Teenreads.com Blog

Ron Koertge on his Long Writing Road

2010-03-19T09:45:00.004-04:00

Author and poet Ron Koertge has written over a dozen books for teens, including DEADVILLE, STRAYS, and MARGAUX WITH AN X. In today's guest blog, he reflects on his nearly 30-year writing career, from his rocky start penning novels to his belief in a certain Something that helped him get to where he is today.

Not long ago, somebody pointed out that I was one of the oldest kids’ writers around. I’m not so sure. But I’ll be seventy in April, and there’s no way to call that middle-aged.

Sometimes I walk into a classroom for a school visit, and the students look at each other with a Who’s-the-old-guy? expression on their faces. I don’t blame them. It seems odd to me, too. If my readers are around fifteen, I’m about five times as old as they are.

Polite kids will say, “Gee, you don’t look really old,” and most days I don’t. Not really old. My wife and I walk three or four miles every day. I do a little yoga. I’m fairly careful about what I eat. I have good genes. And you can’t get those at The Gap.

I didn’t start out as a kids’ writer. Not many people from my generation --- men, especially --- did. But I wanted to write. I met people in college and grad school who took writing seriously. So I wrote a novel and eventually got it published when I was around forty.

I thought that was the beginning of a real career. Instead, the next novels were awful.

Unpublishable. I was, in a way, a failure. Then a friend of mine pointed out that I was chronically immature. Why didn’t I write for teenage boys?

So I went to my local library, got out a couple of YA novels, read them and thought, “These are okay, but I’ll bet I can write one just as good.”

So I did. WHERE THE KISSING NEVER STOPS is still one of my faves. It’s very funny and I had a good time writing it. More fun than writing so-called serious fiction.

Twelve or thirteen books later, here I am. How did this happen? For one thing, I’ve been reading and writing poetry nearly all my life, so words and how they sound and how they fit together are important to me. So I actually write pretty well.

For another thing, I believe in Something. Maybe not the same thing that regular churchgoers believe in, but it’s definitely Something. When I was in my thirties and behaving badly, I thought I didn’t believe in anything. That is, I believed in Nothing.

But that wasn’t very satisfying and it sure wasn’t any fun. And things happened that made me see there was Something going on. I’d get the right ideas at the right time. STONER & SPAZ, one of my most popular novels, didn’t have a boy with cerebral palsy in it until Something guided two boys with CP right at me. I told kids in Q & A sessions that I wasn’t a big fan of sequels, but now I’ve written two because I couldn’t resist. One of them is just out: SHAKESPEARE MAKES THE PLAYOFFS, the sequel to SHAKESPEARE BATS CLEANUP.

What’s next? More books, I hope. And a long and happy life. I’ve had my flu shot, so I should be good at least till June.

-- Ron Koertge

Reader Q&A: Katrina from Los Angeles, CA

2010-03-18T10:48:00.003-04:00

Today's Reader Q&A comes from 13-year-old Katrina Santillan from Los Angeles, CA. Below, she explains why she's so envious of Hermione Granger, lists her top three favorite tear-jerking novels, and describes why movies can never live up to the books on which they're based.

If you could trade places with any character from a book for a day, who would you be and why?

Hermione Granger. who wouldn't want a day of her life? It's so full of excitement and surprises. You'll never be bored. Plus, she''s smart. It's fun being smart, the best in class (in magic!), and pretty, too. And let's not forget the two cute guy best friends. :)

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

1. THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak: The story is amazing. I fell in love with the characters really quickly. Despite the situations they were in, they always found a way to have fun and to entertain themselves. The style of writing only made the whole thing much better. More importantly, the story touched me in a way that I cried so many times reading the book. It's the best!

2. DEAR JOHN by Nicholas Sparks: This is the best romance novel ever! It's not one of those happily-ever-after kind of stories. The book teaches the reader what true love is all about. It's about sacrifices and happiness and being thoughtful. And the ending was just amazing.

3. THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher: The story is really unique. I've read other books in the same genre, but nothing is quite like this. It made me understand what life is about, and how even the little things in life can make a huge difference (good or bad) to a person's emotions. I recommend it to every teenager.

What movies have you seen that were based on books? Did you like the book or film version better? Why?

I've seen a lot of movies based on books. The Harry Potter series, the Twilight Saga, the Series of Unfortunate Events, The Princess Diaries, and Pride and Prejudice, to name a few. I've come to conclusion long ago that no movie version of any book would be better than the book. The book tells you a lot of things that the movie never can, like the character''s thoughts, for example. Also, movies always cut some scenes from the book, and that is just stupid (I think). Sometimes, they remove the best parts of the book thinking that its not really important to the story, but it is. The worst film adaptation of a book is (in my opinion) The Princess Diaries.

Tell us about your favorite book series.

The best series ever written is the Harry Potter series. I'm sure heaps of people think so as well. The story is just brilliant. J. K. Rowling thought of it so well. And I like her writing style too. She put in a lot of time making it as ''realistic'' as it can get because of the amount of description into every book. I especially love the many twists and turns that occurred in the books. They made me cry and laugh more times than I thought I would. It's the best.

Elizabeth Scott on Lost Friendships

2010-03-17T09:00:00.007-04:00

Elizabeth Scott is the author of eight young adult novels, including BLOOM, PERFECT YOU, SOMETHING, MAYBE and STEALING HEAVEN. While her latest novel, THE UNWRITTEN RULE, centers on messy love triangles and the difficulties of falling for a guy who's "off limits," she joins us today to talk about a different sort of heartache --- the kind that occurs when you lose your best friend.

If there is one thing that matters in high school --- and for your whole life --- it is friendships.

My latest novel, THE UNWRITTEN RULE, is about a girl, Sarah, who falls for her best friend Brianna’s boyfriend, Ryan, but it’s about more than wrestling with feelings for a guy that you know you shouldn't have. A lot of the book deals with friendship, the kind of lifelong friendship that means the world to you. . .and what happens when you realize that maybe it isn’t what you think it is.

That maybe your best friend isn’t your best friend. Maybe she isn’t even a friend at all.

Friendships are tricky things. You can be sure everything is fine, and that your friendship is going to last forever. . . and it can just end. No explanation, no anything. And it is not easy. In fact, I think losing a friend is worse than losing a boyfriend, especially when it is a friend you’ve had in your life for a long time.

One of the things that Sarah struggles with in THE UNWRITTEN RULE, beyond her feelings for Ryan, is her friendship with Brianna --- how long they’ve been friends, how she understands Brianna in a way no one else does, and what to do when a crack appears in their friendship, not because of Sarah's feelings for Ryan, but because Sarah begins to wonder if maybe Brianna isn’t her best friend after all.

Having a friendship end is incredibly painful and one of the things I hated when I was younger --- and that I still hate now --- is how people say, “Oh, it’ll be okay. You’ll move on, you’ll be fine.”

It is true that you will eventually move on and that you will be fine. But you will also always carry that lost friendship with you. It may not take up all of your heart like it does at first, but it will take part of it.

And that, I think, is something no one ever talks about and that I wish we could --- and would.

What do you do when someone you are friends with decides your friendship is over? How do you deal with it?

For me, it took tears. . . and time. How about you?

-- Elizabeth Scott

Reader Q&A: Katie from Cleburne, TX and Janae from Milwa

2010-03-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

This morning, we have two for the price of one, as 17-year-old Katie Smith from Cleburne, TX and 15-year-old Janae Haygood of Milwaukee, WI answer today's edition of the Reader Q&A. Read what they have to say about favorite characters, series, and literary-based movies.

Katie Smith from Cleburne, TX
If you could trade places with any character from a book for a day, who would you be and why?

Hmm... Max from the Maximum Ride books. 1) I've always wanted to fly, and 2) she's awesome, and can kick butt.

What is the last book you read? Would you suggest it to a friend? Why or why not?

FIRE by Kristin Cashore. Definitely. It was great.

Name three characters from a book that you'd like to invite to your birthday party.

Maximum Ride, Fang, and Angel.

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

I love Maximum Ride by James Patterson, which is about a girl who is 98% human, 2 % avian; THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins which is set in a futuristic America, and the capitol makes kids compete; and GONE by Michael Grant, during which everyone over the age of 14 disappears. :D

Tell us about your favorite book series.

