Book Talk: The Miseducation of Cameron Post

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
Cameron Post is 12 years old when she kisses a girl for the first time and on that same night both of her parents die in a car accident. All she can think of is that she is relieved that her parents will never know her secret.  Cameron's born-again aunt comes to live with her and life for Cameron changes. Aunt Ruth takes Cameron to an evangelical church and has her join the teen church group. Although Cameron has always gone to church and has always believed in God, she isn't so sure that she believes in the ideas of this new, more conservative church.  The church brings in a reverend who has opened a school to "de-gay" teenagers... or "help bring them closer to God and away from their sinful same sex attraction disorder."
During a church breakfast, Coley Thomas appears. Coley is a gorgeous ranch girl who Cameron has had a crush on ever since she saw her in science class that fall. Coley quickly befriends Coley- all the while falling in love with her. One night while at Coley's house, the two girls kiss. This kiss means a whole lot more to Cameron than it does to Coley. To Cameron, this is it- love. To Coley, this is an experiment, a way to pass the days until her boyfriend returns from soccer camp. The girls continue to fool around all summer- and Cameron still believes that she might have a chance with Coley. After Coley gets an apartment in town, the girls have a chance to take their kissing to a whole new level. After dinner and a movie at Coley's, the 2 get  serious, only to be interrupted by Coley's older brother. After that, Coley avoids Cameron.
Two nights later when Cameron comes home, she is greeted by her Aunt and the preacher from church. Coley has told her parents that Cameron seduced her and tried to take advantage of her.  Aunt Ruth has decided that Cameron will go to Promise- the school that will teach her that being gay is a sin. The pamphlet even says that the opposite of homosexuality isn't heterosexuality, but holiness.  2 weeks later, Cameron arrives at Promise where she finds her true self- a girl who likes girls and knows that she doesn't need to be "fixed".

This book is long- nearly 500 pages. It is told by Cameron when she is a grown woman, reflecting on this period in her life. Although the characters are mesmerizing and the plot is amazing, some reluctant YA readers may find this hard to get through. All that said- it is an amazing coming of age novel and a novel that lets kids know that it is okay to be who they are and love whoever they want to love. The book also captures the essence of Montana through rich, descriptive writing. I have never been to Montana, but after reading this book, I almost felt as though I'd been there.

To learn more about the book, visit Cameron Post's Tumblr (This might make more sense AFTER you read the book!)
Visit Cameron's Dollhouse

Book Talk: Before I Fall

This is my first book talk/book review since... well, for about a year! I have been reading books, just not writing book talks. Since I will be in a high school and middle school library in August, I thought I'd better get a move on and start reviewing some great YA books. So, after searching the library catalog. I came away with Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.








I went to high school. I know about the cliques and the bullies and the drugs and sex and drinking... but this book confirmed one thing for me:

 This fact is laid out for the reader as if Lauren Oliver were holding a large, flashing, neon sign before my eyes. High school girls are scary. Mean high school girls are even scarier and mean high school girls who know they are mean are the scariest. Sam is a mean girl who knows she is mean. She almost gets off on being mean. This is what I thought about Sam for the first 100 pages of the book- even though she had died twice by this point:

This book was Mean Girls meets Heathers meets It's a Wonderful Life meets Groundhog Day all rolled in to one- but it read like a realistic fiction novel.
Sam is part of the most popular group of girls in school. She and her friends go out of their way to me mean to everyone they come in contact with- including teachers, siblings, parents and the general public. Sam had everything- looks, grades, money, hot boyfriend... but she still insisted on being mean. I knew girls like this in high school- I was lucky enough to be off of their radar, but I knew what they were capable of.

Sam and her friends head to a party on Valentine's Day where they are confronted by the girl they have bullied and harassed since fifth grade. Juliette Sykes, dubbed Psycho, bursts into the party, calls all the girls bitches and leaves.  Hey Sam, Taylor Swift wrote a song about you- you might know it:

 The party continues as if nothing happened and at the end of the night everyone leaves. Sam and her friends (who have all been drinking) pile into the car a leave. 

On their way home, they get in a car accident. Sam, who was sitting in the front seat blacks out and when she wakes up in the morning- she thinks she must have bumped her head and everything is fine- but it is Valentine's Day again.

Sam figures out that she must have died in that car accident and she is living the same day over again. She has a chance to live this day again- to get it right and may be not die. But she doesn't get it right. She continues to be a mean girl. At one point I hate her worse than I did when she is alive.

