Avalon High

Bibliography:Cabot, M. (2007) Avalon High. New York, NY: Harper.

Genre:Chick Lit

Reading Level/Interest Age:14-16 yrs

Reader's Annotation:Ellie's new school, Avalon High, is stranger than it seems. Could her crush, Will, really be King Arthur incarnate?

Author:Meg Cabot, famous for her Princess Diaries series, has composed over sixty-five novels including several successful series for tweens, teens, and adults. Cabot began her career as a romance novelist and is now a best-selling author.

Plot Summary:Ellie begins her junior year at Avalon High and soon meets A. William Wagoner, the handsome star football player. Will's girlfriend Jennifer is a cute blonde cheerleader, but Ellie soon discovers that Jennifer is romantically involved with Will's best friend, Lance. Ellie is torn between her growing feelings for Will and her obligation to tell him about Jen and Lance. When Will's vindictive stepbrother Marco gets involved, things start to turn ugly--and somewhat medieval. Soon, Ellie is seeing her life through the lens of the legendary King Arthur. She needs to act quickly to save her friend and fight the forces of evil!

Critical Evaluation:While it is not necessary to be familiar with the legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, readers with a basic background in the medieval lore will enjoy Avalon High more than those without that knowledge. Cabot has intertwined the classic legends with modern day teenagers attending a believable high school in Annapolis, MD. The plot follows the main character Ellie who faces the predictable challenges of attending a new school: meeting new friends, struggling to fit in, trying out for the track team, etc. Her literature teacher, Mr. Morton, is the most unbelievable of all the characters. For instance, he is a member of the secret Order of the Bear, a group dedicated to protecting the reincarnated King Arthur. The reader moves with Ellie as her opinion of Mr. Morton changes. She first thinks he must be out of his mind, but when events start happening that she cannot explain rationally she turns to him for assistance. Mr. Morton’s explanation for the events towards the end of the novel does seem ridiculous (and requires a leap of imagination), but we accept them because there is some part of Ellie that accepts them. Her ability to see the rational and irrational side-by-side make her a convincing and amusing narrator.

Curriculum Ties:Student choice book report, medieval legends

Book Talk Ideas:Read a passage from the novel, perhaps near the climax of the story when Ellie offers the sword to Will--before his "transformation."

Challenge Issues:Mythical legends, teen romance, violence, adultery

Why was this text included in this project?This book was recommended by the teen librarian.