Paper Towns

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Overview

When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night—dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows her. Margo’s always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she’s always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they’re for Q.

Printz Medalist John Green returns with the trademark brilliant wit and heart-stopping emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

John Green

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Green melds elements from his Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines- the impossibly sophisticated but unattainable girl, and a life-altering road trip-for another teen-pleasing read. Weeks before graduating from their Orlando-area high school, Quentin Jacobsen's childhood best friend, Margo, reappears in his life, specifically at his window, commanding him to take her on an all-night, score-settling spree. Quentin has loved Margo from not so afar (she lives next door), years after she ditched him for a cooler crowd. Just as suddenly, she disappears again, and the plot's considerable tension derives from Quentin's mission to find out if she's run away or committed suicide. Margo's parents, inured to her extreme behavior, wash their hands, but Quentin thinks she's left him a clue in a highlighted volume of Leaves of Grass.Q's sidekick, Radar, editor of a Wikipedia-like Web site, provides the most intelligent thinking and fuels many hilarious exchanges with Q. The title, which refers to unbuilt subdivisions and "copyright trap" towns that appear on maps but don't exist, unintentionally underscores the novel's weakness: both milquetoast Q and self-absorbed Margo are types, not fully dimensional characters. Readers who can get past that will enjoy the edgy journey and off-road thinking. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)

Booklist

[Green is] clever and wonderfully witty...he's a superb stylist, with a voice perfectly matched to his amusing, illuminating material. Starred review

More Reviews (6) Fewer Reviews

Melanie Koss

Quentin Jacobsen believes everyone gets one miracle in life, and his is living next door to Margo Roth Spiegelman. Margo is the epitome of Quentin's dreams, and he will do anything for her. When she appears in his room in the middle of the night, dressed all in black, and asks him to go on a top secret mission with her, Quentin ignores his better judgment and goes. What follows is a night full of escapades, revenge, dead smelly fish, and the creation of a bind between the two friends. When Margo mysteriously disappears and leaves enigmatic clues for Quentin, he feels he must drop everything and find her. In his best book date, John Green provides original, quirky dialogue and enough twists, turns, and mystery to keep the reader turning the page. Once again John captures the essence of a geeky high-school boy who is pining for the out-of-reach girl, and fully develops the supporting cast of characters — Quentin's friends and the elusive Margo Roth Spiegelman. Reviewer: Melanie Koss

VOYA

Quentin has been in love with his next-door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, since early childhood. Their connection was forever bonded when they discovered a dead body together at the age of nine. Now they are ready to graduate from high school. Although Margo has not been part of Quentin's life for many years, she shows up at Quentin's window late one night, enlisting his help with a wild scheme of revenge against her cheating boyfriend. Despite his natural reluctance to break the law, Quentin goes along with her, imagining that this teamwork will signify a new, more romantic turn to their relationship. But then Margo disappears, leaving only wisps of clues to her whereabouts and a tormented Quentin in her wake. In this story set in Orlando, Florida, Green perfectly captures the tone of this grotesquely over-developed town when Margo comments, "It's a paper town . . . look at all those cul-de-sacs, those streets that turn in on themselves, all the houses that were meant to fall apart." This theme is echoed as both Margo and Quentin struggle to discover what is real in their own lives. The writing is as stellar, with deliciously intelligent dialogue and plenty of mind-twisting insights. The book suffers a lull about midway through, as Quentin keeps hitting dead ends in his search for Margo, but even this hitch seems to be an accurate reflection of Quentin's stubborn determination. Language and sex issues might make this book more appropriate for older teens, but it is still a powerfully great read. Reviewer: Diane Colson

KLIATT

Printz Award-winner John Green has crafted a story that explores the themes of honesty and image, of identity and friendship. Quentin is a high school senior who lives next door to his classmate Margo. Margo is an unusual young woman who lives according to her own rules. Late one night, she knocks on Quentin's window and drags him out of his studies and into a wild escapade. As he takes part in her revenge tactics, Quentin realizes how much he really cares for this crazy young woman. In the morning, she's gone. Margo has run away before, and Quentin remembers that each time she leaves clues to her whereabouts. Because he is concerned about her emotional state, he enlists the help of his friends Ben and Radar, and Margo's friend Lacey. The four hunt for clues with the help of Margo's little sister. While Ben and Lacey, Radar and his girlfriend attend their prom, Quentin spends the night alone and finds what he believes to be proof that Margo is in a deserted "paper town"—a town that exists only on a map. So instead of attending their graduation, the three embark on a wild cross-country road trip to "save" Margo. Quentin tells his story with laugh-out-loud humor and heartfelt poignancy. Language and situations make this a realistic high school experience as Green explores the issues and ramifications of authenticity and image. These are characters readers will remember for a long time. Reviewer: Janis Flint-Ferguson