Hmm... that would be a tough choice. There are too many. :)

****

Janae Haygood of Milwaukee, WI
Name three characters from a book that you'd like to invite to your birthday party.

I''d invite Zara from NEED because she's like me, plus she''s short like me too. I'd also invite Jace from The City of Glass series, and Edward from Twilight just because I love his character and I think he's really hot!

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

It would be GRACELING, NEED, and TORCH RED.

What movies have you seen that were based on books? Did you like the book or film version better? Why?

I've seen Twilight, New Moon, Speak, Pride and Prejudice, Zathura,Underworld and others...

Tell us about your favorite book series.

The City of Glass, the Need series, the Twilight Saga, the True Colors series by Melody Carlson, the Blue Bloods series and the Wicked Lovely series.

This Week's New Releases

2010-03-15T09:00:00.001-04:00

Feeling a little bored? Well, the fastest and easiest way to bring a little excitement to your life is to pick up a really great book. This week we have ten buzzworthy releases to share with you, including thrilling new installments of the hit Vampire Diaries, Maximum Ride, and Keys to the Kingdom series; as well as the reality-bending SPLIT, by science fiction author Stefan Petrucha. The love triangle in Elizabeth's Scott's THE UNWRITTEN RULE will certainly spice things up, while the nail-biting historical drama of Moying Li's coming-of-age tale SNOW FALLING IN SPRING promises to inspire and illuminate.

New Releases for March 15th

Hardcover
FANG: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Being a kid with wings --- constantly on the run --- has never been easy, and Max and her flock are getting tenser than ever. First, on a trip to Africa, they meet a mysterious billionaire whose intense scrutiny of the flock makes her fear the worst. Then, a cryptic message from a young girl arrives, warning them “The sky will fall.” And as if an impending apocalypse weren’t bad enough, canny birdkid Angel makes a dire prophecy about Max’s soul mate: Fang will be the first to die.

Max’s desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever. But can the team weather the storm, or will the turmoil rip them apart for the last time?

New Releases for March 16th

Hardcover

THE BODY FINDER by Kimberly Derting (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the 16-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies --- or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world ... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer --- and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer…and becoming his prey herself.

LORD SUNDAY by Garth Nix (Scholastic Press)
Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins.

In this thrilling conclusion to Garth Nix’s Keys to the Kingdom series, Arthur Penhaligon must complete his quest to save the Kingdom he is heir to...and Arthur’s world.

THE RETURN: Shadow Souls by L. J. Smith (HarperTeen)
On the run…

Elena Gilbert’s love, the vampire Stefan Salvatore, has been captured and imprisoned by demonic spirits who are wreaking havoc in Fell’s Church. While her friends Bonnie and Meredith explore the evil that has taken over their town, Elena goes in search of Stefan.
In order to find him, she entrusts her life to Stefan’s brother, Damon Salvatore, the handsome but deadly vampire who wants Elena, body and soul. Along with her childhood friend Matt, they set out for the slums of the Dark Dimension, where Stefan is being held captive. It is rumored to be a world where vampires and demons roam free, but humans must live enslaved to their supernatural masters…

Elena will stop at nothing to free Stefan. Yet with each passing day the tension between Elena and Damon grows, and she is faced with a terrible decision: Which brother does she really want?
Back in Fell’s Church, Bonnie and Meredith have made some dire discoveries. They hastily try to follow Elena and warn her --- only to be caught up in Elena’s most dangerous adventure yet.

SPLIT by Stefan Petrucha (Walker Books for Young Readers)
Wade Jackson has always felt split, his love for playing and writing music competing with his ambition to do well in school. But when his mother dies, this need for order competes with his desire to leave it all behind. What follows is a split in his consciousness that takes him to two very different worlds.

Told in alternating chapters that together form one cohesive story, SPLIT follows both Wades as they pursue what they think is the correct path. One Wade continues working hard in school, pulling all-nighters to write a computer code he believes will save the world. The other Wade pursues the dream of being a dive-bar singer, pulling all-nighters to party, gamble, and live on the edge. But when these two worlds begin to collide, each Wade will need to find a balance between control and abandon, order and chaos, life missed and life lost, in order to save himself.

THE UNWRITTEN RULE by Elizabeth Scott (Simon Pulse)
Another sweet and funny coming-of-age novel by the author of BLOOM; PERFECT YOU; SOMETHING, MAYBE; and LIVING DEAD GIRL.

VOICES OF DRAGONS by Carrie Vaughn (HarperTeen)
On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity’s deepest fears: dragons.
Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she’s breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she’d rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them.
But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon inter¬actions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?

In her young-adult debut, New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn presents a distinctly twenty-first-century tale of myths and machines, and an alliance that crosses a seemingly unbridgeable divide.

Paperback
THE SECRET LIFE OF PRINCE CHARMING by Deb Caletti (Simon Pulse)
A thoughtful, funny, and layered teen novel by National Book Award Finalist Deb Caletti.

SNOW FALLING IN SPRING: Coming of Age in China During the Cultural Revolution by Moying Li (Square Fish)
Most people cannot remember when their childhood ended. I, on the other hand, have a crystal-clear memory of that moment. It happened at night in the summer of 1966, when my elementary school headmaster hanged himself.

Moying Li is 12 years old when the Cultural Revolution sweeps across China. Studying at a prestigious language school in Beijing, she seems destined for a promising future. But everything changes when student Red Guards orchestrate brutal assaults, violent public humiliations, and forced confessions throughout the country. After watching her headmasters beaten in public, Moying flees school for the safety of home, only to witness her beloved grandmother denounced, her home ransacked, and her father taken away --- along with this precious books. Struggling to make sense of her crumbling world, she finds sanctuary in literature. But with many schools shut down and most books forbidden, how can she keep her passion for learning alive?

TEEN, INC. by Stefan Petrucha (Walker & Co.)
Ever since his parents were killed by a faulty piece of equipment manufactured by NECorp, 14-year old Jaiden Beale’s family has been the corporation. But after meeting some new friends, he’s confronted with the truth about NECorp and must make the tough decision whether to stay loyal to his “family” or to side with his new friends and the rest of the community.

New Releases for March 18th Hardcover

Hardcover

SHADOW MIRROR by Richie Tankersley Cusick (Speak)
Unsettling. There’s no better word to describe Miranda Barnes’s ability to hear the cries of the dead, feel the wind move her hair when they run by, and --- dare she look into a mirror --- see the reflection of a ghostly woman behind her. There’s only one person to turn to for support: Etienne. As sexy as he is mysterious, Miranda can’t help but be drawn to him. He believes her; he wants to help her. But there’s a secret in Etienne’s past, something Miranda’s on the verge of discovering. As paranormal activity escalates, passion grows, and soon Miranda is caught up in both love…and tragedy.

LITTLE MISS RED's If Your Life Were A Fairy Tale... Quiz

2010-03-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

If your life were a fairy tale, which one would it be?

We recently came across this adorable quiz for LITTLE MISS RED, Robin Palmer's latest novel, which --- like her two previous books CINDY ELLA and GEEK CHARMING --- is a modernized retelling of that classic fable we all grew up hearing. The book follows Sophie Greene, a goody goody who's tired of playing it safe, but can't quite work up the nerve to live her life a little more on the edge. But all that's about to change during a visit to her grandmother's, where she meets (and falls head over heels for) a wolfishly handsome bad boy who's willing to help her shed her squeaky clean image.

Be sure to check out LITTLE MISS RED, and take the quiz below if you've ever been swept off your feet, gone from rags to riches, fallen for a wolf in sheep's clothing, or are just in search of your very own happy ending!

(PS - I'm Red Riding Hood!)

Reader Q&A: Emily from Bolivar, MO

2010-03-11T09:00:00.002-05:00

Taking part in today's Reader Q&A is eighteen-year-old Emily Cross from Bolivar, MO. Check out her responses below, as she raves about THE PRINCESS BRIDE (both the book and the movie), reveals why she *didn't* like TWILIGHT, and discusses her favorite series by Laurie R. King.

