Jumpstart The World Review + Giveaway

Released: October 12, 2010

Jumpstart The World
Catherine Ryan Hyde

Hardcover; 192 pages
KNOPF

Elle is a loner. She doesn’t need people. Which is a good thing, because she’s on her own: she had to move into her own apartment so her mother’s boyfriend won’t have to deal with her.

Then she meets Frank, the guy who lives next door. He’s older and has a girlfriend, but Elle can’t stop thinking about him. Frank isn’t like anyone Elle has ever met. He listens to her. He’s gentle. And Elle is falling for him, hard.

But Frank is different in a way that Elle was never prepared for: he’s transgender. And when Elle learns the truth, her world is turned upside down.  Now she’ll have to search inside herself to find not only the true meaning of friendship but her own role in jumpstarting the world.

Tender, honest, and compassionate, Jumpstart the World is a stunning story to make you laugh, cry, and honor the power of love.

Brent’s opinion of the novel:
     It’s Catherine Ryan Hyde, dawg! I don’t even have to say anything. Her name on a book is enough for me to say “Oh, I’m  for sure gonna read that.” Because she’s developed into one of my favorite writers—and she’s quite an awesome person, too! I was super excited to read JUMPSTART THE WORLD, Catherine’s latest LGBT novel.
     JUMPSTART opens with a fifteen-year-old girl, Elle, moving into a new apartment. Paid for by her mother. Left to start a new year at a brand new school, Elle knows no one except the dude who lives nearby, who offers to help with packing. Frank.
     After her mother leaves Elle to the silence of her new apartment, she befriends Frank, eventually chopping a big deal of her hair off. Making her hair style similar to Frank’s. Not to her own, benefit, though. On her first day of school, she sees the word “QUEER” tattooed to her locker. As you can see, KIDS ARE MEAN ASS BITCHES Elle doesn’t really fit in at school.
     But she soon makes friends with an interesting, fun crowd. The gay kids. And Frank, the guy she kinda sorta started to crush on, is a part of this group. He fits into the transgender niche.
     First of all, let me show you the exact thoughts that ran through my head as I finished JUMPSTART: Omigod. Omigod. *Squee* I love Catherine so freakin’ much. She’s awesome. Her books are awesome. JUMPSTART was awesome. But why in the hell is there a cat on the cover? Major turn-off. But whatever. Omg. Catherine writes great characters. She’s awesome. Wait I already said that like five times. Whatever. Elle was so great. Frank was great. Everyone was great. Except for the MEAN ASS KIDS WHO WROTE “QUEER” ON ELLE’S LOCKER. I loved Catherine’s characters in this one. I always love her characters, but especially this one. And omg she can  write a damn good theme like a mofo! Hey did I mention I love Catherine?
     See? Yeah, that was some pretty major rambling going on all up in my head. I can’t even begin to try to turn that into a review. This is like a non-review. It’s like a confession of love. I luffed everything about it. The characters, the message, the symbolism. I really don’t see how anyone could’ve written a better trans YA novel.
     I liked seeing how Elle was this angry, hurt girl at the beginning, and then as she met these people—and became friends with them—she just looked at everything differently. You know, after she herself gets ostracized she looks at the world from her friend’s point-of-view, and realizes what a fucked-up place we live in (because we do! Ha ha!). Elle had to learn about caring for other people, outside of ourselves, and I think Catherine writes in such a way that the reader actually learns these things along with Elle. That’s one of the best things I think a writer can give his or her readers. A lesson to learn along with his/her characters.

I have one finished copy of JUMPSTART THE WORLD to give away (huge thanks to the Teen Book Scene and KNOPF!)

All you have to do is fill out THIS FORM to enter!

Good luck, dawg!