LIBR 237 Resource Reviews: Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska

By John Green SPEAK (2005) ISBN: 9780525475064

What happens to us when we die? What prank should we pull tomorrow? For Miles Halter, these are the questions he contemplates during his first year at Culver Creek Boarding School. Miles, obsessed with last words, is in search of the “Great Perhaps” and decides to attend a college far from home in order to escape relentless boredom and discover his calling. At Culver Creek, he meets Alaska Young, a beautiful, mysterious, impulsive, self-destructive girl who changes his life in a short matter of time by drawing Miles into their own “Great Perhaps.” She and her band of eccentric pranksters introduce him to the exciting and wild aspects of life at Culver Creek. She is the epitome of everything he thought was impossible to exist in a teenage girl. Despite Alaska’s attachment to another boy, Miles falls in love with her. After a horrific tragedy in which Alaska dies, Miles is left trying to piece together the puzzle Alaska left behind. The chapters are titled by days counting down to, and days after the accident. This book is about the mystery of life, love, and Alaska Young. It is the perfect book for young adult readers who are fans of mystery or romance novels.

Quantitative: Lexile Level--930L; ATOS--5.8

Qualitative: Students have been reading one John Green book after another--I had to read them for myself. Overall, John Green’s storytelling is rather simple and easy to understand. Areas that might pose some difficulty exist in Green’s reference to other literature, such as François Rabelais’ last words, “I am going to seek a grand perhaps; draw the curtain, the farce is played.” With characters that are well-read, students may not understand their literary references but the references’ origins aren’t completely necessary to follow the plot. Green employs a consistent use of foreshadowing and drawing from earlier information, which requires a reader to pay close attention. This book, based on interest level, would be best for upper grade students.

Content Area: English; Health

Curriculum Suggestions: Looking for Alaska is best suited for pleasure reading. However, the novel lends itself to philosophical discussions and writing exercises Teachers could:

1) Examine the Francois Rabelais’ last words in connection to other pieces of literature that touch on a similar theme. This would tie in nicely with Krakauer’s Into the Wild. Chris McCandless connected to the transcendentalist teachings of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Students could compare McCandless’ philosophy to that of Miles and examine how they are the same or different. How are they both in search of a “grand perhaps”?

2) Students could consider their own “great perhaps” and write an autobiographical narrative that reflects their contemplations, using both Looking for Alaska and the piece Shanzeh Khurram (see resources).

Common Core Standards: RL9/10.2-5; W.9/10.3

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