If you could trade places with any character from a book for a day, who would you be and why?

Aouda from AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS by Jules Verne. She was a strong woman surrounded by great characters on the trip of a lifetime. Who wouldn't want to be her? Not to mention, Phileas was a sexy beast.

What is the last book you read? Would you suggest it to a friend? Why or why not?

TWILIGHT by Stephenie Meyer. I would not recommend it for a few reasons. The writing was lacking, the plot was weak, and I feel like it is a very unhealthy interpretation of love.

Name three characters from a book that you'd like to invite to your birthday party.

Westley, Inigo and Fezzik from THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman. Best. Party. Ever.

Do you have a favorite quote from a book? If so, what is it?

"We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?" -Ray Bradbury, FAHRENHEIT 451

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman is one of those books you can truly read a million times and always notice something new. For me, it captures the feeling of wonder and obsession when you begin to discover great stories as a child.

FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury opened my eyes to a lot of things and instilled in me a deep interest in freedom of speech, thought, and expression.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee is a book I think about on a near daily basis. Everything about it is so human, good and bad.

If you had the opportunity to meet any author (dead or alive), who would you choose to meet, and what three questions would you ask him/her?

I would love to pick Lois Lowry's brain.

1. Do you think the human race can reach a point when they give up war?
2. Who were your literary heroes growing up?
3. How in the world did you master flashbacks inside of flashbacks??

What movies have you seen that were based on books? Did you like the book or film version better? Why?

The Princess Bride by William Goldman: I love the movie. I love the book. All things considered, it''s perfect.

The Green Mile by Stephen King: I felt like the movie did a wonderful job portraying the story.

Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee: All right, this is actually based on a play, but it is my most favorite movie. The acting is great and it was very true to the play.

Tell us about your favorite book series.

The Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King is about a young orphaned woman, named Mary, in the early 1920s who is neighbors with none other than a retired Sherlock Holmes. He takes her under his wing and teaches her the art of detection. It''s a fun series and actually does a good job portraying Holmes.

Swati Avasthi on What Happens After

2010-03-10T09:00:00.006-05:00

Despite having just been released yesterday, Swati Avasthi's debut novel, SPLIT, has already garnered much praise and attention for its intense and realistic portrayal of a teenage victim of domestic violence, and his struggles to rebuild his life after escaping from his destructive home. Below, she traces the origins of the book to her personal experiences with families suffering from similar abuse, and describes how she was able to find hope and inspiration from their heartbreaking stories.

And if you haven't already, be sure to check the book trailer for SPLIT, here.

My debut novel, SPLIT, is narrated by 16-year-old Jace Witherspoon, who has just fled 1300 miles after finally hitting his dad back. He hasn’t seen his brother, Christian, in five years. But he shows up on Christian’s doorstep with $3.84 in his pocket, bruises on his face, and a secret. He tries for a clean slate, but can’t really go on living with his secret, unless he deals with all he’s left behind: his mom (who is still trapped with his dad) and his girlfriend --- well, his ex-girlfriend --- Lauren, who just won’t stop emailing him.

Jace’s story grew out of the three years I coordinated a domestic violence legal clinic. I learned a lot of lessons about survival and courage. I was often asked how I could put up with so much sadness and misery, but to me, it was inspiring. Every day, I watched men and women seeking orders of protection bravely come into our office, facing down the devil they knew and opting for the devil they didn’t.

Once, a woman came in with her two kids. She was telling me about a harrowing incident when I stopped her and asked her if she’d like an intern to look after her kids. She wasn’t sure why and when I told her that it might be hard for them to hear about her experience, she told me that they had seen it. It was chilling to think that the two little kids in front of me witnessed this. I wondered who these kids would turn into when their primary role model for manhood was an abuser. The kids, the boy in particular, began to haunt me.

Additionally, I was disturbed by my own response to his mother. Underneath all my sympathy and genuine concern for her, there was a tinge of anger toward her. I wanted her to protect her children, to be a responsible mother. But I was blaming the wrong person. I needed to hold their father accountable.

Domestic violence is typically seen as a women’s issue, but to me, that seems strange. In most cases, the abusers are men. Abusers have the clearest line of sight to ending abuse, to breaking the cycle. Women can escape abuse (though it is very difficult and requires an impressive amount of courage) and go on to a better relationship. But abusers carry their hatred and anger to their next victim.

SPLIT is about what happens after the abuse is over. Jace, who terms himself a Scholar of Fightology, has a lot of Fightology Lessons to unlearn. He needs to find a better way, a way that is not just about survival, but about living.

-- Swati Avasthi

SPLIT Book Trailer

2010-03-09T15:04:00.003-05:00

In the opening of Swati Avasthi's debut novel, SPLIT, main character Jace Witherspoon finds himself in quite the predicament. He's just traveled over a thousand miles with nothing but three bucks in his pocket, a busted-up face, and the hope that the brother he hasn't seen in five years will take him in. You see, Jace is running away from home; specifically, after throwing a few punches of his own, he's running from the father who's abused him his entire life. Now all he wants to do is start over, but the big question is... how?

SPLIT hits bookstore and library shelves today and Swati will be joining us here on the Teenreads blog tomorrow, but in the meantime, check out the book trailer for SPLIT below, and be sure to let us know what you think!

Reader Q&A: Audrey from Virginia Beach, VA

2010-03-09T09:00:00.002-05:00

In today's Reader Q&A, 16-year-old Audrey Crothers from Virginia Beach, VA talks about her favorite book-based film, shares the two series that got her hooked on fantasy fiction, and reveals the real reason behind wanting to swap shoes with Jessica from Amelia Atwater-Rhodes's DEMON IN MY VIEW.

If you could trade places with any character from a book for a day, who would you be and why?

I would have to say I'd want to be Jessica from DEMON IN MY VIEW by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. Jessica is unique and courageous. Even when she's staring death in the face, she isn't afraid to fight back. Plus she has a strong and sexy vampire protecting her.

Name three characters from a book that you'd like to invite to your birthday party.

Jacob Black from the Twilight series; Patch from HUSH, HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick; and Cabel from WAKE by Lisa McMann.

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

I have a lot of books that I would call my favorites, but the first that come to mind are: WHITE FANG by Jack London; AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie; and ALAS, BABYLON by Pat Frank.

What movies have you seen that were based on books? Did you like the book or film version better? Why?

My all-time favorite movie -- that was based on a book -- is THE PRINCESS BRIDE. I don't know how many times I've watched it. I am in love with the movie, as well as the abridged version of the book; both versions are amazing. I saw the movie first, and i really liked the story and the characters. Then, when I read the book, it was able to give me more detail about the storyline that only books can.

Tell us about your favorite book series.

I don't read many book series, but I think there's a tie between the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. Ever since reading that type of fiction/fantasy, i cant get my hands on enough books in that genre.

This Week's New Releases

2010-03-08T09:00:00.002-05:00

“Powerful.” “Explosive.” “Snappy.” “Breathtaking.” These are just a few of the words that have been used to describe some of the fantastic titles hitting the shelves this week. These books may span all kinds of subject matters and genres --- from sports and family dramas like THE BATBOY and SHAKESPEARE MAKES THE PLAYOFFS, and romances like FLIRTING WITH DISASTER and THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE, to fantasies like THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES and THE SINGING --- but what they all have in common is the sheer excellence to be found between their pages.

New Releases for March 9th

Hardcover
THE BATBOY by Mike Lupica (Philomel Books)
It is every baseball kid’s dream summer job: batboy for your hometown Major League team. Yet for fourteen year-old Brian, the job means more than just the chance to hang around his idols. Baseball was the job his father loved so much, in the end he couldn’t leave it. Yet he could leave his family. Now Brian sees the job as the way to win back his father.

There is no winning back some people, though. Just ask Hank Bishop --- once the most popular player in baseball before he was banned for using steroids. Now he is making his comeback. And an unlikely friendship slowly develops between this man in need of a family and this boy in need of a father.

Mike Lupica, king of the sports novel, delivers his most powerful and kid-friendly to date.

BORDERLINE by Allan Stratton (HarperTeen)
The truth is closing in.

