Anything But Ordinary, Valerie Hobbs

Hobbs, Valerie (2007).
Anything But Ordinary
New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
9780374303747
Genre: Realistic fiction

Bernie and Winifred have been in love since they were fourteen, but when Winifred goes away to college, the two must try to forge their own identity.
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Quirky eighth-grader Bernie Federman moves to a new school in New Jersey and has trouble fitting in. He meets Winifred Owens who is also an outsider. They become friends and become inseparable: playing chess, talking on the phone and trading books. The two realize they are more than friends during their junior year; they plan to attend college together. However, Bernie’s mother dies of ovarian cancer which causes Bernie’s father to drink excessively. Bernie loses motivation; his grades drop, and he starts working at a tire shop. Upon graduation, Winifred leaves for college in Santa Barbara without Bernie. Bernie decides he cannot live without Winifred and drives cross-country. He is unprepared for the dramatic changes in Winifred. Winifred has become “Wini” and changed her appearance and field of study. Her behavior and attitude have also changed, and Wini coldly rejects Bernie. Bernie discovers that he enjoys the college environment; he sits in on classes, sleeps in the library and scrounges food. He decides to stay, enroll in classes and get an apartment. On Christmas break, Wini returns home and discovers what is important to her. Anything But Ordinary is a romantic novel about two people who must first discover their own identities before they are able to find happiness as a couple. Hobbs’ portrayal of college life is authentic and believable. College-bound readers will especially enjoy the college life portrayal and romance readers won’t be disappointed.

The Fold, An Na

Na, An (2008).
The Fold
New York: Putnam Juvenile
978-0399242762
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Korean-American high school student Joyce Kim feels like a nonentity compared to her beautiful older sister, and when her aunt offers to pay for plastic surgery on her eyes, she jumps at the chance, thinking it will change her life for the better.
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Sixteen-year-old Joyce hates feeling inadequate next to her perfect, older sister Helen. Joyce has pimples, chubby knees and no sense of style. Her plan is to work out and transform herself so that JFK (John Ford Kang) will notice her and not confuse her with her ugly Korean lab partner ever again. When Joyce’s wealthy aunt Gomo (who she refers to as Michael because of all of her plastic surgery) wins the lottery, Joyce’s solution seems tangible. Aunt Gomo offers each family member a gift to improve themselves (Father-lifts, mother-tattooed eyebrows, brother-pills to grow taller, and sister-dating service); Aunt Gomo offers to pay for Joyce to have surgery to get a fold in her eyelids. As each member suffers from their improvement, Joyce begins to evaluate her opportunity. Na introduces many cultural values and explores issues of ethnic identity and beauty with respect to Korean vs. Western standards. Joyce’s best friend offers comic relief while also representing those Korean Americans who lack the financial stability to afford the same options as Joyce, the bumbling, likeable Everygirl. As Joyce researches surgery and tries out the new look with cosmetic glue, she loses sight of her true friendships and gains the attention of JFK, if only momentarily. It is her resented, perfect sister Helen- the closeted and soon to be outed lesbian- who helps Joyce recognize that inner strength, confidence and beauty do not exist as a result of surgery. Poignant, insightful and extremely accessible to all-regardless of ethnic origin.

Off-Color, Janet McDonald

McDonald, Janet (2007).
Off-Color
New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
978-0374371968
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Fifteen-year-old Cameron, living with her single mother in Brooklyn, finds her search for identity further challenged when she discovers that she is the product of a biracial relationship.
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Fifteen-year-old Cameron lives in a white working class section Brooklyn with her single mom. Cameron’s concerns revolve around wearing clean clothes and getting to school on time. However, everything changes when Cameron’s mother loses her job at the nail salon and is forced to move into the all minority projects across Brooklyn. Cameron fears culture shock as well as abandonment from her friends. Soon after moving, Cameron discovers a photo album in her mother’s room. The album contains a picture of Cameron’s father—who happens to be black. Cameron never suspected her mixed heritage, and she cautiously questions her biracial identity. Because everyone thinks Cameron is white, Cameron wonders what will happen if she tells them the truth—but then, Cameron doesn’t know what it means to be black. In her confusion, she struggles to tell her old friends while making new friends in the projects. Even though each friend represents a stereotypical caricature of black people (the sassy wise widow, the ghetto fab hood rats, etc), they each allow Cameron the opportunity to contemplate her identity. As Cameron grows more comfortable, many characters admit their own biracial heritage (guidance counselor, Afr Am studies teacher, new friends in the projects) which seems improbable. Still the novel will facilitate thought about biracial individuals. Ghetto speak abounds without much profanity or sex.