''Weetzie Bat'' is the

debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...

Francesca Lia Block Francesca Lia Block (born December 3, 1962) is an American writer of adult and young-adult literature. She is known for the '' Weetzie Bat'' series, which she began while a student at UC Berkeley. Early life Block was born in Los Angeles to a ...

, published by HarperCollins in 1989. It inaugurated her ''

Dangerous Angels ''Dangerous Angels'', also known as the Weetzie Bat series, is a young adult fiction series by Francesca Lia Block. The book consists of seven novels: ''Weetzie Bat'', ''Witch Baby'', ''Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys'', ''Missing Angel Juan'', ...

'' series for young adults. The narrative follows the adventures of the eponymous character Weetzie and her best friend Dirk, as well as their friends and relations. After being granted three wishes by a genie, Weetzie discovers that there are unexpected ramifications. The story is set in an almost dream-like, heightened version of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, aptly referred to as "Shangri-L.A.", in an indefinite time period evoking both the 1980s punk craze and the sophisticated glamor of 1950s

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. Block describes issues such as

blended families A stepfamily is a family where at least one parent has children that are not biologically related to their spouse. Either parent, or both, may have children from previous relationships or marriages. Two known classifications for stepfamilies i ...

premarital sex Premarital sex is Human sexual activity, sexual activity which is practiced by people before they are Marriage, married. Premarital sex is considered a sin by a number of religions and also considered a Sexual mores, moral issue which is taboo i ...

homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...

, and

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

Characters

;Weetzie Bat :The central character of the book. Daughter of Brandy-Lynn and Charlie Bat, best friend of Dirk, lover of My Secret-Agent Lover Man, mother of Cherokee. When first seen, she is skinny, unusual girl with a bleach-blonde flat-top hair cut, a love of Native American culture, and a quirky sense of style. When presented with a magic lamp, she makes three life-altering wishes, none of which turn out as she expects them to. ;Dirk :The best friend of Weetzie Bat. Grandson of Fifi, lover of Duck, and possible father to Cherokee. He has blue eyes and, when first introduced, a black Mohawk, which later morphs into a ducktail. He drives a 1955 red Pontiac named Jerry, after

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...

. Like Weetzie, Dirk tends to have poor taste in men. ;My Secret-Agent Lover Man :A green-eyed filmmaker who rides a motorcycle. He appears in Weetzie’s life after her three wishes. ;Duck :A short, blonde, freckly male surfer. Also a possible father to Cherokee. ;Slinkster Dog :Weetzie’s dog. ;Go Go Girl :My Secret-Agent Lover Man buys Go Go Girl as a mate for Slinkster Dog so that Weetzie will stop wishing for children as she can raise the dogs' puppies. ;Cherokee :Weetzie’s daughter. ;Witch Baby :The daughter of My Secret-Agent Lover Man and Vixanne (also known as "the Lanka"). She was originally called Lily, but the name didn't take; everyone just called her by her nickname, Witch Baby. ;Grandma Fifi :Dirk’s grandmother ;Charlie Bat :Weetzie’s father. ;Valentine JahLove, Ping Chong, and Raphael Chong JahLove :Valentine is a tall Rastafarian. Ping Chong is a tiny Chinese woman working as a fashion designer in L.A. (Shangri-L.A). They have a son named Raphael.

Reception

''Weetzie Bat'' won the 2009

Phoenix Award The Phoenix Award annually recognizes one English-language children's book published twenty years earlier that did not then win a major literary award. It is named for the mythical bird phoenix that is reborn from its own ashes, signifying the bo ...

from the

Children's Literature Association The Children's Literature Association (ChLA) is a non-profit association, based in the United States, of scholars, critics, professors, students, librarians, teachers, and institutions dedicated to studying children's literature.Margaret W. Denman- ...

as the best English-language children's book that did not win a major award when it was originally published twenty years earlier. It is named for the mythical bird phoenix, which is reborn from its ashes, to suggest the book's rise from obscurity. ''Weetzie Bat'' has attracted controversy, including efforts to challenge or ban the book. For instance, in Texas, an organization critiqued Block's "ideas and views on a variety of issues surrounding alternative lifestyles" according to the B.G. Censorship Watch of American Libraries. ''Weetzie Bat'' describes gay marriage, children born out of wedlock, abortion, common-law marriage, and the

epidemic, in language that makes it accessible to the pre-teen and early teen reader. Critics have countered by arguing that books like ''Weetzie Bat'' can provide a vital resource for lesbian, gay, transgender, and HIV-positive teens growing up in what is still largely a homophobic society. Michael Cart states "Francesca Lia Block's ''Weetzie Bat'' (HarperCollins) is not only a classic of gay fiction but also one of the most memorable of all young adult novels." Another critic, Rebecca Platzner, noted that while the material is suggestive, the dialogue that it establishes about these depictions is vital to a developing young adult’s perspectives on difficult social issues. Platzer wrote:

References

{{Reflist , 25em , refs= "Phoenix Award Brochure 2012"

. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
See also the current homepag
"Phoenix Award"
1989 American novels 1989 fantasy novels 1980s LGBT novels American young adult novels Novels by Francesca Lia Block Novels set in Los Angeles Debut fantasy novels LGBT speculative fiction novels American LGBT novels 1989 debut novels LGBT-related young adult novels