Since we may have misjudged when we planned out our book club meeting this will be my last entry. It seems appropriate since we all finished the book this week anyway. The way the author handled the date rape situation was possibly the most realistic and appropriate way she could. Many girls would not want to press charges due to fear and embaressment. We also do not know if this is the way the author truly wanted to portray the incident. She may have been advised by an editor to change certain parts or aspects. I think we would find fault no matter how she ended up writing the scene because there is no good way to portray a date rape scene. I like the fact that it was addressed in a young adult novel though.
This novel has some good conflicts that young readers could relate to. Many girls have trouble with their mothers because of weight or other issues. Many girls lose a close relationship with their fathers as well, and sometimes girls have trouble dealing with this fact in the same way Ginny did. The conflict between Ginny and her brother is also a common one among siblings that I think young readers could connect to.
This book is a bit intense when addressing issues like weight and date rape but I think it could easily replace one of the classics in the classroom. Classics can be intense as well but they are never questioned because they are written by dead white guys. Shakespeare's plays are full of violence but they are never questioned if they are appropriate for a high school classroom. I think this book is appropriate for a classroom and students would be able to relate better to it than a classic.
I enjoyed our book club. Everyone read the book and contributed to discussions. I would love to use this idea in my future classroom.