vs.
First of all, I'd like to state that Shelley K., Stephen, and I didn't love either book and would happily sacrifice our "winner" for another book that was loved by another group but not chosen for various reasons.
That being said, we did reluctantly choose Vincent and Theo. Vincent and Theo is different kind of story told from an objective point of view. It is a fleshed out account of Vincent Van Gogh's life and his number one fan and supporter, his brother Theo. Although it is a little dry at times, it was an interesting account - art, religion, sex, booze, friendships, society's expectations - and told in an interesting manner - framed as a series of gallery exhibits and written to reflect Vincent’s work. However, we don't think many students would find it interesting - especially considering there were parts that we adults had to push our way through. Stephen and I voted for this one, with Shelley K. leaning (slightly) towards Goodbye Days.
As for Goodbye Days, our initial reaction was not a positive one, but it eventually grew on Shelley K (and got better for Stephen and I). It is reminiscent of a typical YA genre where some tragic event occurs, usually dealing with a death, and the survivors struggle to pick up the aftermath of their lives without feeling guilty or responsible for said tragic event - with a little falling in love with a deceased friend's girlfriend thrown in the mix. Are we sounding a little negative? It was a fine read that many kids would enjoy (and perhaps learn the important lesson of the dangers of texting) but it was too annoying and trite to truly capture our hearts.
So, unless we can convince the group to choose another book to move forward, we select Vincent and Theo as our champion.
Amanda Barrett, Shelley Kunicki, and Stephen Ekstrom
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