Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Little, Brown and Company, New York: 2005.
ISBN: 0316015849


Plot Summary:
Bella Swan moves from Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington to live with her policeman father. She doesn't exactly fit in in Phoenix, however, she is surprised at the reaction she receives from her new classmates, especially the boys who seem to fall all over themselves trying to get her attention. When Edward Cullen first catches her attention, she is dumbstruck by his beauty. When it turns out they will be sitting together in biology, she is nervous, however, she wasn't expecting Edward's seemingly hostile reaction to her.

When Edward doesn't come to school the next day, Bella wonders if he really hates her. But when Edward finally returns, he seems like a completely different person. Even his eyes have changed color. We later learn this is because he fed on the blood of animals and can now control himself around Bella's irresistible scent. Soon a friendship develops, which quickly turns to a romance. When Bella figures out the secret of the Cullen family, she decides that she is in too deep to care. Vampire or no vampire, Edward is the man of her dreams. She ignores the warnings from her friend Jacob, and even a pack of ravenous vampires attacking her and the Cullens does little to dampen her feelings. In the end, and against her wishes, Edward accompanies Bella to their prom, just like a normal teen aged couple.

Critical Evaluation:
Because of all the hype, I expected to be let down by this book. Of course I was not. The writing is fine, though a little repetitive--how many times is Edward described as "gorgeous" or "breathtaking" or Bella described as klutz? I get it. But that aside, Meyer manages to capture that amazing, nervous, wonderful and horrible feeling of falling head over heels in love for the first time. I found myself feeling so disappointed when Edward wouldn't show up to school because it was sunny. I caught my breath when he walked into the cafeteria or biology class and spoke to Bella. I really felt like I was in her place. And what nerdy girl hasn't had the fantasy of up and moving to a whole new school and becoming the popular girl? I loved it. It's why I became an avid reader in the first place-- to be totally transported outside of myself. This books succeeds on that level more than any book I've read in awhile.

Reader’s Annotation:
Bella thinks she's just another face in the crowd until she meets Edward. Little does she know how dangerous falling in love can be.

Information about the Author:
Stephanie Meyer is a stay-at-home mother from Arizona who claims to have written Twilight based on a dream she had.

Genre: Fantasy, romance

Curriculum ties: none

Booktalking Ideas:
I would discuss the idea of a forbidden romance and ask what teens think that means and if they had any examples they could think of. I'd ask about whether they've ever had a crush so powerful it was all they could think of, then I'd segue into Bella and Edward's story. I'd also talk about the action in the book, such as the fast cars and vampire chase to perhaps get the boys interested.

Reading Level/Interest Age:
This book is for ages 14 and up.

Challenge Issues:
Edward and the Cullens are vampires, so I'm sure this book would be challenged for dealing with the occult. I would give challengers a copy of the library's selection policy and give them a complaint form to fill out.


Why I chose this book:
I chose this book because it was all the rage at the school I taught at in 2006. I couldn't pry it out of my student's hands. Since then, the mania has only increased, so I had to see what all the fuss was about.