Book Review: PARROTFISH by ELLEN WITTLINGER

Property of Simon & Schuster

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, July 2007

Hardcover, 304 pages

ISBN-10: 1416916229

ISBN-13: 9781416916222

Grades: 7 and up

When Angela cuts off her hair, changes her name to Grady, and begins to live as a boy, her family and friends have trouble accepting the change.

Description:  Ellen Wittlinger's style of writing is easy to read.  Her descriptions are short, vivid and worked so well in, one can barely tell they are there.  I love they way everything moves the story along.  There no distractions, no boring parts and nothing I wanted to skip.  Every detail mattered. (Score: 10/10)  

Narrative:  Parrotfish is one of those books that place you directly in the  main character's head.  Everything Grady sees, hears and feels is conveyed to the reader in a heartfelt way.  Some parts of the book contain quite a bit of narrative but it envelops the reader. (Score: 10/10) 

Dialogue:  I am in love with Grady's voice.  The character is so grounded that I felt calmer when he spoke, even during times of high emotion.  To be able to write about one feeling and evoke another in the reader takes some amazing talent.  It's no wonder Ellen Wittlinger has won awards.  Her writing style is so engaging that the whole book spoke to me.  (Score:10/10)

Characterization:  My favorite part of reading Parrotfish was getting to know the characters.  Everyone is different yet so balanced in the story.  It was amazing to me how the main character grew but I believe everyone else grew so much more.  In learning the craft, I've struggled with showing the main character's growth, but Ellen was able to make it happen even in the secondary characters.  Pretty amazing, I have to say. (Score: 10/10)

Resolution:  I found the climax and resolution very interesting.  I couldn't predict this ending, yet I doubt it's plausibility a little.  (But then again, I don't come from the same type of family Grady does.)  This book left me with chills and a sense of calm yearning.  I don't need more to this story, but I want it.  The ending was very complete, yet open the way I like it.  There's room for more, yet it's so very satisfying and inspiring. (Score: 10/10)

My twenty one year old niece recommended I read this book.  Before this, I'd never heard of Ellen Wittlinger.  What interested me most was that she lives in in my area of the world.  So, I followed her on Facebook.  And then groupie stalked her at New England Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (NECBWI) mostly for my niece and dear friend Cybele.

Cybele, Ellen Wittlinger, Lorettajo at NESCBWI regional conference.

Now if I'd KNOWN Ellen was a Printz Honor Award Winner  I probably would have been too scared to approach her, but, alas, I did and found out she is a super, amazingly nice person.  I hadn't yet read her books, so I felt kinda goofy, but now I can make up for it with this review. :)


Anyway, Parrotfish is the type of book I'd recommend to anyone person trying to break free from labels and stereotypes.  There's a lot of discussion involving that topic.  Yes, the main character has changed gender, but the book is really about MORE than that.  It's about individuality, self-acceptance and well, let's face it, helping others accept who YOU really are.  I'm not gay or in confusion about my gender.  But I struggle EVERYDAY with being comfortable in my own skin.  I've tried to be "good" and fit the stereotype that a woman should, and it's made me crazy again and again.  Reading Grady's story inspired me to keep trying.  Be myself and love it.  So,  if you're in constant battle with yourself and others around you, read Parrotfish.  Grady will inspire you to be more of the self you should be.  Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. 

A Nurse/Mom/Writer's Perspective on WSJ's Review: Darkness Too Visible

Irony of ironies....I was dreaming big in NYC when I read Laurie Halse Anderson's Blog regarding Meghan Cox Gurdon's article on the content of teen novels: Darkness Too Visible.

Of course, I have to contribute my unique perspective.  I am an ER Nurse, certified to teach Emergency Nursing Pediatric Care.  I am a Mother of a 12 year old boy and 8 year old girl.  I am a Writer of realistic Young Adult Novels. And I'm fascinated with human growth and development and try to apply it to every corner of my life.  "Darkness Too  Visible" jabbed right at my heart.  Specifically this quote:

"Yet it is also possible—indeed, likely—that books focusing on pathologies help normalize them and, in the case of self-harm, may even spread their plausibility and likelihood to young people who might otherwise never have imagined such extreme measures. Self-destructive adolescent behaviors are observably infectious and have periods of vogue. That is not to discount the real suffering that some young people endure; it is an argument for taking care."

I say: YES! Please normalize these behaviors-so no one has to feel alone or freaky for having unhealthy coping skills. Teens in crisis perform these self harming behaviors (cutting, binging/purging, drinking, etc) LONG before they seek out books that might make them "imagine such extreme measures".  These brave authors provide a means to talk about it and almost all of them do so with great care. And for that, I applaud them.

