So our team had to choose between Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai and Shout by Laurie Halsle Anderson. Which quite frankly is like choosing between chalk and cheese.
Pie in the Sky is a story about Jingwen, who immigrates from China to Australia at the age of 12. He is dealing with some pretty big issues, like the death of his father, missing his grandparents and being completely at a loss when it comes to learning the English language and fitting in with his peers. So he does what any angsty preteen would do, defies his mother and starts making increasing elaborate cakes when she is at work every night. Same old, same old, right? We as a group did not particularly like this book and some did not finish it. We did not like the writing style and felt that many of the words and phrases used by the main character did not match his language level. Some of us found the overall premise a little pie in the sky in terms of credibility. A few Grade Five students read it and loved it, so maybe we adults are not the target or intended audience.
Our vote is unanimously for Shout, a first hand account of a young girl being raped by an acquaintance. It is described as being "for anyone who has ever been lost, ignored, silenced, abused, assaulted, harassed, talked down to, made to feel small". Our members described it as powerful, timely, and speaking to many people's experience. Some us of did not expect to like the writing style (free verse) but ended up loving how we had to focus on how the stories flowed and related to each other. We found her her use of language to be masterful. The keeners in the group also read Speak ( a fictional predecessor to Shout), and were very moved by how it was the catalyst for telling the author's story and the story of others. We feel that this would be fantastic book to do as a book club with a small group of junior or senior high students of both genders, as it could provoke some rich conversations about issues of consent and the emotional impact of consent being ignored or violated.
Smackdown Books 2021
Thanks so much for blogging for our group, LIsa. A little late to the discussion, I am sad to share the news that this was not a unanimous decision within our group. I'm feeling like going to fisticuffs with this one. I fell madly in love with Pie in the Sky, despite being a long time Laurie Halse Anderson groupie. I might need to join a support group for choosing a graphic novel! I hate graphic novels!!
ReplyDelete(Side Note: It's the weirdest thing. I love spicy food and then all of a sudden, last year, spicy food became too spicy. Too spicy!! Now, as if that wasn't bad enough, all of a sudden I like graphic novels?! What is the world coming to?)
When I picked up the books, I foolishly thought to myself that I needn't bother reading both because there was no way I would ever choose anything other than Laurie Halse Anderson. Especially not a graphic novel. Well, surprise surprise....
First of all, to plead my case - it's not *technically* a graphic novel - there are graphic elements woven into the narrative, much like Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. These graphic elements add a sense of humour, connect us to the characters, and help us empathize with Jingwen.
Perhaps it's the Junior High Foods option teacher in me that connects with a child who hides a secret love of baking. Or perhaps it is a deeper connection with the character; I too love to make something positive when my world is crumbling around me. Over the years I have worked with so many kids that are passionate about culinary creativity - and I know that I am not the only one that tries to make something beautiful when everything else feels so ugly. But don't get me wrong - this isn't just a novel for those who love to bake. Beneath the layers of cake, there's universal themes for our young readers to connect to - feeling isolated, struggling with parental and family expectations, and the ever present sibling struggles within families. And what if, in the end, this isn't really about baking? What if we thought about every young artist in our lives? Does it matter whether your artistic medium is a pencil, paintbrush, or offset spatula?
I'm heartbroken to learn that Pie in the Sky isn't moving forward, and I encourage you to read the book despite the results of this smackdown round. Better yet, put it into the hands of a young reader.