Peters, J. (2004). Luna. NY: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 0316733695.
Plot Summary: Sixteen-year old Regan O’Neill is struggling with the secret that her older brother, Liam, is a transsexual, who wants to transition and live as a girl named Luna. Liam adopts the name "Luna" to reflect the fact she can only show herself as a girl at night. Regan helps Luna dress as a girl in secret, but panics when she announces her plans to become Luna full-time. Regan dreads what her parents will think, how her classmates will react and if society will accept Luna. Furthermore, Regan's own romantic life is put in danger when she is forced to constantly look out for her sister. Although she wishes to have a "normal" sibling, she knows that she is Luna's only hope for happiness. Her parents are in denial, as her Mother is busy running her business as a wedding planner and her father refuses to acknowledge that his son shies away from traditional macho sports and activities. In the end Liam leaves town so that she can transition and feel free to become her real self.
Critical Evaluation: This is an important book and one of the few that confronts the issue of teen gender identity. It’s conceptually well done and though some parts of the dialogue feel forced, the narrative voice of Regan as the sister on the outside (yet inside) of the situation adds rich dimensions and complexity to the story. At times touching and sad, yet also encouraging and informative, this book serves as a meaningful addition to any young adult collection. The portrayal of the parents is unsympathetic but also very revealing from the viewpoint of what is at risk and how many families are unprepared to cope with such taboo. Regan is a protagonist that teens will be able to relate to and learn from, especially from the wide range of feelings and actions expressed by this character. Hopefully, this book would inspire more awareness and tolerance for gender identity issues.
Reader’s Annotation: Regan’s brother, Liam, has a secret that only she knows and cannot share with anyone else. Some people think her brother is peculiar and others think he is a handsome teen that has a promising future. Only Regan knows why her brother wants to borrow her dresses and makeup, yet she’s afraid what people will think if they only knew who her brother really is…
Information About the Author: Julie Anne Peters was born in New York in 1952. When she was five, her family moved to Colorado and her parents divorced when she was in high school. She studied Elementary Education and French in college but decided teaching was not the right career for her. She earned a Bachelors degree in Computer and Management Science and worked as a computer programmer for many years. She also earned a Masters degree in Information Systems Business Management. Following this career trajectory, Peters began writing books the frequently deal with LBGT issues and has won awards and recognitions, including the 2004 National Book Award Finalist in Young People’s Literature, the 2005 Stonewall Honor Book Awards and the ALA’s Best Books for Young Adults. She currently lives with her partner in Lakewood, Colorado.
Genre:
Teen Issues: Sexual Identity, Outsiders
Contemporary Life: Coming of Age
Curriculum Ties: English class, Psychology class, Book clubs, Social Studies class, Health class
Booktalking Ideas:
1.) What it might be like for someone who feels like the opposite gender
2.) How people in school might react to a transgender teen
3.) Family secrets and how different members might cope with it
4.) Helping and loving a sibling even if resentful and fearful
5.) Do you think Liam/Luna made the right decision at the end of the novel?
Reading Level/Interest Age: Grades 9-12
Challenge Issues/Defenses:
Potential Challenges:
• Content includes issues of transgenderism
• Depictions of violence
Defense Strategy:
• Provide statistics regarding transgender teens:
http://www.youthprideri.org/Resources/Statistics/tabid/227/Default.aspx
http://www.berealorlando.org/html/statistics.html
• Provide our Collection Development Policy (which includes Young Adult scope): http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/library/collection.asp
• Refer to book reviews and awards earned by this book:
http://julieannepeters.com/files/JPReviews.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_novel
• Provide book reviews from actual readers from a public accessible website:
http://www.amazon.com/Luna-Julie-Anne-Peters/dp/0316011274
• Provide guidelines book clubs have used to address issues: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/_assets/books/educatorguides/LunaTG.pdf.
• Provide interviews with the author about transgender issues and challenges to her books: http://julieannepeters.com/files/JPFAQ.htm
Why This Book Was Included: I’m glad we had the opportunity to read this novel as a class assignment. It covers a controversial but important topic for today’s teens, who are either seeking their own identities or learning to accept others who are perceived as different. It explores the inner turmoil transgender teens experience as well as how their unexpected transitions deeply affect their family and friends. It’s a compelling story and an influential work of contemporary literature.
No comments:
Post a Comment