Tiger Eyes

Blume, Judy. Tiger Eyes. New York : Dell Pub. Co., 1981.

Plot: After the brutal murder of her father, Davey and her remaining family are locked in deep sorrow. Seeking assistance, her mother takes her two children to the safety of her brother's New Mexican home. Davey, with the help of Wolf, a young hiker, eventually faces her grief. Her journey through the mourning process faces challenges, as she faces her depressed mother, overprotective relatives, alcoholic friend, paranoid community, and racist neighbors. Life without her father will not be easy, but Davey may learn to grow into a woman capable of handling sorrow without losing herself in the maze of fears and escapism surrounding her.

Genre: Edgy, Coming of Age, Society, High School

Reading Level: Ages 10-13

Similar Titles: It's Not Summer without You: A Summer Novel, A Time for Dancing, Wrecked

Personal Thoughts: As an adult, I thought the novel portrayed the stages of grief in a clear and sympathetic manner. However, I hated the novel as a tween. To me, the story seemed to offer a mish-mash of alcohol, teen angst, rebellion, and anger issues, not a story of grief.  I am not entirely sure why I like the novel more as an adult than as a tween. Perhaps learning about psychology helped me understand Davey's actions better. Maybe age gave me the maturity necessary to recognize the logic behind the protagonist's responses. Experiencing some grief of my own may allow me to appreciate the story. However, the answer may be much simpler. Perhaps, despite the popular insistence that tweens are emotionally mature, they just do not understand things the manner way an older reader will.

I do not think I would recommend this book. For someone experiencing grief, the novel seems like a parody of sorrow under layers of social issues. If someone has not experience loss, an actual biography may be more beneficial. Overall, the book is good, but not particularly useful.

The Outsiders

Hinton, S. E.. The Outsiders. New York: Viking Press, 1967.

Plot: Ponyboy, the unfortunately named protagonist, lives in the rough, gang-ridden city with the help of his two older brothers. However, the rivalry between the poor Greasers and rich Socs eventually lashes out at Ponyboy and Johnny, a fellow gang member. To save Ponyboy, Johnny kills a Soc, leading both boys to run away under the guidance of Dally, a prison-hardened friend. The boys manage to evade the police, but become unintentional heroes. Yet, heroism cannot erase their actions or society. Before the end of the novel, three boys are dead. However, their deaths cause unexpected inspiration. A revolution of hope may grow despite tragedy.

Genre: Adventure, Society, Crime

Reading Level: Ages 10-13

Similar Titles: I Am the Messenger, Begging for Change

Personal Thoughts: I think I liked this book as a kid. The diction, while slightly dated, fitted the story, while the characters seemed believable. The despair of a gang situation drips through the pages, allowing the reader to experience the hopelessness and longing of the protagonists. After class, I mentioned to my professor that I had no idea how I would survive this lifestyle. She said I probably would never enter it to begin with. This brief interaction remained etched into my memory for some unknown reason, but, after reading the novel as an adult, it raises a serious concern. As a student, the novel seemed little other than a lament against a hopeless situation. Yet, the novel's climax focuses on the hope that such situations can change by sharing this story and the many like it. As a kid, the entire point of the novel evaded me. Instead of being inspired, I just stayed stuck in the despair. I missed what the author was trying to convey. What was obvious as an adult was hidden as a child, so the novel failed to accomplish its goal to inspire change. Also, I seriously wonder what the students who did not speak to the professor gained from the novel. Did they find the message that evaded me? Or did they get as lost as I did in the depressing aspects of the story?