The narrative follows the adventures of the eponymous character Weetzie and her best friend Dirk, as well as their friends and relations. After being granted three wishes by a genie, Weetzie discovers that there are unexpected ramifications.
The story is set in an almost dream-like, heightened version of Los Angeles, aptly referred to as "Shangri-L.A.", in an indefinite time period evoking both the 1980s punk craze and the sophisticated glamor of 1950s Hollywood. Block describes issues such as blended families, premarital sex, homosexuality, and AIDS.
The central character of the book. Daughter of Brandy-Lynn and Charlie Bat, best friend of Dirk, lover of My Secret-Agent Lover Man, mother of Cherokee. When first seen, she is a skinny, unusual girl with a bleach-blonde flat-top hair cut, a love of Native American culture, and a quirky sense of style. When presented with a magic lamp, she makes three life-altering wishes, none of which turn out as she expects them to.
Dirk
The best friend of Weetzie Bat. Grandson of Fifi, lover of Duck, and possible father to Cherokee. He has blue eyes and, when first introduced, a black mohawk, which later morphs into a ducktail. He drives a 1955 red Pontiac named Jerry, after Jerry Lewis. Like Weetzie, Dirk tends to have poor taste in men.
My Secret-Agent Lover Man
A green-eyed filmmaker who rides a motorcycle. He appears in Weetzie's life after her three wishes.
Duck
A short, blonde, freckly male surfer. Also a possible father to Cherokee.
Slinkster Dog
Weetzie's dog.
Go Go Girl
My Secret-Agent Lover Man buys Go Go Girl as a mate for Slinkster Dog so that Weetzie will stop wishing for children as she can raise the dogs' puppies.
Cherokee
Weetzie's daughter.
Witch Baby
The daughter of My Secret-Agent Lover Man and Vixanne (also known as "the Lanka"). She was originally called Lily, but the name didn't take; everyone just called her by her nickname, Witch Baby.
Grandma Fifi
Dirk's grandmother.
Charlie Bat
Weetzie’s father.
Valentine JahLove, Ping Chong, and Raphael Chong JahLove
Valentine is a tall Rastafarian. Ping Chong is a tiny Chinese woman working as a fashion designer in L.A. (Shangri-L.A.). They have a son named Raphael.
ReceptionEdit
Weetzie Bat won the 2009 Phoenix Award from the Children's Literature Association as the best English-language children's book that did not win a major award when it was originally published twenty years earlier. It is named for the mythical bird phoenix, which is reborn from its ashes, to suggest the book's rise from obscurity.[1]
Weetzie Bat has attracted controversy, including efforts to challenge or ban the book. For instance, in Texas, an organization critiqued Block's "ideas and views on a variety of issues surrounding alternative lifestyles" according to the B.G. Censorship Watch of American Libraries.[2][failed verification]Weetzie Bat describes gay marriage, children born out of wedlock, abortion, common-law marriage, and the AIDS epidemic, in language that makes it accessible to the pre-teen and early teen reader.
Critics have countered by arguing that books like Weetzie Bat can provide a vital resource for lesbian, gay, transgender, and HIV-positive teens growing up in what is still largely a homophobic society. Michael Cart states "Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat (HarperCollins) is not only a classic of gay fiction but also one of the most memorable of all young adult novels."[3] Another critic, Rebecca Platzner, noted that while the material is suggestive, the dialogue that it establishes about these depictions is vital to a developing young adult’s perspectives on difficult social issues. Platzer wrote:
"For what age do you think these books are appropriate?" asks our professor. "Thirty two", I whisper to my friend who sits next to me. "Twenty five", she scribbles back on my notebook. We think of these books as "a find" and imagine a time when we will be in a position to pass them on to just-the-right kids. For now though, we'll share them with our friends.
— Rebecca Platzner, Collage in Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat Books, The ALAN Review[4]
^ "Phoenix Award Brochure 2012". Children's Literature Association. Retrieved 2012-12-11. See also the current homepage "Phoenix Award".
^"New Challenges Filed at Beleaguered Texas Library". American Libraries. American Library Association. June 30, 2006. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
^Cart, Michael (Winter 2004). "What a wonderful world: Notes on the evolution of GLBTQ literature for young adults". The ALAN Review. Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English. 31 (2). doi:10.21061/alan.v31i2.a.7. ISSN 0882-2840.
