Looking for Alaska
Green, J. (2007). Looking for Alaska.
New York: Speak.
Looking for Alaska by John Green is a story about Miles Halter. He lives a friendless and boring life but seeks to find what the poet Francois Rabelais called "The Great Perhaps". He leaves for boarding school in Alabama and meets some interesting new people. He becomes friends with Chip Martin (the Colonel), Takumi, and Alaska Young. The Colonel nicknames Miles "Pudge", because he is so skinny and the four become inseparable friends. Miles's favorite class is religious studies, taught by an old man nicknamed "the Old Man". He lectures and makes Miles think about religion, philosophy, and life, and Miles loves it.
The friends are involved in a prank war for much of the book, which adds humor and tension to the story. Some of the pranks get out of hand. Throughout the story, Miles begins to be obsessed with Alaska but doesn't know who she really is. The story takes a turn when Alaska gets a phone call from her boyfriend, Jake, on their anniversary. Alaska freaks out and leaves in her car. The next morning, all the students are called into the gym for an announcement and find out that Alaska was killed in a car accident.
The novel is written in two parts--The Before and The After. After Alaska's death, the friends must deal with the loss and trying to find out what really happened the night of her death. Was it an accident? Was it intentional?
This book is definitely for older readers because it includes talk about drinking, drugs, suicide, and sex. It can help parents and teachers talk about loss, friendship, and the importance of self-discovery.
The copy I read included a question and answer section with John Green, the author. My favorite question and answer was: What would you say, today, to a kid like Alaska?
"You are helpful, and you are loved, and you are forgiven, and you are not alone."
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