Age 13+ The novella The Opposite of Chocolate is a compelling story of Sapphire Dean a fourteen-year-old girl who finds herself pregnant after a summer of first passions.


Without telling her boyfriend Jay, Sapphire embarks on a journey of illumination when having to decide what to do. Her mother and father have conflicting ideas based around their own pasts and misgivings. The church weighs in with its argument, as does her older sister with celebrity ‘baby buyer’ in tow for added pressure. Sapphire is sent on a spiral of danger when she joins forces with Gilbert, who understands her and ultimately becomes Sapphire’s misguided saviour of sorts.


This is an interesting read. It begins in a presumed formulaic style and seems just another text in this teenage genre. However, about half way through, the story unfolds in other more complicated ways and weaves in nicely a supporting cast with some dimension.


I recommend The Opposite of Chocolate for both English classroom use and library shelf. It predominately will interest female readers but the strong character of Gil may entice some boys. Ideally, the book would be placed alongside some non-fiction narratives such as Unzipped and would be an ideal immersion tool for the study of values.


Donna Gardiner, Teacher

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Released to celebrate CBCA book week.

I picked the book up at a CMIS-Evaluation Book-Crossing demonstration in the canteen at my workplace.
(I've read it and will now leave it in the canteen for someone else to catch)