PET: a sci-fi view at society's monsters

PET an award-winning, sci-fi, young adult book by Nigerian writer, Akwaeke Emezi is a 200-page story that makes the reader think deeply about today's villains who lurk in the shadows and those operating in plain sight.  

Jam is a selective mute, trans girl who lives in the utopian society of Lucille with her artist mother and father.  When her mom paints a ferocious mash-up of creatures and it comes to life, Jam doesn't believe her eyes.  The creature, PET,  tells her it's there to hunt a monster but Jam thought all of the monsters were eliminated in her town.  The creature won't budge with its intention to fulfill its purpose.  Only then does Jam agree to help in order to get to the truth.  

The story grabbed my attention from the first chapter.  It would be a good read aloud for students to listen to and discuss what they think is going to happen in the book.  I loved how Jam relied on the library and  the librarian to get her access to the past through its collection to truly learn what happened before she was born and the angels took over.  It stresses the importance of studying history and looking for signs of it possibly repeating again. Jam thinks, 

"So, yes, people forget.  But forgetting is dangerous. Forgetting is how the monsters come back."  

Another part of this story that stands out is the way Jam's identity and relationships with her family and best friend are depicted.  Her transition to changing her gender is explained in the first chapter and but it's not the plot of the book at all.  Her family and best friend treat her with respect and value her identity, as does the rest of the community.   She is a strong, curious, brave person who faces a moral dilemma and the creature, PET, may or may not help her through it.  The whole time I was second-guessing who would be the monster and how it would unfold.  The ending completely satisfied my deep appreciation for the journey Emezi took me on and I look forward to reading more stories by them.

Here is an interview Emezi did with author, Christopher Myers, on their novel PET:

35 PRIDE Reads for elementary/middle grades

 

Our students want stories that encompass various people's perspectives.  PRIDE month offers the chance to spotlight LGBTQIA+ people through sharing books and stories.  From nonfiction picture books to fictional chapter books about families, friendship, and growing up, there is a push for including more of these books in our library collection.  I am thankful for the GLSEN organization for offering free books to our schools and classrooms.  Hopefully more will be published and shared, until then, check out what we have in our library below:

Flight of the Puffin: paying it forward

 

Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden is a touching story that reminds us that we are all connected, whether we want to believe it or not.  Told from the perspective of four middle schoolers, each one is going through their own personal struggle.  Being bullied for being different, being misunderstood by their family, facing the guilt of the loss of a sibling and school closure, and surviving on the streets because of not being accepted for being non-binary by their family.

At first all four people seem to be in their own bubble of strife.  That all changes when one of them leaves positive messages around town for others who are feeling low.  Libby recalls her art teacher's advice: create the world of your dreams!  How, Libby wonders? One line at a time.  These positive messages reach the other three in ways that end up changing their lives.  

Through difficulties of understanding new perspectives, like living as a transgender person, each person comes away with an appreciation that they aren't alone.  They can reach out and be supported by not only their loved ones, but by complete strangers, too.

As a teacher and school librarian this story hits especially close to my heart.  The importance of getting to know your students and their stories creates a bond and relationship that can help improve their lives.  Braden writes each person's viewpoint with incredible authenticity.  When Vincent is bullied at school he expresses this by saying, "The sound of a slamming metal door is loud when you're outside a locker, but it's even louder when you're inside."  This is what Braden has done with this novel. She brought us inside each of these young people as their thoughts, fears, and hopes resonated loudly for the reader to take in and take action in their own lives to be more empathetic to issues facing our society's youths.