Life’s not easy for Sami Sabiri since his dad stuck him at a private school where he’s the only Muslim kid. But it’s about to get a lot worse.

When Sami catches his father in a lie, he gets suspicious…He’s not the only one. In a whirlwind, the FBI descends on his home, and Sami’s family becomes the center of an international terrorist investigation. Now Sami must fight to keep his world from unraveling.

An explosive thriller ripped from today’s headlines, borderline is the story of a funny, gutsy Muslim-American teen determined to save his father, his family, and his life.

THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES by Carrie Ryan (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

HOURGLASS by Claudia Gray (HarperTeen)
Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas.

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend --- the vampire Balthazar --- hiding is no longer an option.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can’t escape her destiny.
Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything…but can it survive what’s to come?

KEEP SWEET by Michele Dominguez Greene (Simon Pulse)
Alva Jane has never questioned her parents, never questioned her faith, never questioned her future. She is content with the strict rules that define her life in Pineridge, the walled community where she lives with her father, his seven wives, and her twenty-eight siblings. This is the only world Alva has ever known, and she has never thought to challenge it.
But everything changes when Alva is caught giving her long-time crush an innocent first kiss. Beaten, scorned, and now facing a forced marriage to a violent, fifty-year old man, Alva suddenly realizes how much she has to lose--and how impossible it will be to escape.

POISONED HONEY: A Story of Mary Magdalene by Beatrice Gormley (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
This story begins with Mariamne, a vulnerable girl who knows little of the ways of the world. Much as she wants to be in control of her own destiny, she soon learns she has no such power. She must do as her father and brother see fit, and when tragedy strikes, Mari must marry a man she does not love and enter a household where she is not welcome, for the good of her family.

But she finds a small way to comfort herself when she meets an Egyptian wisewoman who instructs her in the ways of the occult arts. In the spirit world, Mari finds she has power. Here, she really is in control of her fate. But is she? Or is the magic controlling her?

This gripping portrait of one of the most misunderstood and controversial Biblical figures is the story of a young girl’s path through manipulation and possession, madness and healing, to a man who will change the world forever.

SAVING MADDIE by Varian Johnson (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
Joshua Wynn is a preacher’s son and a “good boy” who always does the right thing. Until Maddie comes back to town. Maddie is the daughter of the former associate pastor of Joshua’s church, and his childhood crush. Now Maddie is all grown up, gorgeous—and troubled. She wears provocative clothes to church, cusses, drinks, and fools around with older men. Joshua’s ears burn just listening to the things she did to get kicked out of boarding school, and her own home.

As time goes on, Josh goes against his parents and his own better instincts to keep Maddie from completely capsizing. Along the way, he begins to question his own rigid understanding of God and whether, as his mother says, a girl like Maddie is beyond redemption. Maddie leads Josh further astray than any girl ever has…but is there a way to reconcile his love for her and his love for his life in the church?

SHAKESPEARE MAKES THE PLAYOFFS by Ron Koertge (Candlewick Press)
Fielding his social life is a bigger challenge for Kevin than hitting a fastball in Ron Koertge’s funny, insightful sequel to SHAKESPEARE BATS CLEANUP.

Fourteen-year-old Kevin Boland has a passion for playing baseball, a knack for writing poetry --- and a cute girlfriend named Mira who’s not much interested in either. But then, Kevin doesn’t exactly share Mira’s new-found fervor for all things green. So when Kevin signs up for open mike night at Bungalow Books and meets Amy, a girl who knows a sonnet from a sestina and can match his emails verse for verse, things start to get sticky. Should he stay with Mira? Or risk spoiling his friendship with Amy by asking her out? Ron Koertge, master of snappy dialogue and a deft poet, offers a fast-paced, sympathetic story that interweaves two narrative voices with humor and warmth.

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson (Dial Books for Young Readers)
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life --- and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

SOFTWIRE: The Awakening on Orbis 4 by PJ Haarsma (Candlewick)
The sci-fi series careens to a conclusion as JT comes to terms with the startling truth about his destiny on the Rings of Orbis.

Johnny Turnbull now knows that his sister, Ketheria, is the Scion --- a long-awaited being who will bring understanding and healing to the universe. But what about him? As the Scion’s protector and guardian, JT is expected to start training to become a Space Jumper, a mercenary soldier who can jump through time and space. And he’s not happy about it, especially as he promised his girlfriend, Max, he would never take on that dangerous role, which could take him who-knows-how-far away. Can anything --- or any one --- guide Johnny to his true calling? And as new trouble brews on Orbis, will even Space Jumper skills be enough to help JT protect his sister and his friends?

SPLIT by Swati Avasthi (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
Sixteen-Year-Old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother Christian with a re-landscaped face (courtesy of his father’s fist), $3.84, and a secret.

He tries to move on, going for new friends, a new school, and a new job, but all his changes can’t make him forget what he left behind—his mother, who is still trapped with his dad, and his ex-girlfriend, who is keeping his secret.

At least so far.

Worst of all, Jace realizes that if he really wants to move forward, he may first have to do what scares him most: He may have to go back. First-time novelist Swati Avasthi has created a riveting and remarkably nuanced portrait of what happens after. After you’ve said enough, after you’ve run, after you’ve made the split --- how do you begin to live again? Readers won’t be able to put this intense page-turner down.

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR STALKING: The Clique #12, by Lisi Harrison (Poppy/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
The twelfth novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series about Westchester County’s most exclusive private middle school girls.

VINTAGE VERONICA by Erica S. Perl (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
Veronica Walsh is 15, fashion-minded, fat, and friendless. Her summer job in the Consignment Corner section (Employees Only!) of a vintage clothing store is a dream come true. There Veronica can spend her days separating the one-of-a-kind gem garments from the “Dollar-a-Pound” duds, without having to deal with people. But when two outrageous yet charismatic salesgirls befriend her and urge her to spy on and follow the mysterious and awkward stock boy Veronica has nicknamed the Nail, Veronica’s summer takes a turn for the weird. Suddenly, what began as a prank turns into something else entirely. Which means Veronica may have to come out of hiding and follow something even riskier for the first time: her heart.

Paperback

ANYTHING BUT TYPICAL by Nora Raleigh Baskin (Simon & Schuster)
Jason Blake is an autistic 12-year-old living in a neuro-typical world. Most days it’s just a matter of time before something goes wrong. But Jason finds a glimmer of understanding when he comes across PhoenixBird, who posts stories to the same online site as he does.
Jason can be himself when he writes and he thinks that PhoneixBird-her name is Rebecca-could be his first real friend. But as desperate as Jason is to met her, he’s terrified that if they do meet, Rebecca wil only see his autism and not who Jason really is. By acclaimed writer Nora Raleigh Baskin, this is the breathtaking depiction of an autistic boy’s struggles-and a story for anyone who has ever worried about fitting in.

FLIRTING WITH DISASTER by Rhonda Stapleton (Simon Pulse)
Felicity is a total romantic. That’s why she follows her heart --- not the rules --- in her job as a cupid. But when Felicity turns her matchmaking magic on her best friend, Andy, it’s Andy who breaks their golden rule: friends always come first. Andy is so wrapped up in her new guy that she’s ditching everyone else. How can Felicity stop her BFF from letting a BF come between them?

Meanwhile, Felicity decides to get over her crush on Derek by setting him up with someone else --- but in her impulsive haste, she accidentally matches him with the whole school, and now everyone is in love with him. The entire student body is headed toward heartbreak, just weeks before prom. Does Felicity have what it takes to make everyone’s heart happy --- including her own?

HE FORGOT TO SAY GOODBYE by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
“I mean, it’s not as if I want a father. I have a father. It’s just that I don’t know who he is or where he is. But I have one.”

Ramiro Lopez and Jake Upthegrove don’t appear to have much in common. Ram lives in the Mexican-American working-class barrio of El Paso called “Dizzy Land.” His brother is sinking into a world of drugs, wreaking havoc in their household. Jake is a rich West Side white boy who has developed a problem managing his anger. An only child, he is a misfit in his mother’s shallow and materialistic world. But Ram and Jake do have one thing in common: they are lost boys who have never met their fathers. This sad fact has left both of them undeniably scarred and obsessed with the men who abandoned them. As Jake and Ram overcome their suspicions of each other, they begin to move away from their loner existences and realize that they are capable of reaching out beyond their wounds and the neighborhoods that they grew up in. Their friendship becomes a healing in a world of hurt.

