Why We Broke Up

Handler, Daniel. Why We Broke Up. Little Brown, 2011. 354 pages. $19.99 ISBN: 9780316127257

Plot Summary:

Min is a cinephile and Ed is a jock.  They could not be more different and yet the two are inexplicably drawn to one another.  Why We Broke Up is the tale of in and Ed’s passionate love affair told after the couple’s break up.  Min is returning all the things that remind her of Ed and writes him a letter explaining the significance of each item and how it contributed to their breakup.  Min starts with the beer bottle caps from the night they first met, explaining how their relationship was doomed from the start.  Now Min is on her way to Ed’s to dump the remains of their relationship on his doorstep. 

Critical Review:

It is not often that one finds a book written by a male author in the voice of a teenage girl and Handler has done exceedingly well.  Handler’s writing as Min is astoundingly emotive and raw, desperate at times to explain to and be understood by Ed.  Handler starts with a predictable ending-it is obvious that Min and Ed are not destined to be-and proves the important part is the story leading up to the end and the lessons learned in between.  The contents of Min’s box are illustrated by bright, bold paintings by Maira Kalman.

Genre:

Romance

Realistic Contemporary

Interest Level:

Grades 9 and up

Similar Books:

Chopsticks Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral

An Abundance of Katherines John Green

The Boyfriend List E. Lockhart

Subjects/Themes:

Relationships

Breakups

Friendships

Awards/Honors:

Booklist Editor’s Choice, Books for Youth, 2011

Kirkus Best Books for Young Adults, 2011

Michael L. Printz Honor Book 2012

School Library Journal Best Books, 2011

YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2012

Author’s Website:

http://whywebrokeupproject.tumblr.com/

Annotation:

Why We Broke Up is the story of Min’s first love with the charming Ed and why it was doomed to fail before it even started.

Book Talking Ideas:

Why We Broke Up is a funny story about heartbreak and a relationship that was destined to fail from the beginning from author Daniel Handler, also known as Lemony Snickett.  The book is written as a letter from Min to her ex-boyfriend explaining why they broke up and how a series of objects from their relationship contributed to their break up. 

Why I chose to include this book:

I chose this book because it deals with the other side of romance, heartbreak, which is something all teens will eventually experience if they have not already.