Bibliographic Information
Publisher: Simon Pulse (Simon and Schuster)
Publication year: 2012
ISBN: 978-1451635751
Reader’s Annotation
Delilah is content to stay home and read her favorite fairy tale over and over, fantasizing about the story’s main character, a handsome prince named Oliver. When she finds out Oliver is a real person who can talk to her from his pages, Delilah embarks on an unforgettable literary adventure.
Plot Summary
High schooler Delilah would rather stay in and read than go out with friends. One book in particular has caught her attention lately; a fairy tale about the adventures of handsome prince Oliver, his faithful animal companions, and his quest to rescue a princess. Delilah gets the surprise of a lifetime when she finds out Oliver and the book’s other characters all exist in real life! They play their parts like actors every time the book is opened, otherwise living normal lives within the closed pages. Oliver and Delilah take an immediate liking to each other, especially after Delilah finds out Oliver isn’t really in love with the princess. The duo come up with a plan to get Oliver out of the pages of a fairy tale and into the real world, but need help from an unlikely source to turn their fantasy into a reality.
Critical Evaluation
The idea and plot of Between the Lines is a creative concept that young fiction and fantasy readers will enjoy. However, the simplistic writing style gives the impression of being written for younger readers than the officially recognized definition of “young adults,” or older teenagers. Another aspect of the novel that gears it toward younger readers is the ending. After much build up and discussion, Delilah and Oliver’s solution to getting Oliver out of the pages of his book is anticlimactic and ultimately sets a negative example of a child’s relationships with their parent. Oliver being able to live a normal human life by switching places with the author’s son, who will now be taking his place in the fairy tale pages, shows young readers it is easy to run away from their problems instead of providing encouragement to work things out with parents. This choice could be due in part to one of the authors being a high school student herself. Although the ending leaves something to be desired, Between the Lines is overall an entertaining story that readers of all ages will find relatable.
Author Information
Jodi Picoult: (Refer to Nineteen Minutes)
Samantha van Leer is a junior in high school. She conceived the idea for Between the Lines and pitched it to her mom, Jodi Picoult, who was in the middle of a book tour. In her spare time, Samantha can be found playing softball, doing contemporary dance, acting and singing in musicals, and cuddling on the ground with her two dogs, Dudley and Oliver—for whom the prince in this fairy tale was named.
Source:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5106204.Samantha_van_Leer
Genre
Fantasy
Fiction
Humor
Curriculum Ties
Fairy Tales
Booktalking Ideas
Ask the audience to think about their favorite character from a book or movie, and ask if they ever wished that character could be alive in real life. Explain that this is what happens in Between the Lines. Introduce the characters of Delilah and Oliver, emphasizing that they are both dissatisfied with their realities and looking for something more. Read the passage when Delilah first figures out Oliver can talk to her. Then give a rating from 1-5 and tell the audience why this is my rating, and take questions.
Reading Level/Interest Age
Amazon: Age 12 and up / Grade 7 and up
School Library Journal: Grade 7-10
Challenging Issues
Running Away
Preparing for Potential Challenges
http://jeselynsminiyacollection.blogspot.com/p/preparing-for-potential-challenges.html
Why the Item Was Chosen
I included this novel in my collection because by possessing fantasy elements, it adds to the diversity of genre. More importantly, it is an example of a writer who is a young adult herself making her creative vision a reality. Young adults will benefit from the story of van Leer having the drive and determination to pursue her passion for writing, ultimately resulting in not one, but two published novels before she finished high school. Teachers and parents preach following one’s dreams, but teenagers are rarely presented with an example of someone their age doing so successfully.
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