I just finished reading both Crank and Perfect, by Ellen Hopkins.

Hopkins is known for pretty unique poetry books that tell a story, usually wrapped in those hard experiences one may encounter in life: from drug use to sexual abuse to anorexia and more.

And even though they have the general feel of being a warning, Hopkins writes stories that are profound and do not feel like an after-school special. She writes from the point of view of teens and does not talk down on her readers.

Perfect follows the lives of several teens as they try to navigate big issues in life: attempted suicide, eating disorders, steroid/drug use, and more. The poems jump from person to person until they all meet at the end in a very interesting final scene.

Good and not-great:

1. Dark topics, very dark, but she tackles them head-on.

2. But… at times she glosses over some serious traumas, almost like they didn’t happen.

3. Wow, do teens really have that much sex? I mean, that’s a lot of sex.

4. Sounds like she truly did her research on the negative effects of eating disorders, steroid use, bullying, and more.

I don’t need to give these books a rating, since they’ve become best-sellers and instant classics. I think they’re great cautionary tales for teens who may be going astray or considering dangerous stuff as if they don’t have consequences.

Definitely interesting books of poesia for youth.

안녕! Bye! Ciao!

jarilissima