BIBLIOGRAPHY
Green, John. 2006. LOOKING FOR ALASKA. New York: Dutton. ISBN 0142402516
PLOT SUMMARY
Sixteen year old Miles Halter is in search of “the Great Perhaps.” Bored and unchallenged, he decides to enroll in an Alabama boarding school. While at school he befriends his roommate, Chip, and the beautiful Alaska Young. Together they experience love, life, and loss, all while trying to prank the rich kids.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This coming of age story involves the usual teen angst of smoking, drinking, sex and pranks. Finding himself with friends for the fist time in his life, Miles searches for his place in the world and learns too late how the lives of others affect us. The characters are likeable and realistic. They enjoy “wreaking havoc,” but don’t want to get in trouble, worry about getting good grades, and pulling off the perfect prank. This high school tale is geared for grades 9 and up, and rightly so. The mature subject matter might not be appropriate for the junior high set, but the lessons learned about loyalty to friends and underage drinking are important. The plot takes a few twists, which helps move the story along. The chapters are short and have titles such as “one hundred and thirty six days before” and “twenty days after” which foretell of a tragedy to come. The fun-filled tone is sometimes overshadowed with Alaska’s moody darkness, but her character represents the sadness and depression that does affect so many teens today. The setting, time, and place are fairly generic and could take place most anywhere. The only thing that dates this piece is the boys’ playing Play station 2 and Miles’ baggy shorts. The story is told through the point of view of Miles. We get to experience his first drink, his first girl, and his first kiss. We also experience his heart-break and guilt after the accident. Each character is allowed to deal with the tragedy on their own terms, in their own way. Teens may appreciate not having a happy ending.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This novel is about real kids dealing with the pressures of growing up and feeling indestructible.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “What sings and soars in this gorgeously told tale is Green's mastery of language and the sweet, rough edges of Pudge's voice. Girls will cry and boys will find love, lust, loss and longing in Alaska's vanilla-and-cigarettes scent.”
CONNECTIONS
Read Alikes:
Rosoff, Meg. HOW I LIVE NOW. ISBN 0553376055
Anderson, Laurie Halse. SPEAK. ISBN 014131088X
Picture Credit: Barnes and Noble.com
Green, John. 2006. LOOKING FOR ALASKA. New York: Dutton. ISBN 0142402516
PLOT SUMMARY
Sixteen year old Miles Halter is in search of “the Great Perhaps.” Bored and unchallenged, he decides to enroll in an Alabama boarding school. While at school he befriends his roommate, Chip, and the beautiful Alaska Young. Together they experience love, life, and loss, all while trying to prank the rich kids.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This coming of age story involves the usual teen angst of smoking, drinking, sex and pranks. Finding himself with friends for the fist time in his life, Miles searches for his place in the world and learns too late how the lives of others affect us. The characters are likeable and realistic. They enjoy “wreaking havoc,” but don’t want to get in trouble, worry about getting good grades, and pulling off the perfect prank. This high school tale is geared for grades 9 and up, and rightly so. The mature subject matter might not be appropriate for the junior high set, but the lessons learned about loyalty to friends and underage drinking are important. The plot takes a few twists, which helps move the story along. The chapters are short and have titles such as “one hundred and thirty six days before” and “twenty days after” which foretell of a tragedy to come. The fun-filled tone is sometimes overshadowed with Alaska’s moody darkness, but her character represents the sadness and depression that does affect so many teens today. The setting, time, and place are fairly generic and could take place most anywhere. The only thing that dates this piece is the boys’ playing Play station 2 and Miles’ baggy shorts. The story is told through the point of view of Miles. We get to experience his first drink, his first girl, and his first kiss. We also experience his heart-break and guilt after the accident. Each character is allowed to deal with the tragedy on their own terms, in their own way. Teens may appreciate not having a happy ending.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This novel is about real kids dealing with the pressures of growing up and feeling indestructible.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “What sings and soars in this gorgeously told tale is Green's mastery of language and the sweet, rough edges of Pudge's voice. Girls will cry and boys will find love, lust, loss and longing in Alaska's vanilla-and-cigarettes scent.”
CONNECTIONS
Read Alikes:
Rosoff, Meg. HOW I LIVE NOW. ISBN 0553376055
Anderson, Laurie Halse. SPEAK. ISBN 014131088X
Picture Credit: Barnes and Noble.com
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