Random Reads
Teen Book Reviews by Anne Keller
Controversial
Running With Scissors: A Memoir Augusten Burroughs
This is one of those books that people will either love or hate. It is actually being made into a movie and the cast has some big name stars so I am very excited to see Hollywood's portrayal of the book. Augusten lives with his parents in a highly dysfunctional family. His older brother quit school and left home. His mother is an eccentric poet with a variety of mental disorders who has a very unique relationship with her therapist, Dr. Finch. Augusten's parents divorce and his mother sends him to live with Dr. Finch's family who formally adopts him. Dr. Finch's family takes dysfunctional to an entirely new level. Augusten has always known he was gay and he begins a sexual relationship with Dr. Finch's 33 year old son. The author describes his childhood with humor blended into a provacative blend of writing that readers will either love or hate. Reader beware: there are some graphic sex scenes but hopefully this won't deter anyone from reading this book.
Sandpiper Hollow Ragsdale has a bad reputation as a slut. She has discovered that an easy way to get a boyfriend is to perform oral sex. Unfortunately, she easily tires of the boys and dumps them after a couple of weeks. One such boyfriend, Derek, takes the news badly and begins stalking Sandy which eventually escalates into violence. Sandy befriends a mysterious boy nicknamed the "Walker" because he is constantly seen walking around town. He keeps his past a secret until it eventually catches up with him. Walker nicknames Sandpiper Piper and she adopts this name. Piper is also contending with her mother's upcoming marriage and her relationship with her father is well drawn out. The first half of the novel is a little slow paced but the second half is very climatic and the action and suspense escalate into a brutal act of violence. Wittlinger writes a well written novel that is sure to cause controversy due to the references to oral sex although no details are ever given. Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman
In this Printz Honor Book, Terry Trueman addresses the subject of euthanasia. Shawn McDaniel is fourteen years old and suffers from cerebral palsy. To the outside world, Shawn is severely retarded, confined to a wheelchair, and unable to move or communicate with others. He is entirely dependent upon his mother, brother, and sister for survival. His father left when he was four years old. Shawn has only seen his father a handful of times since then even though his father deeply loves his son. He even won a Pulitzer Prize for a poem he wrote about Shawn's condition. Even though Shawn appears retarded, in reality, he is actually a genius. He can recall every conversation he's ever heard, he can read, and has a deep understanding of his surroundings. Unfortunately, Shawn is unable to convey this to the outside world. He also suffers seizures which appear as tremendous suffering to others. In actuality, Shawn welcomes them as an escape from reality. He even describes them as comforting and dream-like and endures no pain during the episodes. Shawn reveals that he believes his father is planning on killing him out of love in order to end his suffering. This novel will likely create discussion and controversy, especially when the ending is revealed.