Wintergirls, Anorexia and Other New(ish) Books About Body Issues

Wintergirls is another outstanding read by Laurie Halse Anderson. The subject is grim - Lia is anorexic, living with her Dad's second family, and barely recovering, when her former best friend, Cassie, dies a rather horrifying death by bulimia. Because Cassie tried to call Lia 33 times the weekend she died, Lia flips into full guilt "I don't deserve to eat" mode. Watching her disintegrate is wrentching. Beyond the subject matter, though, the book is outstanding for its sharp, poetic prose which puts the reader in Lia's unique, twisted mind. I'd say this is top of the must-read YAs of the year. It also is destined for the kind of popularity Anderson's Speak maintains. Body issue books are always popular, as are books centered around particular adolescent problems, like Cut by Patricia McCormick. Unlike some adults who get all "Oh my God, it's a how-to manual!" about these books, I think they function far differently for their readers , who really want a peek into a particular mind-set that may effect kids they know. In other words, don't be afraid to recommend these books.

Other recent books that address body issues are North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley, and The Fold by An Na. Terra Rose, the heroine of North, was born with a port-wine stain that noticiably covers a portion of her face. Her struggles with it, her parents, her artistic ambitions, her boyfriend, and what she finds on a trip to China, make the book read like something by Chris Crutcher - there's just so much - maybe too much- in the mix. The Fold is a bit lighter, finding some humor in the dilemma of a Korean-American girl whose aunt is pushing her to have an operation that will make her eyes look bigger (and less Asian). The struggles of these girls over their looks will also strike a chord with many teen readers, and so are worth recommending, even if they don't touch Wintergirls' literary merits.

Those Wonderful Australians - Tales From Outer Suburbia

Is it in the water? Does it have something to do with Aboriginal songlines? I wish I knew. Suffice it to say, the YA lit coming out of Australia is so magical it simply amazes me. Think Zusak, Hartnett, Lanaghan and Tan. They are always worth reading. Which brings me to Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan who also brought us The Arrival. Tales gathers illustrated short stories long on wonder and mystery. Remember the iconic mean old lady who confiscates children's toys gone astray? Doesn't every kid have such a tale? (The mean lady of my school days collected the kickballs that sailed over the schoolyard fence when we played at lunchtime.) Well Tan's diver from the book's cover just shows up one day in a bland suburb, and two children, as a prank, lead him to the mean lady's house 1) because he seems to be speaking Japanese and she is of Japanese descent, and 2) because he shows them a sliced up toy horse and the woman habitually cuts apart the toys that show up in her yard. However, something mysterious occurs here, just as it does in almost every other allegorical story in Tan's book. This is a read about wonder - how it exists in the most "outer" places, and how we need to be on guard against blandness and cliche. Who to give this to? That's the tricky part. Because some of the stories are told in pictures, it can go younger than YA, but older kids who like quirky books or the Twilight Zone might be more of an audience.

"Dope Sick" and Walter Dean Myers

The ever prolific Walter Dean Myers, who has just been nominated for Ibby's prestigious Hans Christian Anderson Award along with Eric Carle, David Almond and Eoin Colfer, has a new book out. Dope Sick treads similar territory to Monster. An inner-city youth gets caught up in a crime and, hearing his story, it's up to the reader to decide his degree of culpability. This time there is more than a touch of magic realism. Cornered by the police in an abandoned drug lair, Lil J, is confronted by a young homeless man who's TV set can play back scenes of Lil J's life. Fans of Monster, Myers and authors like Paul Volponi (Black and White) are likely readers. This is a gritty look at the life of a kid, already a father and already deluding himself about his drug use, who may or may not, depending on the reader's viewpoint, deserve a second chance. Lot of stars for this one from reviewing journals, and it is highly readable, standing far above most YA lit. Yet, it doesn't outdo Monster, which remains, in my mind, Myers' best.

Marcello is Exceptional

Another multiple-star gleaning YA title for 2009, Marcello In the Real World, by Francisco X. Stork, is so far - by leaps and bounds - my favorite YA book this year. I approached this title a bit reluctantly at first. It features an autistic teen who, in first-person narration, puzzles out the world and some mysteries concerning his father. Sound familiar? I was afraid this would be ...Dog in the Night-time lite. (Then there was last year's excellent Juv mystery, The London Eye, also featuring an autistic boy. Smell a trend? In any case, Marcello blew me away. Stork has created a wonder in this teen, who reluctantly is coerced by Dad into a summer job at the old man's Boston law firm. At stake is whether Marcello can stay at his beloved private school, Patterson for his senior year. If he can handle "the real world," Dad won't force him into mainstreaming into a public high school. Marcello is high-functioning, and probably has Asberger's syndrome. He can master the routine of the firm's mail room. But it's the people at the firm - including his young, female mailroom boss - who flummox Marcello. When he comes across photos from a personal injury case involving one of Dad's corporate clients, he takes on ethical issues that might be over his head. Stork creates a rich, involving world where questions about love, loyalty, family and friendship aren't easily answered. Recommend this to anyone who loved ...Dog in the Night-time or other readers, 8th grade and up, who like an involving character-driven read with complexity and some romance (fans of Joan Bauer, John Green, etc.). Warning: There are illusions to sexual politics at the law firm, and to the father's misjudgment and possible infidelity.

Get Out a Hankie

The first of my recommendations to keep you up to date on all things YA, this book has received multiple stars, catapulting it to the top of this year's YA "must watch" list:

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

The story of a teen whose family - Mom, Dad, younger brother -dies in the same car crash in which she is critically injured. In a coma, Mia's spirit, separated from her body, wanders unseen among her boyfriend, grandparents, and friends. As she flashes back on her life, Mia is trying to make a decision about "staying." Will it be worth it? Heartbreaking, yet despite the subject it steers away from melodrama . What's also nice - this wasn't a kid with lots of angst. She was very close to her parents and brother. She's also unsure about her relationship with the boyfriend, a rocker who's band is breaking out. His intense loyalty to her is endearing. Expect this to VERY POPULAR as it's gotten a lot of hype. Suggest for kids who like Jodi Picoult or books like Before I Die by Jenny Downham (about a girl dying of cancer) and Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin (about a girl killed in bike/car accident and her experience of heaven).