LOOKING FOR ALASKA (genre 6 book 2)

Nothing exciting has ever happened to Miles. He lives an ordinary life with the exception of his fascination with famous last words. When he goes away to school for the first time to seek the "great perhaps," he is exposed to new, dynamic personalities such as his new roommate the Colonel and the alluring Alaska. Then everything changes and Miles' life will never be ordinary again.

John Green has been nominated and awarded multiple awards for Looking for Alaska.  The plot is written in a linear fashion and is told as the number of days before and after "the accident." This will draw readers in as it leads to the climax of the book. The raw emotions explored will touch a chord with readers and help the story make a connection. As the characters search for their identity, their struggles will be mirrored by many in the young adult audience for whom this is written.

This book does contain strong subject matter such as sex, smoking, and alcohol use. Because of this, it has been subject to numerous book challenges. However, Green deals with these real world situations tastefully, which will allow for readers to connect and expand their views of the world.


Review Excerpts:
"Funny, sad, inspiring, and always compelling." -Bookpage

"Like Phineas in John Knowles's A Separate Peace, Green draws Alaska so lovingly, in self-loathing darkness as well as energetic light, that readers mourn her loss along with her friends." -School Library Journal


Connections:
*Readers can address and discuss the reasons that this book is frequently censored.  They can also research other books that have been censored throughout history and discuss this issue of censorship.

*The various quotes within the novel can be discussed. Students can research other famous persons and analyze and share their most famous quotes.


Green, John. 2005. Looking for Alaska. New York: Dutton's Children's Books. ISBN 9780525475064