Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge
192 p. Amulet Books/ Abrams, May, 2011. 978-0-8104-9722-6. (Purchased)
Sixteen-year-old Page Turner, yes, her parents are that sadistic and/ or clueless, is coping with her move from rural Virginia to Brooklyn, New York. She buys a sketchbook and, over the course of six or so months, shares her hopes and dreams angst and anxieties. There are moments of loveliness, interesting metaphors, observations and growth, but the repetitive, self-centered angst kind of got to me after two or three cycles of, "Oh! I'm just not good enough." Typical teen? Sure. Do I know one or two fifty-something women whom Page reminds me of? Yup. Are young, teen readers going to eat this up. You betcha.
I found Smile by Raina Telgemeier much more refreshing and compelling though. Raina had real problems. I kept wanting to yell at Page, "Snap out of it!" And, I'm sorry, but any mother who names her daughter, Page Turner and then calls her Baby Girl all the way through her sixteenth year deserves far worse than what Page dishes out to her.