Banned Book Review #10
Written by Poison_Ivy
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume tells the story of a teenaged girl recovering from the unexpected death of her father. The story describes the journey of how life can bring unexpected turns of events, but in the end, you learn from your experiences and move on with life, “una buena adventura.”
When Davey’s father is shot and killed at his 7-Eleven store in Atlantic City, her family, stricken with grief, takes quite a bit of time recovering from their loss. Davie, her mother, and her brother, Jason, go to stay with her father’s sister and his wife in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Throughout the yearlong stay in New Mexico, Davie faces many challenges. The most difficult challenge she faces is coming to terms with her father’s death. Throughout the book, she refuses to face the facts of the night her father was shot – most important being the fact that she heard her father’s last words – his plea for help.
Tiger Eyes was banned in many libraries for discussing topics such as underage drinking, Davey’s lack of motivation for furthering her education, references to racism, references to casual sexual relationships, and brief references to suicide. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that all high school students face these issues quite often and they should be addressed as opposed to ignored. Kids need to be able to talk openly about the issues of youth instead of being taught that they should be ignored, evident in the banning of books that do touch upon these subjects.
I would rate this book a 5 out of 5. I felt this book was very realistic. Davey, although her actions and behaviors would not be considered ideal for a girl of her age, they are exactly how high school kids behave, especially when faced with stressful situations. Davey’s ability to make her own decisions by not drinking with her friend Jane show that kids CAN stand up for themselves and not have to fit into any kind of mold or follow their friends’ actions to fit in and be accepted. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Tiger Eyes (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover))
