Looking for Alaska

Some of the most wonderful authors can be found in the young adult section.  Once you fight your way past the wall-o-paranormal, there is a veritable buffet of literary yumminess just waiting to be devoured.  Luckily, our local Barnes and Nobel has a terrific salesperson who gives me great recommendations, and thanks to her I've added a new favorite author to my menu.

Looking for Alaska by John Green is NOT about Alaska the state. It is set in present day Alabama, where Miles Halter travels to attend Culver Creek Boarding School.  He is tired of the invisible life he has been living at his Florida public school, and decides to attend his father's alma mater at the start of his junior year.  It is the place where he hopes to shake things up, do something exciting and find his "Great Perhaps". What he finds is Alaska Young, a beautiful, fascinating and troubled dorm neighbor, who along with Miles' roomate "The Colonel" introduces him to the labyrinth that is life. Now, for all of you who are thinking that this is kind of Catcher-in-the-Ryeish, don't worry.  It is SO MUCH BETTER.  And it has a point. And you don't have to be in high school to relate to the characters; they are ageless and universal.

John Green is not a new author, he's just new to me.  Looking for Alaska was published in 2005, when it won the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.  He's written several since then, and I plan to read them all.  Stay tuned...

Mary Kay