and for Alan, the new guy who wears dresses to school.
Can A be for acceptance, too?
Life can be complex in high school for any kid. Adonis is trying to become a better football player, live up to his firefighter dad's expectations, deal with little sister Jeannie being in the same high school. The macho attitudes he's learned aren't helping him stay cool when Jeannie brings Alan over for dinner.
For Alan, scorned by his Army colonel dad, it's simple - accept him for who he is, Fashion Club president, cross-dressing, intelligent.
The author puts current news stories about bullying into perspective when he asks "how do you decide when to stand by and when to take a stand?" Big question, strong story.
**kmm
Book info: Crossing Lines / Paul Volponi. Viking Juvenile, 2011. [author's website] [author interview video] [publisher site]
My Recommendation: It’s simple – Adonis will be a great football player, little sister won’t embarrass him at school. Then cross-dressing new guy Alan is elected president of her fashion club. And Jeannie brings him home for dinner!
Adonis thinks Alan will be a pushover when they’re in the same group for an English project, but is surprised at his quick wit and intelligence. The rest of the football team isn’t – antigay slurs fill the air during practice and spill over into classes they reluctantly share with Alan. But Adonis’ mom and Jeannie and that cute Melody from fashion club won’t tolerate outright homophobic statements or even jokes – Adonis feels like he’s walking a tightrope all the time, trying to keep the team from grouping him with Alan, trying to keep Melody from labeling him a dumb, prejudiced jock.
Alan’s grandmother raised him until her recent death; now he gets moved from school to school because his dad is an Army recruiter. Has his dad thrown him out of the house? Is Alan gay? Why can’t he just be another guy instead of wanting to be called Alana?
As Alan determinedly forges his own path at school, wearing lipstick and dresses, the football guys get more uncomfortable and plan to teach him a lesson. Will Adonis participate in the dangerous plan? How far can bullies push someone before they snap?
Readers will see Adonis grow up, page by page, as he must decide for himself when to let things slide and when to take a stand. (One of 5,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.
I think Glee has had it effect on YA lit. Great to see these topics addressed openly. Good luck with your AtoZ Challenge.
ReplyDeleteClee - I think that it's the other way around - as more authors wrote books that reflected young adults' experiences as gay/lesbian/bisexual teens and their friends, families, and enemies, those books and the buzz surrounding them were picked up by scriptwriters and screenwriters who took them to tv and movies more successfully. Glee is one of those products whose music, actors, and events have really captured the popular imagination. Every little step toward understanding one another better helps!
Delete**Katy
Hi Katy, I'm here from the A-Z blogging challenge. I've never heard of this book but it really sounds great. I'll have to check it out. I am interested to read Crossing Lines because I believe it approaches a topic that many YA books do not - cross dressing and the confusion of being gay or not being gay. A lot of YA books have stereotypical gay characters and Crossing Lines sounds like it breaks that a bit.
ReplyDeleteI must say I got excited when I saw you are/were a librarian - I am a college senior planning to get her MLS in the next few years :)
Happy challenge blogging!
Rachel
Hi, Rachel - yes, more YA books hit the gay or not-gay issue; this is the first one I've read with cross-dressing as central issue. And Adonis does worry so about whether he'll lose face with his football team if he's not an outright jerk to Alan = can he be "tolerant" without being tainted-by-association?
DeleteHappy to see that you're on the MLS trail!
**Katy
This sounds like a compelling read. I am glad bullying is being given more attention today than it was in the past. It has such an enormous impact on the bullied.
ReplyDeleteSusan - Listen to the author interview video (link above) for Volponi's inspiration for this book. This is just one of many shades of bullying, and they all have to stop.
Delete**Katy
I've never heard of this book so I'm glad you reviewed it. Certainly going to pick it up one of these days. Great to meet you through this A-Z!
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Hi, Nutschell - Also look for Volponi's novel Riker High, based on what he saw as high school teacher at that prison for young adults. He's got a real ear for authentic voice.
Delete**Katy
Also from the A-Z Blogging Challenge. This sounds like a great read. Although my blog is about running, I'm an avid reader and always looking for something new and different.
ReplyDeleteHi, Dee Dee - you'll meet some fascinating characters and outstanding stories on BooksYALove over the coming days (and months). If I could just write up my recommendations as quickly as I read these great YA books...
DeleteSee ya around A-Z Blog land!
**Katy
Wow, this sounds like a really great book. I definitely want to run out to Barnes and Noble and check it out! Thanks for sharing. Happy A-Z challenge!
ReplyDeleteS.L. - Since it was published last summer, you should be able to find it easily. Try a local independent bookseller, too: http://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder
Delete**Katy
Sounds like a great book, just hope my libery had it.
ReplyDeleteAnd have a good challenge, hopefully there will be more good books recommendation from you :)
Nellie - I hope you can find it, too! Lots of great books ahead in April (and beyond)... now, if I can just find the perfect one for the V day!
Delete**Katy
Thanks for the recommendation there. Looking forward to lots more.
ReplyDeleteGreat start to the Challenge and very important issues there. We all want acceptance. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I'm a new follower! :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. Grabbed me right away!
ReplyDeleteRuby
Thanks, Ruby - I write these recommendations for the readers, but never any spoilers!
Delete**Katy
Books on acceptance are so important. My kids are reviewing books for this challenge too - their V book will be Virals by Kathy Reitch. They're struggling with X. They're over at Paper Dolls
ReplyDeleteHi, Charmaine - A great dystopian YA book beginning with X is Steve Augarde's X Isle (my recommendation here: http://booksyalove.blogspot.com/2011/06/x-isle-fiction.html), but since I've already done it on BooksYALove, I'll be hitting another for my X in this challenge. Not all of my 26 entries will be book titles; sometimes I'm using author name, character name, or the book's theme, as I did today. (My bookshelf of books ready to be recommended is big!)
DeleteHope your gals have fun with the challenge too. Great that they are doing their own reviews!
**Katy
Nice way to start your A to Z Challenge. Now following you.
ReplyDeleteShelly
http://secondhandshoesnovel.blogspot.com/
This one is a new-to-me title, but one that I think I'll pick up. I love books that have challenging topics.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!!
http://sosimplesara.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-bloggiest-did-for-me.html
http://sosimplesara.blogspot.com/2012/04/blue-sky-days-books-from-to-z.html