Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Elkeles, Simone. Perfect Chemistry. Walker Books for Young Readers, 2008. 368 pages. ISBN-10: 0802798233. ISBN-13: 978-0802798237.

Plot:

On the surface, Brittany and Alex couldn’t be more different. She is a popular cheerleader, from perfect family on the rich side of town, and part of the school’s golden couple. He is a member of the Latino Blood gang, poor, and dangerous. When the two are paired up as lab partners, they are both unhappy with the situation. To prove himself, Alex makes a bet with his friends that he can get Brittany to have sex with him by Thanksgiving. As the two get to know each other, they start to see that their perceptions were very wrong. Brittany’s family is actually pretty dysfunctional and her perfect exterior is her defense to hide that. Alex is actually a smart boy who longs to go to college, but is trapped in the gang in order to help his family. As they discover more about each other, they begin to fall in love. Their friends and family aren’t ready to accept them as a couple, however. As Brittany’s family situation spins out of control and Alex is forced to go deeper into the gang life, they’re not sure if their love will survive.

Critical Evaluation:

Perfect Chemistry is a pretty predictable novel. The storyline isn’t especially original. The good girl and the bad boy who hate each other but slowly fall in love has been done many times over. The characters are stereotypical, both on the surface and underneath. She’s the “perfect” girl with the difficult home life. He’s the bad boy who wants to escape his circumstances and better himself. They’re also very frustrating at the start of the novel. The ending of the story isn’t especially shocking or original. Despite all this, Perfect Chemistry is a sweet and engaging read. Presenting it in alternating viewpoints allows the reader insight into each of the characters, especially since they hide so much from each other and the world around them. After the initial frustration, the characters become endearing as they fall in love, almost as if their love is what redeems them both. It’s impossible to not cheer them on as they take on a world that isn’t ready to accept them for who they are and certainly isn’t ready to accept them being together. They encounter what should be extremely dangerous and almost impossible challenges, but the ending is tied up neatly. Rather than being annoying in its lack of realism, the ending is satisfying. This is a touching and romantic read; realism isn’t necessary.

Reader's Annotation:

Brittany and Alex come from vastly different backgrounds, but fall in love after being paired as chemistry lab partners.

Author Information:

Simone Elkeles was born and raised near Chicago, where many of her books take place. She attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign where she received a degree in Psychology in 1992. She then went on to attend Loyola University-Chicago to study Industrial Relations. Following graduation, she worked creating diversity programs for a manufacturing company.

Her first book was published in 2006. She writes solely for young adults because she enjoys writing about the excitement of teenage love and romance. She tries her best to make sure her characters and situations are realistic, including actually spending time in a juvenile detention center to research her Leaving Paradise series.

Genre:

Romance

Curriculum Ties:

English: A modern comparison to Romeo and Juliet.

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss the idea of stereotypes and first impressions.
• Talk about being trapped by your situations and deciding to break free.
• Discuss the similarities between Brittany's life and Alex's life.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Profanity
Sexual content
Violence
Gang activity
Drug and alcohol use

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

I was first attracted to this book because of the alternating narrator style in which is is written. It's a sweet twist on the Romeo and Juliet plot-line, but written for modern audiences.

Uglies (Uglies Trilogy #1) by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott. Uglies. Simon Pulse, 2005. 448 pages. ISBN-10: 0689865384. ISBN-13: 978-0689865381.

Plot:

Tally is an Ugly. She hasn’t yet reached her 16th birthday where she will undergo the surgery that will transform her to a Pretty and allow her to live in New Pretty Town where she can spend all her time partying with the rest of the new Pretties. Missing her best friend Peris, who has already become a Pretty, she sneaks over to New Pretty Town to see him. While there she is almost caught, but is helped by another Ugly named Shay. Tally and Shay become friends. Shay reveals that she doesn’t want to become a Pretty and is planning on running away instead. After Shay disappears, Tally still plans to become a Pretty, but on the day of her birthday she is taken to meet Dr. Gable, the head of Special Circumstances, the city’s security force. Dr. Gable informs Tally that she must find Shay and lead Special Circumstances to the colony of runaways where Shay is living or she’ll never be allowed to become a Pretty. Tally agrees and sets off to the colony, know as The Smoke. When she arrives, she begins to enjoy the freedom of The Smoke and decides to stay instead of revealing where they are. She also falls in love with a boy who was born there, named David. What Tally doesn’t know is that Dr. Gable expected her to betray her mission and has a way of tracking her anyway.

