Peach’s Picks Rating:
Title:
This Lullaby: A Novel
Author:
Sarah Dessen
Illustrator:
None
ISBN:
0670035300
Publisher:
New York: Viking
Copyright:
2002
Length:
345 pages
Plot Summary:
Remy just graduated from high school and is on her way to Stanford University in the fall. She has a posse of girlfriends - Lissa, Chloe, and Jess - who hang out together. They drink extra-large diet Cokes in the Quik Zip market parking lot while discussing life, boys and relationships. Remy has a summer job as a receptionist at Jolie Salon and what seems like a career, planning yet another wedding for her mother. Remy’s mother is a romance writer about to be married yet again. Her father was the first in her mother’s long line of relationships, a hippie musician who disappeared before Remy was born. All he left of himself was a cheesy lullaby/love song written for Remy titled “This Lullaby” which includes the line “I will let you down.” All men in Remy’s life have let her down including her father, stepfathers, and boyfriends. Then, into her life walks Dexter, a disorganized musician with big dreams. To Remy’s utter surprise and shock, Dexter’s band plays the song without knowing it was written for Remy by her father. A secondary plot is Remy’s mother’s relationship with men, especially her latest husband, one more man that lets both women down.
Critical Evaluation:
The book is a good beach read. Remy and Dexter are more well-developed characters others in the book. The current step-father is a stereotype of a used car salesman. Remy’s brother is unnecessary to story and floats on the periphery of the plot. Remy’s girlfriends do not stand apart as separate characters, but blend into a composite stereotype of a teen girl. The same is true of Dexter’s band mates, who blend into a stereotype of messy, irresponsible teen band boys. The author incorporates two elements into Remy’s life that seem to be odds with one another and probably would not co-exist in the reality of the well organized teen she is supposed to be. A back story establishes that Remy was raped. After the rape she become promiscuous and turned to drugs and alcohol. There is no reveal of how she became a well-organized, mature teen that is accepted to Stanford University, a very competitive school. The reader can only wonder. This appears to be an attempt on the author’s part to show character growth without developing it in the story. Apparently, Remy is a teen with super powers that can turn her life around and recover from trauma without letting her grades slip. Even with these criticisms, the book is enjoyable and teens will identify with Remy and Dexter. There are laughs along the way and an ending that suits the situation.
Reader’s Annotation:
Remy just graduated from high school and has plans to work at Jolie Salon during the summer and help her mother plan yet another wedding. Then Dexter, the not-her-type musician, walks into Remy’s life bringing complications and romance.
Author Information:
Born in Illinois, 1970
Grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and still lives in the area
Married with one daughter and two dogs
Parents were professors at the University of North Carolina; mother is a classicist, father taught Shakespeare
She says she has been writing for as long as she can remember
Has always enjoyed reading
Parents gave her a typewriter when she was 8 or 9-years-old and she used it to write stories
High school girlfriends and experiences have inspired her stories
Attended UNC where she studied creative writing and graduated with an English degree
Worked as a waitress after graduating from college while she continued to write
Sold her first book three years after graduating from college
Books that influenced her include A Summer to Die by Lois Lowry and Are You There God It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume
Enjoys gardening and shopping for black pants
Says she love Starbucks mochas
Says she subscribes to too many magazines
Genre:
Contemporary realistic fiction – romance and interpersonal relationships
Curriculum Ties:
Use in literature classes
Booktalking Ideas:
If you need a break from assigned reading and are looking for a fun romance novel about a girl during the summer before college, this is the book for you.
Remy has had nothing but bad luck with males, including her father, stepfathers, and boyfriends. Dexter, the cute musician, finds a way into her heart. Will he break it or heal it?
Reading Level/Interest Age:
High school
Additional Books by Author:
Along for the Ride: A Novel
Lock and Key: A Novel
Someone Like You
That Summer
Truth About Forever: A Novel
Challenge Issues:
Sexual situations
Deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.
Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
The book received positive reviews in School Library Journal. The author is a prolific writer of well-received YA literature. Four peaches are awarded to a fun beach read.
