Book Reviews

Cutting: Understanding and Overcoming Self-Mutilation by Steven Levenkron
(review by an anonymous library patron)

"The author's writing is narcissistically self-agrandizing, and his approach to the topic is overly anecdotal, but there are a few useful tidbits on etiology and treatment that can normalize the behavior and help parents and sufferers."

- Thank you for your well-thought out opinion. Brandi

Rainbow Party by Paul Ruditis

I've not heard of rainbow parties before, but I have heard of the controversial colored, jelly bracelets, etc. So a rainbow party is an oral sex party where each girl dons a different color lipstick...thus creating a "rainbow" on the guy once each girl has had a turn. Okay, so I think that oral sex is a subject that should have a place in ya fiction because teens are curious and often experimental; however, this book didn't make the grade for me. It mostly takes place during the day the party is supposed to take place. You read about the dynamic between 13 high-school students and their feeling as individuals and couples regarding this type of party. Is it cheating? Will it get one girl the guy she's wanted? Who's going? Why?
It also touches on STD's and the fact that sex can lead to them, and that they can become widespread.

Unfortunately, I do not feel that this book was good enough for our collection, so you will have to get it elsewhere if you want to read it. The bad news about that is, I don't see it available at any Delaware County library, and even Barnes & Noble has chosen not to carry it.