10/06/09 The Last Exit to Normal Announced as James Cook Teen Book Award Recipient
The OLC's Young Adult Services Division has announced that Michael Harmon's The Last Exit to Normal (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2008) is the recipient of the 2009 James Cook Book Award for the teen book that celebrates diversity.
Small town Montana is the setting for the novel, Harmon's second, which focuses on the life of a 17-year-old grappling with his last chance to set his life on the right path after struggling with drugs, crime, and anger issues. Ben Campbell's troubles started when he was 14 and living in Spokane, Washington. His happy life was disrupted when his father announced that he was gay and his mother left the family. While Ben copes admirably with his father's new life and new partner, he still questions his own place in this new family situation.
Ben begins to skip school, smoke pot, and finally steals a car. Tired of Ben's behavior, his dad moves the family to Edward's hometown of Rough Butte, Montana where things are a little slower than the big city of Spokane. Readers follow Ben through his journey of trying to accept the situation he has been handed but didn't want. He finds small town life no easier but with the chiding of a demanding senior citizen he begins to find his own way.
Author Michael Harmon grew up in Los Angeles, California, skateboarding, racing BMX bikes and hanging out at the beach. Like the main character in The Last Exit to Normal, as a teen, Michael and his family moved to Spokane, Washington. Culture shock ensued but Michael Harmon adapted and continues to love the outdoors.
This book received the award because it promotes and celebrates cultural, ethnic, or social diversity; features a teen as one of the main characters; demonstrates excellence in writing; promotes cultural, ethnic, or social diversity; and has a wide appeal to a teen audience.
A short list of honorable books (fiction and non-fiction) was also selected and includes:
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (Little, Brown Young Readers, 2007)
- Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby (HarperTeen, 2007)
- No Choirboy: Murder, Violence and Teenagers on Death Row by Susan Kuklin (Henry Holt and Company, 2008)
- Red Glass by Laura Resau (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2007)
James Cook was well known in the Ohio and national library community as a man passionate about what he did. He was the Teen Specialist at Dayton Metro Library and a strong advocate for teens, diversity, and teen literature. Cook was actively involved in the American Library Association and the Ohio Library Council. He served on the Newbery, Printz, and Teen Buckeye Book Award committees. Cook died suddenly on August 1, 2005, and this award is intended to carry on his memory and celebrate everything he believed in so strongly.
The James Cook Book Award: Celebrating Diversity in Teen Literature is administered by the Young Adult Services Division of the Ohio Library Council. The 2009 James Cook Book Award committee included the following librarians: Ann Pechacek, Worthington Libraries (chair); Susan Ballard, Cuyahoga County Public Library; Jan Chapman, Cuyahoga County Public Library; Nancy Levin, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library; Wendy Morano, Columbus Metropolitan Library; Mary Anne Nichols, Kent State University; Rebecca O'Neil, Westerville Public Library; Shelley Peresie, Washington-Centerville Public Library; Gretchen Yonata, Dayton Metro Library.
