62 pages • 2 hours read
Field Guide to the North American Teenager
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Ben Philippe’s 2019 young adult novel, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager, follows the life of Black Haitian Canadian teen, Norris Kaplan, as he settles into his new life in Austin, Texas. Through Norris’s experiences, the novel explores the harmful impacts of words, stereotypes, and judgment. Philippe, a Haitian Canadian immigrant, lends his unique perspective to the novel as Norris navigates the challenges of his new life. This novel won the American Library Association William C. Morris Debut Award.
This study guide refers to Alloy Entertainment’s 2020 first paperback edition of the novel.
Content Warning: The source material features depictions of racism, bigoted language, and descriptions of suicide.
Plot Summary
Black French-Canadian teenager Norris Kaplan and his mother, Judith, move from Montreal, Canada, to Austin, Texas, for Judith’s work. As Judith drops Norris off for his first day at American high school, she warns him to watch his mouth. Norris has formed judgments of Austin and the American high school experience from watching American teen movies. On Norris’s first day, the guidance counselor gives him a notebook and encourages him to keep a journal. Norris decides that there is no chance he’ll fit in as a Black French Canadian.
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