Just Jake

Just Jake by Jake Marcionette 

           When Jake Matthews is forced to move from his hometown in Florida to Maryland with his family, Jake is completely worried about fitting in at his new school. At home back in Florida, Jake was practically the most popular guy in middle school, everyone loved him. He was funny, awesome and carried himself as one confident kid, until he had to leave and find himself in a new school. No longer feeling confident and struggling to fit in, Jake must confront the bullies at his new school and show his new friends the cool guy he can be. With his ‘rules of awesomeness’ and his arrogant attitude, Jake attempts to be back on top of the social ladder at his new school and to hopefully find a group of friends that will accept who he is. A silly and lighthearted story about a preteen finding their place in middle school, Just Jake is good book for those who love and praise Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

                        A series intended for middle school boys, Just Jake is a fun and quirky story that is similar in style to stories like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and other stories that tell the lives of kids trying to fit in and make sense of who they are in these in between years. Popularity, Fame and being well liked seems to be the most important thing to this age group. Even though it may seem like the end of the world if you’re not in the popular group, we need to redirect tweens to books that don’t solely focus on this subject. I feel there so many books and series that are essentially the same story just with different titles. Instead of focusing on queen bees and what kind of jeans the popular girls are wearing, creating a story that isn’t so predictable and easy for this age group is something we must consider as educators and authors. Tweens are becoming obsessed with ideas fame, vanity and what’s popular that their priorities are not in order.

Pretties

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

In the highly anticipated sequel to Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies, Tally Youngblood finally undergoes cosmetic surgery to be a pretty. She finally has it all-she’s beautiful, popular, has a gorgeous boyfriend and wears truly awesome clothes, but something doesn’t seem right, something is mentally off and Tally is on a mission to find out what’s happened. Set in a dystopian future, where everyone is pretty, there’s a price for beauty. Once having undergone the surgery pretties are given brain lesions that leave them in a state of being perpetually lazy and living a life of luxury and high entertainment. Now that Tally is a pretty she forgets she has volunteered to take a drug that cures the legion. This epic sequel takes the reader on a journey that helps Tally remember what’s important and who she is and who her true friends are. In a twisted and engaging story, this is an interesting book that deals with our obsession with vanity and a celebrity like lifestyle.

                        A story that is definitely intended more for a young adult audience, I see more and more middle school aged girls reading this series. While the second book in the series deals with themes of popularity, fame, vanity obsession and the harm in them, I think it ultimately teaches young girls the importance of who you are and not being focused on reaching perfection when it comes to our appearance. An interesting approach to telling a story focused on the standards of beauty and reaching a state of perfection, I applaud this author and how he executes such a powerful message. While reading this book, I couldn’t help but think how many young girls (10, 11, 12 years old) request this book. It made me think about parental guidance in tween reading. Are they aware that the maturity and young adult fiction and tween fiction is significant? Do they care/not care what their children are reading? Should tweens be reading material that is too old for them? It’s certainly an interesting topic to discuss.

The Popularity Papers

The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham Chang

The Popularity Papers is an interesting story told from the perspective of two best friends who are just outside the ‘in crowd’ and looking in on the lives of those in the popular group and what makes them so much cooler and better than everyone else. In this journal like story, two fifth grade friends are determined to find out the secrets and the inner workings of what it takes to be popular at their middle school. Through observations, recording and mimicking the attitude and demeanor of the popular girls, Lydia and Julie research every move of the popular girls at school because, ‘when you’re popular, you’re just better.’ Styled with heavy illustrations and in a notebook fashion, learn the inner workings of the in crowd, the importance of the social hierarchy of preteens and follow Lydia and Julie on their quest for popularity and where it leads them.

             In the same fashion as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, this story focuses on the importance of social hierarchy in middle school. I think it’s safe to say that when it comes to writing books (specifically series) for tweens today, authors stick to the same basic themes. Many series that are intended for a tween audience, the story is most likely going to focus on how to navigate middle school and primarily center on the popular crowd and the main character’s relation to those in the popular crowd. While this may be an important part of a twelve old girls life, it’s important to challenge them intellectually. Letting them read story after story that is essentially the same thing, I think it’s important to emphasize a well rounded reading experience. Although, I enjoyed this story more than the others I think it’s time to turn the focus on a different aspect of life in middle school.

