So Yesterday

* Bibliographic information
Westerfeld, S. So Yesterday. Razorbill, 2004. ISBN: 9781595140005

- YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2005
- Victorian Premier's Literary Awards: Prize for Young Adult Fiction


* Plot Summary
Hunter, the main character has a job where he looks for trends and brings them to his boss so they can be put out into the population and consumed; he is a trendsetter. He meets a girl, Jen, who is an innovator; these are people he sees and gets trends from. Hunter wants his boss to meet Jen but when he brings her to their meeting they find that the boss is missing. The two stumble upon a pair of sneakers that are sure to be the next trend and dive into a mystery involving the sneakers and the missing boss.


* Critical Evaluation
So Yesterday is another highly reviewed book written by Westerfeld. I enjoyed reading this book because it was very different from most of the other stories I have read. This book is not an obvious science fiction novel but the world that Hunter lives in boarders on the strange and unusual. So Yesterday is a great book for teens because the author gives readers a “what if” look at the world of fashion. Teens obsess about what they will wear to school every day; what if there were people out there like Hunter, watching and waiting for the next trend to appear on any given stranger. The book shows that being an individual is a good thing. Without people being themselves and creating their own styles, there would be no fashion; no trends. So Yesterday supports individual identity.



* Reader’s Annotation
Have you ever asked yourself where the newest trends come from. Well, just ask Hunter, as trendsetter it is his job to find them so they reach the public and grow in popularity.


* Information about the author
Westerfeld grew up in Texas, California and Connecticut because his family moved around. Him and his wife move back and forth between their two homes in New York City and Sydney, Australia. Westerfeld says he grew up in a large family that valued storytelling and he has always written, even as a child. He has written five science fiction novels for adults but his young adult science fiction novels are what he is best known for. He continues to write young adult novels because he loves the people involved. For more information about Scott Westerfeld and his other novels check out his website at http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/.


* Genre
Teen Fiction; Science Fiction


* Curriculum Ties, if any
English:
This is a great book for teaching students about individualism and how it is okay to be different.


* Booktalking Ideas
1) If you lived in Hunter’s world, would you be an innovator or a trendsetter?
2) Talk about fashion in your school. Where do you think most of the trends come from?
3) Discuss Hunter’s job and what it says about who he is in society.
4) Jen does not think of herself as being popular or as being an innovator of styles yet she is. Are there people like this in your school? Could there be?


* Reading Level/Interest Age
Grade 7 and Up / 12-18 years old


* Challenge Issues and Defense
N/A


* Why did you include this book in your titles you selected?
I read this book a long time ago when I was going through a phase where I wanted to read all of Westerfeld’s books because they are so entertaining and they carry healthy messages for teens. This book talks about individuality and I think it is important for teens to read about a character that stands out and dresses different shown in a positive way. She is an individual and it is a good thing in this story. Hunter sees that she can give him some styles to take back to his bosses for public release. It is a good message for teens to see themselves as being an innovator if they dress or look different from other students, rather than thinking of themselves as outcasts or freaks.