Equity & Social Justice

School has officially hit its overwhelming point in the semester. SO much to do and not nearly enough time.

Ivan Velez's Dead High Yearbook was not for me. I don't think graphic novels in general are for me though I did really like The Plain Janes (Thanks, Nicole, for the awesome book talk!)so maybe I just need the right graphic novels/manga. Anyway, Dead High Yearbook is a fast read and I think it would be a good pick for a reluctant reader. The gore and gross-out factors make it good for fans of horror. The stories themselves are a pretty good take on high school life: cheating significant others, academic pressure and the SATs, struggles to fit in and look a certain way. The book even tackles homophobia so there are a lot of interesting themes running through the book and it could generate an interesting book club discussion.

The Dark Knight is a huge, blockbuster movie that you just know everyone is going to see especially after Heath Ledger's untimely death. So, at first, I thought it was just hype about his performance--greedy studios taking advantage of a terrible situation--but it wasn't and Ledger created a truly terrifying and unsettling Joker. I think teens would have seen the movie no matter what but I think they were saddened by his death especially since he has a young daughter.

TI!!!! It's no secret... I think he's very cute and his songs are pretty catchy and I love that he teamed with Justin Timberlake(!!!) for Dead and Gone. Ok, TI is not the greatest role model and his show, Road to Redemption is probably more of a publicity fix-his-damaged image rather than a genuine concern for troubled youths but it works in its own way. Celebrities seem to have a certain amount of influence in the teen world so when TI preaches against the street life, the message may get through to someone.