given up. Sure there is some inspiration in the main character
> "breaking out", but that is overshadowed by how the rest of the community is
> cast. In fact, one of the women at work said her daughter (whose 11 and a
> major reader) asked her to get it for her. When I started telling her what
> was actually in the book, she was horrified that it would be listed as a YA.
> She read some of the reviews of the book, which included plot points,
> resulting in her refusing to let her daughter read it.
>
> I understand there are a lot of people on this list who enjoyed this book,
> but I'm not one of them. It is well written and I can appreciate it for
> that; however, in my opinion, it's not a YA book.
>
> Okay...don't throw too many stones at once! ;)
>
> Patricia L. Jarrach, Esq., CFE
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> [mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu]On Behalf Of Mary Ann
> Gilpatrick
> Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 2:56 PM
> To: ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu
> Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] American Indian Youth Book Awards 2008
>
>
> Yep, I was surprised. I cannot understand why it was not even an honor
> book. Second-guessing the Committees will always be with us.
>
> Mary Ann Gilpatrick
> Walla Walla Public Library
> 238 E. Alder
> Walla Walla WA 99362
> 509-524-4435
> mgilpatrick at ci.walla-walla.wa.us
>
>
> Was it just me, or was it a bit of a shock to others, too, that
> ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY wasn't even an honor book for the Printz? If you
> win the National Book Award, are you still eligible for the Printz? Just
> curious... -Sam
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Sam Bloom
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
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Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:36:33 -0600
As a parent, a school library volunteer, a middle-school book club leader, and a voracious reader, I think the blend of the hilarious, poignant, and tragic aspects of ABSOLUTELY TRUE make it a great book for, perhaps, grade 8 and up (and for more sophisticated younger readers)
I think Alexie is using not a paintbrush but a lens to give us his view of a young man who is struggling to bridge two very real worlds. In my book club yesterday (we're reading tangerine) a seventh grade boy asked the other boys if they'd read ABSOLUTELY TRUE. He wanted to recommend it to them. (I'm the only other person who had read it.)
The illustrations and the humor soften the impact of the harsher parts of the story.
Betty Tisel Minneapolis MN
On 1/18/08 2:23 PM, "Patricia L. Jarrach, Esq." <trish at mmcollects.com> wrote:
> Okay, time for an unpopular opinion...
>
> I finished reading ABSOLUTELY TRUE last week and I can not support this book
> for the YA age group. I believe a lot of it is inappropriate for a YA book.
> If the reader is old enough to read about having to shoot a dog because
> there is no money and someone's sister being burned to death because she was
> too drunk to get out, they should be reading adult books, not YA. Where's
> the firestorm over the "n" word? Appropriate in its' useage, but not a peep
> about it? And, I just can't see it winning the American Indian Youth Award
> because it casts American Indians in a horrible light. They're all drunk or
> have given up. Sure there is some inspiration in the main character
> "breaking out", but that is overshadowed by how the rest of the community is
> cast. In fact, one of the women at work said her daughter (whose 11 and a
> major reader) asked her to get it for her. When I started telling her what
> was actually in the book, she was horrified that it would be listed as a YA.
> She read some of the reviews of the book, which included plot points,
> resulting in her refusing to let her daughter read it.
>
> I understand there are a lot of people on this list who enjoyed this book,
> but I'm not one of them. It is well written and I can appreciate it for
> that; however, in my opinion, it's not a YA book.
>
> Okay...don't throw too many stones at once! ;)
>
> Patricia L. Jarrach, Esq., CFE
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> [mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu]On Behalf Of Mary Ann
> Gilpatrick
> Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 2:56 PM
> To: ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu
> Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] American Indian Youth Book Awards 2008
>
>
> Yep, I was surprised. I cannot understand why it was not even an honor
> book. Second-guessing the Committees will always be with us.
>
> Mary Ann Gilpatrick
> Walla Walla Public Library
> 238 E. Alder
> Walla Walla WA 99362
> 509-524-4435
> mgilpatrick at ci.walla-walla.wa.us
>
>
> Was it just me, or was it a bit of a shock to others, too, that
> ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY wasn't even an honor book for the Printz? If you
> win the National Book Award, are you still eligible for the Printz? Just
> curious... -Sam
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Sam Bloom
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.6/1231 - Release Date: 1/18/2008
> 11:55 AM
>
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.6/1231 - Release Date: 1/18/2008
> 11:55 AM
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
-- Betty Tisel volunteer, JNP and Hornstein campaigns, CLNE 612-824-5820Received on Fri 18 Jan 2008 03:36:33 PM CST
