What You See Isn't Always Real

We all know how easy it is to alter digital images, and it's not always bad. For example, I usually crop my family photos and take out the red-eye before sending them to people. However, sometimes digitally altered images present a false sense of reality.

When we had a special book group about Scott Westerfeld's book So Yesterday over the summer, we had a really interesting discussion about digitally altered photographs of models and celebrities. At the time, the normal-sized Kelly Clarkson had been obviously whittled down to look a lot skinner on the cover Self magazine. ("Slim Down Your Way" and "Total Body Confidence" screamed the cover type...)

Because of this discussion, an online article from last week really caught my attention: Was the Photoshopped Ralph Lauren Model Fired for Being Overweight? The original ad shows an abnormally thin person modeling Ralph Lauren clothing and caused quite a stir among bloggers. Ralph Lauren's company actually released an apology for altering the picture in such an obviously distorted fashion. But the story went on further when the model, the gorgeous Filippa Hamilton, went public with accusations that they fired her for being too fat to fit in their clothes, yet continued to use her image with digital changes. And, for the record, this girl is not fat: 120 pounds is actually considered underweight for her height of 5' 10".

Basically, every picture you see in magazines of both men and women has been digitally retouched. Pores are removed, thighs whittled, arms reshaped. But, how much do you think is too much? Should companies be required to say what changes they have made to the pictures? Should more celebrities and models speak out about digital alterations? Are all digitally retouched pictures a form of free speech? It's something to think about every time you flip through a magazine.

PS--Want to read more? Check out this article about some major digital alteration scandals, including a recent incident when Iran added an extra missile to a publicity shot to cover up one that apparently didn't launch. It's not just people who get Photoshopped!

Book Roundup

I have not had time for much book blogging recently, so I am going to give a roundup of several titles in one post. These are all books recently read by our three teen discussion groups. (Click on the book covers to see which libraries have them.)

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Read by Primos Young Adult Book Group and Sellers Read & Rant Book Group

In a future society based on appearance, everyone undergoes massive plastic surgery when they turn 16 to become a "pretty." Tally has been eagerly looking forward to her 16th birthday, but a budding friendship with Shay has introduced her to a whole new idea: staying ugly and joining an outpost of others who have refused the surgery. In this dystopian novel of escapades and escapes, friendship and betrayal, it becomes increasingly clear that looks aren't everything. And once you've read this one, you'll want to find out what happens to Tally and Shay in Pretties, Specials, and Extras. This is a series that I have read, enjoyed, and recommended to a lot of people over the years. Also, take time to visit Scott Westerfeld's blog...he always has interesting things to say, plus he has a new book coming out!!

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
Read by Sellers Book Grub Book Group

Josephine has always been surrounded by strong women and has grown into her own feisty personality. Now in her senior year of high school, Josephine's worldview is severely challenged when her biological father returns to town. Throw in two very different guys vying for her attention, long-held family secrets, and a dash of racism and politics, and it's obvious why Josephine is determined to express her indepence. Some of the cultural references in this book are funny since it was orginially published in the early 1990s in Australia, but the characters and their complicated relationships are more than enough to keep you interested in the story. You could also track down the movie, released in 2000. Melina Marchetta also wrote Saving Francesca, a previous Book Grub favorite, and Jellicoe Road, which won the 2009 Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.

Leepike Ridge by N. D. Wilson
Read by Primos Young Adult Book Group

Eleven-year-old Tom has explored all around the mountain where he lives in a strange house chained to the top of a rock. But, riding a piece of styrofoam down the river, he is sucked down an underground waterfall deep into the heart of the mountain. Injured and fighting for his very survival, Tom grows less and less hopeful of finding a way out. A dead body, a dog, some crawfish, and mysterious stranger prove key in keeping him alive, and
what they discover in the mountain could change American history forever. In the tradition of many other survival adventure stories from the classic Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe to the more recent Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, this book is full of edge-of-your-seat moments as you root for Tom to make it out alive.

