I want this book in my library! This must be what Amy Pattee was referring to. Girls could learn so much about relationships that they might not find elsewhere. Audrey was lucky enough to have friends she could share personal discussions with, but not all girls do. The trip to the gynecologist was a bit prescribed, but shares valuable information young women might not find elsewhere. I haven’t read Forever by Judy Blume, but from all I’ve heard, I’d want both these books on the shelf right next to each other. (Okay, I know Blume and Ruby wouldn’t be shelved near each other alphabetically, but if we shelved fiction by topic they’d be together.)
Positive values? Absolutely! Well, she doesn’t fight poverty, but she meets all the other criteria. She cares for other people, stands up for her beliefs, tells the truth, takes responsibility for her own actions (She never gets mad about the picture!), and believes it is important to not be sexually irresponsible or use alcohol or other drugs. While the Search Institute might not have had her way of acting in mind for the last category, she is responsible in the situations where there is sex and/or alcohol.
1 response so far ↓
Linda // April 22, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Yay I hope you have it in your library. I think if you tell people what the framework for this book is about they get nervous that it presents teens with something “bad.” But, if they get past hype and non-realistic fears, they should see that there is more to the story than the act of the blow job.