VOYA

Based on the cover, I never would have picked up this book on my own because I-and I think we all secretly do-judge a book by its cover. But once I opened it, I couldn't put it down and read ninety pages in the first sitting. The book is a perfect length; quick enough so you stay interested but slow enough to prevent it from being choppy or confusing. There is just enough humor to prevent it from becoming monotonous. I think this book would appeal to both male and female high school readers. Reviewer: Molly Teague, Teen Reviewer

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up

Quentin Jacobsen, 17, has been in love with his next-door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, for his entire life. A leader at their Central Florida high school, she has carefully cultivated her badass image. Quentin is one of the smart kids. His parents are therapists and he is, above all things, "goddamned well adjusted." He takes a rare risk when Margo appears at his window in the middle of the night. They drive around righting wrongs via her brilliant, elaborate pranks. Then she runs away (again). He slowly uncovers the depth of her unhappiness and the vast differences between the real and imagined Margo. Florida's heat and homogeneity as depicted here are vivid and awful. Green's prose is astounding-from hilarious, hyperintellectual trash talk and shtick, to complex philosophizing, to devastating observation and truths. He nails it-exactly how a thing feels, looks, affects-page after page. The mystery of Margo-her disappearance and her personhood-is fascinating, cleverly constructed, and profoundly moving. Green builds tension through both the twists of the active plot and the gravitas of the subject. He skirts the stock coming-of-age character arc-Quentin's eventual bravery is not the revelation. Instead, the teen thinks deeper and harder-about the beautiful and terrifying ways we can and cannot know those we love. Less-sophisticated readers may get lost in Quentin's copious transcendental ruminations-give Paper Towns to your sharpest teens.-Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library

Kirkus Reviews

Printz Medal Winner and Honoree Green knows what he does best and delivers once again with this satisfying, crowd-pleasing look at a complex, smart boy and the way he loves. Quentin (Q) has loved Margo Roth Spiegelman since they were kids riding their bikes, but after they discovered the body of a local suicide they never really spoke again. Now it's senior year; Margo is a legend and Q isn't even a band geek (although quirky best friends Ben and Radar are). Then Margo takes Q on a midnight adventure and disappears, leaving convoluted clues for Q. The clues lead to Margo's physical location but also allow Q to see her as a person and not an ideal. Genuine-and genuinely funny-dialogue, a satisfyingly tangled but not unbelievable mystery and delightful secondary characters (Radar's parents collect black Santas)-we've trod this territory before, but who cares when it's this enjoyable? Lighter than Looking for Alaska (2005), deeper than An Abundance of Katherines (2006) and reminiscent of Gregory Galloway's As Simple as Snow (2005)-a winning combination. (Mystery. 13 & up)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780525478188
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Publication date: 10/16/2008
Pages: 320
Sales rank: 73,385
Age range: 14 years
Lexile: 850L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 5.80 (w) x 8.30 (h) x 1.20 (d)

Meet the Author

John Green is the author of Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines. He lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5

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laughing_in_the_rain

Posted February 1, 2009

Simply amazing

When I first started reading this book I was completely in love with it. It was one of those books where you laugh out loud, cry, and think a lot. I think we can all relate to some of the situations in this books. It was really amazing. It kind of teaches us that we can chase somebody across the United States, but in the end our fantasies won't become real. I really liked the characters in this story. I would be reading in class and just bust out laughing. It was really good and now it's one of my all-time favorite books.

15 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted March 12, 2009

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This book changed my life.

The first book I read by John Green was an Abundance of Katherines. I was hooked. This brilliant man who I knew through Nerdfighting and Brotherhood 2.0 videos had a completely different, and yet the same, side. He could write far better than almost any modern author I'd read- and that was only his second book. I read An Abundance of Katherines three times after I got it, and promptly bought a copy for myself. Then, I heard about Paper Towns. I had to read it. If it were even half as good as his other books, then it would be a miracle. But it wasn't. It was exponentially more amazing.

