Juno (Soundtrack)

Messina, Matt (2007). Music from the motion picture "Juno" (Audio recording). Rhino Records.

Summary:  This quirky film tells the story of a high school girl, Juno MacGuff,  who gets pregnant and finds a couple to adopt the baby.  The deluxe soundtrack is a collection of 35 songs from contemporary independent artists, such as Belle and Sebastian, Cat Powers, and Kimya Dawson, as well as "oldies but goodies", like Buddy Holly, the Velvet Underground, the Kinks, and Sonic Youth.   

Additional comments:  The music is often playful with simple rhyming lyrics, such as "Anyone else but you" by the Moldy Peaches and "Me and You" by Barry Louis Polisar, and childlike xylophones, like "The Lorings" by Mateo Messina and "All I want is you", by Kimya Dawson, which also has a baby crying in the background.  The music helps to keep the movie light-hearted and optimistic, despite the heaviness of the topic of teen pregnancy.  

Weetzie Bat, by Francesca Block

Block, Francesca Lia (1989). Weetzie Bat. New York: HarperCollins Publisher.  

ISBN: 9780060736255 / 0-06-073625-9

Summary: Weetzie Bat's life changes when she becomes friends with Dirk, "the best-looking guy at school". This is the first book in a series that follows their adventures in Los Angeles as they create a home with Weetzie's boyfriend, My Secret Agent Lover Man,--a movie director--and Dirk's partner, Duck.  

Additional Comments: Written with simple language and subtle poetry that moves quickly yet is emotionally charged. Readers will enjoy a glimpse into this alternative L.A. lifestyle.