“Why We Broke Up”

February 27, 2012 at 12:00 am | Posted in Young Adult Fiction | 3 Comments

I didn’t realize, when I picked up “Why We Broke Up,” that the author was the former Lemony Snicket. It seems relevant. Now we know that Daniel Handler can write anything. If you are already a fan of his earlier work, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you enjoy this offering even more.

This book succeeds in conjuring the feelings of young love: the torment, sure, but also the euphoria and the mystical attraction that can arise between people of different worlds. I would have found it hard to write on this topic with anything other than cynicism. Handler makes it fresh again.

The other major treat in this book is that it is lavishly illustrated in full color by Maira Kalman. Personally, I can never get enough of her work. Her style suits the proclivities of Min Green to a T.

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I really enjoyed this one too! And I picked it up because it was a Printz honor. And the name Daniel Handler seemed familiar…

I thought it came together nicely through the story and the illustrations. It captures that infatuation (and subsequent disintegration of infatuation) really well.

Comment by Jessica— February 28, 2012 #

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Did you see the book trailer that Handler did for this book? It’s hilarious. He’s one of those people that you wish you could be friends with in real life. What a treat that would be.

Comment by trish— March 11, 2012 #

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- I didn’t realize he had done one, but I will watch it now!
  
  Comment by Jessica Denham— March 11, 2012 #
  
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