I read the whole book in one day. I checked it out from the library in the morning at school and read it under my desk in class all day long. In seventh period, I read the last sentence, having heard nothing of class all day, closed the book, amazed, and excused myself to go deliver the book to one of my friends, who had begged me to lend her the book when I finished it, in her math class. I couldn't wait to pass it on.

Everything about Paper Towns screams MASTERPIECE like nothing I've ever read. In the first fifteen minutes after the final punctuation, Paper Towns beat out each and every one of my favorite books, some of which I've called my favorite since elementary school, and became my favorite book.

The characters are real, alive, vibrant. You can feel the story and live it along with them. John Green makes you cry one moment and laugh your ass off the next, all in one fluid motion. This book... is amazing. I feel like I've known Q my whole life. Hell, I'm even ordering a Black Santa online.

If you haven't yet, buy this book. Read it. You'll never, ever regret it.

Everything about Paper Towns is just beautiful. I can't say it enough. My way of thinking was changed. My way of writing was changed. My way of talking was changed. My way of life was changed. This book, though it is printed on paper, is NOT a paper book, to be passed by. By no means 2-dimensional, this book is like the V for Vendetta of literature- everyone should experiance it. Paper Towns changed my life, and my perspective of modern literature.

Buy this book.

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted October 16, 2008

I Also Recommend:

another great book from John Green

John Green has once again given us the gift of an awesome novel.
He doesn't have a cult-like following for no reason. He is very talented and unlike many other modern Y/A authors. Mr. Green writes well, something that many other Y/A authors forget to do while they are constructing familiar plots full of empty, but attractive, "characters".

Paper Towns is an entertaining mystery that I just could not put down. Q, Ben & Radar are hilarious and engaging and Margo Roth Spiegelman is interesting and mysterious (that's kind of the point, isn't it?). I thoroughly enjoyed Paper Towns and I have suggested it to all of my friends.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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TatyyGirl

Posted March 30, 2009

more from this reviewer

in One word Amazing

Wben you look at the headline of my review, you may be turned off by my random capitalization, but that actually is a portion of the book, and a very clever one, at that. Paper Towns is a book that you pick up, you laugh a lot, you cry a little, you think a lot, you piece things together. It is everything a realistic fiction book needs and so much more. The characters are lifelike beyond words and MANY things said in the book remind me 100% of my friends. This is officially one of my favorite books now, a real page-turner to say the least.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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AndAnotherBookRead

Posted December 4, 2008

A great, thought provoking novel

Margo Roth Speigleman is one popular girl. On the outside she appears to have it all, the looks, the friends, the personality but in all honesty her inside is a mystery to the world. Margo is especially a mystery to Quentin, or Q, who¿s been her neighbor ever since they were little kids.

When they were young they used to do everything together. Some may have even considered them to be best friends. Now though they are about to graduate high school and they barely even acknowledge each other¿s presence. One night though Margo appears in his window dressed as though she was ready to go rob a bank.

She¿s on a mission to pay back all the people who have wronged her and she is determined to complete her list before the next morning. Using Q as her mode of transportation, she gives him the night of his life. Then she disappears and is now an even bigger mystery to him. Leaving him few clues and a lustrous heart Q is determined to find Margo, and maybe even himself.

John Green has done it again, except maybe even better then the last two times. Both his other books have always been near and dear to me, but this one was particularly special. It was compiled of all the classic Green elements of, nerdy guy wanting amazing girl, girl being a little out there, guy finding himself on the way to getting the girl, but it also had this extra wow factor included that easily made it his best book yet.

I could really feel not only the characters emotions, but also the author¿s in every sentence. Many times I found myself laughing along, feeling upset, or just plain frustrated with the events in the story and started wondering if this was a real life experience. There was such truth and purpose to each word that the book seemed alive in many aspects. The characters had real personalities and it was easy to imagine them as real people and these characters dealt with mostly real life situations that I could easily picture myself in. I loved how everything felt so real and alive that most of the time it was excruciatingly hard to come back to reality.

