Sunday, October 2, 2011

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

Module 2 - Realism, Romance & Censorship

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Georgia Nicholson is 14 and longing for the attention of boys - especially from the "Sex God". She and her group of friends have many humorous misadventures in their pursuit of the opposite sex. Georgia's cat Angus and little sister Libby also assist in making Georgia's life an embarrassing teen nightmare. Universal teen forces like embarrassment, lust, inexperience and jealousy intertwine to form a comedic epistolary novel.

Critical Analysis

This book was pretty fabulous. There are many journal entries where Georgia will write one thing and five minutes later change her mind entirely on the subject. It had me laughing out loud (in public, no less!) many times. The diary format makes it easy to read, but hard to put down. This could be of great benefit for reluctant readers when coupled with the humorous voice of the protagonist, Georgia.

The plot itself is fairly typical for teen stories. The girl finds a boy she likes, he is seeing someone else, she tries kissing and dating other boys, is jealous of his other girls, she tries interfering with the boy's relationship, and ends up with the boy at the end. The humor in this one is really what sets it apart from others with similar plot lines. Who else has a wild cat and insane little sister to liven things up?

Set in modern-day Britain, the British slang might be a bit hard to get through for modern American teens, but the presence of a glossary does help. It becomes its own language in a way as the book progresses, much like the slang of A Clockwork Orange. It's not incomprehensible and definitely adds to the flavor and humor of the text, while firmly placing the novel in its British surroundings. Combined with Georgia's unique sense of humor, the story feels very Britcom in book format.

Overall, the unique humor of the characters, the British flavor of the slang, the typical teen situations, and the short diary entries combine to form a fast paced comedic romp that any love-struck or awkward teen can relate to. With ten books in Georgia's series of confessions, there are lots more to read when teens find they like this first book.

Bibliography

Rennison, Louise. Angus, thongs and full-frontal snogging: confessions of Georgia Nicolson. London: Harper Collins, 2000. ISBN 0060288140.


Connections


Awards/Reviews

Michael L. Printz Honor Book 2001

From Publishers Weekly:
British writer Rennison's subject matter may be the stuff of Bridget Jones's Diary, but the wit and bite of her delivery shares more in common with Monty Python. In a spectacular YA debut (Rennison is a comedy writer and columnist), the author creates a winning protagonist in the persona of 14-year-old Georgia Nicolson, whose wry observations and self-deprecating humor covers everything from prudish parents and bed-wetting three-year-old siblings to errant cat behavior and kissing (aka snogging) lessons. Teens will discover that nothing is sacred here (e.g., "Talking of breasts, I'm worried that I may end up like the rest of the women in my family, with just the one bust, like a sort of shelf affair"). Rennison exquisitely captures the fine art of the adolescent ability to turn chaos into stand-up comedy. For instance, when Georgia's father finds a new job in New Zealand, the teen says she's already formed her opinion of the country based on the TV show Neighbours; when her mother says, "Well, that's set in Australia," Georgia thinks, "What is this, a family crisis or a geography test?" Written as diary entries, the novel flouts the conceit, as when Georgia reports on a tennis match that she's playing concurrently ("I fall to my knees like McEnroe and the crowd is going mad"). The author bio indicates that Rennison is working on two more Georgia books; readers can only hope this heroine will keep them laughing all the way through high school.
From School Library Journal:
This is the hilarious Bridget Jones-like diary of 14-year-old Georgia, who has a rather wild cat named Angus, a three-year-old sister who pees in her bed, and a best friend who is in love with the vegetable seller's son. Georgia discusses kissing (snogging) lessons, which she needs because she has just met the "Sex God" of her dreams; what to wear to parties and school; and how to spy on your crush's girlfriend (this is where thongs come into play). In typical teen manner, Georgia lives in her own world; she thinks she is ugly, is convinced that her parents are weird, positively abhors schoolwork, and has a deep desire to be beautiful and older. Yet she still has time to enjoy the mad antics of her cat and indulge her odd but sweet sister. It will take a sophisticated reader to enjoy the wit and wisdom of this charming British import, but those who relish humor will be satisfied. Fresh, lively, and engaging.-Angela J. Reynolds, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Aloha, OR
From Booklist:
Although performer and comedy writer Rennison clearly owes a large debt to Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary (1998), her Georgia is a wonderful character whose misadventures are not only hysterically funny but universally recognizable. This "fabbity, fab, fab" novel will leave readers cheering, "Long live the teen!" and anxiously awaiting the promised sequel. --Michael Cart
From Voices of Youth Advocates:
Georgia Nicholson, the intrepid heroine of this hysterically funny coming-of-age novel, faces the usual traumas of teendom - pimple outbreaks, chest development (or lack thereof), and embarrassing parents. How she deals with each of these and myriad other problems, though, is what sets this novel apart from the typical and predictable. In episodic entries into her personal journal, readers learn how Georgia manages to attend a school she deems a "stalag," how she learns the techniques of snogging ("kissing" to the uninitiated), and ultimately how she becomes a more assured teen. Georgia is relentless in her journal entries, which come across as comic riffs. She questions all authority, wanting to know WHY and HOW and WHEN. It is Georgia's distinct voice that will capture readers and leave them wanting a sequel so they can find out how Georgia's budding relationship with Robbie pans out. The clever title and catchy cover surely will attract loads of readers. The only element that might keep this book from flying off the shelf is the preponderance of British slang in Georgia's journal entries and in the conversations among the main characters. Although the author includes a glossary at the end of the novel, some teens may not find using it repeatedly "double cool with knobs," but rather "poxy. -Teri Lesesne.

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