You reeked of sultry confidence

Shah, Tupac Aman. 1999. The Rose that Grew from Concrete. New York: Pocket Books.
0671028448. $21.95. Trade Cloth.

Annotation:
When he was 19, musician and actor Tupac Shakur (Tupac Aman Shah), was part of a weekly writing circle at his manager’s house. For this group, he created poetry about his life of overcoming obstacles, loves (many!), and views on injustice in the world. Tupac’s manager kept his hand-written poems and published them as The Rose That Grew from Concrete.

Awards:
2001 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
2004 YALSA Outstanding Books for the College Bound

Poetry is a good outlet for young adults to creatively express all of the emotions and new ideas that they are experiencing. In Exploding the Myths: The Truth about Teenagers and Reading Marc Aronson wrote that, “The popularity of rap music has made adolescents very conscious of the power of words, rhythm, and rhyme” (p.60). To have a book of poetry written by a famous rap star, when he was a young adult himself, could be a source of inspiration for aspiring young poets. Tupac’s poems have many themes that teenagers can relate to: the passion and heartbreak associated with new relationships, developing interests in social issues, and struggling to make something of yourself. Seeing the poems written in Tupac’s own handwriting, with scribbles and doodles, make them seem more accessible, like you’re reading a friend’s notebook. The Rose That Grew from Concrete is for fans of Tupac and rap music, and also for people who like poetry, especially poetry written by urban youth. The book also appeals as a tragedy because of Tupac’s untimely and horrible death. His last poem in the book, which forecasts an early end to his life, leaves the reader with the sad realization that Tupac, whose emotions, dreams and ambitions we’ve just been immersed in, is lost to us.

The Rose That Grew from Concrete should be included in a young adult collection because Tupac’s poems describe the young adult experience. His status as a modern cultural icon might make some teens feel that they can relate better to poetry. His style of language will appeal to teenagers who already like poetry.

The post title is a line from the poem 4 Irene (p.51).

Image from the Novelist Plus database.

What does "happily ever after mean" anyway?

Weetzie Bat by Francesca Block

Block, Francesca. 1989. Weetzie Bat. New York: Harper & Row. 0060205369. $19.95. Trade Cloth.

Annotation:
In a modern fairy tale, a girl named Weetzie Bat makes three wishes on a genie and finds true love and happiness in the magical land of Los Angeles.

Awards:
One of YALSA’s 100 Best Books
Parent’s Choice Award, 1989
Phoenix Award from the Children’s Literature Association, 2009



When I read the summary of Weetzie Bat by Francesca La Block in my library’s catalog, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it because it sounded like a silly, frivolous story. I really did like it though. It is a book that contains serious issues, it’s just told in a simple, fun and quirky way. The language in Weetzie Bat almost reminds me of a children’s book with its short, straightforward sentences and juvenile-sounding descriptions. Like: “Grandma Fifi was a sweet, powdery old lady who baked tiny, white, sugar coated pastries for them, played them tunes on a music box with a little dancing monkey on top, had two canaries she sang to, and had hair Weetzie envied…” The magical language adds to its sense of being a fairy tale dealing with modern issues like homosexuality, divorce, infidelity, and AIDS.

I think Weetzie’s story is appealing to me because it matches one of the fantasies I had as a young adult of having an odd, happy-go-lucky, fun seeking life. Maybe this is why it is a classic. Weetzie is cool, finds all the things to enjoy in life, and she doesn’t have serious responsibilities. She arranges to live her life in her own original way. Even when she becomes a mother, it still seems like a party, with her best friends right there raising the kids with her. She experiences problems and grief, but she has people who love her to help her get through those times.

The elements of the book that still speak to contemporary teens are creating your own life and finding happiness, despite whatever kind of unhealthy or strange upbringing your parents gave you. With the importance of peers to adolescents, the fact that Weetzie sets up her own family unit with her friends and boyfriend probably also resonates with teenagers. Teens shouldn’t read this book expecting realistic treatment of the heavy topics it glosses over. However, Weetzie Bat’s positive message, that bad (sometimes even terrible) things happen, but with love, hope and joy can get you through them and have a good life, is appealing.

Image from Hapercollins Publishers.

www.harpercollins.com

Greasers and Socs Rumble!

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Hinton, S.E. 1967. The Outsiders. New York: Penguin Group. 0670532576 . $17.99. Trade cloth.

Annotation:

Ponyboy and his borderline juvenile delinquent friends, the Greasers, get hassled by the privileged Socs. When his friend Johnny kills one of them in Ponyboy's defense, they all must deal with the consequences.

Awards:

New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List, 1967

Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book, 1967

American Library Association Best Young Adults Books, 1975

I can see why The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a classic young adult novel. The characters express many dimensions and have a lot of insight into their motivations and circumstances. Through the course of the book Ponyboy gains understanding about a lot of things in his world: the fact that even people who seem to have everything can be very unhappy, the reason behind why his oldest brother is so hard on him, and that the price of being “tough” and successfully surviving in the Greaser world is to lose your heart or “goldenness” and your chance of succeeding in the rest of society. The observations that he makes and the way that he grows during the book are an experience that, as a reader, is worth taking.

The title, “The Outsiders” refers to how Ponyboy’s social group, the “Greasers” are set apart from the rest of society. Maybe they were initially ostracized because of where they live and who their parents are, but they choose to band together, embrace the Greaser identity and rebel against the people who label them. In the scene where the gang is getting psyched up for the big rumble with the socs they actually chant statements that people have used to characterize them:
“Greaser…greaser…greaser” Steve singsonged. “O victim of environment, underprivileged, rotten, no-count hood!”
Through most of The Outsiders, Ponyboy sets himself apart from the other Greasers. He states that he doesn’t really like some of the people in his gang, the girls they associate with, or approve of their actions. He accepts the label and the Greaser look because of loyalty and rebellious pride. At the end of the book, circumstances overcome him and he starts to turn “tough” on the inside to match what he’s been trying to project on the outside. It is finding Johnny’s note, explaining Robert Frost’s poem that turns him back. “Stay gold” means to hope, to pay attention and notice the good in the world, and to let yourself feel. It means to not accept the limitations that society is trying to put on you and believe that you can do something fantastic one day.

Book cover image from the Aurora Public Library: http://www.library.aurora.on.ca/