Dear Mrs. Joan Bauer,
Hi. My name is Bethany, and I'm a ninth grader at a high school in California. I just finished a book called Rules of the Road that you wrote. I read it beacause I remembered you from last year and thought that maybe you would understand the problem I've having now. I somehow feel connected to you. I know that sounds crazy, but let me explain.
On the first day of eighth grade, I went to second period, which happened to be photography. When I arrived at the large darkroom, I looked around at the people in my class and felt very out of place. There were four girls in my class, and all of them were extremely popular. I'm not a dork, but I'm not all that popular either. When my teacher said pair up and head over to the enlargers, I knew it was going to be a very long year when I was the only one without a partner. I thought about switching photo classes, but I had no reason other than feeling like an outsider. What was I supposed to do? Go up to my guidance counselor and ask her to take me out of my photo call because everyone in it was popular and I wasn't? Yeah right. Besides, I wanted to learn photography. It looked really cool.
Now, a year later, I realized how silly I sounded. It sounds really corny and is an overused phrase, but people should like me for who I am. But at the time I could only think, "I'm not popular!" It seems really shallow now that I cared so much about it, but I did. Before I had never given friendship much thought. I had my circle of true friends and other friends besides them, but during photo class I felt different and out of place.
Then we got an assignment to read a book of out choice for English class, and I didn't know what to read so one of the librarians picked out one of your books-- Thwonk. I didn't know what I thought it would be about, but I sure didn't expect it to be about a girl who was a photographer and in love with a popular guy she thought she couldn't have. Like A.J., I really liked this guy who turned out to be someone I didn't expect when I went out with him. I knew exactly how A. J. felt when she realized she and Peter weren't the definition of love. A.J. knew that she had made the biggest mistake ever when she chose Peter over her real friends. A.J. was really lucky that she got all of her friends back; unfortunately, I wasn't so lucky when I chose the guy I liked over my friends.
Although A.J. thought that everything would be perfect after she found the stuffed Cupid and made her wishes, she realized she was wrong. She found out that every person who was popular didn't really like anyone else-- popular or not. One day I was walking down to swim team practice with one of my friends-- who is popular-- and she told me how nice my best friends and I were. She said we weren't jealous of each other and didn't backstab each other. It was a relief for her to be with people who were friends and knew how to act that way. I realized at that moment how right she and your book were. It doesn't matter how popular you are. The secret is to act like yourself and do what you think is right that really matters. I think I already knew that somehow, but I just didn't believe it or know how to put it into words. But now I do. I even became pretty good friends with all the girls in my photography class before the year's end. With real friends, it doesn't matter if you're popular or not. To them, you're just you. Thank you so much, Mrs. Bauer, for not letting me forget that.
Then last month, my English teacher assigned Rules of the Road for my class this year. If I didn't know better, I'd swear she picked that book specifically for me. For whatever reason, Mrs. Bauer, your books really help me, but my problem this year s more serious. I know what it's like having a family member with a heavy drinking problem. My dad is an alcoholic. My mom had a talk with him a couple years ago about how his drinking was going to influence me, but now they're divorced and his drinking has only gotten worse. I want to be the best daughter in the world, but nothing I do or say seems to help him. He's my dad, and I love him.
I really like Jenna and how she deals with her problems. I know you wrote this book based on some of your real-life problems and I was wondering-- not to be nosy or anything-- if writing about your problems made you feel better. Your other book helped me so much. I'm hoping you can help me again.
Sincerely yours,
Bethany
