1. Bibliography
Hartinger, Brent. 2007. Split Screen: Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-082409-9
2. Plot summary
Best friends Russel and Min are suffering the many slings and arrows of being teenagers. But in addition to high school cliques, acne, and boyfriend/girlfriend trouble Russel and Min are gay and bisexual respectively. Min’s parents know and are relatively accepting of Min’s bisexuality, however, when Russel’s parents hear through the parental grapevine that Russell has “come out” at school, they hit the roof and order him to “stop being gay.” While volunteering as extras on a movie, Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies; shooting at an abandoned high school in their city, Min must try to decipher the mixed signals she is getting from another extra on the set and Russell must choose between two guys he is really attracted to; or not, if his parents have anything to say about it.
3. Critical analysis
Author Brent Hartinger writes about teens like he’s been there, done that. As the characters go about the business of trying to survive high school and discover who they are; the two main characters, Russel and Min, must deal with the added burden of being bisexual and gay in an unaccepting world. The authenticity of their voices, especially Russel’s, as he comes to the realization that his parent’s love and acceptance is conditional, is sometimes heart breaking. When Russel explains that being gay is more isolating that being a minority because “at least when minority kids go home their family’s are like them” his pain at being different and alone is palpable. And yet, even though he is alone, he trusts his own insight and feeling. Min is not so lucky in this respect. Min’s parents are more accepting of her feelings than Russel’s parents, but she is not quite as certain of her feelings, or her judgments of others, especially a girl she likes who happens to be a cheerleader at another high school. Min discovers, upon realizing being a cheerleader could change her feelings for the other girl, she may have a few prejudices of her own. Funny and insightful; Split Screen is two books in one. Told from Russel’s perspective throughout one-half of the book; flip the book over and read the same story told from Min’s perspective. Both stories, the same yet different because the frame of reference has changed, demonstrate how much we are alike and how little we actually know or notice about each other as we go about the business of living. For 9th grade and up.
4. Review excerpts
School Library Journal: “Grade 9 Up—In this sequel to Geography Club (2003) and Order of the Poison Oak (2005, both HarperCollins), told in flip-book format, Russel and Min answer a casting call for extras for an upcoming horror film. Russel's parents have just discovered that he is gay, and he is devastated by their reaction. Also, an old boyfriend who dumped him turns up at rehearsals and wants to get back together; while the attraction is still there, Russel loves his current boyfriend. On the flip side, Min is lonely and wants a new relationship, but she can't decide if she's willing to have one with Leah, who has chosen not to come out for fear of losing her friends. All of this is played out against the backdrop of movie rehearsals. What is intriguing about the book is how very differently these two characters interpret the same events, and how oblivious each one can be to what is happening to the other. Hartinger handles a number of fairly serious issues here with a lighter touch than in The Order of the Poison Oak, and there is a lot of humor in this book. The characters' narrative voices sound authentically teen, and the section in which Russel tells about his coming out to his parents, their reaction, and his subsequent talk with the family priest particularly rings true. Min Wei's story is equally well told. Libraries owning the first two books will definitely want this one.”
5. Connections
Reader’s advisory suggestions for those who enjoyed Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies:
Geography Club by Brent Hartinger
Tale of Two Summers by Brian Sloan
The God Box by Alex Sanchez
Hartinger, Brent. 2007. Split Screen: Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-082409-9
2. Plot summary
Best friends Russel and Min are suffering the many slings and arrows of being teenagers. But in addition to high school cliques, acne, and boyfriend/girlfriend trouble Russel and Min are gay and bisexual respectively. Min’s parents know and are relatively accepting of Min’s bisexuality, however, when Russel’s parents hear through the parental grapevine that Russell has “come out” at school, they hit the roof and order him to “stop being gay.” While volunteering as extras on a movie, Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies; shooting at an abandoned high school in their city, Min must try to decipher the mixed signals she is getting from another extra on the set and Russell must choose between two guys he is really attracted to; or not, if his parents have anything to say about it.
3. Critical analysis
Author Brent Hartinger writes about teens like he’s been there, done that. As the characters go about the business of trying to survive high school and discover who they are; the two main characters, Russel and Min, must deal with the added burden of being bisexual and gay in an unaccepting world. The authenticity of their voices, especially Russel’s, as he comes to the realization that his parent’s love and acceptance is conditional, is sometimes heart breaking. When Russel explains that being gay is more isolating that being a minority because “at least when minority kids go home their family’s are like them” his pain at being different and alone is palpable. And yet, even though he is alone, he trusts his own insight and feeling. Min is not so lucky in this respect. Min’s parents are more accepting of her feelings than Russel’s parents, but she is not quite as certain of her feelings, or her judgments of others, especially a girl she likes who happens to be a cheerleader at another high school. Min discovers, upon realizing being a cheerleader could change her feelings for the other girl, she may have a few prejudices of her own. Funny and insightful; Split Screen is two books in one. Told from Russel’s perspective throughout one-half of the book; flip the book over and read the same story told from Min’s perspective. Both stories, the same yet different because the frame of reference has changed, demonstrate how much we are alike and how little we actually know or notice about each other as we go about the business of living. For 9th grade and up.
4. Review excerpts
School Library Journal: “Grade 9 Up—In this sequel to Geography Club (2003) and Order of the Poison Oak (2005, both HarperCollins), told in flip-book format, Russel and Min answer a casting call for extras for an upcoming horror film. Russel's parents have just discovered that he is gay, and he is devastated by their reaction. Also, an old boyfriend who dumped him turns up at rehearsals and wants to get back together; while the attraction is still there, Russel loves his current boyfriend. On the flip side, Min is lonely and wants a new relationship, but she can't decide if she's willing to have one with Leah, who has chosen not to come out for fear of losing her friends. All of this is played out against the backdrop of movie rehearsals. What is intriguing about the book is how very differently these two characters interpret the same events, and how oblivious each one can be to what is happening to the other. Hartinger handles a number of fairly serious issues here with a lighter touch than in The Order of the Poison Oak, and there is a lot of humor in this book. The characters' narrative voices sound authentically teen, and the section in which Russel tells about his coming out to his parents, their reaction, and his subsequent talk with the family priest particularly rings true. Min Wei's story is equally well told. Libraries owning the first two books will definitely want this one.”
5. Connections
Reader’s advisory suggestions for those who enjoyed Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies:
Geography Club by Brent Hartinger
Tale of Two Summers by Brian Sloan
The God Box by Alex Sanchez
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