Weetzie Bat

Title: Weetzie Bat

Author: Francesca Lia Block


ISBN: 978-0060736255

Publisher: HarperTeen

Original copyright: 1989

This Version's copyright: 2004
 
 Plot Summary:  This book follows Weetzie Bat as she befriends the most good looking boy at school named Dirk. Dirk is gay, and lusted after by the entire female body at school. Weetzie Bat and Dirk have a hobby of looking for "Ducks", or boyfriends, together and visiting Dirk's grandma Fifi. Fifi gives Weetzie Bat a magical lamp, and she is granted three wishes. So she wishes for a "duck" for Dirk, My Secret Agent Lover Man for herself, and a place for them all to live together. 

Critical Evaluation: This book is quirky, and written in a different version of Los Angeles. People who can pick the fantasy portions of the book out are more likely to understand why this book is so lovable. Weetzie Bat is written so well, and the reader feels love for her, and even the love she feels towards Dirk in the writing.

Reader's Annotation: Weetzie Bat is granted three wishes from a magical lamp, what will she wish for?

Genre: Fantasy, Classic, Young Adult

Author Information: Francesca Lia Block wrote this novel while a student at UC Berkeley. She has many other novels, most notably series containing Weetzie Bat. She has a stand alone novel entitled Elementals that is to be released in 2013. Find out more about Francesca Lia Block at http://www.francescaliablock.com/.


Book talks: Love, relationships, nontraditional, three wishes

Reading Level/Interest Age: High School/College. 14-20.

Challenge: Homosexuality, alcohol use, abortion. There are no explicit scenes between Dirk and Duck it just mentions their relationship and even the evolvement of their relationship into marriage. Their relationship is a crucial part of the plot and not overdone. Abortion is mentioned by a woman who asks My Secret Agent Lover Man for money to pay for her to abort his child. This is the extent that this is mentioned. The book does not go into excessive details about this.

Why was this book chosen?: The plot, along with the awarding of the 2009 Phoenix Award drew me to this book.