For me the plot line was very original and compelling. It was also really easy to relate to. I know in this case that everyone can find someone in the story that they know. Whether it be yourself or a really good friend, you¿re sure to find someone similar enough for the story to really hit home. I know in my case I was really able to see where the very complex and interesting Margo was coming from. She reminded me a lot of a close friend and helped me see where she might be coming from. It was very evident that the author put a lot of time and effort into developing his characters, which I know as a reader is the mark of a truly great author.

This book is one of the deepest and quickest reads you¿ll find. You¿ll never want it to end and you¿ll find great meaning in it. Paper Towns is truly an unforgettable book that is easily the best of the best. With no doubt I am sure it is the best book of 2008 and one my of my new personal favorites.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted April 18, 2012

Amazing book!

Definitely a must read for John Green fans. This book plays with your mind on the ups and downs of a "paper perfect" town. The book leaves you with immense feelings of awe. I cant even describe how i felt after this book was over. It was just so good. GO NERDFIGHTERS ;)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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thegirlintheglasses

Posted July 16, 2011

Are All Towns Paper Towns?

It isn't every day you come across a book as thought provoking or as understatedly riveting as John Green's 'Paper Towns.' At the end of the book, after a whirlwind of a journey with great people, you think-holy sh*t, did I just learn something? And you did. You learned something just like you learned something after reading any other of John Green's books. I can't say I took the same thing away from this book as another person, but I'm pretty sure anyone who reads this will take at least a few words away with them. This is a wonderful read that literally had me hysterically laughing at certain parts (black santas) as well as searching for air as others. Another masterpiece by John Green.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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MadiofNerdfighteria

Posted June 30, 2011

I Also Recommend:

Miraculous! Must read!

I loved this book!! I finished fairly quickly because putting it down was one tough task! The characters seem so real and have real depth. If you are a Nerdfighter or John Green fan, you no doubt have to read this book! DFTBA! -Proud Nerdfighter, Madi

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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caycebean

Posted August 7, 2010

LOVED IT! LAUGHED OUT LOUD!

This book was great! I found myself literally laughing out loud at many parts. The dialogue is unbelievably true to teenage boys and Green's writing style is funny and witty. I would suggest this book to anyone, it's a fun, heartwarming story.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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asamum

Posted May 24, 2010

I Also Recommend:

A story of growing up, self discovery, endings and beginnings

The story has so many layers it was like peeling the layers from an onion only to discover more layers underneath.

Written in 1st person narrative, from Quentin's (Q's) perspective. Q was surprisingly easy to relate to even in my female dominated household. Q epitomises the boy next door stereotype. A good student and all round nice guy. John Green makes geek/nerd sexy.

Margo & Q are tied together by a traumatic incident in their childhood. Although no longer friends, Q has had a crush on Margo from an early age. Following their night of adventure and Margo's subsequent disappearance, Q has to analyse how well he knows/doesn't know Margo.

The notion that we are different versions of ourselves with different people really comes under scrutiny within the narrative. How well do we really know someone when we only see a single side of them. In the same context how well do we know ourselves, when we are different with different people. There are a complex set of psychological theories beautifully entwined in the plot.

Making Q's parents psychiatrists in the story adds an extra dimension to the analysis. Elements of the nature versus nurture debate especially with the contrasts between Q's parents and Margo's.

The use of Walter Whitman's poem Leaves of Grass within the plot adds another layer to the story (see what I mean about peeling the layers of an onion). The analysis of the poem parallels the analysis of people within the plot.

Q evolves tremendously throughout the book. At the start he has always been on the periphery of his own life. Through his search for Margo, he discovers who he really is. I think that is why finding Margo became a compulsion for him, as he was also finding himself.

I adored John Green's writing style, the use of metaphors & similes were fantastic. Decay never sounded so good :0)

A story about growing-up, self discovery, endings & beginnings. The realisation that the world is a big place and we are just a small part of the whole. A highly recommended read :0)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted December 7, 2009

I Also Recommend:

Excellent Book READ!!

This was one of the best books I have read in a while! It kept me interested the entire time and I was always wondering what was going to happen next! I literally could not put this book down and read it in less than a day because of it!

