I grabbed this book to read to my 6 year old before bed. It is a Scholastic book that he got at the last book fair. He was bored after the first page, but I was hooked and had to finish it.
I thought it would be about kids who want a dog and they try to steal one, but learn a valuable lesson about responsibility and honesty. Oh no - nothing like that. It was about a couple of kids who were living in their car with their mom. They thought if they stole a dog, they could return it for some reward money and that might be enough money to put down as a deposit on an apartment.
Well, as it turns out, the person that they stole the dog from wasn't well off enough to offer reward money. She was also heartsick from losing such a dear companion. The kids make friends with her and now they have to decide what to do. (they give the dog back with a tearful explanation)
The homelessness was told with realism and clarity. The embarrassment at having dirty hair and clothes, combined with slipping schoolwork (you can't easily do your homework in the car) was carefully described and not watered down for kids.
I was surprised and pleased to see this offered for children. I am urging my 9 year old son to read this so we can talk about it more from his perspective.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tran-sister Radio - Chris Bohjalian
This tried to read like a documentary. There was an NPR context to the narrative, but this is a work of fiction. This is a story about a male to female gender change.
Dana is the main character and she didn't even have to change her name because - hey - it works both ways! When she was a he, she started dating a single woman (Allison) with a grown daughter and an ex-husband who was still stuck on her. Dana considered herself to be lesbian, but Allison considered herself to be straight.
The small Vermont town where Allison teaches 6th grade really freaked out about this change and the attempt at keeping the relationship together. I found that to be somewhat unrealistic, but perhaps I am somewhat sheltered in my liberal SE Portland neighborhood. They eventually break up and people stop giving Allison a hard time.
The most unrealistic part happens at the end though when Allison's ex husband, Will, falls in love with Dana. No freaking way. Will could not have moved from disgusted and repelled to hubba hubba in any time frame, let alone 6 months or so.
The things about me that make me feel feminine have nothing to do with skirts, soft sweaters or make up. This may be just a way I don't relate to someone who is transgendered. I imagine that Chris Bohjalian put a lot of effort into researching transgendered issues and threw the plot together as an afterthought.
Dana is the main character and she didn't even have to change her name because - hey - it works both ways! When she was a he, she started dating a single woman (Allison) with a grown daughter and an ex-husband who was still stuck on her. Dana considered herself to be lesbian, but Allison considered herself to be straight.
The small Vermont town where Allison teaches 6th grade really freaked out about this change and the attempt at keeping the relationship together. I found that to be somewhat unrealistic, but perhaps I am somewhat sheltered in my liberal SE Portland neighborhood. They eventually break up and people stop giving Allison a hard time.
The most unrealistic part happens at the end though when Allison's ex husband, Will, falls in love with Dana. No freaking way. Will could not have moved from disgusted and repelled to hubba hubba in any time frame, let alone 6 months or so.
The things about me that make me feel feminine have nothing to do with skirts, soft sweaters or make up. This may be just a way I don't relate to someone who is transgendered. I imagine that Chris Bohjalian put a lot of effort into researching transgendered issues and threw the plot together as an afterthought.
Running with Scissors - Augustin Burroughs
Augustin Burroughs has one of the most bizarre childhoods you could imagine. He tells stories about his alcoholic father and psychotic mother with a great deal of humor. I laughed out loud more times than I could count. I felt so often like I was sitting right beside him as he watched the strange cast of characters in his life.
When he was 13, his mother gave him away to her very unorthodox shrink. He lived in filth with no rules or limits with a group of people who were endearing, unhealthy, disgusting and very self centered. He was sexually abused and completely liberated in every possible way.
His life could not be described in any way except damaging and horrifying, but Augustin made it seem fun and entertaining much of the time. I was attrated and repelled in equal measures.
When he was 13, his mother gave him away to her very unorthodox shrink. He lived in filth with no rules or limits with a group of people who were endearing, unhealthy, disgusting and very self centered. He was sexually abused and completely liberated in every possible way.
His life could not be described in any way except damaging and horrifying, but Augustin made it seem fun and entertaining much of the time. I was attrated and repelled in equal measures.
Other Lives - Andre Brink
This book was made up of 3 stories all taking place in South Africa. The first one describes what it would be like to come home from work one day and have an entirely different wife and, oh ya, two kids you didn't have before. Weird. He didn't try very hard to go back to the original life - the new one was pretty sweet. All the inhibitions he had collected along the way down maturation road seemed to disappear. He was the artist he wanted to be, he had the courage to love a woman of color and he was a father. You can't help but daydream a bit after this story. What sort of life would I walk into? I am pretty boring though - all my roads would lead me to the place I am now - I feel sure of this.
The second story is about a white man waking up as a black man. Every other circumstance of his life is exactly the same, but his change of color leads him to examine all of his interactions through a new filter. He is convinced that his colleagues are trying to undermine him and question his authority. When he is out to dinner with his wife, criminals come in to rob the restaurant and all the diners. His wife urges him to confront the criminals - he feels because he is one of them. Good fun - but I would really like to know how he would behave if he were returned to his original color.
The third story was about a pianist who accompanies a gifted soprano. She can't mix music and love so he has to pine for her for a good long time while wishing he was more talented. They finally cross the line and he knows great happiness, but she kills him. He should have listened to her warnings. Longing, regret and a little madness ends this book.
The second story is about a white man waking up as a black man. Every other circumstance of his life is exactly the same, but his change of color leads him to examine all of his interactions through a new filter. He is convinced that his colleagues are trying to undermine him and question his authority. When he is out to dinner with his wife, criminals come in to rob the restaurant and all the diners. His wife urges him to confront the criminals - he feels because he is one of them. Good fun - but I would really like to know how he would behave if he were returned to his original color.
The third story was about a pianist who accompanies a gifted soprano. She can't mix music and love so he has to pine for her for a good long time while wishing he was more talented. They finally cross the line and he knows great happiness, but she kills him. He should have listened to her warnings. Longing, regret and a little madness ends this book.
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