Paradise Book Report

PUMPKINHEADS  by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks Rationale: Sometimes life is overwhelming, and it seems nearly impossible to focus on reading. Especially during uncertain times, such as a global pandemic, it can be hard to get lost in a book. If this sounds familiar, I suggest picking up a copy of  Pumpkinheads  by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks. It is short enough to read in one sitting, but long enough to develop a mood and get you attached to the lovable characters. As Brock (2019, pp.43) recognizes, “Although it may take little time to read a graphic novel, they are meant to be savored and re-read.” And there is much to savor in  Pumpkinheads : an endearing friendship, a diverse cast, the challenge of romantic courage, the urgency of a one-night-only plot, a litany of puns, and the nostalgic and cozy atmosphere of a fall festival. (Readers be warned! This book will make you crave kettle corn, candied apples, fudge, chili, and pumpkin pie!) The remarkable thing

THEY CALLED US ENEMY by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker   “Teenagers are curious. They are seekers of truth, and firm believers in justice. And they have built-in B.S. meters. They know alternative perspectives exist. And there are parts of humanity that the culture wants to silence. They’re aware that traditional versions of history often skirt the truth.” Candace Fleming (Brock 2019, pp. 156) This curiosity for the unvarnished truth is one of the many reasons why informational books, and especially memoirs, may be of interest to young people. Teenagers realize that they are often fed “official,” whitewashed versions of history, and as they discover that there are more sides to the story, they ask themselves, “What really happened? What voices are being silenced?” Memoirs are valuable windows into the first-hand experience of historical moments because they personalize history, transforming abstracted events into personally felt moments.

GOING BOVINE by Libba Bray It is not rare for a Young Adult novel to feature a protagonist dying of a terminal illness. There are many titles out there that explore this topic, but  Going Bovine  by Libba Bray is the trippiest, zaniest, most hilarious example of this subgenre I have ever read. Because Cameron is dying of Mad Cow disease, his perception of reality becomes increasingly surreal as his brain deteriorates. At the beginning of the novel, he is apathetic about school, his job, and his family who seem disconnected and out of reach. But when he must accept the fact of his mortality at such a young age, it becomes fiercely urgent for him to make sense of his life, his identity, and the meaning of it all. His absurdist imagination and sense of humor guide him through his quest to save the universe, but there is an earnest feeling under the chaos: the desperate desire to live, to connect, to find love and friendship, knowing that ultimately, not one of us can escape death.