Brynn Harper is a former honor student who has struggled
since the drug overdose death of her older brother Nick. With the tumbling of her grades and her
self-worth, she has been moved from honors courses to the applied classes in
the basement of her high school. Because
of an assignment in one of her new classes, she writes and email to MSNBC host
Rachel Maddow. When she surprisingly
gets a reply back, Brynn begins to write a series of unsent emails to her new
found hero. She tells Rachel about her
brother, her unhappy home life, her ex-girlfriend, and all the other trials and
tribulations in her life.
When the school decides to let a student be a part of the
selection committee for the new superintendent, the usual suspect, Adam Graff,
steps up to take the position. But Adam
is part of the honors program and Brynn knows that he will only serve the needs
of those select students. Who will be
the advocate for students like Brynn and all the others that fall between the
two extremes? Though hesitantly, Brynn
steps up to the plate and takes on the task of representing the whole student
body, not just the honors students, in the selection of their new leader. Throughout her journey of civic involvement,
she continues to tell her story to Rachel Maddow, all along using her as a
measuring stick for what is the right thing to do.
In her debut novel, Adrienne Kisner tells Brynn’s story in
the epistolary format. And while the
voice of the novel is mainly that of our protagonist, Kisner does well in
developing the other characters that play a significant role in Brynn’s
life. Kisner makes the reader want to
stand up and fight for the rights of all.
And in a world that doesn’t always think along these lines, Adrienne
Kisner’s Dear Rachel Maddow is an
inspiring breath of fresh air.
From Amazon:
In Adrienne Kisner's Dear Rachel Maddow,
a high school girl deals with school politics and life after her
brother’s death by drafting emails to MSNBC host Rachel Maddow in this
funny and heartfelt YA debut.
Brynn Haper's life has one steadying force--Rachel Maddow.
She watches her daily, and after writing to Rachel for a school project--and actually getting a response--Brynn starts drafting e-mails to Rachel but never sending them. Brynn tells Rachel about breaking up with her first serious girlfriend, about her brother Nick's death, about her passive mother and even worse stepfather, about how she's stuck in remedial courses at school and is considering dropping out.
Then Brynn is confronted with a moral dilemma. One student representative will be allowed to have a voice among the administration in the selection of a new school superintendent. Brynn's archnemesis, Adam, and ex-girlfriend, Sarah, believe only Honors students are worthy of the selection committee seat. Brynn feels all students deserve a voice. When she runs for the position, the knives are out. So she begins to ask herself: What Would Rachel Maddow Do?
Brynn Haper's life has one steadying force--Rachel Maddow.
She watches her daily, and after writing to Rachel for a school project--and actually getting a response--Brynn starts drafting e-mails to Rachel but never sending them. Brynn tells Rachel about breaking up with her first serious girlfriend, about her brother Nick's death, about her passive mother and even worse stepfather, about how she's stuck in remedial courses at school and is considering dropping out.
Then Brynn is confronted with a moral dilemma. One student representative will be allowed to have a voice among the administration in the selection of a new school superintendent. Brynn's archnemesis, Adam, and ex-girlfriend, Sarah, believe only Honors students are worthy of the selection committee seat. Brynn feels all students deserve a voice. When she runs for the position, the knives are out. So she begins to ask herself: What Would Rachel Maddow Do?
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