Teen Stuff

I just finished reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, which was chosen as our February book for Lunchtime Lit (I think Friday, February 24th or something.) I really liked it, and practically couldn't put it down...and I was really surprised by that. There was a sweetness and innocence to much of the story, which was quite the feat since it is about a girl, Susie Salmon, who is already dead and in heaven when the story begins, having been murdered by a serial killer at 14 years old.

For the last several years, I have purposely avoided watching or reading fiction or nonfiction to do with this level of violence, as I have a really hard time shaking off the horror--which I know that real families have to go through...and I can't stop thinking about that fact. The thing that struck me in this story was that it was just one moment...maybe a couple of hours...that this brutal and horrifying thing happened, but that this girl had a whole other life, both before her death, and then after her death, which is much of what the novel deals with.

Somehow the story manages to show...without minimizing the tragedy of what happened to this girl...that it is not ALL there is. To the people left behind who didn't know her, she became "the girl who was murdered"...for the people who knew and loved her she was so much more. It also follows this dual path of letting go...while remaining connected...regardless of which side of heaven you are on.

Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven comes to mind when I think about some of the themes of this novel. I listened to that book on CD (checked our from MPL), which I really recommend as the style and pacing of the narrative lends itself well to audio. Other books in the youth department that deal with views of the after life would be The Great Blue Yonder by Alex Shearer and The Afterlife by Gary Soto.

It was really interesting to hear Rob Merritt's perspective on the Columbine tragedy at his visit on January 25, especially because he really had the inside track, having interviewed and met so many people who were there or affected. The name of the book he co-wrote with former Columbine student Brooks Brown, No Easy Answers is such an appropriate title, because it is so difficult to come up with that factor that could have made the difference in preventing this horrible event.

I really came away with the sense that the strongest means of prevention is human connection...between students themselves, and especially between students and caring adults who are willing to stand up for young people who aren't be treated fairly, as well as connect with kids who are having trouble dealing with intense feelings, whether rage, depression, etc.

So many times, instead, as Rob pointed out, there are "knee jerk" reactions in dealing with prevention where students are treated as "potential shooters" and treated in a very punitive way, that often marginalizes a student who already feels on the fringes in the first place. If we looked at these "red flag" type behaviors with more common sense and compassion, instead of hysteria, maybe we could really make a difference in those kids' lives, as well as prevent rage from growing to this extreme point.

For people who are still looking for answers (and actually many questions, as well) about the whole issue of school violence, I would highly recommend the book Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser, which is a fictional composite that takes factual elements from several real-life school shootings to create a story that examines a lot of the contributing factors. Also, Big Mouth & Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates is a great novel that examines the fall-out that many students have had to deal with in our country, based on these aforementioned "knee-jerk" reactions. The main character, Matt, makes a joking comment in the cafeteria which is then maliciously reported out of context and he is plunged into this world of being viewed with suspicion and an outright threat.

A couple of other titles that deal with this issue are The Brimstone Journals by Ron Koertge, The Taking of Room 114 and Who Killed Mr. Chippendale (both told in verse) by Mel Glenn, Rachel's Tears (a nonfiction title about Rachel Scott who was killed in the Columbine massacre) and Making Up Megaboy Virginia Walter.

I would also highly recommend America, a novel by E.R. Frank, an excellent author (who is a social worker in her day job), called America. She tells the story of Amercia, a 15 year old boy who has had a life that leaves him full of rage and pushing people away and the people who reach out to him anyway. We've all seen those people who are so hostile and seem like they hate everybody, but once you get a chance to see what it going on inside this guy's head...the pain he is dealing with, you'll never quite see that kind of behavior the same way.

In reading recent news reports about the two boys recently rescued from their kidnapper, I am reminded of a young adult novel I checked out and read a few years ago, When Jeff Comes Home by Catherine Atkins. Like the real life teen, Jeff was kidnapped and then returns to his family and community years later. The novel is about the aftermath of Jeff's experience and how people treat him when he returns.

When I read this book, I felt like it was so graphic, and so mature, and then I caught myself and realized that I was judging this character's experience differently than I would if Jeff had been a female victim of this same crime...which I think is a reflection of our society's difficulty in handling male victimization.

I find myself thinking of this real teenager, and hoping that people will treat him with the same kindness and care as they would a female in the same situation. I've heard the rumblings of people's reactions blaming and questioning why he didn't leave when it seemed like there were clear opportunities, which I think adds "insult to injury" in this traumatic situation.

Just like in so many situations, I think reading this book and seeing the feelings and circumstances through Jeff's eyes can build empathy in real life situations.