Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic - Alison Bechdel

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Bechdel, Alison. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. $19.95 Hardback (232p) ISBN: 9780618477944.
Recommended for ages 16+.

In Fun Home Alison Bechdel examines her father’s untimely death and her relationship with him from her childhood up through her early college years. The fun home refers to the funeral home owned by her father’s family, where her father worked part-time as an undertaker and she spent many hours of her childhood. Both of Alison’s parents were English teachers and the literary references found throughout this tale seem to demonstrate the form of communication used within the home, as well as the influence of books on Alison’s life. As Alison visits her past she pokes fun at her family and their dysfunctional situation yet raw, painful emotion is a constant – a comedy with its twin tragedy nearby at all times. Alison’s story is not told in chronological order but rather jumps from an incident in childhood to a related occurrence later in life or one from her father’s younger years. This allows the reader to come to revelations in much the same manner Alison most likely did, connecting one event to another. Alison blames herself for her father’s death but in the end comes to terms with who he was as a man and what he meant to her as a father.

The graphic novel format of this book may appeal to young adults and allows Alison to capture much more detail and emotion than words could have done alone.  However, part of the charm of this title lies in the graphical pictures that draw childhood memories from adult readers.  Due to the graphic nature of several illustrations and the complex verbiage used throughout the title, this book is recommended for those 16 and older. This engaging, thoughtful memoir crosses into LGBTQ and graphic novel genres.

Awards/Honors
Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work - 2007
Publishing Triangle Judy Grahn Award - 2007
ALA Stonewall Book Award Israel Fishman Nonfiction Award - 2007
Lambda Literary Award Lesbian Memoir/Biography - 2007
National Book Critics Circle Nominee for Memoir/Autobiography  - 2006

NPR interview with Alison Bechdel:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

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Clare, Cassandra. Clockwork Angel. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010. $19.99 Hardback (479p) ISBN: 9781416975861.

Recommended for ages 14+.

After the death of her aunt Tessa flees New York to live in London with her brother, the only family she has left. Immediately upon arrival in England Tessa is kidnapped by the Dark Sisters who force her to discover her talents as a shape changer. With the aid of the Shadowhunters, whose mission is to protect the world from demons and the like, she escapes the confines of the Dark Sisters only to realize that a world full of supernatural creatures is now her reality. Tessa remains a sought woman and violence erupts as those with evil intentions pursue her. Twist after twist leaves the reader guessing to the very end, at which point the book concludes nicely while still leaving a perfect opening for the squeal.

This title deals with the relevant young adult issues of identity seeking, romance, and family. With the descriptions of early 19^th century England and the issues with women’s rights at the time, it does fit in the genre of historical fiction, yet the theme is primarily fantasy as it is centered around supernatural characters such as witches, vampires, and demons. This series was written as a prequel to the popular Mortal Instruments series, making it a must-have for libraries. Though the first title in the Mortal Instruments series, City of Bones, was published in 2007 it is not necessary to read it before Clockwork Angel.   This book, along with the rest of the series, will appeal to those ages 14 and up.

Awards/Honors
YALSA Teen's Top Ten Winner - 2011
Silver Inky Winner- 2011
Indigo Top Ten for Ten Fiction - 2010
Indie Kids Next List for Teen Readers - Winter 2010/2011

The next book in The Infernal Devices series:

Cover art from indiebound.org

Book three, Clockwork Princess, newly released.

Cover art from indiebound.org

Here's a great book trailer for Clockwork Angel. 

This series is the prequel to The Mortal Instruments series:

Cover art from indiebound.org

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The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton

Cover Photo from Wikiapedia

They walked out slowly, silently, smiling."Need a haircut, greaser?" The medium-sized blond pulled a knife out of his back pocket and flipped the blade open.
I finally thought of something to say. "No." I was backing up, away from that knife. Of course I backed right into one of them. They had me down in a second. I fought to get loose, and almost did for a second; then they tightened up on me and slugged me a couple of times. So I lay still, swearing at them between gasps. A blade was held against my throat.
"How'd you like that haircut to begin just below the chin?"

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders. New York: Viking, 1967. $15.99. Hardback (188p) ISBN: 9780670532575.
Recommended for 12+

Ponyboy, age fourteen, has lost both his parents and is now growing up in the care of his older brothers, Darry and Soda. This poor makeshift family lives on the rough side of town and is part of the greaser gang, a group of troubled boys living under similar conditions. This gang membership is not a choice but an expectation. The greasers continually feud with the socs, a gang of high society rich kids. Ponyboy is a smart kid and has a hard time coming to terms with the disparity between the expectations set upon him by society and the desires he has for his own future. Things come to a head when one of his fellow gang members, Johnny, kills a soc while saving Ponyboy’s  life. Ponyboy and Johnny flee town searching for a way out of the life they are leading and in the process pondering the meaning to life overall.

This book was written in the 1960’s and yet many of the themes such as coming-to-age, belonging, and defining one’s own identity are still relevant. Because there remains a divide in social-economic classes and rivalries play a large role in growing up, this book could still resonate with today’s youth. The story is interesting and proceeds at a quick pace. Ponyboy’s character was not entirely believable but still likable and easy to empathize with, an important characteristic for the protagonist in young adult literature. Though some situations feel a bit overdramatized and a few characters remain underdeveloped, the book has a refreshing sense of honesty and the author’s message is clear. This title still has a role in today’s libraries for those twelve and older as a classic, also fitting into the genre of street literature. 


Awards/Honors
New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List - 1967
Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book - 1967
Media and Methods Maxi Award - 1975
American Library Association Best Young Adults Books - 1975
Massachusetts Children's Book Award - 1979
Margaret A. Edwards Award - 1988
NPR Young Adult Fiction Finalist - 2012

Movie Tie-in

The Outsiders (1983)