Lauren's comments (member since May 01, 2009)

Lauren's comments from the Wild Things: YA Grown-Up group.

Becky wrote: "I saw the movie way before reading the book. In fact, I didn't even know there was a book until I joined GR, LOL!

I am really torn on which I like more. The movie has a special place in my heart,..."

I agree-I love both for different reasons. This is the first book I read to my now husband so it holds a special place. This is also a book I read to my sisters at one point in our lives. Great memories and it always makes me laugh.

I've never heard of this book but I love the cover. Not sure if I'll get to it this month but definately want to check it out at some point.

monster

yellow

I agree. It's interesting reading this book and how it deals with "snitching" or "protecting" when it is really upholding the right thing.

It has much significance right now because of what is all over the news right now. There was a gang rape that went on for over 2 hours outside a high school and people were around watching and doing nothing. Someone finally called 911 but I still find the time lapse so shocking.

lips

heat

deck

fingers

I had braces as a teenager but only for a short period of time to make space for my molars. When they brought up putting rubber bands on my teeth to draw them down thus making them all even across the bottom, I said no, I don't want Barbie teeth. If there is space for my teeth in the back then we are done. Thankfully they listened so my teeth still have character.

I loved this series. I thought they were great discussion starters with my younger sister and I wouldl ove to have my step-daughter read them because right now she is very caught up in the what makes people pretty thing and thinks she needs make-up to be pretty. (Her father has said no make-up till high school.)

Misty I agree with that sentiment. It becomes a problem when it builds walls and hinders our ability to relate to "other" in a positive and honest way.

Lydia, I like the way of putting that. Or my world is made up of people of many varied times, places, cultures and the joy it is to see the history that has shaped an individual.

There is much richness to be enjoyed if we look for it.

Loving some of these books I have picked up on the recommends of this thread.

The whole ugly/pretty thing, I think, is a commentary on our current society-we are supposed to be annoyed that he would dare say what is ugly or pretty. All over TV, in book descriptions, on the cover of magazines, etc is the "example" of beauty. There are few people today that don't have body issues because they don't live up to a made up idea that is being marketed everywhere. More than creating this distopia of mindless clones for the sake of the story, Westerfield is challenging teenagers thoughts of who defines beauty and why it is valued above other more long lasting attributes.
I loved how thought provoking these books were on many levels and would love to revisit them. This is a great discussion, I enjoyed reading all the input and ideas. Thanks.

I enjoyed about the first 10 books in this series then found the plot much to repetitive and couldn't be bothered to read anymore. At some point you gotta catch the bad guy and move on.
Linda, I agree with you. While I am willing to let my step-daughter try all kinds of books, I will filter her reading until she is old enough to read with discretion and thought about what she picks up.

I just finished Anne of Green Gables and immediately started Anne of Avonlea. I loved reading AofGG! She is so thankful and sweet and full of whimsy! It just made me smile to read and enter into the world. Can't wait to read the others.

I don't know when I started becoming interested in "multiculteral" literature but I started making an effort to seek it out when I saw the prevalence of "white" literature that I was feeding myself.

Because of where I live, I look more for African-American and S. American authors to get a glimpse into a world unlike my own but reflective of the demographic of the area. I also love books that take place in Asia because of friends I have from Philipines and China.

I do think when we travel, whether we want to or not, we are reflective of our whole country and I would like to show something different than the Hollywood portrayal. I think of an article I read in a travel magazine? about young back-packers putting Canadian flags on their bags because they didn't want to be seen as an American-perhaps if they'd gone as Americans they would have openned some minds to alternative thought.

This is rambling, sorry. My other thought was that as we become more aware of this lack, we are able to inform the habits of those people that we have some influence over and, while it takes time,these changes may start being visable. A line in (I think) It's the Little Things says (paraphrasing): Black people are always aware of race, White people have to make a point to think about it.

the more people making a point to think about it and actively do something about it...that's progress.

Has anyone had an experience like this (I was intrigued...)

I love reading books that are outside of my experience and understanding, whether they are in a different country, an American's experience in another country, immigrants new experiences when coming to America or other American experiences. One of the ladies I work with was looking for a book and I asked what she liked (she is Puerto Rican with much of her family still living in Puerto Rico). I mentioned a couple books with Puerto Rican protagonists and she wanted to borrow one. When I brought it in she said, "Why would you pick up a book like this?"

That response seems quite indicative of why "multicultural" is the catch all non-white category for books. It seems that as an American I am expected to live only in my little world with no interest in the lives of others.

Any thoughts about the response or the general perceptions of Americans?

I just started reading this for the first time a couple days ago (I'm reading it online so it does not travel with me and takes a little longer.) I watched the movie as a kid but, like Alexis, the classic classification put me off the book as a youth. Loving the character and the story. Matthew is such a dear and I love how he's rooting for Anne right from the beginning.

Looking froward to reading the whole series.

I love this thread. When I worked at an after school program, after all the kids had left and we were going over the day we had to do "good-thing, bad-thing".

Congratulations on the new jobs. Yay for good days from chronic illnesses. My younger sister has chronic lymes and has not been in school all year because of fatigue. Very thankful for tutors that enable her to stay current in her work!

I'm super excited about getting married on Saturday then spending a week in Dominica! Lots of hiking and waterfalls down there. Gorgeous!

fiance

( i think ethic got read ethnic b/c I can't associate the following word any other way-message 308-309)

What is the distinction between utopia/distopia? I read the wiki break down but then looking at some of the classifications I disagreed.

Alexis put the Uglies series into distopia. I would have thought of that as Utopia in the extreme. From looking at it, everyone is equally "beautiful", there isn't war, they are carin for the environment, etc. all good things. It takes away choosing though. It put into perspective how important the ability to choose is and made clear what things are more important than beauty, partying, weight, etc.

Is utopian lit only if good things make things turn out better or can the idea of utopia be a negative?