Annie on My Mind

Citation : Garden, N (1982). Annie On My Mind. New York: Aerial Fiction

Grade Level: 9-12

Genre: "GLBTQ" Fiction

Themes: young adult relationships, homosexuality, stereotypes, prejudices, love

Main Characters: Liza, Annie, Annie's family, Ms. Stevenson, Ms.Widmer, Mrs. Poindexter

Plot Summary:

Annie on My Mind is a story about two girls who realize their love for each other. It is also a story about how this love is received by others in both their lives. Liza is at first unsure of her feelings for her new friend Annie. Once she realizes that she loves her, they begin a relationship which unfortunately tangles many people's lives together in an very inconvenient way.

Writing Style:

Annie on My Mind was written in the first person, from the point of view of Liza, the main character in the book. The author does a good job at capturing how it must feel to begin realizing your feelings towards not just another person but also a person of the same sex. The awkwardness and troubled thoughts are captured well. When Liza finally realizes that she does not need to be embarrassed by her feelings towards another human being the reader begins to relax a bit with Liza as she experiences the joys of a new relationship.

Assessment of quality and utility:

Annie on My Mind was a wonderful book and a very fast read. The characters are very real and the story is a believable one. The author does a wonderful job capturing what it is like to enter into a relationship that maybe one is not sure of.

Annie on My Mind has been challenged before for its content. However this book has its place in the library. Students need to have books that tell of experiences they are having and emotions they are feelings. Homosexual students need to feel that their experiences are given as much time in books as any heterosexual student. This book would be very useful for any young adult to read to understand better what it is like to be homosexual in today's society. Although this book was written back in the 1980's the feelings and experiences Liza goes through are still very true today. Parents could also read this book to better understand what their homosexual child might be going through and thinking as they experience the feelings of a romantic relationship.