Madigan, L.K. Flash Burnout.
Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2009 332p 16.00
978-0-547-19489-9 ms/hs
Can a boy have both a girlfriend and a girl friend? Photography is the lens through which Black tries to understand the female mindset while growing into manhood. Belly laughs and insightful moments for both male and female readers. Grades 8-12. Blake is in love with his girlfriend, Shannon, who shares his quirky sense of humor. He shares his passion for photography with Marissa, a girl in his class. Marissa and he become closer when he photographs a homeless person in a skid row portion of town. When he asks for her comments, she freaks out as she recognizes the homeless person as her mother. Blake keeps her secret and befriends her as they search for her mother, first on the streets, then the morgue. As Blake grows into manhood during the course of the novel, he is constantly befuddled by the workings of the female mind. He juggles his girl friend and her problems as well as his girlfriend and all her drama. Funny conversations about family, teachers and fellow classmates will resonate with any high school student. First time author Madigan has the pulse of high school life. Blake is a “good guy” who in a weak moment destroys his relationship with Shannon, tries but cannot solve the guilt and problems of Marissa, gets his driver’s license, and comes to understand that loyalty, love, and friendship have consequences when trust is breached. Each chapter starts with a quote about photography some serious, some funny. A playlist of songs to help Blake cope with his lost love complete the book. Blake is a wonderfully funny guy that anyone would like to have as a friend. Grades 8-12. Realistic Fiction McNicol,Lois
1 comment:
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan. I saw last night it was the 2010 winner of the Wm. C. Morris Award. this is an award given to first time authors that are writing for teens and Young Adults. The blog states the book is a current book about a high school boy, Blake, who has a girlfriend named Shannon. He also has a friend that is a girl named Marissa who shares his love of photography. He eventually betrays one of their trust. It is supposed to be funny and has good insight for 8-12 graders. Choosing between romance and friendship is a very common issue in middle and high school. I'm definitely going to read this.
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