Title: Weetzie Bat Author: Francesca Lia Block
ISBN: 0060205342 Pages: 113
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1999
Readers Annotation:
School was unbearable for Weetzie Bat until she is befriended by Dirk, the most sought after and handsome boy in her high school class. After receiving a magical lamp as a gift, Weetzie makes three wishes intertwining both her and Dirk's lives together in a dramatic way forever.
Author Information:
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1999
Readers Annotation:
School was unbearable for Weetzie Bat until she is befriended by Dirk, the most sought after and handsome boy in her high school class. After receiving a magical lamp as a gift, Weetzie makes three wishes intertwining both her and Dirk's lives together in a dramatic way forever.
Author Information:
This is Francesca Lia Block's debut novel, written in 1989 while she was a student at UC Berkeley. At the time it was considered a groundbreaking piece, noted by the New York Times as an "ingeniously lyrical narrative", and "desperately needed in an era of broken bonds". As a continuation, Block wrote four more books in the series, all of which were received with critical acclaim. Block also authored The Hanged Man, Girl Goddess #9, and I Was a Teenage Fairy. Her work is published around the globe, and translated into several different languages.
Francesca Lia Block was born December 3, 1962 in Los Angeles to a poet and a painter. Block has received the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Library Association. She still lives in Los Angeles with her two children and her two dogs.
Plot Summary:
Dirk, the most handsome boy in high school, is intrigued by Weetzie Bat, a classmate he meets in art class. Weetzie and Dirk develop a close relationship. When Weetzie learns of Dirks secret sexual preference, she accepts him with grace. Weetzie lives alone with her divorced mother, and receives occasional visits from her father, both of whom she loves. Dirk's parents died many years earlier, and therefore lives with his Grandma Fifi. Weetzie and Dirk find solace and comfort at Grandma Fifi's cozy cottage, especially when they are unsuccessful at 'duck hunting', or finding love.
Right before Grandma Fifi passes on, she gives Weetzie a magical genie lamp which grants her three wishes. Because of these three wishes, Duck, My Secret Agent Lover Man, Cherokee, and Witch Baby, all become a part of Weetzie's new life. Although all her wishes have a way of coming true, they also have a way of being different than Weetzie had initially planned.
Critical Evaluation:
Written in a simplistic form but with complex and realistic themes, Weetzie Bat explores life from a teenage girl's point of view. Weetzie and Dirk discover the intricacies and complications of life, and they learn to accept them. Love and happiness, as well as pain and loss, lace the prose throughout the book. As a reader, one feels enveloped in this exploration and growth over a period of many years. The old Los Angeles setting lends another layer of realism, as the characters relate their love and fascination with the 1950's LA scene. Lastly, the magical element of the genie and the three wishes gives the book an intriguing and fun aspect. This only adds to the overall quality of the book. The beauty of this publication is personified by the author's honest portrayal of the world of Weetzie Bat and Dirk, without overwhelming the audience.
Francesca Lia Block was born December 3, 1962 in Los Angeles to a poet and a painter. Block has received the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Library Association. She still lives in Los Angeles with her two children and her two dogs.
Plot Summary:
Dirk, the most handsome boy in high school, is intrigued by Weetzie Bat, a classmate he meets in art class. Weetzie and Dirk develop a close relationship. When Weetzie learns of Dirks secret sexual preference, she accepts him with grace. Weetzie lives alone with her divorced mother, and receives occasional visits from her father, both of whom she loves. Dirk's parents died many years earlier, and therefore lives with his Grandma Fifi. Weetzie and Dirk find solace and comfort at Grandma Fifi's cozy cottage, especially when they are unsuccessful at 'duck hunting', or finding love.
Right before Grandma Fifi passes on, she gives Weetzie a magical genie lamp which grants her three wishes. Because of these three wishes, Duck, My Secret Agent Lover Man, Cherokee, and Witch Baby, all become a part of Weetzie's new life. Although all her wishes have a way of coming true, they also have a way of being different than Weetzie had initially planned.
Critical Evaluation:
Written in a simplistic form but with complex and realistic themes, Weetzie Bat explores life from a teenage girl's point of view. Weetzie and Dirk discover the intricacies and complications of life, and they learn to accept them. Love and happiness, as well as pain and loss, lace the prose throughout the book. As a reader, one feels enveloped in this exploration and growth over a period of many years. The old Los Angeles setting lends another layer of realism, as the characters relate their love and fascination with the 1950's LA scene. Lastly, the magical element of the genie and the three wishes gives the book an intriguing and fun aspect. This only adds to the overall quality of the book. The beauty of this publication is personified by the author's honest portrayal of the world of Weetzie Bat and Dirk, without overwhelming the audience.
Genre: LGBTQ, Boys and Girls in Love, Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties: English - Rhythmic free verse poetry. History - Los Angeles
Booktalking Ideas:
1. Weetzie has a baby with the gay couple Dirk and Duck. How would you feel if you had two parents of the same gender?
2. The lamp from Grandma Fifi grants wishes to Weetzie. Do you believe in wishes coming true?
Reading Level/Interest Age: 15+
Curriculum Ties: English - Rhythmic free verse poetry. History - Los Angeles
Booktalking Ideas:
1. Weetzie has a baby with the gay couple Dirk and Duck. How would you feel if you had two parents of the same gender?
2. The lamp from Grandma Fifi grants wishes to Weetzie. Do you believe in wishes coming true?
Reading Level/Interest Age: 15+
Challenge Issue: LGBTQ themes, Sexuality
- Weetzie Bat is the winner of the 2009 Phoenix award, and Francesca Lia Block has received the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Library Association for her Weetzie Bat series of books.
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy
- Weetzie Bat is the winner of the 2009 Phoenix award, and Francesca Lia Block has received the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Library Association for her Weetzie Bat series of books.
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy
Why I chose this item: I discovered this book as a popular Young Adult novel from my class readings, and decided that it would be a great addition to my collection. Additionally, I wanted to include a book for those interested in LGBTQ themes.
Further Series Reading: Witch Baby, Cherokee Bat & the Goat Guys, Missing Angel Juan, Baby BeBop, Necklace of Kisses
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