Classic Connections: Pride, Always Never Yours and She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah

Literature and film are filled with classic connections - stories that incorporate elements of the classics but with a twist. Many YA authors are following this time honored tradition of retelling a classic story in a modern setting  or incorporating elements of a classic into a modern tale. Pairing the new novel with the classic material gives students the opportunity to appreciate the clever variations that the modern authors imagine. This month's recommendation are three such novels.  Pride by Idi Zoboi (American Streets) is a retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, set in present day Bushwick, New York.  Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberley and her husband Austin Siegemund-Broka introduces Megan Harper who tries out for a small part in Romeo and Juliet and ends up with the lead. She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah by Ann Hood incorporates the Beatles' history and songs into a novel about a sixth grade girl, who thinks meeting the Beatles at their concert in 1966 will solve all her social problems.

In Pride, Ibi Zoboi sets Jane Austen's classic in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn.  Zuri Benitez, who is of Haitian-Dominican heritage, is worried about gentrification of her diverse community, when the African-American Darcy family moves into a renovated  mansion across the street from her family's apartment building.  Zuri, a poet with ambitions of attending Howard University, clashes with the arrogant Darius Darcy when she meets him, but her sister Janae, a college freshman, is smitten with his brother Ainsley.  The story continues to follow the classic with the Wyckham character, Warren, pursuing Zuri, while talking younger girls including Darius's sister, into taking revealing selfies. The Mr. Collins character is the nephew of the Benitezs' Oshun-worshiping godmother and apartment building owner, who will inherit the building when she dies. When Zuri goes to an open-mic night to share her poetry, she is surprised to meet Darius and his sister there, and the ice between them begins to thaw. Those unfamiliar with Austen's work will still love this classic story of pride in one's community and prejudice through misunderstanding. Encouraging a reading of the original will allow students to appreciate how incredibly clever the author is in adapting the story to a modern day setting and problems.

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet provides the backbone for Always Never Yours, with each chapter beginning with a relevant quote from the play. In the novel  high school senior, Megan Harper has dreams of attending a prestigious directing program, but she must have at least one acting credit on her application.  She auditions for the smallest part in her school's production, but is cast as Juliet.  Megan has always considered herself a "Rosaline."  Her seven ex-boyfriends have all found true love right after dating her.  To make matters worse, her last boyfriend left her for her best friend, and now he is her co-star. Complications ensue!  Crushing on a new stagehand, Will, Megan enlists the help of Owen Okita, a new drama kid, who spends much of his time writing lyrics for Will's emo band and  gets her in ways no other boy ever has. But Megan, who can't see that he's obviously her perfect match, struggles to find what she truly wants. Their witty repartee makes this a deliciously fun read.   The husband and wife authors are high school sweethearts who fell in love over a shared love of the bard, which is reflected in this wonderful romantic comedy.

She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah revisits 60s Beatlemania through a story of sixth grader Trudy Mixer, who is a Beatles fanatic and president of her school's fan club.  When the once-popular club dwindles to three members and her best friend joins the future cheerleaders, Trudy is determined to remedy things by going to the Beatles concert in Boston and meeting Paul McCartney.  Her dreams almost come true when her dad buys four concert tickets, but then he is called away on a business trip. She and the other three club members, awkward Peter, uncool Jessica and unkempt Nora, decide to head to Boston on their own.  Riding the train for the first time and attempting to make their way to Suffolk Downs Racetrack where the Beatles play for 25,000 people is fraught with problems, but the teens ultimately are rewarded, learning valuable lessons along the way.  Beatles song titles are used as chapter headings that thematically relate to what's happening in the story.  Having attended a Beatles concert in 1963 in Indianapolis, Indiana when I was thirteen, I relived the emotions riding on actually seeing my heroes, and the joy at being one of the screaming masses as they sang the songs I knew and loved.  This well-written middle school tale not only is a treasure trove of Beatles history, it also explores issues teens of every generation face.