Candy Apple

Candy Apple (Accidentally Famous) by Lisa Papademtriou

The Candy Apple series has long been a favorite for middle school age girls and tweens everywhere. In book fourteen of the acclaimed children’s series, Accidentally Famous centers on Amy Flowers, a seventh grader who is full of personality and energy, the attitude that ‘the league’ doesn’t appreciate so much. Fiona, the queen bee of ‘the league’ does not care for Amy and the fact that she marches to her own beat and doesn’t care what people think about her. In this story, Amy is helping fellow league member Jenelle put on a charity fashion show when Amy steals the show. Amy designs and models her own outfit and is photographed and instantly becomes the fashion guru at school. This infuriates Fiona, she’s no longer in the spotlight and she’ll do anything to get it back. Will the spotlight and attention get to Amy’s head?

            Another series for young girls to become addicted too, the themes continue to focus on jealousy, attention seeking, girl drama, revenge and popularity. With so many books intended for the tween audience the message is narrow, it’s all about popularity and taking down your enemy. While this maybe the life of middle school girls and we feel books should relate back to the reader, how are these kinds of stories or series healthy for young girls to continue to read? When the books became the personal, more intimate and diary style of writing, I was completely in favor of this style of writing. It was personal and it allowed for an even deeper connection to the reader. This style has become almost saturated in tween literature these days and I feel it’s no longer interesting and almost dull.

How I Survived Middle School

How I Survived Middle School (Wish Upon A Star) by Nancy Krulik

In book eleven in the popular tween series, How I Survived Middle School Jenny is on the dance committee and wants to make sure the winter dance will be an event everyone will remember. But the thing is no one is excited about the dance being in the school gym…Jenny’s former best friend Addie who is also on the dance committee lies saying a pop star will be performing at the dance, getting everyone excited about the upcoming festivities and ticket sales up. Knowing that Addie lied about getting Cody Tucker (only the biggest pop star of all time or at least at Jenny’s middle school, She’s somehow got to get that pop star to show up at the dance. Although Addie’s dad’s company is a sponsor for Cody, she tells everyone her father knows Cody and can easily get him to perform at the dance, only her father does not know Cody.

            Nancy Krulik is beloved among fifth grade girls for her series, How I Survived Middle School. Gushing about crushes, middle school girl drama and more, this series is a favorite for ‘tween’ girls especially. In this particular story, Jenny McAfee is excited about being a part of the dance committee and wanting to make it a dance no one will forget. A former friend who is also a part of the committee promises a teen heart throb pop star will be at the dance. Once students hear the name Cody Tucker in the halls, everyone is finally excited about the dance. What would be a fun event for any middle school girl, the only reason why people are excited about the event is the fact that a famous pop start will make an appearance. Again, another story centered on fame and the growing obsession with fame and celebrities. 

Dork Diaries: Tales of a Not So Fabulous Life

Dork Diaries: Tales of a Not So Fabulous Life by Rachel Russell

In what will become an instant middle school classic novel (with sketches throughout the book to get the feel of a real life diary), Dork Diaries is a series that focuses on Nikki Maxwell and her life as her she and her family move to a new school. In the fashion of a diary (which seems to be a very trendy writing style these days for tweens), Nikki spills all, her feelings about moving and having to make new friends and how to handle life as a middle schooler, because it’s just too difficult to be in the eighth grade! She pulls off the whole, ‘no understands me or knows what I’m going through’ very well and dishes about boys, dealing with sister, begging for the latest iPhone and seriously ripping on the mean girl, Mackenzie in her art class. Follow Nikki’s life in the first novel of the hit series, Dork Diaries: Tales of a Not So Fabulous Life.    

      Much the book focuses on the struggle of being popular and the coolest girl in eighth grade. But isn’t that everyone’s problem in middle school? Now more than ever, popularity, being the coolest and prettiest girl in school seems to be the most important part of school. With bullying becomes more severe and much more of a problem, everyone is in a race to be the most popular kid in school and afraid of being left out and becoming invisible. More than ever, there is a heightened sense of pressure to be a part of the in crowd and to be well known amongst your peers. The whole idea of fame and self promotion is seeping into the classrooms of middle schools across the country, even elementary schools. So what’s the deal, why is it so important to be socially accepted as being number one?

