This was a good book. It deals with two girls who are the complete opposite of each other, counseling each other through their problems. Both girls have family troubles and issues. In school they are paired up in a peer counseling program. Antonia is the counselor who is told to that she needs to help Jazz. At first there is friction between the two girls but over their sessions they become friends and open with each other about their problems. The main messages for this book is "Don't judge a book by its cover" and "things are not always what they seem".Antonia is a 14 year old "Priss". She gets good grades, is good at math and on the outside is the perfect student and girl. She works very hard to get good grades so she can graduate early and is very smart. Her home life however is horrible. Her mother is clinically depressed and Antonia has to take care of the house and her two little brothers, Michael and Chuckie. Her mother doesn't get out of bed and doesn't take care of her children. Its all on Antonia, plus dealing with school. Antonia tries to hide her home situation but when things get out of control, Jazz is the one to help her. Antonia is very defensive and closes her feelings off. It is very hard for Jazz to get her to talk but she does eventually. Antonia was an ok character but she seemed cold and it was hard for me to get to like her. Of course I understood that her home life made her that way but to me, she wasn't so likable.Jazz is a punk with piercings, tattoos and purple hair. She has a big attitude and to me is hilarious. She is also very smart but teachers judge her based on her looks and think she's a slacker. She was my favorite character and automatically likable from the moment we meet her. Her problem is that she clashes with her parents. Her parents are rich and she lives in a mansion. Her parents don't approve of the way she dresses and want her to be prim and proper. She has an especially horrible relationship with her mother. They fight all the time. Jazz is more fun loving than Antonia and has a secret passion that Antonia discovers, which also causes friction with her mother but not in the way you think. Jazz is more open with her feelings and is easier to talk to than Antonia. While Antonia gives up easily and is unwilling to try very hard, Jazz is the opposite, trying to get Antonia to open up. This book deals with many issues that teens can face in high school. One is the clique thing and judging other people based on how they look. When Antonia first sees Jazz in the counseling room, she forms her opinion on her because of her looks: that Jazz is a punk, a druggie, an alcoholic, has been arrested many times and is a gang banger. Jazz thinks that Antonia is a priss. Over the course of the book they find that despite their outer appearances they have many things in common, they support one another and become great friends. Antonia makes a lot of head way in this aspect because we can see when she speaks to her teacher about Jazz and the hinting at a romance that may happen between Antonia and Jazz's friend who is also a punk. I feel like Jazz is more open about people and their appearance. The books also deals with depression, neglect and counseling. Teens reading this book who are in similar situations can see that things can get better and that they should not keep secrets like these. Its ok to ask for help and they can't do everything on their own. The book shows what can happen when someone is depressed and that these people need help, sometimes medicinal, and that there is no shame in that. It also shows that counseling and even just talking to someone about their problems can help immensely. If there is a problem, they shouldn't keep it bottled up inside. This book deals with all these issues and shows that good things can happen from bad situations. I would recommend this book for teens to read. This review is also posted on The Book Owl Extraordinaire
Define normal is a great book, it is well written, and has a great plot. But the book is just to predictable. It's like your normal realistic fiction book or movie, you can just assume what's goin to happen because there are many books or movies like it. Right when Jazz and Tone started peer counselling, I automatically knew they would end up good friends at the end, it's like any other book two people hate eachother, they will end up friends. Next is it is like any other book, Jazz the punk goth girl, has the perfect life living in a big house, with rich parents, and Tone the preppy girl who does good in school and is a teacher pet, has a not so normal life with her mom clinically depressed and Tone is like the mom in the house. It's again like any other book, the goth has the perfect life while the prep has the worst life. Although it is easily predictable, it has a great plot. The plot makes sense togather, it's not like the books you have to keep on rereading the pages to get what's going on. It is also an intresting book. I usally get lost in books because it is usally boring and I think of other things, this book keapt me intresting and I wanted to read more. Define Normal teaches a lesson to never judge a book by its cover. Tone was judging Jazz as a gang and a druggie just because she wore black and was a rebel. I would recommend this book to anyone who is intrested in realistic fiction and is also intrested in teen drama and problems. Read it and you will not regret it.
What do You think about Define "Normal" (2003)?
To me it's sort of like high-schooler / teenagers book, so ? Who said adults can't enjoy a teenagers book ?!It's well-written and simple. The main storyline is interesting and challenging.. Beautiful book, full of lessons.And here's some of the quotes that cuts my eyes:-"People shouldn't judge other people by the way they look."-"Listen. Discuss. Don't react. If you disagree with something the other person says or believes, that's fine. Everyone's entitled to his or her opinion."-"Be careful what you wish for you might get it."-"You never share anything. You're so selfish sometimes."-"That's why they call it a dream, Because it'll never be a reality."-"You know how a lie gets started and keeps going and going until you start to believe it yourself? Or wish it were true?."-"I know what you mean about lies.. Sometimes they're even more believable than the truth."
—Mariam
This book, "Define Normal", no doubt is one of the best young adult books, in my opinion. Just by reading the title summary and first fifteen pages of the book I knew that this book would be amazing, And I was right. After I finished this book I was speechless my mind was racing with thoughts and ideas about the book connecting each little detail in the book as if it were a big giant puzzle that I was supposed to solve. "Define Normal" is definitely one of the most exciting, emotional books I've ever read. This book may be a little challenging to read for some because it is written is such a unique way, but if you try hard enough and manage to read this book it is definitely worth the time taken to read it. I promise you that after you read this book you'll be wanting to read it over and over again. I really liked this book and recommend you reading this book as well too.
—Micah Hise
I was in the mood for something teenage and angsty, and this fit the bill. The story itself is more morality play than a realistic plot, but the characters are relatable and deep and introspective. They have dark secrets and insecurities and ways of rebelling that don't involve sex/drugs/cutting or whatever is the hot button issue of the year. There are some cool twists along the way. Tangent. Note to authors of young adult novels. Slang. The entire point of slang is that it marks one as an insider/outsider. No one is more hyperaware of this than your audience. Please take a moment and avoid these common pitfalls.1)If you are not well versed in the current vernacular, don't force it. For all that is holy, do NOT invent your own slang. This is only acceptable if you're creating your own funky scifi future. (I am looking at you, author of this book. That's so bode! My parents are going to cronk!! Just... no.)2) If you can't write without recycling slang from your own generation, go all out and set your story back in the day, please. (Congratulations, Ms. Peters, you pass this one. I could do with a more specific feel of time/place, but at least I'm confident all your characters got the memo that it's not 1975 anymore.)3) Slang should be seen and not heard. Let me pick it up by observing speakers in their natural habitat. I do not want an etymology lesson. Particularly if you have violated either of the above maxims, DO NOT draw further ridicule by having your characters discuss the slang. (Guilty again. What's worse than "bode?" Rhyming it. Yeah.)4) Consider doing some actual research. We're not exactly talking about infiltrating the mafia or even cracking a book. Turn on a reality show. Go to the mall. It took about one day in an Oakland middle school for me to start mentally inserting "hella" into every sentence. On second thought, I understand why you have avoided this option.5) When in doubt, just stick in some profanity.
—Rebecca
