"Life As We Knew It", Evaluation.

FCA's
1.  Identify a position (5)
2.  Explain your criteria, application, reasoning for your position with quoted evidence as support. Please indicate the page number of your quote in parenthesis following the quote. (10)
3.  Explain the position of the opposition and provide counterargument.  (10)

      "Life As We Knew It", (LAWKI), is being added to school curriculum's everywhere and more students as well as book enthusiasts are picking up this book. LAWKI is science fiction, it has gotten more and more popular. This book has won awards such as: Best Books For Young Adults by the American Library Association, and placed seventh in Top Teen's vote by the American Library Association. But why, is this book becoming a phenomenon there is no real educational value to it, it's not a timeless piece of literature. One Book One School should make high school students read something that is a classic or will make them question certain things-a book that will pose a challenge for the student.
      This book is in the form of a diary which makes it seem colloquial, this makes the book easier to read. Not only is the world ending but Miranda is an average teenage girl. The author is not, she is 63 years old, how can she relate to a teenager? Of course she was a teen once, but those times are way behind her. Also, Miranda has a love interest: Dan. How does the author know of love, when her love interest is her cat, Scooter. One Book One School  should raise their standards for books, this book poses no challenge for the reader. This book could be easily read in someone's free time. One Book One School, is a program for students so shouldn't the students read something more difficult? Everything a high school does prepares students for college. Students should analyze classic literature, which is like Shakespeare. Shakespeare's works are timeless. Books that convey a universal message or literary devices that helps the author illuminate an impression that they want their readers to get out of their work. A universal message is something that is relevant.
     Some people may argue and say that LAWKI  is a suitable book for One Book One School, because it is easier to read and enjoyable. It's easier for students to comprehend than Shakespeare or Emerson. In LAWKI, Miranda eats so many cookies she says:  "I couldn't stop eating them. I knew I was making myself sick." (pg. 193), for One Book One School the content of the book be confined to dimwitted context. No one cares if Miranda feels sick, this sentence is just simply to fill up the page. Also, in on part of the book Miranda deems one day as: "Crazy Shopping day." (pg. 192), in any post apocalyptic book there is always similar events; like stocking up on food. This book is predictable, it should be read for pleasure-instead of being a part of a school's curriculum.