Looking For Alaska by John Green

Author: John Green
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Coming of Age
Rating: 10
Teach-ability: 8
Teachable Aspects: On his webpage John Green says, "What is the point of death? and What is the point of literature? and In an essentially and irreperably broken world, is there cause for hope?" To me, these are perfect essential questions for Looking For Alaska, and I think that to teach the book well one would have to really touch on these parts of the text.

Here we go..

This is another reread for me this semester. I'm pretty sure that this makes three for the semester, and yet again it was a wonderful experience. I read this book first my senior year of high school as a part of the Mainely Girls Book Club. When I first read this book I carried it around with me like a dearly cherished object of affection. I adored this book. I remember thinking, whoever this John Green guy is, he must be freaking amazing because this book it just top shelf. I laughed. I cried---hard. This is actually the first book that I've ever cried during. In all my years of reading I had never cried during a book until this one. For that reason, and for the candle that I have been holding for this book sense I read it, I have always defended its honor.
Not that good of a book? Rubbish!
Not his best? No way!

A lot of the comments that I had been given about the subpar-ness of this book were given to me by people who read this book as an adult, rather than a high school student. I went into this book a little scared. I was nervous that the book that I remembered was just a figment of my high school imagination and that I too would not find the same awesomeness in this book the second time around.

I am thrilled to say that I absolutely proved myself wrong. This book was every bit as good the second time around, if not better because although I remembered some parts of the book a great majority was up for mystery. I have to admit that I did not cry (I was also reading the part I cried at in a public place...brave face...) but the emotions that this book draws out of me is incredible.

For those of you who actually want to know what the book is about, it takes place at Culver Creek, a preparatory school where Miles "Pudge" Halter is looking for his "Great Perhaps." The book follows Pudge and his group of friends as they seek for greater meaning and look to find the bigger meaning.

I am thrilled to know that teachers have been able to use this book in their classrooms with success and just minimal grumblings from parents. I am thrilled to see unit plans and lesson plans and ideas and activities for me to adapt on the web. I would love to use this book as a whole class book because the story is a wonderful one that students will grasp onto. I think this book will make students think, and wonder and explore. I can imagine wonderful things coming from the teaching of this book and (just to get on my soapbox a little) I think that this book is a great example of a reason why Young Adult literature should be taught in high school.