Of all the high school books and all the coming-of-age books, this is the one that spoke loudest to me. It is the one that connected me with what I lived in high school; lived–not lived through. I was often that awkward, disconnected kid. I had to retreat at times and put on music and lock my door and escape from it all. Charlie! Charlie, you sweet boy. And Patrick, Sam, Brad, Mary Elizabeth–I’m with you all in my heart.
This is a book that well-meaning adults often seek to ban. It uses words they don’t like and discusses themes that will never have any bearing on their child. Yet, this is a book that would bring about such amazing learning in the hands of the right teacher. (Yes, I do know that most classrooms are not blessed to have the “right” teacher). Even a mediocre teacher, armed with…
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