Looking for Alaska, by John Green

Miles Halter comes to Culver Creek, a boarding school in Alabama with few friends and fewer regrets. His great accomplishment so far is his obsession with people's last words. But his life changes as first he meets his new roommate (the colonel) and then he meets the enigmatic and emotionally volatile Alaska -- the young woman who would be the Love of His Life if only she would stop making fun of him for it. In this very touching and insightful look at growing up from a boy's point of view, everything is about Alaska. Everything, that is, until After.

I remain very very torn about this book. I hate boy books, especially books about boys written by boys. So, I really want to hate this book, but I now understand why this book is getting all the buzz this year from the librarians. John Green is truly an outstanding writer and I can see this winning the Printz (at least, it SHOULD win it). You will laugh and you will cry -- I rarely do when I read, but this was a major exception. I'd ding it if I could, but it deserves all four stars. stunning!