extra credit two: americus

Reed, M.K. Americus. Illus. Hills, Jonathan. New York, New York: First Second, 2011. Print.

Annotation
When  local Christian mother, Nancy, walks into her son's room, she finds him reading The Adventure of Apathea Ravenchilde. She confronts the librarian of it's condemnation  to the generation and that the book should be banned. Neil must now face Nancy and other activists in order to save his favor series, all the while facing high school, alone without his best friend.

Justification for Nomination
Neil and his best friend, Danny, loves The Adventure of Apathea Ravenchilde series. They have just graduated from middle school and are going to be entering high school soon. When Danny's mother walks into his room finding him reading the book, she becomes angry and tells him that witches are the devil's servant.

She asks for the book the be banned and how the only book that the only book that matters is the bible. Nancy, Danny's mother, is a true Christian, who just wants to see the good in her children. During the town's meeting, they talk of banning the book in the library and how it can brainwash children. Talking about how the book can influence a child's personality and change them. That fantasy books are nothing but trouble to a young adults life, as it'll lead them down the wrong path.

Neil, along with the librarian and other supporters of the series must fight the activists to keep the book from getting banned.

Americus was not just about the book banning, but about Neil starting high school, without his best friend. How he'll make friends, finding what's "cool" and just fitting in with the crowd.


There weren't many reviews that were for Americus, but I must go against those judgement and nominate this incredible book.

Christianity played a rather big part in this book, but without it, you wouldn't be able to understand why Neil's favorite series was getting banned, and for what particular reason. I think if some people can push away the thought of harsh practice of Christianity aside, they can see how great the book really is.

Americus to me, didn't just speak of just the small town, but America as a whole. Every day, books are getting banned, and for what reason, because of little things that parents feel can "corrupt" their child's mind. It shows the importance of how a book can be to an individuals life, no matter what age they are. It teaches them how to be a better person and how to stand up for themselves. How bullying can be stopped, if the right person defends them.

Reed ties in Neil's life with the series that he loves and shows how it can relate to him. Though at first I found them confusing, but towards the middle of it, I realized how well it tied in together with Neil and his friends. He's just trying to make it through high school, without his best friend. At the same time, he fights for a book. "I guess it's kind of silly to care so much about a book.../ But it's more than just a book to me/ ..../ It's nice to see justice, somewhere" (pg. 184-185).

Genre | Graphic Novel | Realistic Fiction | Banned Book | Coming of Age |