Godless / Pete Hautman

Godless by Pete Hautman is the story of Jason, a teenager and his friends and their flirtations with creating a new religion. Much of the impetus for this action is Jason’s feeling that his father is forcing his Christian vies on Jason. With his sharp wit, his acid tongue and his vivid imagination, Jason creates a new religion called /Chutengodism, which is based on worshipping the local 10 legged water tower. Jason’s ne religion draws in some curious, obsessive and troublesome friends. The results of this adventure are surprising, exciting and at times scary.

Godless portrays a type of teen rebellion that I’m sure many teens have felt and reacted to in their own unique way. Jason gives voice to this rebellion making some good points along the way yet finding that being a leader is fraught with difficulties. This story does not in the end make any moral or philosophical conclusions about the existence of a God or gods, but it does examining the issues from the perspective of a boy who will not be told how he should think or believe on the topic of religion.

Hautman, Pete (2004). Godless. Toronto: Simon Pulse.

Buddha Boy / Kathe Koja

Budda Boy by Kathe Koja is story about a persecuted new boy is school who does not fit into any of the established clichés. Martin has saved his head and goes around begging for lunch money and is mercilessly picked on by everyone and especially the cool kids. Justin gets partnered with Martin on an economics project and becomes the only one in school to befriend him. Justin finds out the Martin’s spiritual name is Jinsen and that he is also an incredible artist. Justin has a soft spot for artists, because his father is also an artist and he is very close to his father.

Budda Boy is a powerful novel about bullying, tolerance, self-discipline, religion, and friendship. Narrated from Justin’s point of view the listener gets a vivid sense of strong emotions that teenagers have regarding their friends, fairness and how much pressure they undergo to fit in to the established norms. Jinsen shows great self control in his determination to follow his Buddhist teachings and undergoes humiliation and physical abuse for it, but he also ends up influencing almost everyone in school for the better because of his attitude and his great artistic talent.

Koja, Kathe (Author), & Murphy, Spencer (Narrator). (2003). Buddha Boy [Sound recording]. [Syracuse, NY]: Full Cast Audio.