In Trouble by Ellen Levine

Title:In Trouble
Author:Ellen Levine

Description: Jamie and Elaine have been best friends forever, and now they're finally juniors in high school. Elaine has a steady boyfriend, and Jamie could have one--if she'd just open her eyes and see Paul. But Jamie has a bigger problem to worry about. Then Elaine gets "in trouble"--something they thought only happened to "other" girls. Are there any good choices for a girl in trouble? In Trouble is a novel born of author Ellen Levine's interviews with women who came of age in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including those who knew what it was like to be a teen facing a horrible choice. In the decades before Roe v. Wade, a young woman "in trouble" had very few options--and all of them meant shame, isolation, and maybe much worse. Jamie and Elaine's stories are just two among the thousands of stories of teenagers facing unplanned pregnancies.

My Review: This book is set in the 50's and is centered around a very Taboo subject. Teen pregnancy. This subject is still taboo for some today but getting the facts out to girls has helped some and this book really shines a light on 2 different ways it could happen.The characters in the book are not a three dimensional as you could really hope for in a book with this topic. The time line is also bit confusing but the details of the story are still conveyed well even with the confusion. This story could be a nice way for parents to get a way to talk to their daughters about the subject and safe sex just by comparing how things were in the 50's compared to the many options girls have today for both protection and when it happens. Bravo to Ms. Levine for tackling such a tough subject in such a readable way.

My Rating:3.5/5