San Antonio Express-News wrote, “Benjamin Alire Sáenz exquisitely captures the mood and voice of a community, a culture, and a generation”; that is proven again in this beautifully crafted novel.

JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta (HarperTeen)
In this lyrical, absorbing, award-winning novel, nothing is as it seems, and every clue leads to more questions.

At age 11, Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother. At 14, she ran away from boarding school, only to be tracked down and brought back by a mysterious stranger. Now 17, Taylor’s the reluctant leader of her school’s underground community, whose annual territory war with the Townies and visiting Cadets has just begun. This year, though, the Cadets are led by Jonah Griggs, and Taylor can’t avoid his intense gaze for long. To make matters worse, Hannah, the one adult Taylor trusts, has disappeared. But if Taylor can piece together the clues Hannah left behind, the truth she uncovers might not just settle her past, but also change her future.

SCANDAL by Kate Brian (Simon & Schuster)
Kate Brian’s Private series gets even better when Reed returns from her horrific vacation.

THE SINGING: The Fourth Book of Pellinor by Alison Croggon (Candlewick)
In a battle-ravaged land, Maerad, Cadvan, and Hem desperately search for one another as they make their separate journeys. The Black Army is advancing, and all of the Seven Kingdoms are threatened with devastating defeat. Yet in Maerad and Hem lives the secret to the mysterious Singing, and legend holds that if they release the music of Elidhu together, they have the power to defeat the Nameless One. Can brother and sister find each other in time --- and are they strong enough, even reunited --- to defeat the supreme enemy before all is lost?

Y.S. Lee: What Kind of Writer Are You?

2010-03-05T09:00:00.002-05:00

Think it's possible to decipher aspects of your personality through your eating habits? Or better yet, your writing personality? Below, Y. S. Lee --- author of the new mystery series, The Agency, which centers around a 17-year-old amateur detective in Victorian London --- breaks down some common dinnertime tendencies that can indicate whether you're a plotter, a plunger, or a strategizer.

Also, make sure to check out her "If I Were A Spy..." contest, where three lucky readers can win copies of the series' first installment, A SPY IN THE HOUSE, plus t-shirts and a mystery prize! You can read more about the giveaway at Ying's website, here.

Time for a quiz! It’s dinnertime. Your plate holds both foods you like and foods you feel lukewarm about. You start by:

a) Eating the thing you like least, and saving the best for last.
b) Eating your favourite; you’ll deal with the other stuff later, and maybe you’ll be too full to bother with it anyway.
c) Considering how hungry you are, tasting a little of each food in case your position towards it has changed, and planning your meal accordingly.

“Yeah, yeah,” you say. “I thought this was a book blog.” Well, I think your approach to mealtimes says a lot about your writing personality.

If you chose A: you’re a classic plotter. You find the core of your story, tease out the various complications and sub-plots, structure the plot, and do your research up front. You are never surprised by who the villain might be. Your characters never disobey your will; they are your creations, and they take orders from you, General. You have a preferred way of writing --- from beginning to end, perhaps, or key scenes first --- and stick to it. You meet your deadlines. The toughest part of writing for you may be actually getting words on the page, since you’ve already imagined your scenes and relationships so fully.

If you chose B: you’re a carefree plunger. Inspired by a moment, an idea, a line in a song, you dive in and write. When your words flow, they’re a deluge; when you’re blocked, it’s the Gobi Desert. Your plot goes in unexpected directions, some of which are brilliant and some of which just need to be scrapped. Your characters will develop traits, histories, and even sidekicks that come as a surprise to you. You tend to write the best parts first, and find yourself stuck with all the bridges at the end. Your greatest challenge in writing is pulling all your lovely moments into a consistent, coherent whole.

If you chose C: you are a cautious strategizer. It’s refreshing to start anew each time, and you bring few, if any, assumptions to your new project. You spend time weighing the possibilities, and may try a few things before backing away. This is a wonderful way to write, when it works, but it can also be extremely frustrating and time-consuming. Your characters are vivid in your mind, but their motivations might change. The emphasis of the book may change, although your research is unlikely to be wasted. The hardest thing for you is charting your course and sticking to it.

For those of you who’ve read A SPY IN THE HOUSE, can you guess which type of writer I am? And please tell me, because I’m curious: what kind of writer are you?

-- Y. S. Lee

Reader Q&A: John from Dubois, PA

2010-03-04T12:36:00.004-05:00

Today, 15-year-old John J. from DuBois, PA shares which fun, fictional characters he'd want at his birthday bash, discusses the realistic aspects of David Klass's YOU DON'T KNOW ME and shares a set of amusing quotes from one of the greatest American novels ever written.

If you could trade places with any character from a book for a day, who would you be and why?

Probably Prince Po from GRACELING. He''s smart, sexy, a fighter, and graced with being able to feel people and read their thoughts about him. And, he''s royalty. What more could you ask for?

What is the last book you read? Would you suggest it to a friend? Why or why not?

YOU DON'T KNOW ME by David Klass. I would suggest it to anyone. The main character is a perfect representation of what it is to be a teenager: confusing, creative, and explosive. Plus, all of the characters are fun to love (or hate)!

Name three characters from a book that you'd like to invite to your birthday party.

1. Gemma Doyle (A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY): She's witty, subtle, and one of the best protagonists I've ever read about. A must have for my birthday.
2. Zack (Beautiful Americans): Fun, snarky fashionista. In male form. Enough said.
3. Schuyler Van Alen (Blue Bloods) - A girl with her own style and flair, but is loyal, intelligent, and responsible. Plus, she could get us into all the best NYC clubs!

Do you have a favorite quote from a book? If so, what is it?

Yes, it's from GONE WITH THE WIND. "Well you sir are no gentleman." - Scarlett "And "You are no lady!" - Rhett Butler

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

1. GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell: Unbridled passions, a backdrop of one of the most epic events in American history, amazing writing, and characters that play at the most reserved of your emotions. Truly a masterpiece.
2. RAINBOW BOYS by Alex Sanchez: What GEOGRAPHY CLUB started, this book mastered. The characters are all lovable and different, yet honest. It explains the realities of being a gay teenager, and a teenager in general. Should be on anyone''s top reading list.
3. A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY by Libba Bray - Magic, mystery, and Victorian England. Yep. If you don''t want to read it already, well... A teenage girl tries to find herself, when being a lady just isn't her destiny. When her mother is mysteriously killed, she is forced to be shipped off to Spence Academy for Ladies, and discovers magical abilities, things get just a little bit crazy.

If you had the opportunity to meet any author (dead or alive), who would you choose to meet, and what three questions would you ask him/her?

Libba Bray! She''s funny, always writes with a creative and delectable style, and has amazing characterization.

1. How did you come up with your characters?
2. What is your next major project?
3. Is there any hope for the Gemma Doyle Trilogy becoming a quartet?

What movies have you seen that were based on books? Did you like the book or film version better? Why?

Gone With the Wind and Twilight are two that stand out. I loved Gone With the Wind with an equal ferocity, but I preferred the novel version of Twilight to the movie, which was satisfying but not at all worthy of the hype it got. Ditto for the second book in the series as well.

Tell us about your favorite book series.

The series I devoured the fastest recently was the Rainbow Boys series, which combined normal teen problems with a topic that many authors tend to avoid in main characters these days. They were quick, dramatic, and catty. Like Gossip Girl. But with guys. And better writing.

Stephen Emond: Journals and Self-Expression

2010-03-03T09:00:00.005-05:00

Today, we're joined by Stephen Emond, creator of the comics Emo Boy and Steverino. Below, he reflects on the practice of keeping a journal --- online or otherwise --- and discusses how it inspired his debut novel for young adults, HAPPYFACE.

I’ve always been interested in the idea of self-expression. I’m rather shy by nature and never was one to speak out or draw attention to myself, so I think my piles of art and writing are my way of communicating with the world. In my debut YA novel HAPPYFACE, the main character similarly writes and draws in his own journal, expressing all the things he hides in person. The dichotomy of Happyface as he is with his friends, how he comes off in his emails and online conversations, and how he is in his own journal was really interesting to me.

