Define "Normal"

Source: Author Website

Define “Normal” by Julie Anne Peters (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2000, 196pp.)

Hoping to spice up her college application with some extracurricular activities, Antonia volunteers to peer counsel one of her troubled classmates. Unfortunately, the school sees fit to pair her with Jazz, a scary, tattooed goth girl who looks like she eats kindergartners for breakfast. It seems the two girls couldn’t be more incompatible—yet, they actually have more in common than either of them realize. For example, both have trouble at home, though in differing degrees. While Jazz struggles to maintain her “goth” identity against her parents’ wishes, Antonia struggles to care for her severely depressed mother, as well as parent her two preschool-aged brothers. As the story unfolds around these two well-developed protagonists, the author addresses the elusive definition of “normal,” and encourages her teen readers to think twice before dismissing a peer based on physical appearance. There was no “objectionable” material like swearing or violence, though there is a very intense scene where Antonia’s mother is institutionalized for her depression, and her children are sent to live with a foster family until she “gets better.” At 196 pages, it's a quick read that will appeal to younger teens (ages 13-15) interested in realistic/urban fiction, and those seeking solace for troubled home situations.

One Teen's Struggle to Recover is Well-Documented in This Controversial Novel

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Boy Toy by Barry Lyga (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2007, 416pp.)

At 12, Josh Mendel was never really the kind of kid you’d expect to get into major trouble—but then he meets his history teacher, Eve, and that’s when everything changes. Like many boys his age, he has a crush on Eve, and is surprised to find out one day that Eve really likes him, too. In the months that follow, Eve teaches him how to please her sexually, and makes him promise not to tell anyone about their “special relationship.” Confused by the adult feelings aroused by his affair with Eve, Josh blows their cover when he accidentally almost rapes his childhood friend, Rachael, after she engages him in an innocent make-out session.

Five years later, Eve is in prison, and Josh is still reeling in the aftermath. He and Rachael are no longer friends—in fact, he barely has but one friend, Zeke, still left from childhood. He’s angry all the time, gets into trouble constantly, and finds it difficult to forgive himself for what almost happened to Rachael. Will he always be known as “that kid that banged the history teacher?” More importantly, was it really love that he and Eve had? Or was he actually molested as his parents and the police claim?

Parents, never fear. Boy Toy isn’t quite the illicit sex-fest you may fear it to be (though it does have a few sex-scene flashbacks). The purpose of the novel is to examine one teen’s struggle to recover from a complex, traumatizing situation, and in my opinion, it does that perfectly. With well-developed characters and quick pacing, I’d recommend this novel for mature teens, ages 16-18.

A Touching, Realistic, and Perilous Portrait

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The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson (Viking, 2014, 400pp.)

After years spent on the road outrunning bad memories, blue-haired teen Hayley Kincaid and her troubled, army veteran father return to their hometown in New York. Having been home-schooled for the last five years, Hayley cautiously re-enters the world of traditional learning, a repulsive realm populated by high school “zombies” (the in-crowd) and a few rebellious “freaks” like herself. Although she impresses few at first with her snarky attitude, she slowly becomes accustomed to her new life, and even gathers a handful of friends (other “freaks” like herself). In the back of her mind, though, is a fear that no teen should have to worry about: the constant, sickening fear for her father's declining mental health. While the prose lacks the gritty, lyrical beauty found in Anderson's previous novel, Wintergirls, this newest offering succeeds in painting a touching, realistic, and perilous portrait of a new era of social issues. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

Not the Best, But Provides a Nice Message

Cut by Patricia McCormick (Scholastic, 2000, 168pp.)

Callie is sent to a treatment facility after her parents discover that she’s been cutting herself. After a while, she finally opens up to her psychiatrist and begins to re-examine the fragile home environment that prompted her distress. Although not as powerful as others of its kind in the “teen issues/bibliotherapy” genre, the message that Cut provides is a heartwarming one: we all have the power to change our situation, if we only are willing to take the initiative. Despite the novel’s short length, McCormick provides a solid picture of life at the facility and lets us get to know its inhabitants. The one problem-character that stands out, however, is the character of Amanda. A cutter like Callie herself, she is so unrepentant of her cutting compulsion that she seems to have been planted by the author as the persona of temptation. She often tries to draw Callie into discussions of different ways to cut oneself, and she even goes so far as to proudly display her scars to the other patients (she has the words “life sucks” carved into her arms). Sound edgy? It’s a little uncomfortable to read at times, but compared to other works, shouldn’t be too intense for younger teens. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

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Average Entry in Bibliotherapy Canon

Between Mom and Jo by Julie Anne Peters (Little, Brown, 2006, 240pp.)

Even though kids at school make fun of him for having two moms, Nick still manages to have a pretty happy childhood. When he turns 14, Erin and Jo decide to split up. Erin, Nick’s birthmother, insists on sole custody of her son, despite the feelings of both Nick and her now ex-partner, a recovering alcoholic, that Jo is responsible enough to care for him. Things escalate when Erin invites her new girlfriend, Kerri, to move in with them. Nick struggles with angst, depression, and rage as the tug-of-war battle ensues. In terms of plot, this is an average entry in the literary canon of bibliotherapy. The ending is a bit rushed and too easily resolved, but it may, in any case, be therapeutic for teens suffering from similar issues. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

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Girls On Ice

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Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (Viking Books for Young Readers, 2009, 288pp.)

After her best friend’s bulimia leads to a lonesome death in a sketchy motel room, Lia, who is anorexic, finds herself stuck in a state of emotional limbo. Her struggles with self-image, hunger, and guilt over her friend’s death provide for a fascinating (if sometimes graphic) read. Halse’s use of first person narration is highly effective, and her honest, empathetic treatment of Lia’s plight manages to serve as a warning against eating disorders without being heavy-handed. This visceral yet poignant tale should be required reading for all high school girls. Recommended for Ages 16-Up.