Daily Buzz

July 23, 2009

Topic: Books – “Swim the Fly” & “If I Stay”

Summer is here and with the sun, sand and surf comes some great reads!  We have been following all the hot summer books surfacing on our boards – and we found two that have been emerging most often.  “Swim the Fly” which is definitely more male-centric (although some of the girls have read it as well), while “If I Stay” tugs on the heart strings of our female teen community members.  Here’s a snapshot of these two books and why they are resonating with young Millennials.

“Swim the Fly” by Don Calame – take three hormonally-driven, insecure 15 year old boys whose sole mission it is to see a girl naked by summer’s end – add in trouble, humiliation and a cornucopia of unique characters and you have “Swim the Fly”. 

Why this book is so appealing: 

-          Well developed, relatable and some outrageous characters (horny

            grandfather, militant swim coach)

-          Provocative content (school’s have advised students not to read it due to the

            raunchy content)

-          Boy humor (farting, pooping, disguises, etc.)

-          Based on a true story

-          The obstacles and challenges all to get the girl

      -     Female anatomy

                                    -     Humor-filled

                                    -     Centered around best-friendship.

Words readers used to describe the book: “hilarious”, “raunchy – two words: farts & poop”, “embarrassing”, “relatable”, “brilliant”, “aspirational”, “best ever”, “memorable”, “unisex”

Can this book work as a movie:

Yay: 98%

Nay: 2%

“If I Stay” by Gayle Forman is a book that explores some serious topics – love, relationships, friends, the will to live and death.  This thought-provoking book is about Mia, a talented cellist who is the sole-survivor in her families deadly car-crash.  As Mia lied in a coma, she reflects on the past, exploring her life and relationships up until this point and if life going forward is still worth living.   She re-experiences the relationships she has with friends, family, her music and her boyfriend Adam.  The story of her life unfolds and allows the readers to invest in each of the characters that have made a difference in Mia’s life.

Why this book is so appealing: 

-          Reflecting on the importance of relationships in life and how they define us.

-          Underlying importance of music

-          Emotional investment with the characters through the tragic storyline

-          Heartfelt, yet humorous at times

                                    -     Short, yet beautifully written (hard to put the book down)

                                    -     Past life interwoven with the present – choosing between life or death

                                    -     Majorly thought-provoking (‘this book has a lingering effect’ – Jess, 17)

Words readers used to describe the book: “Kleenex-worthy”, “Live for the moment”, “The best book I have ever read”, “Made my relationships stronger”, “Lingering”, “Emotional rollercoaster”, “More please”, “Heartfelt”, “Love”, “Too short”, “Music is the glue”, “Life affirming”, “Tragic”

Can this book work as a movie:

Yay: 100% (note: Catherine Hardwicke of Twilight & Thirteen fame is said to direct the movie adaptation)

Nay: 0%