Godless

Title: Godless
Author: Pete Hautman
Published: May 2004
ISBN: 97811416908166
Page number: 198
Price: $7.99
Genre: realistic fiction
Reading Level: 5th grade
Interest Level: 7th grade and up
Awards: National Book Award
Plot Summary: Jason is a self proclaimed agnostic going on atheist but his parents are devot Roman Catholics. In hopes to sway their sons beliefs Jason parents send him to a weekly meeting at the church to discuss religion with other teens. Jason sees this as an opportunity to push everyone's buttons. One day Jason decides to mention that he is going to invent his on religion. Originally the comment was just to irritate the class but then Jason decides to act on his crazy idea. With the help of his best friend, Shin, Jason starts a religion that worships the towns water tower. Soon other members joined his group and what started out as just a joke starts to take a serious turn. Jason soon learns that starting your own religion comes with it's own set of problems and issues.
Review: Pete Hautman writes a story that is able to raise questions of faith and religion without insulting religion. Jason is a teenager surrounded by people with strong faiths but yet he struggles with his lack of faith. His attempt at making his own religion reflects his own struggle to understand faith and religion. The story address religion which can often be ignored in teen literature due to it's controversy. Hautman handles it with humor and some real questions of faith.
Reader's Annotation: What makes a religion? Jason Bock has decided that the only way to find out is to invent your own. So that's just what he does. His religion worships the the local water tower and what started out as fun and games quickly takes a serious turn. Maybe running your own religion is not as easy as it seems.
Issues: The story centers around religion and asks a lot of questions of faith and religion.
Book Talk Ideas: I would open the book talk by reading the the rules of Chutengodians.
Main Themes: faith, religion, questioning religion, atheism
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: The book shows a teen struggling with faith and his attempt at trying to make sense of religion. For teens who may be questioning their religion or asking questions this book may help them feel that their questions and concerns are normal.
Read-alikes: There is No Dog Meg Rosoff and Blind Faith by Ellen Wittlinger
Author Website: http://www.petehautman.com/
Professional Reviews: Publisher's Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
Why this book was chosen: There is very few teen fiction books that focus on religion. The book not only does this but it does it well, gaining critical acclaim.