Review of Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz. Hyperion 2007 ($8.99 paperback version)

The first word that pops to mind when I think about this novel is "Pffftt." I know that "pffftt" isn't REALLY a word, but it's the sound I made after almost every page. I had Blue Bloods on my "to-read" list since it was published in hardcover, and chose to read it this weekend as a bit of pleasure reading. Big mistake. Reading this novel was more pain than pleasure. It reads like a list of "hot" designers written by a 16-year-old girl who watches too many reruns of Sex and the City. It shares a lot of the same aspects of the popular Clique novels, which I liked as fun pleasure reading, but lacks the sense of humor, the ability to see itself for what it is. Blue Bloods, unlike the Clique novels, takes itself WAY too seriously.

The major problem with Blue Bloods is the premise. I could forgive the slow development of the plot, the lack of depth in characterization, the rampant historical inaccuracy, the bizarre "twins-but-sometimes-lovers" dynamic, the dialogue that is vapid, sour, boring, stale (etc., etc.), and the just plain bad writing. Really, I could. If it weren't for the fact that these rich Manhattanite vampires are supposed to be the descendants/reincarnation not only of the original Separatists who landed at Plymouth in 1620, but also the legion of angels cast out of heaven after Lucifer's rebellion.

Yes, seriously. The archangels Michael and Gabriel are even characters. See why "Pffftt" is the sound I associate with this novel? You just made that sound, did you not? I loved the idea of "blue bloods" being not only a term for the richest of the rich but also a unique conception of the vampire, but de la Cruz ruins the unique idea with this bizarre and completely unbelievable twist. It would have made more sense to have the creatures be just angels rather than try to make them angels, vampires, Puritans, and everything in between.

I won't waste any more time on this review, other than to say this novel is definitely not going on my suggested reading list (it's in my box to take to the used bookstore). If your students are fans of vampire fiction or the new batch of upper-class fluff, suggest that they pick up a copy of Twilight or The Luxe and leave Blue Bloods alone.

(You may notice a lack of classroom applications accompanying this and the previous review. This is not because I am abandoning the creation of apps; I simply didn't feel they were appropriate. For Wintergirls, the novel is not one that would work in a classroom setting because of the intense, personal, emotional content. For Blue Bloods, it is because the novel is not classroom quality.)

Review After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson. Putnam Young Adult 2008.

A nameless narrator and her two young friends deal with racism, becoming a young adult, discovering their identities, hope and loss during a two-year span in the mid-1990s.

There is a lot to like in this novel, which I expected from Woodson. The first aspect that will strike many readers is her use of dialect. I felt it was respectful to African American Vernacular English while also using "standard" English during portions that were only narration and not dialogue. Woodson has an excellent grasp on the voice of urban youth, not portraying them as ignorant but as quite knowledgeable in the ways of the world and American culture.

Woodson's deft incorporation of popular culture impressed me. She seems to have a genuine understanding of the effect that music and the people who make it have on teenagers. This is often taken for granted in young adult literature. She doesn't try to portray Tupac as perfect, but represents the affection that his fans felt (and still feel) for him. She does an excellent job of explaining the reasons behind the depth of this affection, even almost 15 years after his untimely death. She uses the girls' connection to Tupac to show how his marginalization in the courts and in the press parallels the marginalization of many young African Americans in the United States.

This book is certainly not perfect. It does draw on some stereotypes, such as the black boy ball player who gets a scholarship to college, without going beyond those stereotypes to create new characters. There are however, some very unique characters, such as the gay "Queen" who isn't afraid to be himself and has the support and love of his family.

Woodson incorporates several themes into the novel. The idea of hope and loss is particularly well-developed. She juxtaposes happy, hopefuly events (such as Tash's release from jail and JayJones's scholarship) with great loss (such as Tupac's death and D's farewell). She uses this juxtaposition to show how hope and loss coexist, and how we have to choose to be hopeful if we want to survive.

Classroom Applications

This is a quick read that is sure to be appreciated by students, especially fans of 2Pac's music. Although my students (7th graders) aren't old enough to remember Tupac, his music and its importance to American culture continues to influence them. As far as reading level and content, I think this novel could be applied to both middle and high school classrooms-- most appropriate for grades 6-9.

Literary devices/terms to teach: non sequential plot, allusion, dialect

Extension Questions
1) In what ways are D's interests and personality similar to Neeka's and the narrator's? How is she different?
2) What do you think happened to D after the events of the story ended? Explain.
3) Why did Woodson choose Tupac as the girls' favorite rapper and not another artist? They are certainly other artists that people feel a connection with. Explain your answer.
4) In ways do the girls connect to Tupac as a person, not just as a musician?
5) Compare and contrast JayJones and Tash. How are their personalities similar? Do you think JayJones will learn from Tash's experiences? Why?
6) What stereotypes, if any, do you see represented in this novel? How does the novel go against stereotypes?
7) Why are the girls shocked to find out the D's mother is white? What was your reaction? Explain.

