Don't judge a book by its cover...

My parents have been telling me this for years, as have my teachers and various other people in my life. Generally I follow this to the T. I'll read almost anything at least once. I like to try a variety of genres. Length doesn't matter either. Basically any book has a shot at being added to my repertoire.

However, even I have been guilty of judging a book by its less-than-appealing cover art, tacking title, and overall juvenile appeal.

Needless to say, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks started off a little rocky for me. To be fair, I was coming down with a cold and didn't really want to be reading for homework in the first place, but usually starting a novel is not that hard for me. I struggled so much because it looked like something I could picture ordering out a middle school book-order, or pick up from the kids section of the library. It didn't scream 'young adult lit' to me, but really just 'young lit'. I only made it about 30 pages into it when I started on Friday and didn't pick it up again until Sunday. I wasn't feeling any better on Sunday but I knew I had to make it through the book eventually, so I just started reading. The more I read, the more I liked it. Actually, the more I loved it! It really was very interesting and entertaining, especially when she made up negative forms for words. I found Frankie to be witty, intriguing, and everything I wished I was when I was teenager - adventurous and daring, but stealth with her actions. I was worried at first that a majority of the novel was going to revolve around her crush on Matthew, but not really. It really focused on her need to be included and her incredible intelligence.

I think the quick mention of her old boyfriend in the first few pages and her sudden blossoming into womanhood, combined with the stereotypical young adult lit cover, is what pushed me over the edge. Once I finished the novel, I really wanted more, and I was angry with myself that I almost didn't get into it at all because I was so set on not liking it. And I LOVE to read. I was dreading the novel because I "knew" it was going to be about some preteen/teen struggling through school, with a crush on the coolest kid who doesn't really know her, and a family that doesn't understand her. Luckily, there was much more to it than that, but I think it's important to acknowledge that this is what I got from it right away. If I had doubts right away, and I LOVE to read and will give almost ANYTHING a shot, how can I expect my future students, who may not like reading at all (especially not when it is required), to read and enjoy a book that is packaged to look juvenile. I can't imagine passing this novel to a 17-year-old boy and saying "Enjoy!" without him looking as if it's the most painful thing he's ever held in his hand. Okay, well maybe it won't be that extreme, but I have a point. I think it should be presented as young adult lit, not young adult lit. There are a lot of themes in young adult lit that are completely relevant for junior high and high school students, but if it's presented as being something that's written for people their age, it sometimes hurts itself by appearing too "young". How can we make young adult lit seem as interesting and academically challenging as works by Shakespeare, Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, or Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, when it looks like something a 6th grader might pick up?

So, even though it started rough and I don't like how it is packaged, I flew through the novel in an afternoon. I do think high schoolers would find it really interesting too, and that it could be an interesting read for boys and girls. I just don't know if the appearance would have a negative impact on students.

After finishing the novel, I thought I would get a head start on our next one, Paper Towns. As soon as I picked it up I thought, "Man, this is something I could see sitting on the 'Buy 2, Get 1 Free' table at Borders, not in the young adult lit section." Then I opened it, read the first line and realized that you really can't judge a book by its cover. Looks like a long story about a boy's lifelong love for his next door neighbor...hopefully I'm pleasantly surprised.

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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. - Augustine