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April 11, 2007
HOW TO GET SUSPENDED AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE
They say never judge a book by its cover, but how about by its title. HOW TO GET SUSPENDED AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE really made me think of all those things in junior high I would have loved to do but didn't.
Leon, 14 and entering eighth grade, begins the school year in the "gifted and talented" class. The first assignment is to make a educational video for sixth and seventh grade students. The list of topics include things like smoking, but it also includes sex education. Sex education sets Leon's creative side spinning. He will make an avant garde film and he will tell kids it is okay to masturbate. Using photographs of great works of art, a CPR dummy and poems written by a friend, he makes his movie, but an innocent preview of the unfinished work gets Leon suspended. Before long people are taking sides and this homework assignment is now a censorship issue.
The author, Adam Selzer, is making fun of censorship and prudish people with his very funny book, but censorship is a serious topic. It is a good book to discuss with others. This is Selzer's first novel, so more information on him, check out his webpage at www.adamselzer.com
RECOMMENDED FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 TO 8.
Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Posted by fjacksonem at April 11, 2007 11:13 AM