Maureen Johnson's Bermudez Triangle and other books

Maureen Johnson is in good company. Thanks to the efforts of one irate parent who riled up a schoolboard she has joined the ranks of the banned book authors. It's sad when a book gets banned by people who haven't read it in the first place, but like so many things in life this particular rain cloud has a silver lining. Ms Johnson writes great books and will get more readers than ever due to the kerfuffle*.

Bermudez Triangle, originally published in 2004 and soon to be released in paperback, is the banned book in question. It documents the poignent relationship of three lifelong best friends the summer before their senior year of high school. At least I'm told it's poignent, I only checked out a copy of my own to read from the library this morning. The controversy is over a tentative lesbian relationship that blossoms between two of the gals while their third friend is away from the summer. Shocking stuff when a girl spies her two best friends kissing and they all have to deal with change and growing up...

I read Maureen's more recent offering Devilish last fall and fell in love with her tight storytelling and gentle humor which she combines with likeable, realistic teenager characters and fast paced plotting. Maybe fast paced plotting and tight storytelling are the same thing in some books, but either way I highly reccomend Devilish. I'm almost glad the banning brought this author back onto my radar. I'd meant to check out more of her works after reading Devilish but was distracted by life and the holidays. Now I've got time a plenty and if I can't go to Bermuda itself for a relaxing vacation at least I can say I went to Bermudez!

Other books by Maureen Johnson include:
13 Little Blue Envelopes
Girl at Sea
The Key to the Golden Firebird


*I learned of the banning or "kerfuffle" from various author blogs including Meg Cabot (who dreams of being banned) and Justine Larbalestier.