As the book progresses and Sam keeps reliving the same day, we see that Sam is starting to get it- she is realizing that her actions have consequences. She also realizes that she needs to take responsibility for her own actions and try to make things better. But- she just can't get it right. She lives the same day 6 times in a row, each day becoming a better person, each day trying to get her story right- but she is missing something. On the 7th day, she wakes up and realizes that she doesn't need to get her story right, she needs to get the story right for those around her. So here I am on the day that I know Sam is finally going to die (or is she? Could she live??) and I finally like her.

In the end, Sam has done the right thing, set a good example for those around her and encouraged me, and hopefully you, to slow down, enjoy each day and each moment- tell people you love them- because you never know if you will get another chance to get your story right.

But seriously- bullying is not something that I take likely. If you are bullying someone stop. Stop now. If you are being bullied- get help. Ask your parents, a neighbor, a friend- your librarian- for help. Grown ups do care and want to help. If you are too scared to talk to someone face to face, click here: http://www.stopbullying.gov/get-help-now 
If you or someone you know if considering suicide- you need to get immediate help. Do not wait. You can click here to enter Crisis Chat and get immediate, one-on-one help http://www.crisischat.org/ or call 
1-877-YOUTHLINE 1-877-968-8454 to get help from other teens. It is never too late. 

Book Talk Tuesday

I have been searching the web for a great place to post book reviews for librarians and teachers to use in the classroom. Well, I am going to try hosting my own Book Talk Tuesday! I invite teachers, moms, dads and librarians to link to a recent book talk or book review that can be used by others.

My rules?

1. All content must be appropriate for children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.

2. Websites that you link to must be child friendly since lots of kids visit this site and if they click on your link, I want it to be appropriate for them.

3. Positive reviews only, please... we only spread love here at The Lemme Library!

4. Books must be available in The US. (you are welcome to link to ARC reviews)

5. I reserve the right to remove any reviews that don't meet criteria 1-4.

In the link title field, be sure to include the title of the book you are reviewing and your site name. In the URL field, please link to this specific post that contains the book review (That way people don't have to scour your blog looking for it!)

Wow! What a weekend for book bloggers! My Twitter account almost exploded from all of the #yasaves tweets!This week, in your comment, tell me your YA experience or thoughts. Did a book make a difference in your life? Did you tweet about it? Blog about it? Leave a link to your post! I created this graphic for people to use on their blogs. Feel free to use it!

NEW! I think that comment prompt is for the wrong crows! Most of us (including me), aren't YA people, so scratch that! So, if you leave a comment, tell us one of your guilty pleasures. What do you like to do that you may not like to admit in mixed company... keep it rated G here folks, we are a school library blog! : ) 

My guilty pleasure? I have a lot of them. But, one I am willing to admit to is:

Jerseylicious. Yes- the reality show on The Style Network- the show about hairstylists in New Jersey that fight and act like crazy people. Yes- I watch it. Yes, I DVR it. Yes, I turn the channel when my husband walks in the room. But, I love it. I love the drama and may be it makes me feel just a little better about my lot in life. How about you'?

1.	A Million Miles From Boston	9.	Darth Paper Strikes Back	17.	Underground (proseandkahn)
2.	Penny Dreadful (Jen Robinson's Book Page)	10.	Turtle's Penguin Day (liblaura5)	18.	Little Red Pen (The Cath in the Hat)
3.	Dragon of Doom; Mother & Son Tales; My Father's Dragon; Pearl & Wagner (Lit Lad)	11.	Juniper Berry (@Chocolate Air)	19.	Young Fredle (Smithville Elementary Library--@ seslibrary)
4.	New York Review Children's Collection: Breathtaking Book Sets (Read Aloud Dad)	12.	Enter the Zombie (@pageintraining)	20.	Shelf- employed
5.	10 Children's Books About Gardening	13.	How They Croaked ( @ Kid Lit Frenzy)	21.	Small as an Elephant (Heidi@ Geo Librarian)
6.	Books for picky eaters (Try Curiosity!)	14.	Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku (Bigfoot Reads)	22.	Meet Annie Barrows
7.	Michelle Marcus@ litchat for kids	15.	Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan (Gathering Books)
8.	8 Mini Reviews of Picture Books Read in May	16.	Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie (proseandkahn)

#yasaves

I am sure I will have plenty to blog about concerning this debacle from The Wall Street Journal. But, I need to let the waves subside before I throw my hat in the ring... I don't have the experience or background to speak too loudly. So, I will pitch in with this graphic. Please feel free to use it, share it, post it... spread the word that young adult fiction can save a life and change a life. You don't have to link back or give credit- just use it! Kelly

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Original photo taken from kelsey_lovefusionphoto Flickr Photostream with creative commons permission