Twilight. By Stephenie Meyer. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006.
544 pages. PB $10.99 ISBN 978-0316015844
Summary: When her mother marries Phil Dwyer, a minor baseball player, Bella moves from Phoenix, Arizona, to Forks, Washington, to live with her father, Charlie. In school, Bella quickly becomes friends with Jessica, Angela, Mike and Eric. However, she can’t understand how her biology partner, Edward, dislikes her so passionately. What could she have possibly done to anger him?
Critical Review: Meyer’s novel is very much written for teenagers. However, it is important to understand what tweens are really reading. Twilight has become so popular with older audiences, making it tempting eye-candy for tweens. While the book is a romance, it is suitable for mature tween readers. Nothing happens in the novel that tweens will not be able to handle. Though Edward and Bella find each other unbelievably irresistible, they do not act upon their feelings. Instead there is a great deal of longing from afar. Edward saves Bella’s life on several occasions, and, though he is a vampire, feeds on animal instead of human blood. Meyer forces Edward to deal with his desire for Bella. It is painful for him to be near her, but it is also beautiful. Learning how to deal with this successfully, without harming his beloved Bella, is of primary importance to this series.
Genre: Fantasy
Reading/Interest Level: 14-17 years
Awards: School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2005
Reviews: Publishers Weekly (2006, August 28); School Library Journal (2006, February 1); Booklist (2005, November 15)
Series: The Twilight Saga
Similar Materials: The following books in “The Twilight Saga”: New Moon; Eclipse; Breaking Dawn
Subjects/Themes: love and romance; school and education; fantasy and magic; vampires; Washington State; horror and ghost stories; divorced parents
Character Names: Isabella (Bella) Swan; Edward Cullen; Charlie; Renee; Phil Dwyer; Edward Cullen; Jacob Black; James; Harry Clearwater; Tyler Crowley; Lauren Mallory; Mike Newton; Jessica Stanley; Angela Weber; Eric Yorkie; Emily Young
Brief Annotation: An adolescent girl moves to Washington to live with her father and falls in love with a vampire.
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