Paper Towns

Yes, Bratfest at Tiffany's is on the NYT bestselling list.

I have started a new job as Youth Library Associate here in Tulsa. I am focusing on literature for tweens (11 and 12 year olds) and teens. So I am scrambling to read popular and award winning books. The Y (Young Adult) book market is saturated with vampire books and series like "Clique" about being or not being in the popular crowd. Who wouldn't want to read these books with titles like "Dial L for Loser", "Sealed with a Diss" and "Revenge of the Wannabees". Thus far I had avoided those kinds of books but I'm sure it's inevitable that I will read at least one of the Twilight series.

However I picked up a book by the author John Green after a coworker recommended his books. "Paper Towns" is his third novel written for Youth.  It is a fantastic read, appealing to both youth and

adults. 

It is a coming of age story told in first person from the point of view of "Q" (Quentin) a nerdy, honest and witty protagonist.  The story centers around Q's fascination with his neighbor and childhood best friend Margo, who is now the most popular girl in school and an enigma to Q. After she runs away Q and his pals follow a path of clues to try and learn where Margo might have gone, but end up discovering more about the illusion of people we create in our own minds.  The book is youngish, quirky, innocent and full of life lessons. The characters are well developed and real while staying true to themselves throughout the story. Some of the main themes include self discovery, belonging in a place and searching for one, acceptance of others and oneself and leaving an old life to start anew.

All in all I would highly recommend this book. I think it can appeal to a broad spectrum of readers. I will leave you with some of my favorite quotes from the book.

"What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person."

"That's always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they're pretty. It's like picking your breakfast cereal based on color instead of taste."

"It's easy to forget how full the world is of people, full to bursting, and each of them imaginable and consistently misimagined." 

"Those of us who frequent the band room have long suspected that Becca maintains her lovely figure by eating nothing but the souls of kittens and the dreams of impoverished children." 

"If you don't imagine, nothing ever happens."