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/This-Lullaby-Sarah-Dessen/dp/0142501557/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273628908&sr=1-1
References:
Dessen, S. (2010). “bio/press”. Sarah Dessen. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.sarahdessen.com/bio-press
This Lullaby: A Novel
Author:
Sarah Dessen
Illustrator:
None
ISBN:
0670035300
Publisher:
New York: Viking
Copyright:
2002
Length:
345 pages
Plot Summary:
Remy just graduated from high school and is on her way to Stanford University in the fall. She has a posse of girlfriends - Lissa, Chloe, and Jess - who hang out together. They drink extra-large diet Cokes in the Quik Zip market parking lot while discussing life, boys and relationships. Remy has a summer job as a receptionist at Jolie Salon and what seems like a career, planning yet another wedding for her mother. Remy’s mother is a romance writer about to be married yet again. Her father was the first in her mother’s long line of relationships, a hippie musician who disappeared before Remy was born. All he left of himself was a cheesy lullaby/love song written for Remy titled “This Lullaby” which includes the line “I will let you down.” All men in Remy’s life have let her down including her father, stepfathers, and boyfriends. Then, into her life walks Dexter, a disorganized musician with big dreams. To Remy’s utter surprise and shock, Dexter’s band plays the song without knowing it was written for Remy by her father. A secondary plot is Remy’s mother’s relationship with men, especially her latest husband, one more man that lets both women down.
Critical Evaluation:
The book is a good beach read. Remy and Dexter are more well-developed characters others in the book. The current step-father is a stereotype of a used car salesman. Remy’s brother is unnecessary to story and floats on the periphery of the plot. Remy’s girlfriends do not stand apart as separate characters, but blend into a composite stereotype of a teen girl. The same is true of Dexter’s band mates, who blend into a stereotype of messy, irresponsible teen band boys. The author incorporates two elements into Remy’s life that seem to be odds with one another and probably would not co-exist in the reality of the well organized teen she is supposed to be. A back story establishes that Remy was raped. After the rape she become promiscuous and turned to drugs and alcohol. There is no reveal of how she became a well-organized, mature teen that is accepted to Stanford University, a very competitive school. The reader can only wonder. This appears to be an attempt on the author’s part to show character growth without developing it in the story. Apparently, Remy is a teen with super powers that can turn her life around and recover from trauma without letting her grades slip. Even with these criticisms, the book is enjoyable and teens will identify with Remy and Dexter. There are laughs along the way and an ending that suits the situation.
Reader’s Annotation:
Remy just graduated from high school and has plans to work at Jolie Salon during the summer and help her mother plan yet another wedding. Then Dexter, the not-her-type musician, walks into Remy’s life bringing complications and romance.
Author Information:
Born in Illinois, 1970
Grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and still lives in the area
Married with one daughter and two dogs
Parents were professors at the University of North Carolina; mother is a classicist, father taught Shakespeare
She says she has been writing for as long as she can remember
Has always enjoyed reading
Parents gave her a typewriter when she was 8 or 9-years-old and she used it to write stories
High school girlfriends and experiences have inspired her stories
Attended UNC where she studied creative writing and graduated with an English degree
Worked as a waitress after graduating from college while she continued to write
Sold her first book three years after graduating from college
Books that influenced her include A Summer to Die by Lois Lowry and Are You There God It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume
Enjoys gardening and shopping for black pants
Says she love Starbucks mochas
Says she subscribes to too many magazines
Genre:
Contemporary realistic fiction – romance and interpersonal relationships
Curriculum Ties:
Use in literature classes
Booktalking Ideas:
If you need a break from assigned reading and are looking for a fun romance novel about a girl during the summer before college, this is the book for you.
Remy has had nothing but bad luck with males, including her father, stepfathers, and boyfriends. Dexter, the cute musician, finds a way into her heart. Will he break it or heal it?
Reading Level/Interest Age:
High school
Additional Books by Author:
Along for the Ride: A Novel
Lock and Key: A Novel
Someone Like You
That Summer
Truth About Forever: A Novel
Challenge Issues:
Sexual situations
Deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.
Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
The book received positive reviews in School Library Journal. The author is a prolific writer of well-received YA literature. Four peaches are awarded to a fun beach read.
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/This-Lullaby-Sarah-Dessen/dp/0142501557/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273628908&sr=1-1
References:
Dessen, S. (2010). “bio/press”. Sarah Dessen. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.sarahdessen.com/bio-press
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