Cover:
Bibliographic Information:
Title: Roomies
Author: Sara Zarr and
Tara Altebrando
ISBN: 978-0316217491
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
for Young Readers
Copyright: 2013
Reader’s Annotation:
Neither Elizabeth nor Lauren knew what to expect when they received emails pairing them as roommates for their upcoming freshman year of college. Would they be besties, enemies, or simply just roomies?
Neither Elizabeth nor Lauren knew what to expect when they received emails pairing them as roommates for their upcoming freshman year of college. Would they be besties, enemies, or simply just roomies?
Plot Summary:
Elizabeth, better known as EB, lives in New Jersey. She just got an email with her college roommate assignment for Berkley. Her roommate is Lauren, who already lives in San Francisco. EB decides to email Lauren to begin figuring out who should bring what, like a microwave or mini-fridge. Lauren is surprised to get the email from EB, because she requested a single room. She sends a response that is somewhat cold. The girls continue to email back and forth. Lauren tells about her jobs, and her fledgling relationship with the son of her boss at her deli job. EB tells Lauren about her problems with her current boyfriend, her breakup, and her new relationship with the son of client EB did landscaping work for. Starting to feel comfortable with each other, EB continues to confide in Lauren, talking about the fact that her mother is dating a married man, the father of EB’s new boyfriend, and the fact that her father, who also lives in San Francisco, cannot let EB stay with him if she comes out early, due to the fact that he is out of the country. When Lauren goes to visit the art gallery that EB’s dad owns, she realizes he has lied to EB, and he is not out of the country. Lauren tells EB the truth about her father, and the two girls get into a huge fight, to the point where there future as roommates is in question.
Elizabeth, better known as EB, lives in New Jersey. She just got an email with her college roommate assignment for Berkley. Her roommate is Lauren, who already lives in San Francisco. EB decides to email Lauren to begin figuring out who should bring what, like a microwave or mini-fridge. Lauren is surprised to get the email from EB, because she requested a single room. She sends a response that is somewhat cold. The girls continue to email back and forth. Lauren tells about her jobs, and her fledgling relationship with the son of her boss at her deli job. EB tells Lauren about her problems with her current boyfriend, her breakup, and her new relationship with the son of client EB did landscaping work for. Starting to feel comfortable with each other, EB continues to confide in Lauren, talking about the fact that her mother is dating a married man, the father of EB’s new boyfriend, and the fact that her father, who also lives in San Francisco, cannot let EB stay with him if she comes out early, due to the fact that he is out of the country. When Lauren goes to visit the art gallery that EB’s dad owns, she realizes he has lied to EB, and he is not out of the country. Lauren tells EB the truth about her father, and the two girls get into a huge fight, to the point where there future as roommates is in question.
Critical Evaluation:
The tone of this book is fun, light, and pleasant to read. The narrator switches between the two lead female characters, EB and Lauren. Each girl has a very distinctive narrative voice, meaning the way each girls sees the world around her and conveys it to the reader is unique, and they play well off of each other. I felt like framing the story around email exchanges was fresh and innovative.
The character development of both EB and Lauren was fairly strong initially. Immediately, I felt drawn to them; the reader really cares about each girl, and sees them as distinctly different and complementary characters. By discussing the relationships the girls lives, we see a more complete picture of them as characters, as well as the setting that serves for each girl’s portion of the story. However, as the story progressed, I found myself beginning to dislike EB’s character. Her response to Lauren telling her of EB’s father’s dishonesty seemed quite different from the way EB had acted to that point. Before this, EB was warm, and bubbly; now, she responds with an abrupt, sarcastic, profanity laden email. This change made her seem petulant, and ground the story a bit to a halt. It felt like EB, as a character, was no longer a dependable narrator for her portion of the story. It felt as though the reader needed to side with one girl over the other.
The largest weakness of the book was the ending; the writing feels rushed. The scene where the girls rectify their disagreement just seems a little too pat. There seemed to be a lack of resolution.
The tone of this book is fun, light, and pleasant to read. The narrator switches between the two lead female characters, EB and Lauren. Each girl has a very distinctive narrative voice, meaning the way each girls sees the world around her and conveys it to the reader is unique, and they play well off of each other. I felt like framing the story around email exchanges was fresh and innovative.
The character development of both EB and Lauren was fairly strong initially. Immediately, I felt drawn to them; the reader really cares about each girl, and sees them as distinctly different and complementary characters. By discussing the relationships the girls lives, we see a more complete picture of them as characters, as well as the setting that serves for each girl’s portion of the story. However, as the story progressed, I found myself beginning to dislike EB’s character. Her response to Lauren telling her of EB’s father’s dishonesty seemed quite different from the way EB had acted to that point. Before this, EB was warm, and bubbly; now, she responds with an abrupt, sarcastic, profanity laden email. This change made her seem petulant, and ground the story a bit to a halt. It felt like EB, as a character, was no longer a dependable narrator for her portion of the story. It felt as though the reader needed to side with one girl over the other.
The largest weakness of the book was the ending; the writing feels rushed. The scene where the girls rectify their disagreement just seems a little too pat. There seemed to be a lack of resolution.
