My Most Excellent Year

Biblio Bits My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger, Dial Books, 2008 (ISBN 9780803732278)

Reading Level/Interest Age 1030 lexile/Ages 13+

Genre Realistic Fiction, Humor, Romance

Plot Summary

Ninth grade holds some surprises for T.C., Augie, and Alejandra. T.C. doesn't expect to fall head-over-heels for the new girl, Alejandra, the smart, politically-minded, daughter of an ambassador, who has zero interest in his attention. Augie, T.C's Chinese-American "brother," doesn't expect to direct the school talent show or to have his first crush on a boy (and he really doesn't expect that everyone already knows he's gay!). Alejandra (or Ale) has no idea what to expect from a public school, she doesn't expect to get on stage and perform in front of an audience, and she does not expect that she can ever live up to the plan that her parents have for her. She certainly doesn't expect that she'll ever give the time of day to T.C.! None of them expect that a deaf six year-old boy will change their lives. This romantic comedy is a roaring good time and is told in IMs, emails, and letters between the characters.

Critical Evaluation

What a crazy cast of characters, but somehow Kluger makes it all work so well together in this book. I was skeptical about the IM, email, and letter-written format when I started it, figuring it would be distracting and just a cute gimmick. But it really worked here and actually enhanced the flow and pace of the story. Each of the three main characters, T.C., Ale, and Augie, alternate "narration" in each chapter, yet the narration comes from their own content (letters), as well as content by others (parents, friends, and even some people who are mostly on the periphery). This is a classic romantic comedy, so we know the ending will be positive. But it's not just fluff, there's some real depth. Themes about identity and self-discovery, friendship, grief, and dreams. This is a book about engaged youth who care about each other, good causes, their families, and they are teens who ultimately do good things for the world.

Reader's Annotation

Dancing, theatrical productions, romance...Wait! Wait! There's also baseball, die-hard Red Sox fans, and baseball trivia. There's an ace lip-reader who steals pitching signs to tip off the batter. It's all tied up in this story about a few kids and the stuff they care about.

Author Information

Steve Kluger was born in 1952 and grew up in Maryland. He has worked as an actor and playwrite. He's a gay activist and an ardent baseball fan. Kluger has written plays and books for adults and youth, many of which feature baseball. He lives in Boston, "the only city in the world." (Information for this author biography are from his official website and the Gale's Contemporary Authors Online, 2002.)

Challenge issues

Some swearing, a pretty liberal worldview, and a gay protagonist might be the areas that would draw negative attention.

Booktalking Ideas

It's a tough sell to get this book into the hands of boys because of the darn girly cover (softcover has a slightly less girly look). So I would choose NOT to show the cover at all. I would introduce listeners to the three main characters who share the fact that during their ninth grade year, each of them faces some unexpected challenges...but I would stress the fact that I laughed my way through the whole book! It definitely falls in the category of Love with a Laugh, and I might pair it with An Abundance of Katherines (Green, 2006), What My Mother Doesn't Know (Sones, 2001), and Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging (Rennison, 2000).

Curriculum Ties

I love how the English teacher has the students writing letters. T.C. writes to his mom, Augie writes to movie stars, and Ale writes to Jackie Kennedy. (And of course Hucky writes to Mary Poppins.) With the exception of Hukcy, these letters won't be sent (many recipients are dead anyway). What does it mean to write a letter that you know won't reach it's addressee? Each of our three main characters has chosen their letter recipient to be someone who they feel knows them and their experience somehow. Have students pick someone to write to---alive or dead---who they share something with: share a problem or issue and ask for their advice. Students will need to refer to things in the recipient's life that show that they "know" them, like Augie, Tick, and Ale do.

Why this book?
Funny, funny, and funny. And then I cried at the end. But what I really love is how the friendship between Augie and T.C. is portrayed: totally supportive (including when they razz each other!) and completely believable.

Awards
None.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Parrotfish

Biblio Bits Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger, Simon and Schuster, 2007 (ISBN 9780416916222)

Reading Level/Interest Age 790 lexile/Ages 14+

Genre Realistic Fiction

Plot Summary

Grady used to be a girl called Angela. Angela grew up knowing she was really a boy inside and fully aware that she had to pretend to be a girl. But that only worked for so long. Now, as a sophomore, Angela makes the decision to change her name to Grady and begin to live and dress as a boy. This isn't easy, but neither was living a lie. Some people think this is just some ploy to get attention on Grady's part (like the school principal); others just can't understand Grady's decision and are confused, embarrassed, frustrated, and even angry with his new identity as a boy (like Grady's mom, sister, former best friend, and most of the kids at school). A few people stand out because they support Grady during this difficult transition, including Grady's dad, brother, the gym teacher, and a new friend, Sebastian. Grady must navigate some tricky waters here, from telling his teachers to call him by his new name to figuring out where to change for gym class.

Critical Evaluation

Wittlinger has created an astonishing book about a tough subject. Wittlinger makes Grady just a regular guy: his first crush, the importance of friends, dorky family traditions, and family tension. It's refreshing that this book avoids the cliche of violence, but there is a believable amount of bullying, teasing, and cruelty from Grady's peers. The best part of this book, besides for normalizing the issue of transgendered teens, is that it shows the importance of having even a few advocates and supporters during a transition time like this one. Grady is a character readers can empathize with, who makes a courageous choice to be true to himself. This is a theme that has merit for any young adult, whether or not they are transgendered.

Reader's Annotation

What if you never felt right in the body you were born into? That's how it is for Grady, who was born a girl but has always felt like a boy inside. Grady is ready to stop pretending. Is the world ready for Grady?

Author Information

Ellen Wittlinger was born in 1948 and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. She attended Milliken University (IL) where she majored in art and sociology. Wittlinger attended the University of Iowa's Writers' Workshop for her graduate studies. She worked as a children's librarian in Swapscott, Massachusetts, which was how she became interested in writing for youth. Wittlinger has two grown children and lives with her husband in Swamscott. (Information for this author biography is from Gale's Contemporary Authors Online, 2008).

Challenge issues

There is some swearing in this book, but the main challenge for some will be the idea of a transgendered teen coming out.

Booktalking Ideas

The theme of how to be yourself and be O.K. with it is one that deserves repeating with tweens (see also Totally Joe)...over and over and over again. We could call the booktalk "I'm Different and I'm O.K.!" I would probably pair this title with Buddha Boy, Another Kind of Cowboy (Juby, 2007), Looks (George, 2008), and Stargirl (Spinelli, 2000), however, since they are more mature and serious. If a little levity was needed, I would also include My Most Excellent Year, since it adds a bit of humor to the theme of self-discovery.

Curriculum Ties

This would be a good book to tie into a health unit on sexuality for older middle schoolers. Students could read this book and discuss some of the issues it raises: gender vs. sexual identity, as well as the practical concerns (choosing a new name, family and friends, which bathroom to use, etc.). This discussion could precede a visit from a transgendered person, perhaps on a panel with gay, lesbian, and bisexual people who might be willing to share their stories with students.

Why this book?
This is an important book in the cannon of queer literature for youth. Placing it in the hands of the right reader could, quite literally, save a life.

Awards
New York Public Library, Books for the Teen Age.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.