Critical Evaluation:

On the surface, Uglies is a dystopian post-scarcity science-fiction thriller. Looking deeper, however, the entire novel is a metaphor for the confusion inherent in adolescence when torn between desires for individuality and the need to conform, as well as the fear of growing up. Teenagers will appreciate Tally’s predicament. She desperately wants to join Peris and the other Pretties in New Pretty Town, but as she learns more about the Uglies living in the Smoke and discovers life outside of the city, she is drawn to that lifestyle. However, the Smoke simply represents another type of conformity. Tally has to learn to reconcile what she wants with the demands of those around her, which is something that every individual must go through as part of growing up.

Westerfeld creates a dazzling world with his descriptions of New Pretty Town. The technology he creates is fascinating and fun. Who wouldn’t want a hoverboard? He manages to make being a Pretty sounds incredibly appealing, which makes it all the more horrifying when it’s revealed what happens during the transformation.

The novel is an exercise in suspense. The reader is never sure what is around the next corner or who is an enemy. Just as one problem is resolved, something else is introduced. The characters’ motivations are often hard to read as it seems like even the most innocent often have some kind of agenda. We spend most of the novel watching Tally’s world fall apart around her as she learns that it’s a very different place than she thought it was. She remains a strong character throughout. When the novel ends, the reader will be anxious to find out what happens to her next.

Reader's Annotation:

Tally has always look forward to her 16th birthday when she will become a Pretty. When Tally's new friend Shay declares that she plans to run away instead, Tally must decide if she should become a Pretty or follow Shay.

Author Information:

Scott Westerfeld was born May 5, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. His father was a computer programmer, so Westerfeld and his family traveled a lot when he was a kid. He lived in Texas, California, and Connecticut. He attended a magnet school for arts in Dallas. He earned a bachelors in Philosophy from Vassar and did graduate work in Performance Studies at New York University. He is married to the Australian author Justine Larbalestier. The two divide their time between Australia and New York, specifically to avoid winter in either hemisphere.

Before becoming a novelist, he worked as a ghost writer and music writer. His first novels were adult science fiction, but he transitioned to writing for young adults with his book So Yesterday in 2004. He has also published non-fiction, short stories, poetry, and several essays.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

Science: Care of the Environment
Health: Body Image
Sociology: Community

Booktalking Ideas:

• Talk about the anticipation of becoming a Pretty.
• Compare Tally and Shay.
• Explain some of the technology they use in the book.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Allusions to alcohol use
Negative body image issues
Anti-family
Anti-government

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This book was recommended to me by a teenage friend of my sister. It's popular with her group of friends.

The Luxe (The Luxe Trilogy #1) by Anna Godbersen

Godbersen, Anna. The Luxe. HarperCollins , 2007. 448 pages. ISBN-10: 0061345679. ISBN-13: 978-0061345678.

Plot:

The year is 1899 and 18-year-old Elizabeth Holland has returned from Europe to take her place as the darling of the Manhattan elite. Her younger sister Diana has grown in her absence and is becoming more daring and less interested in fitting in with society than Elizabeth is. Her supposed best friend Penelope Hayes, a nouveau riche social climber, isn’t entirely thrilled to see Elizabeth back, but she is involved with her own relationship with Henry Schoonmaker. However, Henry’s father insists that he and Elizabeth become engaged, much to Penelope’s outrage. As Henry is courting Elizabeth, he falls for Diana, complicating things even further. As for Elizabeth, she is secretly in love with her poor coachman, Will. Elizabeth’s maid, Lina, is also in love with him. As Elizabeth’s and Henry’s wedding nears, the group of teens must figure out how to sort out their scandalous relationships without the rest of the polite society finding out.

Critical Evaluation:

The Luxe is delightfully snarky and scandalous. This is a book that will appeal to readers raised on Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and The Clique or any reader who enjoys stories full of secrets, backstabbing, and intrigue. It’s not just romantic fluff, though. Godberson’s research into the Gilded Age is evident in the historical aspects of the novel, even if her descriptions of the time period are primarily limited to the upper class. Unlike many historical fiction novels, the history is more a frame for the story than vice versa. Placing the events in that particular time period allows Godberson the ability to make actions that would be innocent today seem wildly scandalous. Though the characters behave in ways that might not be completely realistic and they suffer from very few consequences, that’s not really the point of the novel.

Godberson’s choice of alternating viewpoints rounds out the story as the reader is able to see the motivations behind each character’s actions. Starting her novel with the death of Elizabeth thrusts the reader into the thick of the story and adds an air of mystery. Perhaps her best stylistic choice is the inclusion of newspaper snippets and letters. This helps further the framework of the Gilded Age, as well as giving an outside perspective on the characters’ lives. Godberson has created a glamorous and entertaining start to her trilogy.