Back in 2004 --- well before the days of Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and sliced bread --- I had just signed up for my very own LiveJournal account. Complete strangers were becoming my LiveJournal friends. A lot of them were teenagers who picked up a copy of my comic book Emo Boy and added me to see what I had to say. Likewise, it was interesting for me to see what they had to say. You see, before the facebooks and the twitters, people would write these long rambling diatribes on LiveJournal; what they did, what they’re doing, what they plan to do, how they feel about it. Some of them were intensely personal and I felt a little guilty reading them. But this was their self-expression; it was the same thing I did with all my projects, just a little more direct. I always wondered if any of them had writing aspirations, if they save these ideas, or if it’s just an outlet and that’s that. And are they that open in their offline lives?

My LiveJournal never got very personal. I keep sketchbooks, which is about as close to a diary as I’ve ever come. I have boxes full of my old sketchbooks, which contain superhero drawings, pencil renderings, drawings of girls, and autobiographical comics. Some drawings were silly; some were mimicking my cartooning idols. A lot of them weren’t very good. As the years moved on my sketchbooks were filling more and more with my writing; there were ideas for stories, character names, town names, bits of dialogue, jokes. My current sketchbooks are nearly full of writing (though I still prefer to use unlined paper). I have pages set aside for movie ideas, book ideas, comic books, stand up routines, sketch comedy stuff. Memories. I try to just store it all up --- if I think it, it’s worth writing down. I guess the idea is that it’s all potentially usable, somewhere, sometime.

I used a lot of my jokes and gags working on a newspaper comic strip that never took off. My comic strip “STEVERINO” was me pouring my lonely heart out, a sad comic about a naïve lovelorn boy. I barely hid myself in the work; it was my way of saying all the things I was too shy to say aloud. I used a lot of life experience and how I felt as a teen in writing Emo Boy. But here I obscured myself a bit more, concentrating more on outlandish concepts and story arcs.

I thought about the LiveJournalists while writing HAPPYFACE and tried to fuse that honesty and emotion, that rawness, with what I’d always known, my sketchbooks. So Happyface’s journal is a diary, but it’s also where he draws and expresses all of his ideas. He talks about his experiences and feelings but he also draws what he can’t talk about. He jots down little throwaway gags in the margins. He adapts his experiences into short story ideas. I even pulled in the social media idea a bit and have him using email and instant message conversations as part of his own self-expression.
It’s something that would be kind of cool to catch on, I think --- just a puddle of self-expression in its purest forms. I could see a “SketchJournal” site, maybe, where a creative community would write and draw, sing and dance, post music and videos and share all their thoughts and feelings with whoever is willing to watch, read and listen. Just credit me if you build it.

-- Stephen Emond

Reader Q&A: Lindsee from Hampton, GA

2010-03-02T10:13:00.004-05:00

Today's Reader Q&A participant is 16-year-old Lindsee from Hampton, GA. Below, she talks about her current obsession with Alyson Noel's Immortals series and credits the Twilight books for jump-starting her interest in reading.

If you could trade places with any character from a book for a day, who would you be and why?

My current obsession is with the Immortals series, so I would chose Ever... even though she goes through a lot of situations!

What is the last book you read? Would you suggest it to a friend? Why or why not?

BLUE MOON! Yes!! I''m on the third book of the Immortals series now, and I finished the second one in two days! It's great!

Name three characters from a book that you'd like to invite to your birthday party.

Damen, Ever, and... oh yeah! Wanda!!

Do you have a favorite quote from a book? If so, what is it?

"You are my life now."

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

1) THE HOST! 2) The Immortals series! (I can''t choose just one.) 3) Well the Twilight Saga, since that''s what got me really into reading as much as I do.

If you had the opportunity to meet any author (dead or alive), who would you choose to meet, and what three questions would you ask him/her?

Wow... Alyson Noel. I would ask where she got her brilliant ideas! What does she think of when she thinks of Summerland? How does she do it?!?!

What movies have you seen that were based on books? Did you like the book or film version better? Why?

Twilight and New Moon --- definitely the books! They are written in such detail. I get the feeling so much better, and it sticks with me all day (:

Tell us about your favorite book series.
The Immortals is amazing! Go read it. Now. (: (:

This Week's New Releases

2010-03-01T09:00:00.002-05:00

This week, we’re showcasing 20 titles that range from nail-biting mysteries (THE PICKLE KING) and tales of the supernatural (HEX HALL), to teenage dramas (CITY OF ANGELS) and everything in between! You’ll be sure to find something to love!

New Releases for February 28th

Paperback

HOW TO (UN)CAGE A GIRL by Francesca Lia Block (HarperTeen)
A celebration of girls and women in a three-part poetry collection that is powerful, hopeful, authentic, and universal.

New Releases for March 1st

Hardcover

GREEN WITCH by Alice Hoffman (Scholastic Press)
In this powerful, lovely sequel to GREEN ANGEL, Green must learn the stories of a number of “witches” and free her true soul mate from a prison as she grapples with life, love, and loss in a post-disaster world.

HAPPYFACE by Stephen Emond (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Just put on a happy face!

Enter Happyface’s journal and get a peek into the life of a shy, artistic boy who decides to reinvent himself as a happy-go-lucky guy after he moves to a new town. See the world through his hilariously self-deprecating eyes as he learns to shed his comic-book-loving, computer-game- playing ways. Join him as he makes new friends, tries to hide from his past, and ultimately learns to face the world with a genuine smile. With a fresh and funny combination of text and fully integrated art, HAPPYFACE is an original storytelling experience.

THE LAST SUMMER OF THE DEATH WARRIORS by Francisco X. Stork (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic)
When Pancho arrives at St. Anthony’s Home, he knows his time there will be short: if his plans succeed, he’ll soon be arrested for the murder of his sister’s killer. But then he’s assigned to help D.Q., whose brain cancer has slowed neither his spirit nor his mouth. D.Q. tells Pancho all about his “Death Warrior’s Manifesto,” which will help him to live out his last days fully --- ideally, he says, with the love of the beautiful Marisol. As Pancho tracks down his sister’s murderer, he finds himself falling under the influence of D.Q. and Marisol, who is everything D.Q. said she would be, and he is inexorably drawn to a decision: to honor his sister and her death, or embrace the way of the Death Warrior and choose life.

Nuanced in its characters and surprising in its plot developments --- both soulful and funny --- Pancho & D.Q. is a “buddy novel” of the highest kind: the story of a friendship that helps two young men become all they can be.

THE PICKLE KING by Rebecca Promitzer (The Chicken House/Scholastic)
Bea lives in the nowhere town of Elbow, where it rains so much the residents have green mold growing between their toes. Nothing ever happens in Elbow. Its closest claim to fame is a giant pickle factory, owned by Herman, the Pickle King. Herman’s a small-time big shot, a local celebrity...until he turns up dead. And when Bea and Sam stumble across the body --- minus one eyeball --- in the water-logged basement of a creepy old house, suddenly THEY’RE ones in a pickle! With a mystery to solve, maybe this summer won’t be such a bore after all....

Paperback
THE A-LIST HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY: CITY OF ANGLES by Zoey Dean (Poppy)
After a rocky first week in L.A., Jojo Milford is quickly getting used to her status as Hollywood Royalty. She and stepsister Myla have a tenuous truce, at least at home --- but with Jojo becoming more and more popular at Beverly Hills High, how long can the ceasefire last? And is Myla’s long-term relationship with BHH’s resident rocker Ash Gilmour really over? Meanwhile, uber-starlet Amelie Adams is just like any other teenage girl: totally in love. Too bad her crush barely knows she exists. And too bad for Jake Porter-Goldsmith, Amelie’s math tutor, who’s hopelessly in love with Amelie.

