Some people's guilty pleasure is chocolate. For others, gambling. Mine? Young adult realistic fiction. There is so much depth in young adult realistic fiction- I love that each reader, young or old, can connect in so many different ways with teen fiction. Just ask my friends- I am not the only one that is a fan! So, when John Green appeared on this week's reading list, I was ecstatic! (If you haven't read Will Grayson, Will Grayson yet, you must!) This week, I chose one of the few of Green's works I haven't read yet, Paper Towns.Summary
Quentin's senior year is shaping up to be a pretty uneventful year until one night, when his long time neighbor (and crush), Margo, appears at his window and invites him to join her on what ends up being the most exciting night of his life. Margo Roth Spiegelman is legendary- both in Quentin's mind and at school. And, when Margo finds out her boyfriend has cheated on her, she plans and designs a series of pranks that are just as legendary as her. Quentin joins Margo and the two spend the night pranking all involved in the cheating scandal. From stashing fish under car seats to spray painting M on windows, the night really is the best night of Quentin's life.
Just as things start looking up for Quentin (how couldn't things improve after spending the night hanging with Margo?), Margo disappears. While she's been known to take off for a few days, leaving "clues" for her parents to follow, she's never left this long before. Ironically, it appears as if Margo left a series of clues for Quentin to follow her path.
Quentin enlists the help of his two best friends, Ben and Radar, and the trio set off hot on the trail of Margo. But, when clues (such as a highlighted quote in an epic poem) start leading to dead ends and Margo continues to stay missing, Quentin sets out on an epic road trip (in lieu of graduating naked in his gown) with his friends. The boys (and Ben's new girlfriend, Lacey) soon find themselves chasing Margo's path and ultimately find her hiding out in an old barn outside of New York. But, while the group has found Margo, they soon learn that she actually wanted to remain hidden, proving that sometimes, you just have to follow your own path, not someone elses.
My thoughts
I love John Green. I love that his writing pushes the boundaries on teen literature and gets readers thinking about relationships and life all while providing an entertaining read. True to the other books I have read of Green's, Paper Towns is an enjoyable, quizzical, and provocative work. However, I couldn't help but feel like I'd read the book before... Interestingly, in an endnote, Green mentions that he found inspiration in Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, the book about Christopher McCandless' great Alaskan adventure. Despite similarities in tone, Paper Towns kept me happily reading (and clue hunting) until the very end.
What have others said?
From School Library Journal (2008):
Green's prose is astounding- from hilarious, hyperintellectual trash talk and shtick, to complex philosophizing, to devastating observation and truths. He nails it- exactly how a thing feels, looks, affects- page after page. The mystery of Margo- her disappearance and her personhood- is fascinating, cleverly constructed, and profoundly moving. Green builds tension through both the twists of the active plot and the gravitas of the subject. He skirts the stock of coming-of-age character are- Quentin's eventual bravery is not the revelation. Instead, the teen thinks deeper and harder-about the beautiful and terrifying ways we can and cannot know those we love. Less-sophisticated readers may get lost in Quentin's copious transcendental ruminations- give Paper Towns to your sharpest teens.
And, from Booklist (2008):
Yes, there are echoes of Green's award-winning Looking for Alaska (2006): a lovely, eccentric girl; a mystery that begs to be solved by clever, quirky teens; and telling quotations (from The Leaves of Grass, this time) beautifully integrated into the plot. Yet, if anything, the thematic stakes are higher here, as Green ponders the interconnectedness of imagination and perception, of mirrors and windows, of illusion and reality. That he brings it off is testimony to the fact that he is not only clever and wonderfully witty but also deeply thoughtful and insightful. In addition, he’s a superb stylist, with a voice perfectly matched to his amusing, illuminating material.
Some ideas for the classroom or library
First priority- book talks on Paper Towns and John Green's other books! Because of its mystery and the fun, over-the-top pranks, Paper Towns is a great candidate for a book talk with my older readers. All it will take is a quote or two, and I know several readers will be excited to read the book. Moreover, Paper Towns is a great "gateway book" to some of Green's deeper novels- I can see some of my high schoolers try his others after enjoying Paper Towns.
Paper Towns will work great as a book for older readers to discuss in class- especially with the references to classic texts and unique topics ("paper towns" are neighborhoods have two interesting meanings). Paper Towns is a great recommendation for fans of Into the Wild; the opportunities for compare and contrast are abundant. Like Lewis alludes to in his review for School Library Journal, Paper Towns is deep (and a bit lengthy) so it's best suited for voracious readers as the text might be overwhelming to those not yet hooked on John Green.
References
Cart, M. (2008). [Review of
the book, Paper Towns by John Green]. Booklist, 104(19/20), 79.
Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?
vid=3&hid=106&sid=538d7066-abe6-405c-8f84-c32852eaafa1%40sessionmgr110
Green, J. (2008). Paper towns. New York, NY: Dutton Books.Lewis, J. (2008). [Review of the book, Paper Towns by John Green]. School Library Journal, 54(10), 148. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?
vid=3&hid=106&sid=3a126bab-247d-4f57-b11d-62a6c4d947b1%40sessionmgr112
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