Vote For Larry

Rating:
Summary: What Happened to Larry?
Review: Somehow the lovely boy that was Larry got lost in the two years between this book and the first. He's lost his patience, his tolerance, and thanks to the author's forced writing, his compelling voice. The plot was a little too fantastic, with the constitutional ammendment and Larry's run for president, and the devices a little too pat. It's easy to solve problems when you create them, as a writer can do when she appropriates real people and events for a work of fiction. One also has to wonder why she forced it out ahead of the 2004 election when it's so obviously a problem. Starting with Kerry and Dean at the primaries and then referring to Bush and 'the Democratic candidate' for the rest of the race made it clear there was no ending for the book. And when even the writer doesn't know what's going the reader hasn't got much of a chance. It could be revised in later editions to cover that but with the rest of the story being so lame there isn't much reason.

The real problem of course is that Tashjian doesn't seem to have anything new for Larry to say and the book is really a rehash Gospel with a poor plot. It was fun once but how much preaching can we be asked to take?

Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: This is the most optimistic book I have ever read. it toys with not only the idea that people WANT to change the world, but that they CAN, without superpowers or magic or an appearance on Oprah. This was a Kid Runs For President book without the immaturity; it focused less on the age of the candidate than on the issues-real, true, important issues-he's pushing. Is this book realistic? No, of course not--but instead of faulting the author, why not fault ourselves? Why couldn't a group of people who were willing to fight for something get the rest of us to care? Not only does Janet Tashjian provide real solutions to problems--exaggerated and stretched, but on the right track--but she also introduces the novel idea of the Critical Patriot: the person who sees the flaws of the country but doesn't retreat into cynical commentary. The person who actually loves this country with its flaws AND IS WILLING TO MAKE IT BETTER. Her realistic portrayal--using actual candidates, events, issues, and facts--makes it all the more relevant to us. I think that all teens should read this book, just as all teens should register to vote when they're old enough. Josh/Larry is the symbolic epitome of what teens COULD be--not necessarily candidates but activists, working to make America and the world a better place. This book takes a stand--so should we.