Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block

ISBN: 0-06-447187-X
HarperTrophy, NY 1996
181 pages

Plot Summary

This book is composed of 9 separate short stories: Tweetie Sweet Pea, Blue, Dragons in Manhattan, Girl Goddess # 9, Rave, The Canyon, Pixie and Pony, Winnie and Cubby and Orpheus. Even though each is a stand-along story, they have common themes of sexual identity confusion, longing for acceptance and looking for beauty in a sometimes-ugly world. Most of the main characters are young girls or women who live in the city (usually LA) and are drawn toward the unusual - in partners, clothes, cars, music and houses.

Critical Evaluation

Francesa Lia Block's voice is like no other - you immediately know that you are reading one of her stories by her descriptive passages. Everything and everyone are composed of colors and textures and smells - softness and light, laces and punk rock. These stories were written 15-20 years ago so there are many references to AIDS (people dying from loving one another as she call it).

Reader's Annotation

Everyone searches for love and acceptance. These nine stories show some of the different paths we can take in finding acceptance in ourselves and others.

Author Info

Francesca Lia Block lives in LA and has written lots of critically-acclaimed YA literature. She also wrote Weetzie Bat, one of the other books in this blog.

Genre

LGBT short stories

No Curriculum Ties

Booktalking Ideas

both from "Dragons in Manhattan"

1. Tuck travels from NY to SF to LA looking for her father. How and where does she finally find him?

2. How is Tuck, who is obviously underage, able to stay by herself in a hotel like the Pink Gingerbread?

Reading/ Interest Level

High school and up for both

Challenge Issues and Defense

LGBT themes, alcohol and drug use, offensive language

the sex isn't graphic and these are fairy tales of life in La-La land

Make sure that you are familiar with the whole book - passages taken out of context can be misconstrued.

Library's collection development policy

Acclaimed YA author

Why I Included This Book

This is the only short-story collection in the blog; Francesca Lia Block is an important YA author with a unique voice. Highly recommended by the head librarian where I work.