Highly recommended - it will keep you wondering so that you'll be upset if you put it down and don't find out what happens next. A lot of the time I would put it down and keep thinking about it and just have to pick it up and start reading it again. Wonderful book!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted November 29, 2009

I Also Recommend:

Finding the Real Margo

Every teenager must read Paper Towns by John Green. You will experience heartwarming and humorous parts and will never be able to put the book down.

Quentin Jacobsen, also known as Q, and Margo Roth Spiegelman, have lived next door to each other in the same subdivision in Florida for most of their lives and were best friends until they were nine years old. Since then, Quentin and Margo barely acknowledge each other's presence. Now as high school seniors, they are totally different people. Margo is beautiful, popular, fashionable, spontaneous, and adventurous. Quentin, by comparison, is shy, nerdy, and too much of an over-thinker to be either impulsive or adventurous. However, Q still continues to love Margo from a distance. Out of the blue, a few weeks before graduation, Margo appears at Quentin's window in the middle of the night. She convinces him to go on an unforgettable night of adventures seasoned with revenge. The next day at school, Quentin discovers that Margo is gone. She leaves clues for him, and he hopes these clues will lead him to her. As Q searches for Margo, he realizes that he and Margo are different than what they appear to be.

Even though this was a coming of age story, its theme is powerful and profound. I learned from this book that sometimes a person doesn't know who they really are until they look into someone else. John Green also shows that a real person is different from an idea of that person and without imagination, nothing can ever happen.

Paper Towns is one of the best mystery books I have ever read. I really like John Green's use of witty and humorous dialogue that certainly makes you laugh out loud. The way John Green develops his characters is quite unique. I definitely changed my perception of who I thought Margo and Quentin were from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. I also like the way the author intertwines Walt Whitman's poem, Song of Myself, in developing the storyline. The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it was a little slow when Q was sad about Margo being gone, but it didn't take that long for the story to spark my interest again. Over all, I highly recommend this awesome book for all teenagers. This is an enjoyable read that won't disappoint you. By reading this book, you will understand why Paper Towns by John Green made the New York Times Bestseller list.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Awesomeness1

Posted October 31, 2009

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Gotta Love John

I have to say, I love John Green. I think he's a hilarious and well-spoken writer. His books never fail to be fun and meaningful. The cast of Paper Towns is lively and feels like they would be the sorta friends you would want to have. I didn't particularly find the story all that interesting, as I found it a lot like his other books. They all feature some geeky guy trying to win over the vibrant, mysterious girl. Certainly not a bad book, but I hope his next one branches out more.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Ashton10

Posted October 29, 2009

My review for boutelle

Book Review

This is a fantastic novel. It is a true page turner. In this book there are two main characters, Margo Roth Speiglman and Quentin Jacobsen. There are also several minor characters Ben Starling, Becca Arlington, and Jason Worthington.

Margo and Quentin are complete opposites. Margo is a rebellious free-spirit, and Quentin is a straight-laced kid who does everything he is expected to do. These two are neighbors who only interact because one night Margo needed a getaway car and someone to drive this getaway car which is where the strange relationship between Quentin and Margo first began. This book takes place in modern day and goes through all the different cliques in high school and brings two unlikely people together.

Margo is finding everyway to be rebellious and also everyway to involve Quentin who is being reluctant on the outside but eating it up on the inside. I think that this relationship will eventually move past a friendship/ adventure buddies and form into something much, much deeper. Either way this is a book that will be remembered for sure and is already holding my attention and keeping me thoroughly entertained. I would recommend this book to anyone. It really is appealing for all.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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KaylaNicole_MusicLover

Posted October 3, 2009

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Completely Brilliant

John Green never lets me down. His books have to so much meaning. They are always unforgettable and leave me feeling haunted for days.
Paper Towns was amazing. I can't even really describe how amazed this book left me. It is so well written and metaphoric and beautiful.
Read. This. Book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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bookworm51732

Posted August 12, 2009

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AWeSome!

