GIRL VS. BEAR

Kerr’s heroes and heroines suffer their way through 1980s high-school life in this short-story collection about surviving the teenage years and entering adulthood.

The protagonists in these stories could be teenagers today except for a few cultural references that tie them to their time. Still, the questions they ask are universal, and these stories will transport readers back to their own teen years, whether they like it or not. Set against a background of fairly cliché teenage struggles like sex, drugs and rebellion, these characters still have powerful individual voices, and belong to archetypes with which readers will identify. Inevitably, these teens choose friends who will frustrate their parents, get into cars with strange men and fall in love with girls who already have boyfriends. They struggle to realize that they’ll be respected only as much as they respect themselves and that home is as much about the people in it as the place it’s located. Some even realize that their parents are human beings with strengths and flaws. The protagonists show grit and tenacity through their vulnerability, and never stop searching for what really matters, whatever that may be. Kerr’s storytelling is masterful–she allows the characters their own voices without moralizing. At times she writes in second-person, drawing readers into the narrative effectively. Yet the author’s approach is never overwhelming, and readers are invited to pick the scenarios that most closely recall their adolescences. If one story fails to jog bittersweet memories, readers can still appreciate Kerr’s skill and move on to one that does.

A too-true depiction of teenage life.