The Field Guide to the North American Teenager

Bibliographic Information: 

Title: The Field Guide to the North American Teenager

Author: Ben Philippe

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Copyright date: 2019

ISBN: 978-0062824110

Reading interest level: Grades 9-12 (Booklist)

Genre: Realistic Fiction; Humor

Format: Print Book

Awards or Honors: 

• OLA Best Bets: 2019
• William C. Morris YA Debut Award
• YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2020

Author Description: 

"Hi! My name is Ben, and I'm a writer" (Philippe, 2021). This is the bio that you will see on the about page of Philippe's website. The Field Guide to the North American Teenager contains a lot of clever humor, and it is clear that humor is a key part of his shtick. Ben Philippe was "born in Haiti, raised in Montreal, QC, [and] defected to America for college. Four different types of Visa later, [he is] still here" (Philippe, 2021). While Philippe was raised in Canada, the main character in The Field Guide is based on his life experiences, and what he learned from watching  the WB (Cornish, 2019). 

Plot Summary:

Norris Kaplan, finds himself attending a new high school in Texas, after immigrating with his mother from Canada. As a Haitian, French-Canadian, Norris feels like he does not quite fit in, in the suburbs of Austin, Texas. Norris doe not expect to like anyone or anything about Texas, and attempts to keep everyone at a distant with his sharp tongue. He has seen American television, and see's everyone around him as a typical stereotype; from the mean-girl cheerleaders, to the aggressive jocks. However, things begin to turn as Norris is instantly attracted to Aarti Puri. He finds an unlikely ally in Maddie, a cheerleader, who offers to help him to win over Aarti. Norris makes notes in his field guide, about all his encounters with North American teenagers, but he comes to realize that there is more depth to these teenagers then he ever gave them credit for.

Critical Evaluation:

Norris has a sharp wit, and his use of American high school stereotypes as ammunition against the other students is quite funny. The dialogue between characters is a strength of the book, and it is interesting to see high school from a point of view of someone from another country. Each chapter also begins with an entry into Norris's field guide, which is full of humorous notes about life as a north American teenager. I found myself laughing out loud quite often. However, Norris's humor is insulting towards his classmates, and it was good to see that Norris does face consequences for being obnoxious.

The fact that Norris is black, did not come up too often though. I can recall just one instance of race being brought up as an issue, when Norris has an incident with police, and Norris's mother mentions that in America, he should be aware of "Trayvon Martin...Tamir Rice, Cameron Tillman, [and] so many other that I can't remember all their names anymore". 

This is a coming-of-age story for Norris. He is also the new kid at school, and in this one he gives it better then he receives it. He is immediately on the offensive, because he believes that because he is the new kid and he is so different (being black, fluent in French, and Canadian), American kids will not like him; so he decides that he does not like them.  It is nice that as the story unfolds, Norris realizes that he is the one who is prejudiced, and not his classmates.

Creative Use for a Library Program:

This book is about an immigrant experience. Norris shares that experience through his field guide. I would together a field guide through the immigration experiences of library patrons. I would set up a space on a wall, where patrons could write insights about something they observed as a new immigrant, or just if they started in a new state or city. They could post a funny anecdote or tip. I would include some examples from the book to give examples, and promote the book. 

Potential Challenge Issues:

This book contains a lot of underage drinking. There is drinking at a party, on a date, and even before hockey practice. These kids have no problem accessing alcohol. There is also a decent amount of swear words too. This book is recommended for high school students, and the content in this book aligns with that age range. Ben Phillipe also received the William Morris Award for best debut novel.

Speed-Round Table Talk:

Norris Kaplan, immigrates to Texas, from Canada, and cannot wait to go back home. First, it is way too hot and he cannot stop his armpits from perspiring. Second, he finds that all his classmates fit the stereotypes of American high school kids he has seen on television. Norris documents it all in his field guide, but finds the hard way that there is more to people then stereotypes, 

Reason for Inclusion:

It was nice to add a book with so much humor in it for a YA collection. It also presents the perspective of a black Haitian, French-Canadian immigrant, living life in Texas. The author is also French-Canadian, so it adds international representation to the collection.