America: A Summary

So, I've finally gotten started on this Top 100. My first assignment, "America" by E. R. Frank, was a little more than I expected.

Summary: The book centers around a boy named America, who is seriously screwed up from the events that happened to him by the very people he learned to trust. He ends up in a psych hospital where there's a doctor who earns America's trust, slowly but surely. America eventually gets well enough to get out of the psych hospital and into a transitional living home.

Favorite Line: "I'm in America, and America is me."

Banned Reasons: Inappropriate use of language and graphic description of sexual activity. There is definitely an inappropriate use of language in the book, but it's sort of to be expected... especially after knowing everything America has been thru. The sexual activity, on the other hand, isn't as graphically depicted as the critics claim. There are sexually active parts in the book, but they do not go into graphic detail.

Overall: The reasons the book is banned from school are valid. I was surprisingly drawn into the book and didn't want to put it down once I started reading it. I will read it again.