Like the Red Panda by Andrea Seigel Katie Vanko EDRL 524

Like the Red Panda

by Andrea Seigel 

Katie Vanko EDRL 524

This young adult fiction piece is intriguing right from the first pages.  Stella Parrish is a seventeen-year old high school senior questioning everything about her world.  While her classmates are celebrating the end of high school with prom, graduation parties, and college acceptance letters, Stella feels isolated.  She does not seem to fit into any high school group, and resents her overall existence.  It does not help that the only blood relative she has is her suicidal grandfather who she frequently visits in a retirement home.    Stella is on track to attend Princeton, but seems to care less and less about her future life.  She is disturbed by the “robotic” path of education she has taken, afraid that she will become just like everyone else.  The novel is written in the format of a diary, and each day Stella is trying to decide who she, while deciding if her life is worth living.  Readers have the opportunity to get into’s Stella’s head, seeing the world through her eyes.  She discusses her own insights about life and her experiences. 

“You don't ever know how happy you are until you remember how sad you once were and vice versa. Nothing is anything until I decide to hold nothing next to something, and declare that I see a difference.” 

The novel does not have a lot of action, and the plot can move somewhat slowly through the Stella’s internal conflicts.   Author Andrea Seigel creates Stella’s snarky and sarcastic character effortlessly.  Her tone is quite cynical, and might be one that many teens can relate to during times of uncertainty/angst.  Readers will laugh (guiltily), cry, and feel worried for Stella.   I appreciate the novel’s honesty, and believe that it is something that diverse populations of teen readers may connect to.  

The novel does address the topic of suicide, which makes it more difficult to read.  With bullying and depression, it is so important to talk about issues relating to mental health with young people.  This book could open up dialogue relating to these issues.  The novel may not be appropriate for younger readers, being that it is heavy and disturbing at times.  I would recommend the book for high school students, and very mature eighth graders.