Released by DreamWorks, this film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's bestselling novel (Putnam, 2009) premiered on August 10, and has been packing theaters ever since. Set in Jackson, MS, in the 1960s, The Help (PG-13) focuses on the lives of three very different women who forge an unlikely friendship that tests the boundaries of their society and challenges their own self-perceptions. Skeeter (Emma Stone) is a bright recent college graduate who, unlike her society girlfriends, is more interested in pursuing a career as a writer than in marriage. Aibileen (Viola Davis), a third-generation housemaid who has raised 17 white children in her care, is still reeling from the loss of her son and searching for a purpose in life. Known for her outspoken nature as well as her culinary talents, Minny (Octavia Spencer), another housemaid and Aibileen's good friend, sometimes struggles to hold her tongue... and her job. When Skeeter comes up with the idea of writing a tell-all book that features interviews with "the help"—the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families—Aibileen signs on after much soul searching and is soon joined by Minny. As the project moves forward in great secrecy, the women become more and more aware of the risks—to both their safety and to the places they hold in their own communities. However, despite the dangers, their collaboration empowers them to find the courage, strength, and hope needed to move forward and help bring about change.
Teens can visit the official website for theatrical trailers along with a featurette containing commentary about the story from the cast and crew. A "Characters" section introduces the main protagonists with quick descriptions, video clips peppered with actor interviews, photo galleries, and wallpaper options. Kids can click on "Soundtrack" to hear Grammy Award-winner Mary J. Blige discuss her take on the film and the inspiration behind the song she wrote for the movie ("The Living Proof"). In addition, they can access Participant Media's "The Help Social Action Campaign" to share their own experiences and sample entries in the "Real Stories, Real Change" series, "featuring inspiring people across the country who are making a positive impact in their communities."
After wringing out their hankies, film fans will want to go right to the source and relive each and every emotion-packed moment. Berkley has reissued Stockett's novel (2011; Gr 9 Up) with a striking movie poster cover showing the characters set against a honeybee yellow backdrop. Chapters are told from the first-person perspectives of the three main protagonists—Aibileen Clark, Minny Jackson, and Skeeter Phelan—and Stockett provides each of them with a unique and believable voice while giving readers a broader and more insightful picture of events, relationships, and revelations. Grounded in detailed descriptions that create a strong sense of time and place, the writing is vivid and compelling, and teens will quickly find themselves swept away by the convincingly created characters and fast-paced storytelling. Humor, heartbreak, and moments of hope-instilling humanity propel the plot forward, encouraging readers to acknowledge the boundaries that separate these women, along with the turbulent nature of the times, while appreciating the commonalities that ultimately unite them. This edition ends with an essay by the author describing the autobiographical roots of the novel and discussion questions suitable for YA book groups.
Moneyball
Based on another bestseller, Michael Lewis's nonfiction work of the same title (Norton, 2003), this film from Columbia Pictures arrives in theaters on September 23. Inspired by true events, Moneyball (not yet rated) tells the story of Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), the general manager of the Oakland A's, who takes a new and very nontraditional approach to scouting players. Forced to operate on a shoestring budget, he must find a way to outthink and outmaneuver the richer ball clubs. Teaming up with Ivy League grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), Beane uses a computer-generated analysis to identify bargain players who've been written off by the scouts as undesirable, but who have a knack of getting on base, driving in runs, and ultimately win ballgames. The stakes are high, as the independent-minded Beane bucks years of conventional baseball knowhow and tradition, and takes on the establishment. Directed by Bennett Miller, the film also stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as Oakland A's manager Art Howe, Chris Pratt as first baseman Scott Hatteberg, and Casey Bond as pitcher Chad Bradford. Teens can visit the official website for movie trailers, a photo gallery, downloads, and a quick glimpse of the cast.
Norton has reissued Lewis's Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (2011; Gr 10 Up) with a movie photo cover: the small-size figure of Pitt, in character, looking contemplative as he stands in the outfield of a ball park. Zooming in on Beane, but also presenting a whole lot of background, the author relates the fascinating story of how "a small group of undervalued professional baseball players and executives, many of whom had been rejected as unfit for the big leagues... turned themselves into one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball." The pages are packed with smoothly explained statistics as well as scintillating storytelling, lucidly detailing this revolutionary approach to gathering information and evaluating performance while telling personal tales and relating plenty of exhilarating game-day action. What emerges is not only a clear-headed insider's look at modern-day baseball, but also a gripping account of what it takes to challenge the status quo. Filled with humor ("The Oakland A's are baseball's answer to the Island of Misfit Toys"), information, and insight, this book will be a winner with teen sports fans and free thinkers.
Publication Information
STOCKETT, Kathryn. The Help. Movie tie-in ed. Berkley. 2011. pap. $16. ISBN 978-0-425-24513-2.
LEWIS, Michael. Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. Movie tie-in ed. Norton. 2011. pap. $15.95. ISBN 978-0-393-33839-3.
This article originally appeared in School Library Journal's enewsletter SLJTeen. Subscribe here.
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