Inside this Issue - Jefferson County Public Schools

Is Perfect Really Perfect?
By: Tee’Jayh Angton
November Blues, by Sharon Draper, had more than one story to it. One part of the book is about a girl
named November, and her struggles of being a teen and pregnant. November was the popular girl in school. She had
money, style, and most importantly, admiration from others. While living this perfect life, November soon learns
that she is pregnant. With her deceased boyfriend’s parents who is also her baby’s father, offering a large reward for
the baby, will November do the unthinkable and sell her baby? Or will November keep her baby, and suffer a
lifelong struggle of being a single parent. The other part of the story is about a boy named Jericho. With the lost of a
family, in which he was closest to, Jericho figured that physical pain would take away from the emotional pain that
he was feeling on the inside. In his search for that physical pain, Jericho thought that with every tackle he received,
he would remove some of the animosity he had from the death of his favorite cousin. But will sports handle the
inner pain that Jericho is so depressed about, or will his crazy idea work for him.
First, I’d like to say that I liked how the author took everyday problems from today, and turned those pic
stories into one big intriguing page turner. I feel that the author saw how television today glamorizes being a
teenage girl and pregnant, so she took the liberty of writing about the true reality of being in that situation. The
reality is, being a teenage parent is a whole lot of work. Especially the expenses. Even with Jericho, I feel like a lot of teens today deal with
a lot of death. The author showed how a lot of teens today cope with negative abstracts that come our way. We shut out the world and we
feel the need to hide our inner feelings. What I would say that I liked most is how right off from the very fist chapter, you realize that this
isn’t going to be a Cinderella story, which in my opinion made the story better.
I also liked how at the beginning the author started right off telling about November’s perfect life, and the perfect image she
portrayed. Then the author slowly guided you into the downfall of November. I liked this because it was so unexpected, and so out of
sequence. Realizing early on that one decision could affect the rest of her life. But will November make the right one? November now not
only has to think about how this decision will affect her, but also her unborn child. Will November only think of herself, or will she do
what’s for her baby as well? One thing I didn’t like was how November and Jericho in a way kept there distance. Even when the story does
bring them together, there is very little dialogue between them. I also feel that Jericho didn’t have enough emotion to hide. Jericho showed
very little emotion to the outside world, and I liked that. But what I didn’t like was how most of Jericho’s problems had easy solutions. For
example, when Jericho’s ex-girlfriend problem, the “easy solution” was to ignore her.
Another thing that I didn’t like was how there were two stories. I feel strongly that each story should have been its own personal
book. Both stories would have been better if they had been in separate books. For example, in the book, when the author switched stories,
you missed out on 3-4 days of the other character’s life.
Once again, I did love the book. I would recommend this book to teenagers who feel like everybody has a perfect life. So it you’re
really into drama and reality, I would strongly encourage you to read this book. Find out what happens to Jericho and November in the
quest for help. From being popular to being a mom, and from being in band to being in football……..Which one will make it and which one
won’t?
The Authors Look by Gloria Blake
Plainsong by: Haruf, Kent. Penguin group,Canada,2004,352 pps.
Kent Haruf writes his characters out as if they are people in real life. Most of the things that happened in the
book, happened outside of the book as well. Kent weaves four stories in the book that link to one story at the end.
One of the stories is of a young girl who gets pregnant, another is a story of two boys who live with their father but
no mother figure. Finally, there are the McPheron brothers, who are two grown men.
One character, Victoria, ends up finding out that she is pregnant. Her mother finds out as well, and ends up
putting her daughter out of the house. She has no where else to go but down the street to one of her teacher’s house.
But her teacher lives with her father who has a little problem. He ends up hurting her so she had to find somewhere
else to go. Next she goes to the house of the McPheron brothers, but they don’t really know about taking care of
anyone but themselves.
The story ends up becoming very crazy because all of the things that started to go on with the characters in
the story - loosing people and gaining people, as well. The part of the story that becomes the most interesting was pic
when Victoria’s baby’s father comes back; she hasn’t seen him sense she got pregnant. Through the whole
pregnancy, she felt like she was alone, because he just left and didn’t call to tell her anything. She thought that he knew what was going on.
When he found out, he came to her school and took her to live with hi, not knowing that everyone back at home was worried about her.
Eventually, she discovers that he is more likely to kill the baby when he takes her out to party’s knowing that there are drinks and people
smoking.
The author, Kent Haruf, is well known for stories that are confusing yet interesting. He uses details to make the stories relate to one
another. At the beginning, he wants you to think that they are going to be independent from one another, but they end up becoming related.
For example all the characters in the book have problems with their families as well as themselves. They all reach a point when they think
that they should give up, but they manage to carry on.