^Platzner, Rebecca (Winter 1998). "Collage in Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat Books". The ALAN Review. Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English. 25 (2): 23–26. doi:10.21061/alan.v25i2.a.6. ISSN 0882-2840. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
August 29, 2023
weetzie, debut, novel, francesca, block, published, harpercollins, 1989, inaugurated, dangerous, angels, series, young, adults, first, editionauthorfrancesca, blockcountryunited, stateslanguageenglishseriesdangerous, angelsgenreyoung, adult, novelpublisherharp. Weetzie Bat is the debut novel of Francesca Lia Block published by HarperCollins in 1989 It inaugurated her Dangerous Angels series for young adults Weetzie BatFirst editionAuthorFrancesca Lia BlockCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishSeriesDangerous AngelsGenreYoung adult novelPublisherHarperCollinsPublication date1989Media typePrint Paperback Pages109 ppISBN0 06 073625 9OCLC55874309Followed byWitch Baby The narrative follows the adventures of the eponymous character Weetzie and her best friend Dirk as well as their friends and relations After being granted three wishes by a genie Weetzie discovers that there are unexpected ramifications The story is set in an almost dream like heightened version of Los Angeles aptly referred to as Shangri L A in an indefinite time period evoking both the 1980s punk craze and the sophisticated glamor of 1950s Hollywood Block describes issues such as blended families premarital sex homosexuality and AIDS Contents 1 Characters 2 Reception 3 See also 4 ReferencesCharacters EditWeetzie Bat The central character of the book Daughter of Brandy Lynn and Charlie Bat best friend of Dirk lover of My Secret Agent Lover Man mother of Cherokee When first seen she is a skinny unusual girl with a bleach blonde flat top hair cut a love of Native American culture and a quirky sense of style When presented with a magic lamp she makes three life altering wishes none of which turn out as she expects them to Dirk The best friend of Weetzie Bat Grandson of Fifi lover of Duck and possible father to Cherokee He has blue eyes and when first introduced a black mohawk which later morphs into a ducktail He drives a 1955 red Pontiac named Jerry after Jerry Lewis Like Weetzie Dirk tends to have poor taste in men My Secret Agent Lover Man A green eyed filmmaker who rides a motorcycle He appears in Weetzie s life after her three wishes Duck A short blonde freckly male surfer Also a possible father to Cherokee Slinkster Dog Weetzie s dog Go Go Girl My Secret Agent Lover Man buys Go Go Girl as a mate for Slinkster Dog so that Weetzie will stop wishing for children as she can raise the dogs puppies Cherokee Weetzie s daughter Witch Baby The daughter of My Secret Agent Lover Man and Vixanne also known as the Lanka She was originally called Lily but the name didn t take everyone just called her by her nickname Witch Baby Grandma Fifi Dirk s grandmother Charlie Bat Weetzie s father Valentine JahLove Ping Chong and Raphael Chong JahLove Valentine is a tall Rastafarian Ping Chong is a tiny Chinese woman working as a fashion designer in L A Shangri L A They have a son named Raphael Reception EditWeetzie Bat won the 2009 Phoenix Award from the Children s Literature Association as the best English language children s book that did not win a major award when it was originally published twenty years earlier It is named for the mythical bird phoenix which is reborn from its ashes to suggest the book s rise from obscurity 1 Weetzie Bat has attracted controversy including efforts to challenge or ban the book For instance in Texas an organization critiqued Block s ideas and views on a variety of issues surrounding alternative lifestyles according to the B G Censorship Watch of American Libraries 2 failed verification Weetzie Bat describes gay marriage children born out of wedlock abortion common law marriage and the AIDS epidemic in language that makes it accessible to the pre teen and early teen reader Critics have countered by arguing that books like Weetzie Bat can provide a vital resource for lesbian gay transgender and HIV positive teens growing up in what is still largely a homophobic society Michael Cart states Francesca Lia Block s Weetzie Bat HarperCollins is not only a classic of gay fiction but also one of the most memorable of all young adult novels 3 Another critic Rebecca Platzner noted that while the material is suggestive the dialogue that it establishes about these depictions is vital to a developing young adult s perspectives on difficult social issues Platzer wrote For what age do you think these books are appropriate asks our professor Thirty two I whisper to my friend who sits next to me Twenty five she scribbles back on my notebook We think of these books as a find and imagine a time when we will be in a position to pass them on to just the right kids For now though we ll share them with our friends Rebecca Platzner Collage in Francesca Lia Block s Weetzie Bat Books The ALAN Review 4 See also EditPortals Children s literature Speculative fictionReferences Edit Phoenix Award Brochure 2012 Children s Literature Association Retrieved 2012 12 11 See also the current homepage Phoenix Award New Challenges Filed at Beleaguered Texas Library American Libraries American Library Association June 30 2006 Retrieved August 29 2010 Cart Michael Winter 2004 What a wonderful world Notes on the evolution of GLBTQ literature for young adults The ALAN Review Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English 31 2 doi 10 21061 alan v31i2 a 7 ISSN 0882 2840 Platzner Rebecca Winter 1998 Collage in Francesca Lia Block s Weetzie Bat Books The ALAN Review Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English 25 2 23 26 doi 10 21061 alan v25i2 a 6 ISSN 0882 2840 Retrieved August 29 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Weetzie Bat amp oldid 1167884765, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
