The Tragedy Paper

The Tragedy Paper 

by Elizabeth Laban

2013, Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0375870407

This is Duncan's story, but it's told through Tim's story of the previous school year. Irving is a top-notch private school where both boys share the story of their senior year, and of the senior project, a composition that must provide evidence that students have grasped the concept of tragedy and what it looks like.

This is a solidly-crafted story line with an intriguing plot and exceptional interaction between characters.  But those characters are less-well developed than the reader would want in order to understand the implications of the plot developments.  

I happened to be reading a book by Gary Schmidt (First Boy) at the same time I was reading this book -- and the contrast between the depth and development of that plot and its characters, and the details of Tragedy Paper was striking.  Duncan and Tim's stories are less compelling, less engaging, though more dramatic more of the time.

What is different about this book 

The over-laying of Tim and Duncan's stories (and of their common friends and experiences) makes for a skillful tale that many young adult readers will enjoy.  The points of sameness, though from two different lives, makes for a very good story.  Foreshadowing is skillfully woven into the action and thoughts of the protagonists. And there is tragedy, of course, but not earth-shaking tragedy. I think young adult readers will like this story.  And I appreciate that the book includes a protagonist that is different.

What I'll do now that I've read this book 

The marketing and publicity for the book will probably put it on the radar for most libraries and book stores, and I think it will have a moderate success.  I will be purchasing this for my school library patrons, and I'll enjoy finding a match between the story of Tim and Duncan and my readers who will enjoy that story.

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