When I was in the 6th grade, I read a book by Beverly Clearly called Jean and Johnny. I loved it. It was the first book I had read that was about a girl in my generation, a teenage girl who was experiencing her first taste of young love. All the books I'd read up to that point were about historical characters (Little House in the Prairie or my beloved Betsy and Tacy series) or characters I loved but couldn't really relate to (good old Nancy Drew). But this girl was me and even the name was right. It was all so innocent; probably the only worry in Jean's mind was how to ask Johnny to the dance.
Young adult fiction and stories of teenage love have certainly changed since then. Eleanor & Park is a beautifully written book about two teens struggling with major personal and family issues who find each other and truly need each other. It's a quick read but also one I couldn't put down. I found myself worrying about the characters when I wasn't reading it so I ended up reading it until 2 AM last night to finish it.
Two warnings. The narrator shifts back and forth from one character to another, sometimes even in extremely small entries. I didn't mind this but I know it bothers some people. The other warning is that the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. There are still some unanswered questions at the end, although there is some hope given that at least resolves the big issues. In an interview I read with the author she hinted that she might not be done with these characters so perhaps a sequel is coming.
Oh, and I suppose I should give another warning. Because this book is considered young adult fiction and this book does contain profanity, it was banned in a couple of small-minded communities. Their loss. -June
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