Alice, I Think by Susan Juby
Read by Sellers Read & Rant Book Group

Homeschooled by her hippie mother and preoccupied father, 15-year-old Alice realizes that her family has in no way prepared her for real life. She has no friends, no boyfriend, no job, and no social skills. Alice doesn't even know how to use the internet! What's a girl to do? Create a list of life goals and try to accomplish them, of course. Told from Alice's point of view, this book hilariously chronicles her attempts to overcome 15 years of social poverty and take the world by storm with her sense of fashion and ironic cultural criticism. If you liked this book, look for the sequels: Alice MacLeod, Realist at Last and Miss Smithers. And, look for the TV series based on the books, which aired in Canada for one seasion of 13 shows in 2006.

So Yesterday Book Discussion

Today, 11 teens attended our special book discussion of So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld as part of our "Passion for Fashion" block of summer programs. The group was a good mix of people, with some members of our Read & Rant and Book Grub book groups attending, as well as some people who are not book group members.

We talked a little bit about the plot, but the book discussion really centered on ideas of fads, consumerism, and why we dress the way we do. We also talked about how photos of both people and foods are manipulated in advertising. And if you think the cool-hunters and corporations in So Yesterday are far in the future, think again. Go watch The Merchants of Cool from the PBS show Frontline right now.

As an homage to the book character Jen, an Innovator, we also did Sharpie tie-dying on some shoelaces. Now, check out Ian's Shoelace Site to find a creative new way to use those laces!

Book Review: Extras

Extras by Scott Westerfeld (Uglies series)

Click on the cover to see which libraries own this book.

SUMMARY: It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. Tech-heads flaunt their latest gadgets, kickers spread gossip and trends, and surge monkeys are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. And it's all monitored on a bazillion different cameras. The world is like a gigantic game of American Idol. Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules. Aya Fuse's rank of 451,369 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. Then Aya meets a clique of girls who pull crazy tricks, yet are deeply secretive of it. Aya wants desperately to kick their story, to show everyone how intensely cool the Sly Girls are. But doing so would propel her out of extra-land and into the world of fame, celebrity...and extreme danger. A world she's not prepared for. (adapted from the inside flap)

OPINION: This book is a semi-sequel to the Uglies trilogy. The beginning of the story is very strong, with another richly imagined future society and a different cast of characters. The story is set in Japan, further separating it from the original three books. My favorite detail of this society was Westerfeld's inclusion of people who had surgery to look like their favorite manga characters! I was very disappointed when Tally and Shay entered the story in the middle and kind of took it over. I also thought the ending raised more questions than it answered. I think Westerfeld would have done better to make this an independent story in the same world as Tally's stories, and maybe expand it into another trilogy.

Book Review: The Last Days

The Last Days by Scott Westerfeld
**a sequel to Peeps**

SUMMARY: Strange things are happening: old friends are disappearing, angels are clambering on the fire escapes of New York City. But for Pearl, Moz, and Zahler, all that matters is the band. As the city reels under a mysterious epidemic, the three combine their talents with a vampire lead singer and a drummer whose fractured mind can glimpse the coming darkness. Will their music stave off the end? Or summon it? Set against the gritty apocalypse that began in Peeps, this story is about five teenagers who find themselves creating the soundtrack for the end of the world. (adapted from the inside flap)

OPINION: This book will draw you into a decaying New York City landscape, covered with garbage and infested with rats. But that's not the only thing...vampirism is spreading faster than the Night Watch can handle, and giant worms are surfacing from the depths of the earth. It could be the beginning of the end of civilization as we know it. At the same time, the main characters are busy composing strange songs and discarding names for their band. If you love music, vampires, or both, you will be intrigued by this paranormal, creepy story. It's fawesome!

TRIVIA: Every chapter in this book is named after a band. An endnote explains them all. Very cool!

AUTHOR: Scott Westerfeld's blog is a great read, so go there and visit!