Choice Book: Jumping off Swings, Jo Knowles
SummaryTowards the very beginning of the novel, Ellie has sex with Josh at a party and ends up getting pregnant. The two hardly know each other. He leaves immediately afterwards and the two don't really talk again. The remainder of the novel tracks for narratives-- Josh's, Ellie's and their two best friends, Corinne and Caleb. The chapters rotate and each one is told from a different perspective. Caleb's single mother is very understanding and ends up offering Ellie support during her pregnancy, much more so than do her own parents.
*And in case you are interested, the other book choices for this week were Purple Heart, a novel about the war in Iraq by Patricia McCormick, (the author of Cut), and If I Grow Up, Todd Strasser's attempt at understanding gang life. People seemed to love Purple Heart. I want to read it.
Choice Book: Jumping off Swings, Jo Knowles
Summary
Towards the very beginning of the novel, Ellie has sex with Josh at a party and ends up getting pregnant. The two hardly know each other. He leaves immediately afterwards and the two don't really talk again. The remainder of the novel tracks for narratives-- Josh's, Ellie's and their two best friends, Corinne and Caleb. The chapters rotate and each one is told from a different perspective. Caleb's single mother is very understanding and ends up offering Ellie support during her pregnancy, much more so than do her own parents.
*And in case you are interested, the other book choices for this week were Purple Heart, a novel about the war in Iraq by Patricia McCormick, (the author of Cut), and If I Grow Up, Todd Strasser's attempt at understanding gang life. People seemed to love Purple Heart. I want to read it.
Abandoned Huey Long Pool Locker Room by YesVacancy and 5 x 5 S by Jacquelyn Lee
Landover original map painting by Rachel Austin
Landover original map painting by Rachel Austin
Noted Themes and questions
Like many of the novels we read this semester, Jumping off Swings looks at the different types of relationship teens might have with their parents and how these relationships affect them. The novel provided a wide-range of parenting styles, which I thought was interesting. Obviously, the novel also explores the issue of teen pregnancy and the relationship that the baby's father might have with the pregnancy. In many ways, it seems as though the book critiques our society's notion of paternal involvement. Nearly all of the adult fathers in the novel could be classified as less-than-ideal fathers. The author poses the question, how are teenage fathers supposed to become more responsible and involved if they do not have models for good fathers?
Like many of the novels we read this semester, Jumping off Swings looks at the different types of relationship teens might have with their parents and how these relationships affect them. The novel provided a wide-range of parenting styles, which I thought was interesting. Obviously, the novel also explores the issue of teen pregnancy and the relationship that the baby's father might have with the pregnancy. In many ways, it seems as though the book critiques our society's notion of paternal involvement. Nearly all of the adult fathers in the novel could be classified as less-than-ideal fathers. The author poses the question, how are teenage fathers supposed to become more responsible and involved if they do not have models for good fathers?
Reflection
I liked the concept of the multi-perspective narrative, but Iim not sure about teaching this book in regular curriculum. I think that the novel does raise interesting questions about teen sex and pregnancy, particularly related to male involvement, as noted above. Because she uses the multi-perspective narrative, Knowles gives a voice to Josh (the baby's father). We are able to gain some insight into his feelings, perceptions, and experiences, which I think often remain untold in texts about pregnancy.
Student Reaction
I think this novel would appeal to a lot of teenagers. It would be a good novel to promote understanding about a subject that often goes unmentioned.
I think this novel would appeal to a lot of teenagers. It would be a good novel to promote understanding about a subject that often goes unmentioned.
Grade
9th grade and up.
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