Author: Jessica Anthony
Published: February 2, 2012
Genre: Young Adult
I've recently discovered the wonder that is the graphic novel; it's a genre that is growing more and more popular among young adult readers. When you hear the phrase "graphic novel" I'm sure many minds jump right to comic books. However, from a teacher standpoint, graphic novels have much to offer in a classroom setting. I won't go into too much detail in this post, but the National Council for Teaching English shares a fantastic article about using comics and graphic novels to build literacy in the classroom. You can read it here.
I found this particular book during my recent library sale hunt, and I couldn't wait to check it out.
Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral is an edgy, modern-day adaptation of the classic Romeo and Juliet story told in pictures. The plot follows two madly in love teenagers, Glory and Frank. Glory is a piano prodigy who is raised by her single father after her mother passes away. Frank is the boy next door, an aspiring artist raised by his immigrant family. The two are drawn in by the talent that the other possesses, she to his paintings and he to her beautiful music. The two share mix CDs and late-night text messages, much to the chagrin of Glory's father, who considers Frank an obstacle to Glory's rising popularity.
Fame's pressures finally get to Glory, and she suffers from a mental breakdown. Once known as the "Brecht of the Piano", Glory can now play nothing but the children's song "Chopsticks". Frank faces his own struggles throughout the book. He never quite adapts to his new school, and his grades slowly drop as he becomes more consumed by his art and his love for Glory. The story begins with the breaking news of Glory's disappearance from a rest facility for gifted musicians. From there the reader is left to piece together what happened to Glory and Frank, separating what is truth and what is madness.
The first thing that caught my attention about the book was the aesthetics. It really is beautiful! The story is told through a series of pictures, newspaper clippings, scrapbook
The book did not take a very long time to get through, maybe 45 minutes tops. However, some of the text messages include links to YouTube videos that actually exist! I didn't look every single one up, but if I had, it might have made the experience last longer. There are also the playlists of real songs that Glory and Frank make for each other that I would recommend checking out, as they will put you in the mindset of the characters.
Chopsticks was a standard teen romance. Girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, parents try to keep them apart, etc. It got to be a little predictable, despite the air of mystery that hangs over the entire piece. What made it worth reading was its unique design and layout. I can see myself adding it to my future classroom library because the young ladies would find it attractive, especially when the more comic-like graphic novels are more appealing to boys.
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