EVERYTHING IS FINE. by Ann Dee Ellis (Little, Brown and Company)
Stuck at home caring for her severely depressed mother and abandoned by her father, Mazzy has only the day-to-day dramas of her neighborhood to keep her busy. But between flirting with the boy next door and worrying about the fact that she’s flat-chested, Mazzy has to face the fact that her mom is emotionally paralyzed by a family tragedy. As readers delve into the story, they’ll eventually discover what it was that tore Mazzy’s family apart, and they’ll see what it takes to put it back together. Despite its serious subject matter, Mazzy brings humor to the trying age of adolescence and gives readers just the kind of awkward, troubled, and endearing character they will gladly embrace.

HERE LIES ARTHUR by Philip Reeve (Scholastic Paperbacks)
Gwynna is just a girl who is forced to run when her village is attacked and burns to the ground. To her horror, she is discovered in the wood. But it is Myrddin the bard who has found her, a traveler and spinner of tales. He agrees to protect Gwynna if she will agree to be bound in service to him. Gwynna is frightened but intrigued --- and says yes --- for this Myrddin serves the young, rough, and powerful Arthur. In the course of their travels, Myrddin transforms Gwynna into the mysterious Lady of the Lake, a boy warrior, and a spy. It is part of a plot to transform Arthur from the leader of a ragtag war band into King Arthur, the greatest hero of all time. If Gwynna and Myrrdin’s trickery is discovered, what will become of Gwynna? Worse, what will become of Arthur? Only the endless battling, the mighty belief of men, and the sheer cunning of one remarkable girl will tell.

SAME DIFFERENCE by Siobhan Vivian (Push)
Emily needs a change of scenery. She’s been pegged as the “arty girl” by the kids in school --- even her own friends. There’s some truth to that, but there’s more to how she sees the world than painting or drawing, and no one seems to understand that. So when Emily gets the chance to go to an art program in Philadelphia for the summer, she jumps at it. A new cast of characters enters her life...and suddenly she has to figure out who she wants to be. She’s gone from the suburbs where everyone’s trying to be the same to a school where everyone’s trying to be unique. The rules may have changed, but the pressures haven’t. With wit and empathy, Siobhan Vivian goes straight to the heart of a teen girl’s search for identity --- including the pain and heartache we have to go through to figure out who we are.

New Releases for March 2nd

Hardcover

ANASTASIA’S SECRET by Susanne Dunlap (Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books)
“Will I never see you again either?” I asked, feeling as though I was about to jump off a high mountain peak and hope to land without hurting myself. That’s how impossible everything seemed at that moment, no matter what I did.

“Perhaps we will meet again,” Sasha said, softening his voice. “But you must see that it does not matter. You have so much ahead of you. It’s your choice now. Choose the future! Choose life!”

For Anastasia Romanov, life as the privileged daughter of Russia’s last tsar is about to be torn apart by the bloodshed of revolution. Ousted from the imperial palace when the Bolsheviks seize control of the government, Anastasia and her family are exiled to Siberia. But even while the rebels debate the family’s future with agonizing slowness and the threat to their lives grows more menacing, romance quietly blooms between Anastasia and Sasha, a sympathetic young guard she has known since childhood. But will the strength of their love be enough to save Anastasia from a violent death?

Inspired by the mysteries that have long surrounded the last days of the Romanov family, Susanne Dunlap’s new novel is a haunting vision of the life and love story of Russia’s last princess.

BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High --- from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death --- and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

FORGET-HER-NOTS by Amy Brecount White (Greenwillow Books)
Something --- some power --- is blooming inside Laurel. She can use flowers to do things. Like bringing back lost memories. Or helping her friends ace tests. Or making people fall in love.
Laurel suspects her newfound ability has something to do with an ancient family secret, one that her mother meant to share with Laurel when the time was right. But then time ran out.
Clues and signs and secret messages seem to be all around Laurel at Avondale School, where her mother had also boarded as a student. Can Laurel piece everything together quickly enough to control her power, which is growing more potent every day? Or will she set the stage for the most lovestruck, infamous prom in the history of the school?

HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins (Disney-Hyperion)
Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It’s gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie’s estranged father --- an elusive European warlock --- only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it’s her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

THE RETURNERS by Gemma Malley (Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books)
London teenager Will Hodge is miserable. His mother is dead, his father’s political leanings have grown radical, and his friends barely talk to him. To top it off, he’s having nightmares about things like concentration camps. Then Will notices he’s being followed by a group of people who claim to know him from another time in history. It turns out they are Returners, reincarnated people who carry with them the memory of atrocities they have witnessed in the past. Will realizes that he, too, is a Returner. But something about his memories is different, and with dawning horror, Will suspects that he wasn’t just a witness to the events, he was instrumental in making them happen. Set in the near future, with the world on the verge of a new wave of ethnic cleansing, Will must choose to confront the cruelty he’s known in his past lives, or be doomed to repeat it…

Paperback

EXPOSED by Susan Vaught (Bloomsbury USA)
Chan Shealy is an all-American girl, a baton-twirler, straight-A student. But when she looks for a boyfriend online, sure that she’s following the rules and staying safe, she finds herself the victim of a pedophile whose interests are worse than she ever imagines... it is almost too late when she realizes what she must do to stop him.

SIX INNINGS by James Preller (Square Fish)
It’s the biggest game of the season, and 23 boys are ready to play. They’re checking each other out, plotting their strategies, and psyching themselves up. But one kid isn’t on the field. Sam Reiser, the announcer, is sitting it out this season. He can’t play, but he’s not about to miss a game. And watching over it all is exciting --- the acrobatic catches, the incredible hits, the devastating errors --- it’s just not the same. Sam’s friend Mike knows how he feels. Mike’s out in right field, wishing Sam could join him. Because this isn’t just a big game. It’s the championship --- the biggest game of their lives.

STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE by David Yoo (Disney Hyperion)
Before he met Mia, resigned loser Albert Kim was too busy dodging high school sociopaths to imagine having a girlfriend. Much less the adorable ex-girlfriend of alpha jerk Ryan Stackhouse. Yet somehow, by the end of a summer working at an inn together, Al and Mia are “something.”

Then September arrives with a thud: Ryan has been diagnosed with cancer and needs Mia at his side. As the school year turns into one giant tribute to Ryan, Al can’t help but notice that Ryan may not be quite who everyone --- particularly Mia --- thinks he is. Before his heart shatters completely, Al has just a few more things to point out...

New Releases for March 3rd

Hardcover

BROADWAY LIGHTS by Jen Calonita (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Her star power in demand on a hit Broadway play, Hollywood teen starlet Kaitlin Burke packs up her entourage (ok, her showbiz family, friends, assistant, and publicist, but not the dreamy boyfriend) and moves to the Big Apple for the summer. Kaitlin is the toast of the town and she hits the most exclusive New York nightspots, enjoys the best food (Hello, Magnolia Bakery), and even guests as a celebrity host on Saturday Night Live! But New York isn’t all cupcakes and virgin daiquiris. Long distance and a handsome new costar put a huge strain on her relationship with Austin, and it turns out Broadway divas are a whole different breed of neuroses and competition from Hollywood starlets.

New Releases for March 4th

Hardcover

THE LINE by Teri Hall (Dial Books for Young Readers)
An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the Unified States. The Line is the part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It’s said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to the Line.
Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel’s dad died in the last war. It’s a safe, quiet life. Until Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.

Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right?

SING ME TO SLEEP by Angela Morrison (Razorbill)
THE TRANSFORMATION
Beth has always been “The Beast” --- that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth’s only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she’s selected to be her choir’s soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR
When Beth’s choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek’s untethered passion --- for music, and for Beth --- leaves her breathless. Because in Derek’s eyes? She’s not The Beast, she’s The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE
When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK
The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek’s been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.

Jen Calonita Wants You to Be Careful What You Wish For

2010-02-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

In BROADWAY LIGHTS, the fifth novel in Jen Calonita’s Secrets of My Hollywood Life series, teen celebrity Kaitlin Burke is starring in her first Broadway show. As always, she has a fabulous new bag to carry around her new city, and it is the allure of the must-have bag that Jen wants to warn you about.

The Secrets covers are designed to look like “it” bags that my protagonist carries throughout each novel. Since Kaitlin is a well-paid celebrity who also gets a ton of freebies, money is no object when it comes to her bag habit. In the latest Secrets, she carries a posh snakeskin number that would probably cost thousands of dollars if it had a designer label attached.