Reader's Annotation:

In Gilded Age Manhattan, four very different young women try to pursue happiness with often scandalous results.

Author Information:

Anna Godbersen was born in 1980 in Berkeley, California. She attended public school in Berkeley before going to Barnard College in Manhattan. She now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Before beginning her career as a novelist, she worked as an editorial assistant for Esquire and worked as a ghost writer of young adult novels. Despite having read very little young adults novels or historical fiction prior to writing her series, she jumped into writing both with much zeal.

Though she classifies her writing as historical fiction, it has often been compared to chick lit. With their glamorous and scandalous characters, her novels would appeal to readers of chick lit, but her writing is well-researched and gives a glimpse into the past that makes her stories much more well-rounded.

Genre:

Historical Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

History: Late 19th Century

Booktalking Ideas:

• Compare the choices young women had for love then to what they do now
• Discuss the personality differences between Diana, Elizabeth, and Penelope
• Describe Manhattan at the end of the 19th century

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 or older

Challenge Issues:

Minor sexual references

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This is an historical novel that can appeal to teenage readers who love books like Gossip Girl, but it has more literary merit.

Pretty in Pink (Movie)

Pretty in Pink. Paramount, 1986.
Cast: Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Jon Cryer, Harry Dean Stanton, Annie Potts, James Spader.
Director: Howard Deutch.
Rating: PG-13.
Length: 96 minutes.
ASIN: B00005JKOI

Plot:

At Andie’s school, the students are strictly divided between the rich and the poor; the two sides never mix. Andie is one of the poor students. Her father is depressed and only working part time after her mother left them. To help out, Andie works at a record store after school and makes her own clothes. She has very few friends, one of which is Duckie, a dorky boy who is madly in love with her and not afraid to show it. One day, Blane, one of the rich students, starts to show some interest in her. He asks her out, but the date is a disaster. His friends are rude to her and her friends are rude to him. The date ends with Andie in tears because she in embarrassed for Blane to see where she lives. Blane insists that it doesn’t matter and asks her to go to prom with him. The two continue to date, but his creepy friend, Steff, manages to convince Blane that they shouldn’t be together. After confronting Blane in the hallway and breaking up, Andie decides that she should go to the prom anyway. She creates another masterpiece, a pink prom dress, and Duckie accompanies her to the prom. Blane has come alone, however, and is there to apologize to Andie and declare his love for her.

Critical Evaluation:

Pretty in Pink is the quintessential 80s movie. It’s a perfect example of the fashion and music of the time, which is something that many teens today enjoy. It’s more than just a blast from the past, however. The central storyline - that of looking past the labels to be with the person you love - is something that modern teens can understand.

Molly Ringwald plays Andie with maturity and sweet sincerity. Her portrayal of a daughter trying to take care of herself and her heartbroken father, while maintaining her hopefulness and dignity, is an outstanding performance. Andrew McCarthy as Blane’s wooing of her is charming in its execution; even when he caves to the pressure of his jerky friend and leaves, it’s still hard to hate him. Possibly the best character in the movie is Duckie, played by Jon Cryer. He’s adorable and hilarious, especially in his love for Andie. The scene where he lip-syncs to “Try a Little Tenderness” is the funniest in the movie. He’s allowed a chance to be more than comic relief, however, when displaying both his heartache at watching Andie fall in love with someone else and his affection for her when he encourages her to open her heart and forgive Blane.

Annotation:

Andie, a poor girl, and Blane, a rich boy, fall in love while their friends try to keep them apart.

Director Information:

Howard Deutch was born September 14, 1950 in New York. He attended the University of Ohio and then joined the advertising department at United Artist Records. After leaving advertising, he went into business for himself and started his directing career by directing music videos for musicians such as Billy Idol and Billy Joel. His first feature length film was Pretty in Pink.

He met his wife, Lea Thompson, while directing her in Some Kind of Wonderful in 1987. They were married in 1989. He’s since directed her in several other movies and television appearances. They have two daughters.

Genre:

Movie: Romantic Drama

Curriculum Ties:

None

Movie Talking Ideas:

• Talk about falling in love with someone your friends don't like.
• Compare Blane and Duckie.
• Discuss Andie's relationship with her father.

Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Sexual content
Profanity
Alcohol and tobacco use

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

It's a classic teen movie.

Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

Cabot, Meg. Shadowland. Simon Pulse, 2000. 256 pages. ISBN-10: 0671787918. ISBN-13: 978-0671787912.

