Saturday, February 29, 2020

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Title: Someone Like You
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Speak (originally Viking Books for Young Readers)
Publication Date: May 11, 2004 (originally May 1, 1998)

Format: Trade Paperback
Price: $10.99
Page Count: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 9780142401774

Reading Level: Grades 7 and up (ages 12+)
Lexile: 820L
Interest Level: Grades 9 and up (ages 14+)

Annotation: After Scarlett's boyfriend dies in a motorcycle accident, Scarlett finds out she is pregnant with his baby. With her best friend Hallie by her side, they learn what true friendship looks like.

Plot and Content Summary: Someone Like You follows two best friends: Scarlett, the popular and well-liked girl at school, and Halley, the quiet one. Both have been friends for a long time and call each other sister as they do everything together. Not only do they work together at their town's grocery store, but they are also neighbors. When Halley meets bad boy Macon at school and falls in love with him, it feels like Halley and Scarlett's lives are reversed. Finally, someone notices her. At the same time, Scarlett discovers she is pregnant with her dead boyfriend's baby, and Scarlett and Halley learn to hold tight to each other.

Evaluation: Sarah Dessen's novel is one that will appeal to many teens, as it discusses many experiences that teens may encounter in high school. Love, loss, friendship, new relationships, a bit of bullying—these are all topics that show up in Someone Like You. Although being pregnant in high school is a rare (although not impossible) occurrence, Dessen writes it to be very relatable. We are reading from the perspective of Halley—who is close to someone pregnant but is not herself—and her honesty in the way she tells Scarlett's story will connect with teens. Through her narration, we get the frustrations of living under parents who do not understand the teenage struggle and emotions that come out when experiencing puppy love. It does not feel forced, and reveals how we can be blind when it comes to thinking we know what love is. Dessen's novel is valuable for teens because it shows the beauty of true friendship—how it goes beyond so much. When you love someone or something so much, you would do anything for them. (This is reflected in both Halley and Scarlett's relationship, as well as Halley and Macon's relationship.) It is up to teens to make the distinction, whether or not this is a good or bad thing. What makes Dessen's novel powerful is that she does not tell readers what to believe. She just writes an honest story and leaves the rest up to us.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: One of the issues Scarlett goes through is deciding whether or not she wants to keep her baby. Initially, she believes there is no way she can take care of him/her, so she feels like she has to get an abortion. Her mom agrees, insisting that this is the best and only solution. However, when the time comes for her appointment, she does not go through with it. Instead, she wants to go through with the pregnancy and put him/her up for adoption. This is not what her mom wants her to do, so Scarlett and her mom are at opposite ends. Teens who are going through this situation, or have friends who are facing this, may feel forced to obey their parents. However, seeing Scarlett make this difficult decision against her mom can give pregnant teens strength and courage to choose for themselves. It is not about what the decision is—Dessen is not insisting that abortion is bad—but that it is Scarlett's decision to make, not her mom's.

Similarly, with Halley's situation, her mom believes that Macon is a bad person and is influencing Halley in a negative way. She has never met him, but thinks she knows him. Because of this, Halley and her mom's relationship continues to drift apart. Teens may be able to see themselves in Halley, not wanting to tell their parents anything because it feels like they would not understand. Someone Like You can help them not feel alone, and maybe also see things from a parent's perspective. It is clear that Halley's mom wants the best for Halley, but perhaps she does not show it in the best way. Halley does not share much with her mom, which is why her mom makes a lot of assumptions, so maybe this can also show teens how important communication is.

Issues Present: One apparent issue for why Someone Like You could be challenged is teen pregnancy. Since teens are impressionable, adults probably believe that this would give the idea that "pregnancy at a young age is not a problem." Since nothing bad happens to Scarlett while she is pregnant or after she gives birth, adults want to censor this "happy ending" so they can continue their agenda to protect teens from "dangerous" topics. Even if they remove all books that contain teen pregnancy, teens will continue to have sex and get pregnant. Banning these topics does not mean it will stop teens from doing these things. Teens need books that talk about it, and perhaps this can guide them to make informed decisions. Reading about these difficult topics can help prepare teens for future challenges they run into. Let us contribute by helping teens prepare, instead of delaying the inevitable.

Book Talk Ideas: Scarlett and Halley's relationship, Halley's relationship with her mom (p. 237-238), similarities between Halley's mother and Scarlett's mother, Halley and Macon's relationship (p. 67-70, 223-231, 232-236)

  • How does Scarlett and Halley's friendship change when Halley's relationship with Macon develops and Scarlett finds out she is pregnant?
  • Why do you think Halley keeps so much about Macon from her parents?
  • How does Halley's mom feel about the way Halley lives her life?
  • How does Scarlett's mom respond to Scarlett's pregnancy? Why do you think she reacts this way?

Genre/Subgenres: Realistic fiction; Contemporary romance

Readalikes: Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard, Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero, Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

References
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