Twilight

Bibliographic Information: Meyer, S.  (2005).  Twilight. New York: Little, Brown, and Company.
ISBN: 978-0-316-16017-9

Plot Summary: Seventeen year old Isabella "Bella" Swan moves to Forks, Washington with her father so that her mother can begin her life with her new husband in Florida. Bella is not happy with the move and sees nothing positive about living somewhere where it rains all the time. Bella enrolls into the local high school and immediately notices the Cullens (Alice, Edward, Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie Hale) five coldly beautiful siblings that were all at some point adopted by the same couple, Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Bella is intrigued by the attractive siblings and is surprised to find that Edward is in her Biology class. Bella gets the sense that Edward does not like her and makes an effort to avoid her. It is not until he leaves school for several days, returns, and saves her from a van that Bella learns the truth about Edward. From that point on Bella is caught in a strange world where her safety is always in question, but her strengthening emotions for Edward stop her from walking away forever. 

Critical Evaluation: Stephenie Meyer transformed the vampire lore into a new modern concept. This rewriting of the old tales has give the Twilight story ample room to rewrite what it means to be a vampire. Edward, in a way, becomes a beautiful object (glittering in the sun) that Bella knows may hurt her but that she cannot walk away from. Meyers choice to allow her vampires to walk day has given them a much more human spin then characters like Dracula or even Anne Rice's vampires. This ability to exist within the human world, during day light hours (as long as there is no direct sun) transforms being a vampire from a dark prison to one simply dictated by a thirst for blood. This shift in abilities makes being a vampire an attractive quality to Bella who does not see it as an end but rather as a beginning to a fantasy life with Edward. All in all, changing the traditional meaning of what it is to be a vampire both gives this novel more space to move, but also diminishes the role of the vampire as a vampire (at least in the classic sense).

Reader’s Annotation: Bella knows Edwards secret but cannot walk away as she falls deeper and deeper in love. 
 

Information About the Author: Stephenie Meyer, born Stephenie Morgan, was born on December 24, 1973 to a Mormon family in Hartford, Connecticut (biography.com, 2012).  Her family then relocated to Phoenix, Arizona where she grew up (biography.com, 2012). Being the eldest of six siblings, Meyer helped her parents with her younger brothers and sisters (biography.com, 2012). Meyer received a National Merit Scholarship and attended Brigham University to study English literature (biography.com, 2012). She reconnected with an old friend who she married a year after reconnecting (biography.com, 2012). After graduating, Meyer chose to be a stay at home mom to three boys (biography.com, 2012).

Meyer states that she got the inspiration to write Twilight from a very vivid dream she had which she shortly after converted into an outline and then a 500 page manuscript (Meyer, 2012). Meyer has also written: New Moon, Eclipse, and her adult novel, Host. 

                                              Interview with Stephenie Meyer

Genre: Romance, Fantasy  

Subgenre: Paranormal Romance, Vampires
 

Curriculum Ties: Could be used in a discussion of myths and vampires.

Booktalking Ideas:
1). Is Bella old enough to know what she wants?
2). Does a sparkling vampire destroy the vampire myth or enrich it?

Reading Level/Interest Age: Lexile Reading Level: 720/YA (Follett's Titlewave, 2012), grades 9-12 (Booklist starred, Follett Tittlewave, 2012)

Challenge Issues: This book includes vampires which may cause challenges. I would use the following items if this book was challenged:

1) Refer to Library Bill of Rights, see items: I, II, and III (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill).
2) Refer to San Diego Public Library collection policy - (http://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/about-the-library/freedom.shtml).  Original site: The American Library Association (ALA) Freedom to Read/View Statement (http://www.ala.org/offices/oif/statementspols/ftrstatement/freedomreadstatement).
3) Refer to California School Library Association (CSLA), Model School Library Standards - September 2010 (http://www.csla.net/index.php/publications/school-library-standards). PDF: (http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/librarystandards.pdf).

4) Refer t0 American Association for School, Librarians Standards for the 21st Century Learner (http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf)

5) Contact Office of Intellectual Freedom for any further support, 800-545-2433, ext. 4223 or oif@ala.org.

6) Refer to legitimate book reviews, such as: School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Horn Book and others; found on either Academic Search Premier, Follett's TITLEWAVE, or Amazon.com.

Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?: I included this book because vampires are currently a teen favorite. I think that the combination of romance, fantasy, and vampires will attract readers of all levels.

Reference Page:
 
biography.com.  (2012).  Stephenie Meyer biography.  Retrieved August 1, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/stephenie-meyer-456668?page=1


Follett's Titlewave.  (2012).  Twilight (Booklist starred review).  Retrieved August 1, 2012 from Follett's Titlewave app.

Follett's Titlewave.  (2012).  Twilight.  Retrieved August 1, 2012 from Follett's Titlewave iPhone App.

Meyer, S.  (2012). Bio. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/bio.html
 
cover art: http://bestsellers.about.com/od/bookfilmlistsbyauthor/tp/Stephenie_Meyer_Books.htm