Anna remembers a time when her mom would hold her close and
tell her that more than anything in the world, she wanted a
little girl; a little girl so she wouldn't be alone
anymore. But Anna wasn't enough, and her mom moves from one
marriage to the next, leaving Anna alone to raise herself.
Anna quickly learns that boys can fill the void in her
life, but at what price?
USES FOR BOYS is a stunningly powerful novel. Anna's
struggle to find love and family is starkly and beautifully
written, pulling the reader deeper into Anna's world. The
prose grips you from the very first sentence and doesn't
let go because Anna is a complex and fascinating character.
Her fear of being alone pushes Anna into using sex to build
a family of her own, but the downfall of her actions is
that she continually alienates the other girls at school
and boys her own age laugh at her.
I highly recommend USES FOR BOYS, but be aware that this YA
novel involves explicit sexual content. While the sex isn't
graphic in nature, (insert-tab-b-into-slot-a type writing),
Ms. Scheidt doesn't shy away from the various encounters
and how Anna feels about them. Without giving away the
entire plot, there are also several references to subjects
that always make the banned book list. I'm never for
banning a book, but I am for parents being an active part
of their teen's education, especially the uncomfortable
talks about sex and drug use. As a parent, I encourage you
to read the same books as your child or teen. As a teen, I
encourage you talk about these complex issues with your
parent. Having said that, I wish I'd been given this book
to read as a teen. The struggle to learn who you are and
where you fit into the world doesn't have to be done alone
and USES FOR BOYS emphasizes that.
USES FOR BOYS deftly and sensitively explores the complex
and varied ways teen girls explore their sexuality. Written
in stark and evocative prose, Erica Lorraine Scheidt crafts
a powerful novel about hope and love.
Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can't know. Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical, Uses for Boys is a story of breaking down and growing up.
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