Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me

Gr 9 Up–JL is almost 16 when the story begins weaving its way, like a butterfly in flight, through memories and moments of a child’s life. She is trying to make sense of her life, her parents, her best friend Aubrey, and especially herself. There’s Nana with her head in the sand, a dad who has become more absent, a mom who is present but not really there, and boys. There are a couple of boys—the one who’s out of reach (Aubrey’s brother) and the one who is so bad, no one believes JL could possibly be interested in him. Polisner captures the voice of teen angst perfectly: the constant questioning, the pain of moving on, the joy of feeling your body respond to its growth, the wish for independence, and the need for belonging. Reading this narrative, as it moves from branch to branch of memories, feels like floating, which fits with the ups and downs of middle school memories. As JL spends her 16th year growing up and asking questions, she deals with her everyday life as she realizes she has some tough decisions to make. She needs to decide whether Aubrey is still a friend, how much she can forgive her family, and what she should do next—the right thing or the thing she wants. Polisner captures the overwhelming emotions of that age, creating a situational reality in which each character fits perfectly and has a place in the story.