Plot:

Suze Simon has always been able to see, talk to, and touch ghosts. She's a mediator and it's her job to help ghosts pass over into the after life, though some ghosts don’t need help so much as a kick in the butt to get them going. When Suze moves from New York to California to live with her new step-family, she hopes that she can put her job behind her and live like a normal girl. Unfortunately, she discovers that her room is haunted by a very cute ghost named Jesse and he seems pretty content to stick around. Suze also learns that there is the ghost of a girl named Heather hanging around her school. Heather shot herself after her boyfriend broke up with her and she is out for revenge. With the help of Jesse and Father Dominic, another mediator, Suze must try to help Heather cross over. Heather isn’t interested; she thinks that Suze is there to take her place. Heather wants her old life back and she isn’t going to let anyone stand in her way, no matter who gets hurt.

Critical Evaluation:

Like most of Cabot’s writing, this is a very cute book. Suze is a hilarious narrator. Her comments about those around her and her transition to life in California are humorous and witty. Though she tries to maintain a tough persona, her sensitivity often shines through. This aspect of her personality makes her a very sympathetic character. Jesse is an unusual but great romantic hero. His old fashioned chivalry perfectly counters Suze’s modern tough girl. Their budding romance is the driving force of the book.

The romance isn’t the only fun aspect, however. The mediator storyline is entertaining, especially when it comes to the disparity between Suze’s methods and Father Dominic’s methods. The two of them bouncing off of each other is one of the more fun parts of the story. Though Cabot does insert a few small frightening parts when it comes to the mediating, they don’t seem out of place with the relatively light storyline. This is definitely a fun read.

Reader's Annotation:

Suze is a mediator, which means she has an unusual gift: she can see, touch, and talk to ghosts. When she encounters a cute ghost who lives in her new bedroom, her life becomes even more complicated than it already was.

Author Information:

Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967 in Bloomington, Indiana. As a child, she was an avid reader and frequently spent her summer days in the library. In high school, she entertained herself by writing her own stories. She credits much of her inspiration for writing from the diaries she kept as a teenager, her own experiences, those of people she knows, and things she reads in the news, as well as a healthy dose of imagination.

She attended the University of Indiana as a Fine Arts major. After college, she moved to New York to pursue a career as an illustrator. When that failed, she turned again to writing. Her first novel - Where Roses Grow Wild - was published in 1998 under the pen name Patricia Cabot. Since then she has published over 40 novels for young adults as well as several others for tweens and adults. She has published under the pen names of Patricia Cabot, Jenny Carroll and under her real name.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

None

Booktalking Ideas:

• Talk about what it would be like to be a mediator.
• Discuss Suze's relationship with Jesse.
• Introduce Suze in character.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Violence

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

Meg Cabot's books have been popular with teens for many years.

Forever by Judy Blume

Blume, Judy. Forever. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1975. 195 pages. ISBN-10: 0670891223. ISBN-13: 978-0027110302.

Plot:

Katherine and Michael first meet at a New Year’s Eve party and begin dating soon after. Their relationship progresses in the traditional manner both emotionally and physically. When the two do decide to have sex for the first time, Katherine visits a Planned Parenthood clinic to get the birth control pill. The two believe they have a love that will last forever, but their parents don’t see it that way. Katherine is sent to help as a tennis instructor at her younger sister’s summer camp and Michael spends the summer working for his uncle. Though they believe it will work, the time apart and Katherine’s friendship with a male counselor have her questioning exactly what forever really means.

While Katherine and Michael’s story unfolds, they are helped along by Katherine’s best friend Erica and Michael’s best friend Artie, who also begin to date. Erica believes that sex is a purely physical act rather than emotional, but reconsiders after hearing about Katherine’s relationship with Michael. She and Artie attempt to have the same kind of relationship, but Artie’s struggle with his own sexuality ends up having tragic results.

Critical Evaluation:

The writing isn’t great, the story isn’t especially compelling, and the characters often seem stilted or stereotypical, but this book is admirable for one important reason: it presents a fairly realistic teenage relationship that is neither overly romanticized nor demonized and which includes a responsible sexual relationship. Katherine thinks through each step of their sexual relationship to gauge whether or not she feels ready. When she decides to have sex with Michael, she does so only after obtaining birth control. This treatment of sex as both something that is a natural part of a relationship and, yet, something that should be carefully considered provides a good message for teenagers. Though some readers might be uncomfortable with the description of the sexual relationship, the descriptions are not lurid, but rather represent what a teenager might be thinking and feeling during those acts. The way the relationship progresses through the end also serves to make the story seem more authentic instead of a sugary romance.