Author Biography
Sara Zarr (from author’s Amazon page)
Sara Zarr is the acclaimed author of five novels for young adults, most recently The Lucy Variations, which the New York Times called “an elegant novel.” Her sixth, a collaborative novel with Tara Altebrando, came out December 2013. She’s a National Book Award finalist and two-time Utah Book Award winner. Her books have been variously named to annual best books lists of the American Library Association, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, the Guardian, the International Reading Association, the New York Public Library and Los Angeles Public Library, and have been translated into many languages. In 2010, she served as a judge for the National Book Award. She has written essays and creative nonfiction for Image, Hunger Mountain online, and Response as well as for several anthologies, and has been a regular contributor to Image‘s daily Good Letters blog on faith, life, and culture. Sara also hosts the This Creative Life podcast. In fall 2014, she received a MacDowell Colony Fellowship. Born in Cleveland and raised in San Francisco, she currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband, and online at www.sarazarr.com.
Tara Altebrando (from author’s website)
In addition to my most recent middle-grade novel, MY LIFE IN DIORAMAS (Running Press Kids), I’m the author of one previous middle-grade book (THE BATTLE OF DARCY LANE), and four novels for Young Adults. Those include THE BEST NIGHT OF YOUR (PATHETIC) LIFE (a Junior Library Guild Selection! From Penguin Books), DREAMLAND SOCIAL CLUB (a Kirkus Reviews Best Books for Teens of 2011, from Penguin), THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS (MTV Books) and WHAT HAPPENS HERE (also MTV).
I also cowrote ROOMIES with Sara Zarr (Little Brown). It made the American Library Associations list of Best Books for Reluctant Readers.
Next up is THE LEAVING, a YA memory thriller from Bloomsbury.
I live in Queens, New York, with my husband and two young daughters, Ellie and Violet.
Sara Zarr (from author’s Amazon page)
Sara Zarr is the acclaimed author of five novels for young adults, most recently The Lucy Variations, which the New York Times called “an elegant novel.” Her sixth, a collaborative novel with Tara Altebrando, came out December 2013. She’s a National Book Award finalist and two-time Utah Book Award winner. Her books have been variously named to annual best books lists of the American Library Association, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, the Guardian, the International Reading Association, the New York Public Library and Los Angeles Public Library, and have been translated into many languages. In 2010, she served as a judge for the National Book Award. She has written essays and creative nonfiction for Image, Hunger Mountain online, and Response as well as for several anthologies, and has been a regular contributor to Image‘s daily Good Letters blog on faith, life, and culture. Sara also hosts the This Creative Life podcast. In fall 2014, she received a MacDowell Colony Fellowship. Born in Cleveland and raised in San Francisco, she currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband, and online at www.sarazarr.com.
Tara Altebrando (from author’s website)
In addition to my most recent middle-grade novel, MY LIFE IN DIORAMAS (Running Press Kids), I’m the author of one previous middle-grade book (THE BATTLE OF DARCY LANE), and four novels for Young Adults. Those include THE BEST NIGHT OF YOUR (PATHETIC) LIFE (a Junior Library Guild Selection! From Penguin Books), DREAMLAND SOCIAL CLUB (a Kirkus Reviews Best Books for Teens of 2011, from Penguin), THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS (MTV Books) and WHAT HAPPENS HERE (also MTV).
I also cowrote ROOMIES with Sara Zarr (Little Brown). It made the American Library Associations list of Best Books for Reluctant Readers.
Next up is THE LEAVING, a YA memory thriller from Bloomsbury.
I live in Queens, New York, with my husband and two young daughters, Ellie and Violet.
Genre(s):
Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties:
Pennsylvania State Standard: Standard - CC.1.3.11-12.K
Read and comprehend literary fiction on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.
Pennsylvania State Standard: Standard - CC.1.3.11-12.K
Read and comprehend literary fiction on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.
Booktalk Ideas:
Discuss what teens expect for their first roommate situation
Discuss post high school plans with teens
Discuss post high school plans with teens
Reading Level:
Grades 9 and up
Grades 9 and up
Interest Age:
12-18
12-18
Challenge Issues:
Teen sexuality, a homosexual character, cursing.
If this book were challenged I would:
· Listen to the concerns of the person raising the challenge
· Consult the library’s collection development policy
· Explain how this work meets a library need based on the collection development policy
· Consult YALSA’s Dealing with Challenges to Young Adult Materials
· Consult reviews on VOYA, Amazon, Common Sense Media, and Kirkus
· Discuss any awards or notable commendations the book received
· Explain the library’s commitment to intellectual freedom as discussed in the ALA Library Bill of Rights
· Give the patron the procedure for a formal challenge should they seek to pursue it
Teen sexuality, a homosexual character, cursing.
If this book were challenged I would:
· Listen to the concerns of the person raising the challenge
· Consult the library’s collection development policy
· Explain how this work meets a library need based on the collection development policy
· Consult YALSA’s Dealing with Challenges to Young Adult Materials
· Consult reviews on VOYA, Amazon, Common Sense Media, and Kirkus
· Discuss any awards or notable commendations the book received
· Explain the library’s commitment to intellectual freedom as discussed in the ALA Library Bill of Rights
· Give the patron the procedure for a formal challenge should they seek to pursue it
Why was this book selected:
I chose this book because I thought the dual female narrators was interesting. I liked that the two main characters came from very different family situations. It presents an opportunity for teens to contemplate their plans after high school, and gives a realistic portrayal of the complexities of living with a stranger.
I chose this book because I thought the dual female narrators was interesting. I liked that the two main characters came from very different family situations. It presents an opportunity for teens to contemplate their plans after high school, and gives a realistic portrayal of the complexities of living with a stranger.
No comments:
Post a Comment