Judy Moody Gets Famous

Judy Moody Gets Famous by Megan McDonald

By critically acclaimed children’s author, Megan McDonald is the master behind the hit book series Judy Moody. Judy Moody hit the shelves in 2010 and has been very successful and popular among the tween audience. Judy Moody a young third grader with attitude shares her home and school life in this hilarious and fun filled series. In the second book in the series, Judy Moody Gets Famous, Judy is instantly jealous of the fame fellow classmate Jessica Finch gets when she makes the front page of the newspaper, as well as her parents and brother. Everyone seems to be famous except for her. Determined to find fame for herself, Judy steals broken dolls from the hospital, cleans and fixes them then mails them back when she finds out the news has scooped up her good deed story.

      Although slightly different from the rest of the stories, it doesn’t seek fame in the celebrity sense of the word, Judy feels like all the attention should be on her. Jealous of a classmate and even parents and brother who all have claims to fame, Judy is moody and desparately wants to be famous. The point that’s trying to be made is not so much the fame (in the celebrity sense) is what we’re after, we’re all stuck on the idea of being the center of attention. Is this a good message to be sending to children, while the author does an excellent job of portraying what young children go through and relating back to the reader’s lives, we’re stuck on the idea of ‘Me, Me, Me’ and this is something we need to  change. 

BABYMOUSE

BABYMOUSE by Jennifer L. Holm 

Jennifer L. Holm is a gifted storyteller and is praised and loved for her success with her pink graphic novel series, BABYMOUSE. A Newbery Award winning author and three time recipient for the Newbery Honor, Jennifer Holm created a story that focuses on the life of a young female mouse and her life at home and in the halls at school. Much of the story revolves around the life of young mousling who is trying to fit in at school. She wants to be popular, pretty and essentially queen of the world but will she ever fit in and befriend the inner circle of the popular crowd? While this story is a great way to promote early literacy for young readers, the message it sends to young readers is superficial at times.

      BABYMOUSE spends most her time compensating for the like of beauty, glamour, excitement and adventure in her daily life by mentally believing herself to being Queen of the World, prettiest or most popular girl at school. While everyone is certainly concerned where they socially stand in school, so many books appropriate for tween readers seem to be saturated in the same themes of popularity, striving for perfection and being famous. While I enjoyed reading BABYMOUSE, I was left feeling like I had read the story before. With the market for tween books focused on such a narrow topic, are these series and graphic novels becoming unhealthy for our kids to read?

Princess Diaries

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Princess Diaries was perhaps the most popular book when I was in middle school, every girl had the books and during silent reading you better believe we were all reading about Princess Amelia and talking about how cool it would be to have that lifestyle. A slightly different take on fame, Meg Cabot the author of many popular young adult/tween fiction, Princess Dairies was perhaps her biggest success that became a very popular series among tween readers. The Princess diaries is about a young girl growing up with her mother in New York City and going to a private school where her father wasn’t in the picture. What she soon finds out was that her father was a prince of some European country in between France and Spain, known as Genovia. Alas, we have modern take on a princess story. Come on, is that all you can come up for young girls, Fame, The Perfect Body Image and Princess fiction?  A coming of age story with a twist of modern princesses and romance, Princess Mia must choose a lifestyle as the invisible high school girl or the future Princess of Genovia?

      Another story that was intended for a young adult audience, The Princess Diaries became a very popular series that tween girls fell in love with. Speaking as one of those girls, this is yet another story that promotes fame in a slightly different way, royalty and what that means in modern times. Let’s not focus on diplomatic or political concerns that royalty must take on, the story focuses on Mia essentially being at an in between stage of her life who has frizzy hair and comes off as a dork and often invisible to the people around her. Once she finds out she is the daughter of a prince, she instantly becomes the most popular girl at school and everyone wants to be her friend, even the popular boys and girls Mia secretly hates. Mia gets a taste of what’s it is like to be a part of the cool crowd and realizes what true friendship is and that she might not be cut out to take on such important responsibilities as a princess.    

