YA Literature Module 2: Book Access

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet

Stories by: Jennifer L. Armentrout, Dhonielle Clayton, Katie Cotugno, Jocelyn Davies, Huntley Fitzpatrick, Nina LaCour, Emery Lord, Katherine McGee, Kass Morgan, Julie Murphy, Meredith Russo, Sara Sherpard, Nicola Yoon, and Ibi Zoboi

Bibliography: Armentrout, J. L., Clayton, D., Cotugno, K., Davies, J., Fitzpatrick, H., LaCour, N., Lord, E., McGee, K., Morgan, K., Murphy, J., Russo, M., Shepard, S., Yoon, N., & Zoboi, I. (2019). Meet cute. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers.

ISBN: 978-1328604286

Plot Summary: Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet is an anthology of short stories about impactful and sometimes life-changing first meetings of young adults. Each story has a unique perspective on the idea of meeting someone for the first time and that meeting leading to love or the possibility of love. Some of the stories involve love at first sight, such as the chance moment when Sam and Dev catch each other's eyes on passing subways and then are determined to continue recreating the same set of circumstances until they cross paths again. Other stories are futuristic, such as Nicola Yoon's "The Department of Dead Love," in which Thomas is determined to get a Relationship Autopsy done by apprentice Heartworker Gabby, so that he can get a Redo with his first love. However, Gabby and Thomas experience growing feelings for each other and Thomas ultimately decides he wants to chance to pursue a relationship with Gabby after all. More stories include a vast cast of characters with all different life experiences that readers can relate to; these include grieving the loss of a sibling and trying to hold on to the past, coming out to loved ones, finding acceptance in body positivity, and breaking social norms. 

Critical Analysis: This anthology is carefully curated to present a wide array of experiences that involve love and romance. It is realistic in its portrayal of the various experiences that young people go through (fitting in at school, dealing with others not accepting them, etc.), each story ends on a hopeful note of new love or new possibilities. There is a strong message that is shown through each of these stories--that all people are worthy of love and every story has the potential for a happy ending. The order of how the stories are presented in the anthology is also carefully chosen; no two stories seem too similar or derivative of each other because they jump from genre to genre and setting to setting. After the story "Hourglass" by Ibi Zoboi, in which Cherish, after being betrayed by her best friend, discovers a dress shop that is able to accommodate her specific dress needs and celebrate her culture, it is followed up with "Click" by Katherine McGee, which involves Alexa, a technological-gifted young adult who hopes to use her software she developed to hold on to the memories of her recently deceased sister. Additionally, there are stories that involve fantasy and sci-fi interspersed with realistic fiction stories. 

Rather than feeling disjointed due to each story being written by a different author with their own distinct writing style, the stories mingle together to create a satisfying flow. Even if readers are accustomed to reading a certain genre, the overarching thread of "meet cutes" that weaves throughout the anthology ties it all together nicely. Every story has a valuable theme and lesson that the author expertly crafts, and readers will feel encouraged and empowered after reading through each story.

Awards and Recognition:

Top 100 Amazon Book

Review Excerpts:

From Publisher's Weekly: An enjoyable and diverse collection that never feels repetitive, despite the stories’ shared thematic underpinnings... All 14 leave just enough magic and mystery to inspire readers to trust in a little bit of fate."

From Kirkus Reviews: "Fourteen short stories from prominent authors for teens explore the moments when two people first meet. The collection’s title suggests that these stories will showcase first encounters that wrap up with happily-ever-after endings. Many of the stories do deliver; several even end with first kisses. But occasionally the stories offer endings that are tinged with sadness, preventing the collection from becoming saccharine...Topics beyond romance add complexity, as characters grapple with grief, financial hardships, and body-image issues. ...The stories include great banter, the determination to find a boy from a crowded subway train, and the message that the rewards of love outweigh the potential pain of loss. A collection that adds much-needed diversity to the existing teen-romance genre."

Connections: Readers can connect to this series of short stories by exploring various texts from the authors highlighted in this series. Additionally, other stories of characters meeting in unexpected or notable ways include The Way We Love Here by Dhonielle Clayton, A Banh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen, and The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee by Ellen Oh. If readers enjoyed the short story aspect of the anthology, other young adult anthologies include A Thousand Beginnings and Endings: 15 Retellings of Myths and Legends by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, A Twisted Tale Anthology edited by Elizabeth Lim, and Every Body Shines edited by Cassandra Newbould.

Loving Vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case

Written by: Patricia Hruby Powell

Illustrated by: Shadra Strickland

Bibliography: Powell, P. H., & Strickland, S. (2017a). Loving vs. Virginia: A documentary novel of the landmark Civil Rights Case. Chronicle Books.

