Module 15: l8r, g8r

Summary:
Maddie, Angela, and Zoe are making their way through their senior year of high school, and are anxious about graduation. Written in "instant messaging" speak, the author tells the story of the three girls as they handle relationships of all sorts. The story begins as Zoe's boyfriend Doug returns from his semester at sea. Zoe is thrilled to see him, as is her friend Angela. Angela's friendliness with Doug becomes the source of a flirting rumor, started by the school with, Jana. Zoe blows it off, preferring to spend every waking moment with her boyfriend, consumed by the relationship. Angela and Maddie however, want to get even with Jana. As they plan their revenge through a series of pranks, the girls also deal with relationship drama in their own lives. Maddie starts seeing her ex, Ian, again, even though the relationship ended badly. Angela finds herself unable to break up with a boyfriend she doesn't love after he gives her a car. Zoe, still head over heels, begins to prepare to lose her virginity to Doug. Soon, the girls begin to receive their acceptance letters to college, with each going to different schools in different states. Although it's not ideal, the girls realize if they can handle all they went through senior year, they can easily handle being apart. After all, they can always instant message.

My Thoughts:
At first, it was hard for me to see why this book was so controversial. I thought perhaps it was the format, although I would hope that those reading this book already had a good idea of proper grammar and spelling. Then, after some research, I saw that the book was challenged and banned because of the content, with most of the issues taking place in a middle school environment. While I do feel the book is entirely inappropriate for middle schoolers, I believe older high school girls will really relate to this book. The story reminded me of many conversations I had with my own friends at that age, and the author did a great job portraying high school life. If parents do take issue with the book, I challenge them to talk with their high schooler and see if the story line is really all that different than their life, chances are, it's not. The book can be a safe place for high school girls to read about obsessive relationships, the trouble with rumors, and the need to be true to yourself. That being said, I don't think it will be popular for long. The technology, movie, music, and television references will quickly date this series. 5 years from now I doubt we see it around.

Their Thoughts:
Francisca Goldsmith's Booklist Review-
"The third book in Myracle's online chat trilogy, which began with ttyl (2004), finds Zoe, Angela, and Maddie spending most of their time considering boyfriends, college choices, and getting the better of a nasty classmate. Readers will recognize each girl's distinctive voice, personality, and particular chat style, all of which have remained consistent across the series. In this book Zoe loses her virginity--in her typical, carefully planned fashion; Angela has her pride damaged by a guy who first gives her a Jeep; and brash Maddie, who avoids getting into a romantic quagmire, sets the pace for the friends' rebellion against their parents' choices of colleges. This will certainly appeal to the characters' peers, but it's also a good choice for adults who want to know what's happening in teenagers' lives."

My Ideas:
Honestly, with the controversy surrounding the book, I don't know if I would necessarily "promote" the book through displays, programs, or book talks. While I believe that the book should be included in the library, I think that doing some sort of outright promotion or activity with the book is asking for trouble. I would certainly suggest it to teen girls with the maturity to handle it, but beyond that, this might be one that speaks for itself!