This book is the witty and fun adventure of two teenagers, Dash and Lily. Although most of the book is a wild scavenger hunt through New York City--the author's favorite place to write a romp--Dash and Lily remain anonymous to one another for the majority of the book. The story begins when Dash finds a red notebook hidden away in a bookshelf at a large used bookstore. The book contains a challenge which Dash finds himself accepting. Delighted with himself, he leaves a similar challenge in the book which Lily finds. She accepts this challenge and thus begins the playful adventure of Dash and Lily. Cohn, R., & Levithan, D. (2010). Dash and Lily's book of dares. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Picture Credit: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/rachel-cohn/dash-and-lily-s-book-of-dares.htm
Impressions:
Having read two other books written by Cohn & Levithan, I had high hopes for this book. These two writers are wonderful together, they're witty and they capture the voice of teenagers perfectly. Although this book was engaging and clever, I was also slightly disappointed. I wouldn't go so far as to say the story is predictable but it plays out much in the way one would imagine. Cohn & Levithan have found a formula of witty pop-culture and literary references mixed with introspective and anti-romantic teenagers. This mix is successful and fun but by the third book is a little tiring.
Reviews:
“With Christmas vacation looking dismal, Lily accepts her brother's challenge and leaves a red moleskin notebook cleverly positioned on a shelf in the Strand bookstore. Inside are clues that she hopes will lead to her perfect mate, date, or even first kiss. Word nerd Dash discovers the notebook and relishes the escape from the ersatz cheer of Christmas that the puzzle-like dares propose. As the notebook travels back and forth, the clues encourage Lily and Dash to reveal their inner thoughts. But when they eventually meet, it is far from kismet. On New Year's Eve they accidentally get locked inside the Strand. It is neither the perfect date nor the perfect kiss, but it does give them the perfect opportunity to anticipate a special relationship. Cohn and Levithan (Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist [Knopf/Random House,2006/VOYA April 2006]) obviously had fun creating the alternating voices of Lily and Dash. Both are refreshing and likable in their individuality and quest for self-discovery. Love of the literary does not preclude them from acting like other sixteen year olds. Lily takes sips of alcohol (disastrous results), and Dash spews the odd f-bomb. Full of New York City experiences-Madame Tussaud's Wax Gallery-and humorous slapstick scenes-Dash's encounter with Macy's Santa-the plot also contains a few twists. Although a gay relationship is out in the open, there is no graphic sex. Full of crisp vocabulary and diverse media and literary references, this light-hearted romance should have broad appeal.”—Johnston, B. (2010). No title. [Review for the book Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by R. Cohn & D. Levithan]. Voice of Youth Advocates. Retrieved from Bowker’s Books in Print.
“In their third collaboration, Cohn and Levithan present another clever New York romance. Levithan writes the chapters narrated by Dash, a bookish 16-year-old spending Christmas break alone. He finds a red moleskin notebook amid the shelves of the Strand bookstore. Are you going to be playing for the pure thrill of unreluctant desire? asks Cohn's Lily in the first coded message of the notebook, with an invitation to respond. Lily is aglow with the yuletide and devastated that her parents are spending the holidays in Fiji. Armed with anonymity, Dash and Lily exchange the notebook in various locations around the Big Apple, filling it with their greatest hopes and deepest fears, and ultimately find themselves falling in love. Not surprisingly, the young pair's perceptions of each other don't entirely reflect reality; Dash's ex asks if he is in love with the girl writing in the book or the girl he is picturing in his head. The spirit of the season amplifies Dash and Lily's loneliness and heightens the connection between them, in another surefire hit from the creators of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.”—Jones, C. (2010). No title. [Review for the book Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by R. Cohn & D. Levithan]. Booklist. Retrieved from Bowker’s Books in Print.
Suggestions:
I think this book is a good for high school students. It could be used an example of two writers of the opposite sex collaborating to create two different voices within one book. Librarians could use this book in a display that has other books that do something similar. It could also be used to to create an activity for the students in the spirit in the red book, and include fun challenges or dares to do in the library.
A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend, by Emily Horner, is a terrific story that both unpredictable and a realistic read. Sixteen year old Cass finds herself dealing with the death of her best friend Julia and all of the self-revelations that come with losing the person who had the biggest impact on her life. The book is split into two parts, one set in the past immediately after Julia's death and the other set in "present" times. Cass deals with a myriad of issues: Julia's friends, old enemies, independence, and her sexuality. At the end of the book Cass is still struggling but she is one step closer to figuring out some serious truths about herself.
Horner, E. (2010). A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend. New York: Dial Books.
Picture Credit: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Story-Starring-Dead-Friend/dp/0803734204
Impressions:
I absolutely loved this book. The title was the first think that caught my eye and from there the story only got more interesting. Cass's character is so unique and interesting but not so unique that she is unrealistic. Horner does a good job of making all of her characters believable and her dialogue has teenager written all over it. The jump between the past and present is flawless and does not confuse the reader but rather gives a greater understanding into Cass and her life.
Reviews:
“Cass, a Midwestern teen just beginning her senior year in high school, has to reconcile herself to last spring's unexpected death of her best friend, Julia, as well as to her unexpressed romantic feelings for her. This novel alternates between the present-day preparations for a tribute production of a musical written by Julia that unites Julia's friends and serves as the mechanism for them to move on with their lives; and the literal and metaphorical journey that Cass makes during the summer vacation after Julia's death, to deliver her ashes to the California coast. Both storylines reveal the backstory of the friendship between Cass and Julia, including the disagreements they faced within their circle of friends. Only when Cass develops new romances, one in each storyline, can she move beyond her unfulfilled attraction for Julia. By intertwining storylines and revealing the complete picture slowly, the author keeps the reader engaged. The banter of the drama crowd will engage readers from that social group-a fringe audience-and teenage girls uncertain of their sexuality will also find this book engaging.” –Ingram, J. (2010). No title. [Review of the book A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by E. Horner]. Voice of Youth Advocates. Retrieved from Bowker’s Books in Print.
“After the death of her best friend, Cass finds herself questioning her own identity, sexuality, and place in the high school hierarchy. Before she died, Julia had been working on a top-secret project: a musical called Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad. Now that she is gone, her boyfriend, Oliver, and her other theater friends are determined to stage the show as a tribute. Cass is committed to helping backstage, building spectacular traps and weapons-until Heather, Cass's middle school nemesis, is cast as the female lead. Heather was the first person to tease Cass about her close friendship with Julia and suggest that Cass wanted it to be something more, and since Julia's death, Oliver has been making barbed remarks, as well. In the face of these complications, Cass sets off on a quest of her own: biking cross-country to take Julia's ashes to California. She tells herself that she is not running away from Oliver's hostility, Julia's friends' cold shoulders, or Heather's disconcerting new niceness. The journey helps her discover things she never knew about herself, and when she finds herself at rock bottom, she learns that Julia's friends are her friends, too. This funny, touching, and sweet coming-of-age story explores serious themes in a fresh way. Cass's tentative questioning of her own sexuality and her hesitant approach toward her first serious romantic relationship will delight readers who struggle with similar issues, as well as those who simply enjoy a well-crafted story.”—Tidman, M. (2010). No title. [Review of the book A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by E. Horner]. School Library Journal. Retrieved from Bowker’s Books in Print.
Suggestions:
This book is an excellent book for students high school and up. It can be used for students who have recently experienced loss or even for those struggling to fit in and gain their independence. Because of the content, I think this book works best as a personal recommendation or as a discussion for an already established book group whose members are familiar with one another.
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