And that leads to my other pet peeve belief about teens.  This will be a shocker, I know, but TEENS ARE CAPABLE OF MAKING UP THEIR OWN MINDS.  Developmentally, they have outgrown concrete thinking which means they can now reason based on information provided. See Jean Piaget's theory of development for more.  They can and do think critically.  True, they do not yet have life experience to guide them, but that's where books written by adults comes into play.  Well written Young Adult Novels provide insight in a way few other forms of media can.  They tell a story.  Teens have the ability to apply that story to their own life or not.  

Great books make all my jobs easier.  As a nurse-it's a lifeline for me to offer when I see kids in crisis.  I can say "You're not alone. See?"  As a mom, I can open a conversation about what I just read.  And trust me-they always ask what I'm reading and why.  And in return, ask their thoughts about the topic. As a writer, I have mentors, a guide to follow.  These pioneers are clearing the way for me to also share my story.

Do I want my kids to know that rape, violence and brutality exist?  Of course not.  But in order for them to avoid it, I need to be real, with both myself and them-at the right time.  

Is rating books a good idea, as suggested in the article?  As a mom, I'd probably say yes.  To be honest, I rely on those ratings for TV, movies, music and video games.  Publishers do a great job of assigning age ranges most of the time.  But do parents know how to use them properly? 

As my kids age, I'm learning.  I try to read every book for content before my 12 year old to make sure it's appropriate.  And if it's not, I tell him why.  He can still choose to read it, but we will at some point have a discussion about it.

In the end, I'd like to say that good writing should stir up controversy, should push the envelope.  I'm tired of teen issues shrouded under clouds of fantasy, goth or horror.  Teen problems exist, always have and always will.  We owe it to our kids to talk about it for real.  Otherwise, mistakes will do nothing more than repeat themselves for generations to come.    

I Speak in Code

"In the most Biblical sense,
I am beyond repentance
Fame hooker, prostitute wench vomits her mind
But in the cultural sense
I just speak in future tense
Judas kiss me if offensed,
Or wear ear condom next time..."

"I wanna love you,
But something's pulling me away from you
Jesus is my virtue,
And Judas is the demon I cling to ..."

This blog is, in fact, a cryptic message....but that's just me, having fun with the human mind.  I am, after all, a writer.  My job is to entertain and leave words open to interpretation.  There's  a hazard in this, but I'm going to have to get used to it.  Assumptions will be made about me.  Reviews will be written.  I guess this is as good as anyway to prepare myself. 

Crisis or Quest....

My Inspiration for The Quest

I recently had a friend ask me, "Are you going through a midlife crisis?"

I let the question linger in my head for a long time.

And then, thanks to my friend Sera Rivers (she writes a blog for them) I stumbled across a Psychology Today article:
"What a Female Mid-Life Crisis Looks Like".

I read it.  Bookmarked it (on my phone!) and read it a thousand times.

Now, the thing is, I'm YOUNG-no where near mid-life...at least I hope not. I mean this stuff doesn't usually happen until someone's in their forties, right? (And shush, you people who know my real age!  I'm NOT THAT CLOSE!!)

But, I started early, according to modern timelines: college right out of high school; marriage, child and career right out of college. Yeah, I moved fast in my twenties, making gains most adults today won't even consider until closer to thirty.  So, I guess it makes sense that I'd need to re-eval my life earlier than most.

In truth, it started about the time my father died.  July 13, 2004.  He was only 61.  I had just turned 30-an age I dreaded most of my twenties.

Another big turn came four years later when my youngest started school.  Suddenly, I was alone for hours at a time, with absolutely no direction.  I figured I'd find my way eventually, but I didn't-until last year.

All this time, I'd been writing.  I knew it was going to take me somewhere.  But in my mind, I was wasting time, producing something that was a total "what if."  Then, my attitude shifted via life events: my trip to Haiti and multiple writer's conferences to name a few.

I began seeking change in earnest.  I explored opportunities that had potential to take me somewhere.  Some did, some didn't.  I tried on different roles and discarded parts of myself I no longer needed.

I started a QUEST for a new, better me.

The CRISIS part was the reaction from everyone around me-friends, family, etc.

Today, I'm nowhere near complete.  I'm still QUESTING, creating CRISIS along the way.  But, that's who I am, I guess: a fire-starter, a rabble rouser, and a trouble maker.  I can't be happy being anything less. No, I take that back!  I WON'T be happy with anything less.