L.A. Candy

L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

Yet another celebrity who thinks just because she’s a celebrity she can dabble in whatever she wants and can still become a New York Times bestselling author. Lauren Conrad, a Laguna Beach teenager that changed reality television by not only promoting fame but the rise of teenage television stardom. Lauren Conrad became famous by co-starring in the hit television ‘reality show’ when she was eighteen years old. Lucky for her she became a millionaire, had another hit show, became a fashion designer, a bestselling author and screams self promotion. No offense to LC because I actually am a fan of hers, (I grew up looking up to her) she represents this idea that fame is how we become successful. Hello your audience is reaching middle school girls, this is not the right message to be sending tweens. Her image encourages the idea that fame is almost normal and easy to fall into. In her first book series, L.A. Candy she essentially tells the story of her real life and how making it in Los Angeles, a sea of fake people and friends who will stab you in the back no matter the cost of fame. Flat, predictable and characters who sport Chanel purses, this book sends the wrong message and is a recipe for disaster for young minds.

              Reading the first in the series, I really did not understand the point to this book (I had to force myself to read the other two books). It is essentially a novelization of her hit show on MTV, The Hills. It focuses on a young girl who becomes a reality show star and her life in Los Angeles, California. Although this type of fiction is certainly trendy and popular at the moment, parents may not be all that worried because they see it as only a trend, something that won’t be cool in a few years. However with a culture that is constantly being bombarded with Hollywood, constant celebrity gossip, rumors and the high life. Our society and culture is certainly being influenced by this role of celebrity lifestyle and fame playing a crucial part of who we are as the American youth.  Although the books focus on the life of fame for young girls, in real life I think Lauren is one of very few celebrities that try to stay away from the fame and drama. She has done an excellent way of trying to live a life on the ‘down low.’

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar

The first novel in the Gossip Girl series by Cecily von Ziegesar was intentionally meant for a young adult audience but became huge and popular amongst preteen girls in middle school. A series that focuses on teen drama, the first novel titled Gossip Girl, inspired a hit television show that hit an audience that ranged from middle school to college aged girls. The first book focuses on the lives of privileged teenagers at an elite prep school for girls on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. While the story focuses on a group of best friends, the story is from the perspective of an anonymous gossip blogger. The structure of the story revolves around friendship, revenge and exploiting each other’s love lives. Being a part of the popular group, they can’t help but indulge in visiting the “Gossip Girl” site, where an anonymous blogger spreads rumors and gossip about the elite group of girls.

        Released in early 2002, the Gossip Girl franchise took off when the hit and popular show was created in 2007 staring Blake Lively and Leighton Meester among other famous actors. While self promotion seems to play a big theme in the books and television show, this is another story that focuses on fame, egotism and being the prettiest girl in school. Not exactly books we encourage our young girls to read, we can’t help but wonder why this style of young adult (and ‘tween’) fiction is so popular. Do we want our youth to be influenced by rich kids parading around and sleeping with each other’s boyfriends, exploring with drugs and alcohol. It’s the question of innocence, do we want to preserve the idea of ‘child innocence’ or is it time for them to learn about the reality of our culture and society? Is fame really that imperative to being successful in life? Is it healthy for our kids to fill their mind with the idea of fame, sex and self promotion?

Themed Reader’s Advisory Tweens: How Fame became the Norm (The Obsession with Fame in Everyday Life

  Hannah Montana: Keeping Secrets

      Hannah Montana originally aired on the Disney Channel and became an instant favorite among tween aged girls with her hit television show, films, concerts and books. What started out as a show turned into a brand that sold dolls, books, music and much, much more. The show focuses on an average American school girl played by Miley Cyrus who is secretly this mega pop star who trying to deal with real life as Miley Stewart. Once the series turned into a popular book series, girls couldn’t get their hands on the books fast enough. In Hannah Montana: Keeping Secrets, Miley doesn’t know what to do when faced with the dilemma of her best friend Oliver is completely obsessed with Hannah Montana. Miley has to figure out a way to keep her life safe and secret from everyone including her friends.

