Leftovers

Wiess, Laura. Leftovers. ISBN-10 1416546626, ISBN-13 9781416546627. MTV Books. 2008.

Summary
During the course of a year, Ardith and Blair change from happy ninth-graders to bitter-justice-seeking sophomores. They each tell their side of this heartrending story that involves their parents, their classmates who tease and torment those who are a bit different, and the boys who take whatever they want without facing any real consequences. Blair and Ardith are voices from the growing group of today's teens who are written off and overlooked for not fitting into the norm, or those who are doing the overlooking.

Critical Evaluation
Leftovers is a heartbreaking tale of two girls who are trying to find their place in the world, but find it hard when their worlds are on shaky ground. Blair is a mere accessory to her mother's legal career ambitions, and Ardith is a prude in her parent's free and easy world. At school the girls are ridiculed, and over the course of a year, they seek to find justice in an unjust world. Although, they think they brought fairness, they are just pawns in the bigger picture. Many readers will identify with the feelings of isolation, betrayal and the need for justice.

Reader's Annotation
Blair and Ardith seek revenge and justice from the people in their lives that have betrayed and isolated them.

About the Author
Laura Wiess is a New Jersey native, who now lives in the Endless Mountain region of Pennsylvania. She is the author of critically acclaimed novels often deal with the silent voices of victimized adolescent girls, and their poignant, desperate need for revenge.

Over the years, Wiess has worked at several other jobs before becoming the author of three novels for young adults. It's the times as a bartender and waitress, to which she credits her gathering of customer's stories to add to her own writing material.

Genre
Girls/Women
Friendship

Curriculum Ties
no applications

Booktalking Ideas
What would you do to get back at someone who hurt you…
At what lengths would you go for justice…

Awards
American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults

Challenges
Sexual Content
Alcohol Usage

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 15+

Why I included this title...
I like the books being published by MTV Books because they seem to be a little more gritty and hard-edged.

More Information
Laura Wiess/Simon & Schuster. http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Laura-Wiess/35363023/author_revealed