Annie On My Mind

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux. Liza Winthrop and Annie Kenyon are from two different socioeconomic worlds. Liza attends a private school, Foster Academy, while Annie attends an overcrowded public school. The girls meet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and after spending time together they realize they have a lot in common and consequently fall in love. While house-sitting for two Foster Academy teachers, who are also lesbians, Liza and Annie get caught making love and Liza gets in trouble with Foster Academy’s administrators. Liza is required to face a review committee in order to determine if she will be allowed to stay at Foster. Ultimately it is decided that Liza did nothing wrong. This modern realistic fiction novel deals with a lesbian relationship which was formerly considered a taboo subject to write about. Librarians can promote this book as part of a celebration during Banned Books Week, challenging students to read books that have been frequently challenged. This novel is recommended for students ages 12-17.