      Hannah Montana is the perfect example to start with when talking about tween’s and the lives of children and the influence of fame. Growing up watching television shows in the nineties, we knew the distinction between what was real and not. We knew how to separate our lives from what was happening on the television screen. In today’s society, fame and self promotion is very much a part of our world and our day to day lives now with the internet and constant access to information. With more shows focusing on Hollywood Access and fame, I think it’s interesting to examine how fame is very much a part of this younger generation and how they shape their moral identity. Hannah’s influence in her show has undoubtedly played an important part on how young minds view and think of fame in our culture. It’s in our news, in shows and in our books. What message is this sending to our kids today? Is Hannah Montana harmless to our kids?

Hannah Montana

Hannah Montana

            After perusing the Children’s Department at the local library, when I came across Hannah Montana I thought there couldn’t be a better show to evaluate and review.  Lucky for me I was able to find the first season of the series easily. One of the biggest and most influential series for “tween” aged girls. Every girl from second grade into early middle school at the school my mother taught was obsessed with the hit show starring Miley Cyrus. The basis of the show centers on Miley Stewart (portrayed by pop star Miley Cyrus) a teenage girl who leads a double life as a normal teenage girl and the pop sensation Hannah Montana. The show became an instant success and proceeded with three more seasons and is considered one of the Disney Channels greatest shows geared towards tween aged girls.

            Now for someone who has no younger siblings I didn’t know much about the show at all. In fact I thought the character of “Hannah Montana” was a dream or fantasy of the Miley Stewart. After watching the first few episodes, I was clearly in the wrong, Hannah Montana is an actual character as well as Miley Stewart. I was a little shocked to learn that within the very first couple episodes Miley’s two friends find out her true identity but are sworn to keep it secret until the right moment presents itself for Miley to share who she really is. Although, a famous pop star, Miley is a normal teenage girl facing normal day to day experiences. This is perhaps why there was such a huge following of the show, many young girls felt they could relate to this character. However the consequence with this show is the idea of wanting fame and the celebrity lifestyle. Very much of our culture focuses on the obsession to be famous, whatever that may mean. I only watched a few episodes of Hannah Montana, but I don’t know if this is show that should be encouraged for young girls to watch. Although the show addresses the normal lives, does it also promote the celebrity lifestyle and encourage young girls to focus on wanting fame and publicity? Maybe I’ll finish the series to see how this question is handled through the show!  

(images via pinterest)

The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass

Before watching The Golden Compass, I couldn’t help but do a little research on the background of the story.  Based on the British Series, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass (the North America title) was originally released as Northern Skies in England in 1995. The Golden Compass was the first in the trilogy and was successful enough to be made into a hit movie starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliot and Dakota Blue Richards as the young and adventurous Lyra Belacqua. Told as a fantasy novel, the story revolves around the young Lyra Belacqua and the journey she makes through time and space to save the ones she loves. It is beautiful coming of age story as Lyra travels through a series of parallel universes against the backdrop of adventurous and sometimes life threatening events, with friends, enemies and animal spirits.

            Having not read the book and only watching the film, the story was a bit confusing at times. Much of the story revolves around the powerful Magisterium (which is obvious it represents religion-specifically the Catholic Church?!)  The almighty Magisterium is looking to rid all tolerance and free thinking, therefore their mission to destroy all alethiometers, which is also known as a truth teller (what looks to us like a compass). We learn they have succeeded and have obliterated every compass except for one in which only one can read, precious little Lyra. Most of the story follows Lyra on an epic journey to find her friends who have been taken by the Gobblers and to save her Uncle. Throughout the story, we learn that everyone in this alternate world (that looks very similar to earth) has an animal spirit that walks along the side of humans. They are also referred to as daemons. Children’s daemons are able to change shape and form, while at a certain age an adult’s daemon, takes on its permanent form.

            Like any typical tween or young adult novel, it’s a story of a child growing up and finding who they are and what their voice is. In this case, we learn early on that Lyra is an orphan. Not growing up with a parent, Lyra is this young girl who is trying to make sense of the world around her despite her upbringing and little guidance. Most of the story focuses on Lyra being the only person who can read this compass and finding the confidence and pride she needs that she is the one who will save all these worlds from clashing and going to war with one another. This young girl is the protagonist of the story and will rise to become a leader and the voice of all the orphan children she must save in the first novel. I think this story is an excellent source of literature for young children, particularly to ‘tween’ age children, this is the age where children start to make sense of the world and their place in it.