The secondary characters do fill out the story somewhat and present alternate examples of teenage relationships and sexuality. By having a boy struggling with whether or not he is gay, a girl who becomes pregnant and chooses an adoption with very little other consequences, and another girl who changes her views concerning sex and emotions, Blume provides examples of other situations many teens face, but manages to do so in a way that isn’t judgmental or sentimental.

Reader's Annotation:

High school seniors Katherine and Michael explore all the beautiful and exciting experiences of first love, including sex. They believe it will last forever, but will it?

Author Information:

Judy Blume was born February 12, 1938. She spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey. She loved making up stories as a child, which led to her very prolific career as an author. She attended New York University and graduated with a B.S. in Education. Her first book was published in 1969 and she has since published 28 books for children, young adults and adults. Her writing has won over 90 awards over the last 40 years. She is also the editor of a collection of short stories written by censored authors.

Blume is a vocal supporter of intellectual freedom and the fight against censorship. When many of her books were challenged, some even making the ALA’s Top 100 Challenged Books list, she began to reach out to other authors who had faced the same situation, as well as teachers and librarians. She has worked with the National Coalition Against Censorship since the 1980s. She is also a member of many other organizations fighting censorship in children’s literature and founded The Kids Fund, an educational foundation for children.

Genre:

Romance

Curriculum Ties:

Sex Ed: Healthy Relationships, Responsible Sex

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss the idea of first love lasting forever.
• Compare Katherine and Michael to Erica and Artie.
  

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Sexual content
Suggestive language
Promotion of birth control
Teen pregnancy
Attempted suicide
Gay character

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

Since its publication, this has been a wildly popular book with teenagers.

Bloom by Elizabeth Scott

Scott, Elizabeth. Bloom. Simon Pulse, 2007. 240 pages. ISBN-10: 1416926836. ISBN-13: 978-1416926832.

Plot:

From the outside, Lauren has the perfect life. Her boyfriend Dave is the quarterback, super cute, and the guy every girl in school wants. She hangs out with the most popular kids in school. She has a totally devoted best friend, Katie. The reality is completely different. The popular kids only include her because of Dave, she and Katie have very little in common, and her relationship with the secretly celibate Dave isn’t really working. Worst of all, her mother left her when she was 6 and her father has been trying to put their family back together with a string of live in girlfriends.

When Evan, the son of one of these former girlfriends, comes back into Lauren's life, everything is turned upside down. She can't deny the attraction she feels for him and the two soon embark on a secret relationship. Hiding everything from Katie and Dave starts to take a toll on Lauren; she realizes that she needs to choose before the choice is made for her and she loses everyone. Who should she be with? Her supposedly perfect boyfriend? Or the boy who seems perfect for her?

Critical Evaluation:

By all rights, Lauren should be a terrible character. She ignores her best friend, she judges her boyfriend for his abstinence and then cheats on him, she hurts the boy she's cheating with by refusing to make a decision either way, and she lies to everyone in her life. However, Scott manages to make Lauren not only sympathetic but actually likable. Though at times the reader might be frustrated with Lauren or disagree with her actions, it's difficult to dislike her completely. In fact, the reader actually feels for her as she’s struggling to deal with her family life and her romantic life.

There are few surprises in this novel and the ending is rather predictable, but it does present a twist on the typical romance. The developing relationship between Lauran and Evan is sweet and progresses realistically. Lauren’s struggle to figure out what she wants and how exactly perfection plays into the equation is one with which many readers can identify. It’s a romantic and satisfying read.

Reader's Annotation:

Lauren knows she has the perfect boyfriend in Dave, everyone says so, but she isn’t happy. When the mysterious Evan comes back into her life, Lauren starts to discover what she’s been missing all along.

Author Information:

Elizabeth Scott was born in 1972 in a small town in Virginia. Her parents were both school teachers and her town was small enough that she often ended up in classes taught by one or the other. She attended college and graduated with a major in European studies. Prior to becoming an author, she held several jobs including editor, office manager, and salesman. She now lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, whom she met in college.

She has published eight books for young adults. Though many of her books are what would be considered Romance, she does often include serious subject matter and several of her novels cover dark subjects. Young adult novels hold a special place in her heart and she has stated that doesn’t see herself ever writing anything else.

Genre:

Romance

Curriculum Ties:

Psychology: Self-Awareness, Healthy Relationships

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss the differences between Lauren’s relationship with Dave and her relationship with Evan.
• Focus on the idea of perfection.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

Age 14 and up

Challenge Issues:

Infidelity
Sexual content
Portrayal of Christianity

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

I was interested in the way the two different relationships were presented.