Tuesday, January 18, 2011

This Girl is Different by JJ Johnson

Title: This Girl is Different
Author: JJ Johnson
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: B-


This girl is different… That’s what Evie has always told herself—and it’s true. Home-schooled by her counter culture mom, she’s decided to see what high school is like for the first time—for her senior year. And what a year it is.

As it turns out, it’s not just Evie who’s Different. Lots of people are. Many of her assumptions about others are turned on their heads as she makes friends with kids her own age for the first time, discovers what’s good and what’s bad about high school, and learns lessons about power and its abuse—both by the administration and by Evie herself.
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I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was interested after reading the description because I used to be home schooled and I remember how weird it was being in an actual school. I wanted to read about someone else with the same experience.

I was worried that Evie would be that stereotypical nature "freak" shoving their beliefs in people's faces. Thankfully she wasn't. Since Evie was brought up in a certain way she actually believed in a lot of things and held politcal standpoints that I don't even think about.

I was sad that the book had to involve so much drama. I found it hard to believe that so many people wouldn't accept her. I actually GO to high school and a lot of what went on just didn't seem right. I also had a problem with how Evie automatically forgave them. The whole novel seemed to build up on how strong and independent Evie was but I don't think this reflected on her in these moments at all. How could she forgive people who turned on her so fast?

I really did like the novel though. For people who grew up surrounded by other people and living the "normal" school life, it's a real eye opener to see how other people live. We always here about home schooled kids but we never realize how different it is. Don't be silly thought and think they are all like Evie. She was exceptionally different and I really liked her character. She was just so honest and outspoken even when she knew that people might think differently of her for it.

Overall I enjoyed the novel most of the time and would recommend it to anyone who would like to see a different kind of lifestyle.

-Amanda

1 comment:

Andrea said...

I reviewed this book as well, and I really liked it! I also thought that Evie would be the weird nature freak, but I was glad when she wasn't. Great review!