Title: Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
Publication info: March, 2006
ISBN: 0142402516
Pages: 221
Price: $15.99
Reading Level: 10th grade
Reading Interest: 9th grade and up
Genre: realistic fiction
Awards: Printz Honor, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, ALA's Top Ten Books for Young Adults, Booklist Editor's Choice, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
Plot Summary: The story exists in two parts: before and after. The before is the story of Miles, who lacks friends and anything very exciting except for his obsession with people's last words. He enrolls in a boarding school in Alabama where he meets Alaska Young. Alaska is beautiful, quirky and unbalanced and Miles falls for her. The before story focuses on how Miles who has never had an exciting life is sudden drawn into the crazy and always exciting world of Alaska. Though Alaska's self-destructive is bound to catch up with her and when it does Miles is left to deal with the after.
Critical Review: Looking For Alaska counts downs to an event that you aren't aware of while reading and this countdown stirs interest, what could possible be the after, what is the before? The reader finally discovers that the book is based on the before and after of Alaska's death. The tragedy that rocks Miles world also rocks the reader. Despite Alaska's faults and her destructive behavior she is an enjoyable character. Her quirky behavior adds to her charm. John Green has the ability to write teen characters that are intelligent and full of depth. He also presents real life teen issues in a way that teens find relatable and believable.
Reader's Annotation: When Miles meets Alaska he finds himself attracted to her despite her obvious unstable mental state and destructive pattern. Alaska is the type of girl who drags you into her crazy world and you find yourself not wanting to leave, or at least that's how Miles felt. But when Alaska's destructive behavior reaches it's tipping point will Miles be dragged down with her?
Book talk ideas: Miles is obsessed with people's last words so I think it would be great to introduce the book by quoting some of the famous people's last words mentioned in the book.
Issues Present: The book as many controversial teen activities such as sex, smoking, drinking and foul language.
Main Themes: friendship, romance, loss, death
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Many teens can find Miles and his so called boring and loner life relatable. He falls in love with a girl who is involved with someone else and whose self-destructive behavior leaves Miles heartbroken. The book is a great coming of age book, in which Miles deals with first loves and loss and experimenting with drinking and smoking and other risk taking.
Read alikes: Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard, A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Author Website: http://johngreenbooks.com/
Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews
Why include this book? The book has received critical praise and John Green is known for not speaking down to teens and writing smart, witty and honest books centered around the lives of teens.
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