ISBN: 978-1452125909

Plot Summary: Loving Vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case is a documentary novel accounting the true events of the landmark Civil Rights case regarding married couple Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter. Beginning when they meet as teenagers in Central Point, Virginia, the story tells how Richard and Mildred first fell in love and eventually started their own family together. However, this was during a time of racial injustice and discrimination, as is shown in the experiences that Mildred, who is African American and Native American, and her family go through compared to Richard, a white man. People in their town, especially the sheriff, do not approve of their interracial relationship, and Richard and Mildred are dealt with increasing hardships as they try to quietly live their life together. When the two decide to marry, the must do so in nearby Washington, D.C., as it is illegal for them to marry in their home state of Virginia. Once they come back home to their families in Virginia as a married couple, Richard and Mildred are arrested and placed in jail, as they have broken the law by being an interracial married couple. Even after getting out of jail, they are faced with the heartbreaking choice of living separate lives or moving away from their extended families to Washington, D.C., where they are allowed to live together, for 25 years. They are told that even if they come back after 25 years, they would most likely be arrested again upon their return. 

Richard and Mildred are unhappy in Washington D.C., away from the rest of their loved ones, and they eventually take legal action with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union lawyers. Throughout the novel, it is clear that both Richard and Mildred simply long for the right to be married and live a content life as a family, without having to face persecution at every turn. Although it is a long battle, the case eventually makes it to the Supreme Court and interracial marriage is legalized across the United States.

Critical Analysis: This novel is written in verse, without alternating chapters from Richard's perspective and Mildred's perspective. Additionally, the chapters are interspersed with newspaper headlines and articles that detail important civil rights cases and events throughout the time period. The author's choice to present the details of the case in this way add to the overall feeling of being immersed in the story along with Richard and Mildred, battling for equality despite facing obstacles time and time again. The reader experiences the ups and downs that the Lovings face as they go through the joy of falling in love and starting a family, to being ripped apart from all those they love and fearing being thrown in jail if they are seen together--even though they are married. The voices in the story come through clearly through the imagery presented by the author. When working with the lawyer who will help them take their case to court, Mildred thinks, "I feel a little shiver rise up my backbone. I want to go home so bad. I NEED to be home. I feel brave and strong. We can DO this. We can go home." Her conviction and determination is palpable here, and the reader can feel this through the page, despite her exhaustion. Their determination to be home with their family is what drives them through their journey, and this is evident through the internal dialogue in both Richard's and Mildred's chapters. 

The novel is also filled with authentic photographs with captions from the time period, depicting a view of the March on Washington in 1963, a sit-in at a diner in 1960, among others. In addition to photographs, there are also illustrations placed periodically throughout the chapters. The illustrations are sketch-like and contain mostly muted colors, depicting events from the Lovings' lives, including a neighborhood softball game from their youth and depictions of their young family playing together in the country. The inclusion of these pictures gives the novel a sense of familiarity and relatability, reminding the reader that ultimately, this is the true story of an every day family that just wanted to be treated as such--a family.

Awards and Recognition:

National Junior Library Guild Selection

Arnold Adoff Poetry Award Honor

2018 Audie Award for History/Biography

Review Excerpts:

From Kirkus Reviews: "A powerful and riveting account of an American couple in love when that love was ruled illegal in many American states...Love, children, marriage, jail, flight to Washington, D.C., long court battles, and final unanimous vindication in 1967 from the Warren Supreme Court fill the pages, detailing every particle of their strong feelings for each other and the equally strong bigotry of the local sheriff and state judicial system. Full-page photographs of school segregation and civil rights demonstrations clearly set the time frame. Excerpts from court decisions, period headlines, and quotations from Dr. King strengthen the learning curve for readers. Strickland’s blue-, gray-, and yellow-toned illustrations have a strong retro feel and tenderly reinforce the written words."

From School Library Journal: "Alternating between Mildred and Richard's voices, Powell captures the pain of that exile for people whose lives revolved around home and family. She also weaves together a moving love story, throwing into relief the cruelty and absurdity of Virginia's racist law. The Lovings didn't set out to make history, but their devotion to each other and their quiet resolve—both of which come through clearly in this telling—enabled them to confront injustice and win."

Connections: Readers who want to learn more about landmark Civil Rights cases will want to research notable cases from this time period. There are multiple books about Loving Vs. Virginia, one of which being The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage by Selina Alko. Other stories that involve the themes of interracial love include If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson and Color Outside the Lines: Stories about Love, edited by Sangu Mandanna.