Module 3/SLIS 5420/June 21-27
Bibliography
Bray, Libba. (2009). Going Bovine. United States: Delacorte Press.
ISBN: 978-0-385-73397-7
Summary
Cameron Smith isn't the most enthusiastic 16-year-old. Although smart, school doesn't interest him and it doesn't help that his "perfect" twin sister, Jenna, is part of the in-crowd - and he's not. His parents are drifting apart, both from each other and him, and his dating life is nonexistent. On top of all that, he finds out that he has mad cow disease, and the outlook is grim. Luckily, with the help of a hypochondriac dwarf name Gonzo, a viking yard gnome and a punk angel named Dulcie, he is on an adventure to discover the meaning of life and, hopefully, a miracle.
My Impressions
Who knew a book about a teen dying of mad cow disease could be so hilarious? I know how that sounds, but read the book before you judge! With most of the adventure story taking place in the main character's "fever dream" or mad cow dream state, the story takes the reader on a ride to discover the true meaning of life - living in the moment, no matter what might come. Character development is superb, plot is exciting and the ending is satisfying. What a great read - and one that both teens and adults can enjoy.
Reviews
School Library Journal - Grade 8 Up—"In this ambitious novel, Cameron, a 16-year-old slacker whose somewhat dysfunctional family has just about given up on him, as perhaps he himself has, when his diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jacob, "mad cow" disease, reunites them, if too late. The heart of the story, though, is a hallucinatory—or is it?—quest with many parallels to the hopeless but inspirational efforts of Don Quixote, about whom Cameron had been reading before his illness. Just like the crazy—or was he?—Spaniard, Cam is motivated to go on a journey by a sort of Dulcinea. His pink-haired, white-winged version goes by Dulcie and leads him to take up arms against the Dark Wizard and fire giants that attack him intermittently, and to find a missing Dr. X, who can both help save the world and cure him. Cameron's Sancho is a Mexican-American dwarf, game-master hypochondriac he met in the pot smokers' bathroom at school who later turns up as his hospital roommate. Bray blends in a hearty dose of satire on the road trip as Cameron leaves his Texas deathbed—or does he?—to battle evil forces with a legendary jazz horn player, to escape the evil clutches of a happiness cult, to experiment with cloistered scientists trying to solve the mysteries of the universe, and to save a yard gnome embodying a Viking god from the clutches of the materialistic, fame-obsessed MTV-culture clones who shun individual thought. It's a trip worth taking, though meandering and message-driven at times. Some teens may check out before Cameron makes it to his final destination, but many will enjoy asking themselves the questions both deep and shallow that pop up along the way."—Suzanne Gordon, Peachtree Ridge High School, Suwanee, GA
Publishers Weekly Review - "Cameron Smith, 16, is slumming through high school, overshadowed by a sister 'pre-majoring in perfection,' while working (ineptly) at the Buddha Burger. Then something happens to make him the focus of his family's attention: he contracts mad cow disease. What takes place after he is hospitalized is either that a gorgeous angel persuades him to search for a cure that will also save the world, or that he has a vivid hallucination brought on by the disease. Either way, what readers have is an absurdist comedy in which Cameron, Gonzo (a neurotic dwarf) and Balder (a Norse god cursed to appear as a yard gnome) go on a quixotic road trip during which they learn about string theory, wormholes and true love en route to Disney World. Bray's surreal humor may surprise fans of her historical fantasies about Gemma Doyle, as she trains her satirical eye on modern education, American materialism and religious cults (the smoothie-drinking members of the Church of Everlasting Satisfaction and Snack 'N' Bowl). Offer this to fans of Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy seeking more inspired lunacy. Ages 14 — up. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
Awards
2010 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
Suggested Library Use
I might integrate this book into a book talk about classics and modern re-tellings or books that are inspired by the classics. Integrate a few classic novels with more contemporary novels and encourage students to try the contemporary picks before diving into the more dense, classic literature.
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