Ok sO I loVeD tHIs BoOk, pRobabLy A litTe MOre then I sHoUld. I thInk the ReasOn I lovE thIs BooK thE MOst Is THat iT's MOre aBout LiFe thEn BooKs NoRmally arE. (I kNOw WhAt I SaiD didn"t MaKe sense, bUT IT doEs If You Read tHe bOOk) I mEan It maDE Me ThInk MOre aBOut The lIfe I LivE aNd thE LiVes Of Other PeopLe. I think it's awesome when a books able to do that for you. I aSlo LoVe the ChaRACters aNd HOw yOu caN ReLatE to EACh Of theIr PeRSOnalItiEs (eSpecIally BeN Who ReMInds Me Of my brotheR)I ASLo thInk It HAD ThE RiGht AmOunt Of HumOr In iT. ( spoiler* I couldn't stop laughing at the black santa thingy :D I think it makes it more funny That I'm bLaCk and My moM acTUallY Has A BUch oF Black SanTas; haha! ) So basicallY The BooK Is FrEaKin AWesome!!! So BUY it!!!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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wearsredsox

Posted March 16, 2009

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Made of Awesome!

I loved Paper Towns. That's basically it. But seriously, I only got it in January (yay for Barnes and Noble gift cards!) but I've already read it twice and I'll probably be reading it for a third time very soon. That's how good it is- I've owned An Abundance of Katherines for over a year and have just now gotten around to reading it a second time but Paper Towns? Twice in three months and it never got dull. The awesomeness that comes out of John Green's mind is unbelievable. Yeah, I love your books John. And Hank rocks too :D...DFTBA!

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Anonymous

Posted March 16, 2009

I Also Recommend:

Really good

I've read Looking For Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines by John Green and didn't think that he could top his own work, but he definitely did in Paper Towns. This book is a must read.

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SJKessel

Posted March 5, 2009

more from this reviewer

Paper Towns

Green, J. (2008). Paper Towns. New York: Dutton Books.
9780525478188
Paper Towns was pretty much what I had come to expect from author John Green: Quirky characters, humorous dialogue, endearing deeper meanings and thin, white, teen boys seeking some aspect of a particular girl.
Green's narrator, Quentin, spends a lot of the novel ruminating on how he sees others, particularly his long-time neighbor, recent partner in pranks, and runaway love interest, Margo Roth Spiegelman, the most popular girl at their high school. The book extends out into questioning if a person can ever truly know another and looks at how complicated people are.
While Green's writing still manages to make me laugh out loud fairly regularly, I did find that the dialogue-heavy ending did pain me a little as I read. It felt a little too meaningful, too sentimental. But then, the end of high school and high school friendships, with all the changes, uncertainties and leavings are often just that. This would be a good final book for a teacher to share with graduating seniors.
There is an extensive scene in the novel that involves underage drinking. Quentin remains sober and is witness to the humorous antics of his drunken schoolmates while waiting to act as their designated driver. The scene confirms the conclusion I learned as a teen: Alcohol is much more entertaining when you're not the one consuming too much of it.

Activities to do with the book:
Read the works of literature and poetry mentioned throughout the novel (including Moby Dick, The Bell Jar, and the poetry of Emily Dickinson, T.S. Eliot and Walt Whitman). As a project, have students grow grass in clear pots so they can see the extent of the root structure. Do reflective journal writing. Discuss the characterizations of the characters and the way people are characterized in our minds. Discuss the treatment of race, class, the act of leaving, etc.
Oh, and of course, you can ask students why the book was published with two different covers and ask which of them they prefer.
I myself tend toward the unsmiling, moody, blue cover of angst. But that is me.

Favorite Quotes:
"I shaved this morning for precisely that reason. I was like, 'Well, you never know when someone is going to clamp down on your calf and try to suck out the snake poison'" (p. 75).
-This is also when I tell myself when I've avoided shaving my legs for too long. Margo and I are so alike-or is it just my perception of the world that we're alike, hmm?
"No, I love you. Not like a sister loves a brother or like a friend loves a friend. I love you like a really drunk guy loves the best girl ever" (p. 187).
"They'd given me a minivan. They could have picked any car, and they picked a minivan. A minivan. O God of Vehicular Justice, why dost thou mock me? Minivan, you albatross around my neck! You mark of Cain! You wretched beast of high ceilings and few horsepower!" (p. 232).

For more of my reviews, visit sjkessel.blogspot.com

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Anonymous

Posted October 17, 2008

I Also Recommend:

good, But not great

The book in a whole was quite engaging and the writing is definitely for teens (harsh language). The adventure that Green takes you on with Q and his buddies makes you turn the page with impatient excitement. The ending, however, is lacking in my opinion. Still should be read at least once. Best Green book to date!

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