Female of the Species vs Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere

Female of the Species

I don’t know if I love this book or hate this book.  It is dark and raw, yet somehow empowering - I love a good vigilante story!  There are moments when the promiscuity and underage drinking overwhelm the reader, yet the author does a good job of offering a window into small town teenage parties and highlighting some of the darker undercurrents of society.  It is a mature read, and as we are in a K-9 school, I am not sure that the content is appropriate for a junior high reader, so for that strong reason I am not voting for this book to go through this round.  

As an adult, I was interested in the storyline, but I was not a fan of the content. I think that the sexual content and the coarse language is unnecessary and serves to normalize this sort of behaviour in teenage children. I would not want my 15 year old to read the book for that reason. In fact, if she was 16 or 17, in high school at all for that matter, I would not want her reading that content. Good writing is well crafted and has captivating characters. I did not find the protagonist or the supporting characters captivating; at times, they hardly seemed plausible. I definitely pass on this novel for school aged children.

Upside Down in The Middle of Nowhere

A beautiful story of survival set when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans told by a 10 year old girl.  I appreciated the authentic voice of the character, and her stubborn personality that is a strength and a weakness.  Few of our students in div 2 or 3 will remember the devastation that Hurricane Katrina caused, but the author does a good job of describing an ordinary family’s struggle to survive after the storm, but the resilience and goodness of people in times of crisis.

This book can be enjoyed by students in Division 2 or 3.  

VERDICT: Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere is the winner!