Click on the book to read Amazon reviews |
Peters,
Julie Anne.
DEFINE "NORMAL"
Boston : Little, Brown, 2000.
IL 5-8, RL 5.3
ISBN 0316706310
(2 booktalks)
|
When
straight A student Antonia Dillon agreed to become a peer counselor at
her middle school, she expected to assist fellow students with their usual
problems—boy trouble, school, parents. She certainly didn’t expect
to be stuck counseling Jasmine “Jazz” Luther, a punker who uses black lipstick
and is into body piercing and tattoos. As the two girls reluctantly
meet for their ½ hr. sessions each girl gradually reveals more and
more about her troubled life. Antonia admits her divorced mother
is deeply depressed and unable to work or care for her family and the job
of running the house and caring for her little brothers has fallen on Antonia’s
shoulders. Antonia is amazed to learn that Jazz lives in a mansion
and has a passion for playing classical piano. But Jazz’s mother
is a control freak and is constantly criticizing Jazz, telling her how
she should dress and act and think. Then Antonia’s mother is hospitalized
for her depression and Jazz gives u!
p playing the piano to spite
her mother. As secret after secret is exchanged a friendship develops
between these two girls and they learn they can rely on each other as they
work through their problems and bring their lives back to “normal”. (Lois
Feldman, lfeldman@library.mornet.org,
Morris Area Public Library)
Booktalk #2
Antonia, a straight A model
middle school student, has reluctantly agreed to peer counsel Jazz, a dark
rebellious student. Both girls figure they have nothing in common.
However, after a rocky start, they realize they just might need each other.
Antonia finds out Jazz is an accomplished classical pianist with a controlling
mother. And Jazz discovers Antonia is forced into taking care of her younger
brother and mother, who suffers from severe depression after her father
deserted them. When tragedy strikes, both girls realize that
they have a bond and friendship that help them see people in a different
way, including themselves. (Mary Balog, mary.balog@hudson.lib.oh.us,
librarian) |
