The Debut—Kristen Simmons’s ‘Article 5′

Here’s what SLJTeen reviewer Leyla S. had to say about Article 5: “Honestly, I loved this story and couldn’t tear my eyes away from it. It’s suspenseful and really feeds your hunger for descriptive writing and passionate characters.”

It’s easy to see why teens would dig into this story, which is set in a world where basic human rights don’t exist, family members disappear overnight, and no one can be trusted. Except maybe an old friend, who seems to have changed. Teen characters Ember and Chase are on a mission to find Ember’s mother, and along the way, they find each other. SLJTeen caught up with first-time YA author Kristen Simmons to talk to her about Article 5.

How did you come up with this story?

I witnessed a protest outside of a bookstore against a particular children’s book. It got me thinking—if they could protest a kid’s book because it went against their value system, what else could people protest? What about bigger issues, like divorce, or having a child out of wedlock? I wondered what it would be like to have a government that adopted those beliefs and enforced them. They’d have to eliminate the Bill of Rights and the separation between church and state. That’s how the Moral Statutes—the rules the characters must abide by in Article 5—evolved.

In high school, you were a Girl Scout and a member of the jazz choir and marching band. Where does your dystopian bent come from?

It’s probably pretty obvious that those activities didn’t always make me the most popular girl in school! I felt like I was a survivor sometimes, which is one of the reasons why I love dystopian stories so much. These stories are all about people who are forced to survive an oppressive situation, like high school, or at home, or whatever it may be. I love reading survivor stories, especially those that highlight a character’s resilience in a dark world. I wanted to put my characters—Chase and Ember—up against terrible odds, and see if they could learn to trust each other and work together.

Chase is a survivor of trauma inflicted by the new regime. As a result, he’s the ultimate in “hard to get”—shut down and grappling with complex issues that are not altogether known to Ember or the reader. Can you talk about that resiliency and the capacity for Chase and the people in this world to heal major traumas on their own?

You’re right, the things that the characters experience, specifically Chase, are very traumatic, and the ways he responds to them is very real. He and Ember struggle to connect throughout the novel, but that’s completely normal given what they’ve been through. The important part is that they don’t stop trying to trust each other. They don’t give up on each other. That’s the beauty of human resilience. As difficult as things get, as alone as we may feel, there is still someone, somewhere, who believes in us. Chase has that person, and in the end, her love may help him heal.

Ember is sheltered, somewhat naive, and very strict in her own personal moral code. Sometimes it seemed almost unbelievable that Ember could remain so pure of heart given the seriously challenging world she’s living in. Can you talk about Ember’s ability to maintain her moral compass in the midst of chaos, and the new world order?

Ember is an extremely tenacious person in her quest to find her mother, as well as in her dedication to her former existence and belief system. She remembers life before her mother was arrested, before the War. It’s extremely hard for her to let go of her past and adapt to her future, especially with Chase—a reminder of her past—around. Ultimately, she’s a fighter, and she’ll do what she needs to do in order to survive. My only hope is that she’s not corrupted completely by the bleakness of the world.

You have a playlist for the book. How teen is that?! Did you come up with it yourself?

I did! These are all songs I listened to while working on Article 5.

On your blog you outline the responses of 168 Kentucky teenagers who filled out a card about rights that were most important to them, and what they would stand up for and defend. The results were satisfying-very few listed their music, TVs, cell phones, and drug paraphernalia. Are you planning on doing this in other states?

This is just something I started doing on my book tour in March. I would LOVE to do more of it though. Anyone interested?

Some fans have even made some book trailers for Article 5. Who would play Ember and Chase in the movie? And just for fun—who would play you?

Nina Dobrev would make a good Ember and Channing Tatum would make a good Chase—or Mark Salling from Glee—but hey, that’s just me! And I’d play me, of course. If Nina and Channing are there, so am I!

So you have a crush on Adam Lambert. Anyone else we should know about?

I have a HUGE crush on Adam Lambert. Also, obviously, I have a crush on Channing Tatum. I recently met Stephanie Perkins (author of Anna and the French Kiss) and totally lost my cool. I may have told her she was so beautiful I was afraid to talk to her. She was really nice about it! (Kristen, at left, at an Adam Lambert concert)

Can you give us a hint about the storylines of the next two books?

Hmm…. I don’t want to give away too much, but there’s a lot of resistance coming up, some steamy Chase and Ember scenes, and a daring rescue all in the works. And I’ve just announced the title of book two—Breaking Point.

SIMMONS, Kristen. Article 5. Tor Teen, February 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0765329585.

This article originally appeared in School Library Journal‘s enewsletter SLJTeen. Subscribe here.

Amy Cheney, Alameda County (CA) Library, Write to Read/juvenile hall literacy librarian