Combining laughter and tears to leave young readers with hope

ShareThis

Award-winning author Joan Bauer has focused on everything from bullying to alcoholism to death in her books for teens. If you think that her books make grim reading, however, you're very much mistaken.That's because Bauer is one of the very few authors for young adults who deliberately weave numerous strands of humor into their stories. As a result, Bauer's books leave young readers laughing through their tears as they gain a greater understanding of their own power to change their world."It's like planting flowers in a battlefield," Bauer said in a recent interview during a book-tour stop in Washington. "Laughter and tears are connected ... I use humor to balance the serious stuff, to leave readers with hope."Bauer's latest book, "Peeled" (Putnam, $16.99), offers yet another great example of what a potent mixture humor and drama can be. The book is narrated by Hildy Biddle, a high-school reporter who is serious about her commitment to seek out the truth.Hildy's late father was a reporter, and it feels good to be following in his footsteps. But even the feisty Hildy finds it a challenge to marshal the facts needed to battle the increasing fear in her hometown of Banesville, N.Y.After a man is found dead in the yard of the local "haunted" house, other strange happenings have put Banesville on edge. Instead of trying to calm citizens by providing facts, however, the local newspaper seems to be trying to boost the level of fear with sensational reporting about ghost sightings and other unverified information. This fear-mongering by the newspaper adds to the pressures already felt by some residents to sell their property to investors hoping to open a controversial theme park in town.Determined to uncover the facts about what is really going on, Hildy and the other members of her high-school newspaper, The Core, work diligently to set the record straight, even when their publication is shut down and they are forced to start an alternative paper called The Peel. But preventing Banesville from being turned into a theme park is an uphill battle that not even the strong-willed Hildy is sure she can win.Bauer's story is an engrossing look at what happens when fear replaces facts. Hildy's battle to find the truth isn't easy as she angers many of the local powerbrokers, yet Bauer leaves readers in no doubt that the fight is worth it.Overall, "Peeled" is vintage Bauer. In addition to her trademark humor, Bauer once again displays her aptitude for writing snappy dialogue and creating memorable characters, such as Hildy, the newspaper's adviser, Baker Polton, and Minska, a Polish emigre whose teen-age struggles against communism provide inspiration to the staff of The Peel when things look particularly bleak in Banesville."I always want to show what happens when young people find their voice," the 56-year-old Bauer said.Bauer's first book, "Squashed," was published in 1992, after she won a nationwide contest. It was a new start in more ways than one for Bauer, who began writing "Squashed" after she was seriously injured in a car accident.Before the accident, Bauer was just beginning a career as a screenwriter after years of working in sales for various newspapers and magazines. During her recuperation, Bauer "heard" the voice of Ellie, an overweight teen-ager obsessed with growing a prize-winning pumpkin."She was strong and she was funny. Her story was about growing, about how pain and humor and overcoming obstacles all intersected," Bauer said.Since her success with "Squashed," Bauer has written eight other books, including "Hope Was Here," a 2001 Newbery Honor book. Bauer generally writes for readers 12 and up -- the exception is "Sticks," a novel aimed at younger readers, ages 8-12.In addition, most of her books feature strong female protagonists like Hildy in "Peeled." A male protagonist takes center stage in only two of her books, "Sticks" and "Stand Tall." But Bauer said her next book will focus on a male character and his sister.Still, it's her humor that makes Bauer's books so special. As she writes on her Web site (www.joanbauer.com): "I believe so strongly that laughter is a gift we've been given as human beings, not just to make us feel good, but to empower us to overcome dark times."(Karen MacPherson, the children's/teen librarian at the Takoma Park, Md., Library, can be reached at Kam.Macpherson(at)gmail.com.)