Review of American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang; Published by First Second in a revised edition, 2006.

This Printz award winner merges three distinct stories- a re-interpretation of "Journey to the West", especially the Monkey King's story, an extreme parody of American stereotypes of the Chinese involving the purposefully offensive "Chin-Kee", and the more realistic (at least until the end) story of an Asian American boy named Jin Wang (which does, in fact, sound quite a lot like "Gene Yang").

The plot of each of these stories is told in a straight-forward fashion: the Monkey King dooms himself to imprisonment under a pile of rocks when he refuses to accept his created form, Chin-Kee's yearly visits to his cousin "Danny" cause Danny so much shame that Danny changes schools every year, and Jin lets other people walk all over him and therefore loses his best friends and his self-respect. The way that Yang ties all these stories together at the end is a little less straightforward, but will still be reasonably easy to follow for young readers. The ending is borderline unbelievable, and would be completely bogus in a traditional novel, but it works because of Yang's humor and willingness to push the envelope in other parts of this novel.

The first aspect of a graphic novel that one typically notices is the art. Yang's style is simple, with large areas of flat color. I have read that this novel began online, so the simplicity of the art makes sense. Unlike many graphic novels, the art itself is not an integral part of the story. There is no information given in the art that is not supplied in the words themselves. There is no irony between what a character does in the art and what he/she says, and no symbolic motifs or themes that exist in the art separate from the words. In fact, it may be questionable to call this piece a graphic novel at all-- It may be more appropriate to call it an ILLUSTRATED novel that happens to look like a comic book.

Despite its lack of depth as a genre piece, the themes in the novel will appeal to teachers and many young adults. The message is, as Tze-Yo-Tzuh says, God does "not make mistakes". Therefore, denying our true selves is denying who God created us to be, and therefore creating a prison for ourselves: the Monkey King's prison is a pile or rocks, Jin's prison is another body and his own shame. We can only be freed when we accept ourselves and return to our true form-- be it monkey or man. This theme may be EXTREMELY obvious to older readers. Middle school age students will find the theme more difficult to discern and will enjoying finding quotes to help support it.

(Side-note: I capitalize the "G" in god here as Yang's "Tze-Yo-Tzuh" is clearly intended to represent the Judeo Christian Yahweh. On pages 69-81, Tze-Yo-Tzuh's words are a paraphrase or even direct quote from Psalms. On page 160, the Monkey King and his master monk set off towards the Star of Bethlehem. On page 215, monkey and his companions visit Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus. I personally appreciated this reference and felt inspired by it, but understand that others many find it offensive or inappropriate for the classroom. I would recommend looking over these few pages before making any decision for classroom use.)

Overall, I enjoyed this piece. Yang uses humor throughout, which will definitely appeal to readers of all ages. There is enough controversy to make this an interesting piece for classroom discussion, but it is unlikely to cause any uproar because the message is so obvious and parent/teacher/politician friendly.

Classroom Applications
I would recommend this novel for middle school if it were used as a classroom teaching piece. It may be an interesting side piece for high school, but does not have the complexity for an advanced course. It is a VERY quick read (it took me about 30 minutes cover to cover).

Literary devices to teach: parallel plots, allusion, hyperbole

Extension Questions:
Unlike many graphic novels, Yang uses a very simple style of art that complements, rather than guides or drives, the story. How does this compare to other graphic novels you've read? Do you think it fits in the genre?
2) There is a clear Christian influence to this story, as the Monkey King visits Christ in Bethlehem and the supreme Chinese diety almost directly quotes passages from the Bible. Were the Christian themes too strong, or just an undercurrent? How do you feel about reading pieces like this in school?
3) How did you feel about the ending? Did it seem to tie all three plotlines together, or did you find it unbelievable? How does this being a graphic novel affect your opinion of the ending?
4) Would you recommend "ABC" to a friend? Why or why not?
5) Research the famous Chinese myth, "Journey to the West". What parts of this story did Yang use, and which did he change?
6) Interview an Asian American classmate or penpal, or reflect on your own experiences. Does the kind of prejudice or stereotyping portayed in the story still occur? Support your answer with examples.
7) What do you make of the similarity between the main character's name and the author's name? Is this significant to the story, or just a coincidence? Explain.