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Whatever
As a teenager, feelings are awkward, bodies are constantly changing. The world is both against you, and revolving around you. Throw in a good dose of apathy and it can be a strained existence, even when things are going well.
Take, for instance, Darrah Patrick in Whatever (Ronsdale $11.95), by YA veteran Ann Walsh. When her epileptic little brother, Andrew, suffers a seizure, 16-year-old Darrah is enlisted by her mother to bring him to the hospital...causing her to miss a very important audition for a play. Upset, she vents her frustration by pulling a fire alarm.
Unbeknownst to Darrah, this act of frustration was caught on camera. Worse, in her haste to flee the scene, she accidentally knocked over an old woman in the stairwell. A police constable comes to the house and she is presented with two choices: prepare for court or participate in a "Restorative Justice Circle";.
Choosing the latter was a no brainer, but the repercussions are more challenging than she expected. Darrah winds up cellphone-less, computer-less, grounded, and to top it off, she is obliged to serve as a personal assistant to the injured party, Mrs. Johnson, two afternoons a week for two-and-a-half hours.
Reluctant at first, Darrah begins to discover some enjoyment in her time with "Mrs. J."; Between learning to bake powder biscuits and make stew, she becomes acquainted with Robin, Mrs. J.'s 17-year-old college-bound grandson who is easy on the eyes...
As Darrah starts to become more selfless and understanding with her family and Mrs. J., a greater problem arises: Mrs. J. is going blind. Darrah promises to keep her secret safe, but Mrs. J. knows that eventually she'll be found out and sent to one of, "Those warehouses for old people... places to store old folk until they die...";
As Darrah navigates the quagmire of adolescence and learns the importance of family, responsibility and accountability, that casual throwaway remark common to teenagers-"Whatever";-disappears from her vocabulary.
978-1-55380-259-4
Eric Wilkins of Delta is sports editor for The Other Press at Douglas College.
[BCBW 2013]
Take, for instance, Darrah Patrick in Whatever (Ronsdale $11.95), by YA veteran Ann Walsh. When her epileptic little brother, Andrew, suffers a seizure, 16-year-old Darrah is enlisted by her mother to bring him to the hospital...causing her to miss a very important audition for a play. Upset, she vents her frustration by pulling a fire alarm.
Unbeknownst to Darrah, this act of frustration was caught on camera. Worse, in her haste to flee the scene, she accidentally knocked over an old woman in the stairwell. A police constable comes to the house and she is presented with two choices: prepare for court or participate in a "Restorative Justice Circle";.
Choosing the latter was a no brainer, but the repercussions are more challenging than she expected. Darrah winds up cellphone-less, computer-less, grounded, and to top it off, she is obliged to serve as a personal assistant to the injured party, Mrs. Johnson, two afternoons a week for two-and-a-half hours.
Reluctant at first, Darrah begins to discover some enjoyment in her time with "Mrs. J."; Between learning to bake powder biscuits and make stew, she becomes acquainted with Robin, Mrs. J.'s 17-year-old college-bound grandson who is easy on the eyes...
As Darrah starts to become more selfless and understanding with her family and Mrs. J., a greater problem arises: Mrs. J. is going blind. Darrah promises to keep her secret safe, but Mrs. J. knows that eventually she'll be found out and sent to one of, "Those warehouses for old people... places to store old folk until they die...";
As Darrah navigates the quagmire of adolescence and learns the importance of family, responsibility and accountability, that casual throwaway remark common to teenagers-"Whatever";-disappears from her vocabulary.
978-1-55380-259-4
Eric Wilkins of Delta is sports editor for The Other Press at Douglas College.
[BCBW 2013]
Submitted on September 11, 2013 in By David.
