Newman, Leslea. Jailbait.NEWMAN, Leslea. Jailbait jail·bait n. Slang A person below the age of consent with whom sexual intercourse can constitute statutory rape. . Random House, Delacorte. 239p. c2005. 0-385-73198-1. $15.95. JS * Andi may be one of the loneliest 15-year-olds in suburban New Jersey. She calls her parents by their first names or refers to them as "the units." Her only brother is seven years older and smoking dope and flunking out of college again. Andi has no friends. She is so starved for companionship companionship the faculty possessed by most truly domesticated animals. They are social creatures and have a great need for the companionship of other animals. Animals in groups are quieter and more productive as a rule. that she befriends Bessie, a broken-down cow who lives in a field next to her walk home. Andi walks home because she refuses to take the bus where other kids will tease and humiliate her. She has never had a boyfriend and she worries about her weight, while her breasts have grown too large to be ignored. She is ripe for someone like Frank, an older man who drives past Bessie's field every day at the same time, and then one day stops the car and invites Andi into part of his world, the part where they tryst in an abandoned house and he exploits her for sex. Frank is clearly a loser creep, but Andi convinces herself that she is in love until he brutally dumps her. This novel is certainly a cautionary tale A cautionary tale is a traditional story told in folklore, to warn its hearer of a danger. There are three essential parts to a cautionary tale, though they can be introduced in a large variety of ways. for misfit mis·fit n. 1. Something of the wrong size or shape for its purpose. 2. One who is unable to adjust to one's environment or circumstances or is considered to be disturbingly different from others. girls with low self-esteem and imperfect bodies. However, the writing is evocative enough that Andi and her woes become compelling and her painful rise from the ashes at the end is to be cheered. Myrna Marler Assoc. Prof. of English, BYU BYU Brigham Young University BYU Bayou BYU Bob's Your Uncle BYU Bayreuth, Germany - Bindlacher Berg (Airport Code) BYU Beyond Your Understanding , Provo, UT J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers. S--Recommended for senior high school students. *--The asterisk (1) See Asterisk PBX. (2) In programming, the asterisk or "star" symbol (*) means multiplication. For example, 10 * 7 means 10 multiplied by 7. The * is also a key on computer keypads for entering expressions using multiplication. highlights exceptional books. |
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