Last year I started dreaming about the kind of bags Kaitlin has. I’d check out the bags others were carrying --- big, small, designer, not --- and catalog them all in my mind. What kind of bag would I carry if money were no object? Bags became a sort of obsession of mine, and finding the right one was something I thought about a lot. I made a decision: I would save up to buy a bag I would adore and feel guilt-free about it.

I saved for months and was really dedicated to the cause. Every time I’d reach another hundred-dollar mark, I got excited. The “it” bag was almost in reach. Kaitlin may switch bags monthly, but whatever I bought would have to last a long time, so I knew I had to be smart about my choice. Being smart about bags reminded me of my grandmother. She was the type of woman who believed in having one or two nice things, rather than nine dozen items that looked good and fell apart. When I was a senior in high school, she gave me one of her hand-me-down bags to take to college --- it was a thin bookbag that looked brand new, made by Gucci. I didn’t appreciate Gucci at the time, and the bag actually spent a few years in my closet (I know! What was I thinking?). During my kids’ diaper-bag years, I would pull it out from time to time and use it when I was going out to dinner. I took good care of it and I always got compliments whenever I used it. When I worked at a fashion magazine, one of the fashion editors actually asked to buy the now-vintage bag off me because it was so en vogue. My new bag had to be as special my grandmother’s Gucci.

Once I decided which designer bag I wanted, I brought my girlfriend to the store with me --- there was no way I could make a decision like this on my own --- and we spent two hours looking at handbags. Big ones, small ones, ones with large straps, ones that would hang on the crux of my elbow, ones with leather trim, ones without. At a standstill, my girlfriend and I asked the salesgirl for help. “You do know that this bag is not meant for everyday use, right?” she told us. “You’re supposed to rotate the bags because a bag like this will wear out pretty quickly if you use it all the time, and it can’t be repaired.”

Let me get this straight: a bag that costs a ton, was ages to save up for, and took a month to be hand-sewn in a faraway country, isn’t meant to be used every day?

What fun is that?

“I didn’t know that,” I replied nervously as I handled the two bags I had finally narrowed my choice to. “Which one would you pick?”

I had a feeling she wouldn’t have taken either. But she leaned in close and said, “Get the one with the leather trim on the bottom. It will hold up better than the fabric.”

“I’ll take it,” I said, thankful for her intervention. I handed over my money excitedly. “But remember,” the girl said as she handed me a thick, posh shopping bag that cradled my fragile “it” bag inside. “Never put the bag on the floor. Take care of it or it won’t last.”

Her warning had me so worried that I didn’t take the bag out of the protective carrier for two weeks. I came close to returning it twice, eventually returning to the store to look at bags again and questioning my decision to a second sales girl. She politely sent me on my way. “You’ve got the best one for what you want,” she said. “You’re going to love it!”

I did love it so I took the bag out of the box and let it join the world. I gave myself a few bag rules to live by: Carry only the essentials so that I don’t wear out the leather strap. Hold it on my lap at the movies and refuse to get popcorn for fear of getting grease on it. Never use the bag when I’m out with the kids.

After a few weeks, I got tired of the rules. I hated being worried about a bag, of all things. Because at the end of the day, it’s just a bag. So I put the purse back in its protective sleeve and stored it in my closet. Maybe someday I’ll take the new bag out of the box again, but for now it was just too much to worry about. And I have enough important things to worry about.

In its place, I use my grandmother’s durable Gucci again. And you know what? I feel better. I feel freer, less anxious, and I walk taller using my grandma’s bag than I did carrying my own.

-- Jen Calonita

Reader Q&A: Drew from Millersburg, MI

2010-02-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

In today's Reader Q&A, 14-year-old Drew Rose from Millersburg, MI raves about Tamora Pierce's series, shares three questions she'd love to ask Lemony Snicket, and names a recent movie she actually liked better than the book it was based on.

If you could trade places with any character from a book for a day, who would you be and why?

Keladry of Midland. Because she is a strong women who knows what she wants to do and why. Plus I'd want her patience.

What is the last book you read? Would you suggest it to a friend? Why or why not?

TRICKSTER'S CHOICE by Tamora Pierce. Yes, I would recommend it.

Name three characters from a book that you'd like to invite to your birthday party.

Alana The Lioness, Jonathan of Cont''e and George Cooper.

Do you have a favorite quote from a book? If so, what is it?

"Men care about there appearance just as much as women do, they just hide it better."
- Numair from Tamora Pierce''s Imortal''s Quartet: WILD MAGIC.

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

Lioness Quartet: Tamora Pierce always has strong female characters; each character is different but they all have goals and will stop at nothing to complete them.

ICE FIRE by Chris D'Lacey because of the fantasy and comedy, and I also love polar bears so that works out too.

FAIRY WARS: The name may sound girlie but it's not. It's about another reality next to ours. The fairies don''t have wings but look a lot like people and are the same size. It's like The Lord of The Rings and Star Wars rolled into one.

If you had the opportunity to meet any author (dead or alive), who would you choose to meet, and what three questions would you ask him/her?

I would want to meet Lemony Snicket --- that's the name he goes by, anyways.

1. Is any of the Series of Unfortunate Events based off of real-life stories?
2: Was it tricky to come up with 13 books and find unfortunate titles for them?
3: How on earth did you come up with the character Count Olaf?

What movies have you seen that were based on books? Did you like the book or film version better? Why?

Eragon: The book was better because it had more plot.
Twilight: The book was better than the movie for sure. And I don't like romance so that''s saying something. I liked the book better because there was more to it.
The Golden Compass: The book was better than the movie. It explains more than the movie does.
Coraline: The film was better than the book. The book was all jumbled up whereas Tim Burton made the plot as smooth as possible.

Tell us about your favorite book series.

The Lioness Quartet is my favorite book series because of its strong female character, Alana, plus I'm a lot like her, temper-wise.

10-year-old Alana --- a red-headed girl with purple eyes --- and her twin brother, Tom, couldn't be more different in personality besides their wanting to help people, but they even want to do that in different ways. Alana and Tom''s mother died in childbirth and their father has been aloof ever since. Their Mother had a special magic power called the Gift, which only a few people have. Your Gift changes color so mages can identify you; it's determined by your eye color. Alana and Tom both have the Gift, but their Father refuses to let them use it because he believes their Mother''s Gift should have saved her. All their Father cares about is his scrolls in his library.

Alana has always dreamed of being a Knight but women aren't aloud to become Knights. Tom wants to become a mage but his Father wants him to become a Knight, so one day when Alana finds out her Father is going to send a letter to the capital of Tortall so he can send her off to a special school for girls, she convinces Tom to change the letter, saying their twin boys and that Alana --- or Alan as it is in the letter --- is going to work the 8 years of training to become a Knight while Tom is going off to a special school for mages. Alana cuts her hair before they leave and with the help of her servant, Corum, she goes on her way to become a Knight, knowing she has to hide the fact that she is a girl for 8 years.

The 4 books tell Alana''s story, as she tries to prove girls can do anything boys can. The first book is called THE FIRST ADVENTURE.

Nikki Carter: Between a Rock and a HAWT Place!

2010-02-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

COOL LIKE THAT (in stores this week!) is the fourth installment in Nikki Carter's So For Real series, which follows 17-year-old Gia Stokes as she navigates through life and love at Longfellow High. Nikki joins us today to bring us up to speed on Gia's latest romantic predicament, and introduce us to the two irresistible guys vying for her protagonist's attention.

What do you do when you have to choose between two boys? One has been your bestie forever, he’s hot-to-death, and all the girls would kill to have him as their boo. He’s the star of the football team, but he’s nice too --- he hangs out with you and makes up dance steps. Plus, your mama LOVES him. Did I mention you’ve known him your entire life? Sounds like an easy choice, right?

But what if the new boy is totally different than any guy you’ve ever met? He’s not just hot --- he’s HAWT. Nice eyes, ripped abs, cute face…like I said --- hawt! He calls you and every other girl he meets “princess,” and he writes poetry. He takes you to dance recitals and poetry readings, and is completely into you. I mean completely into you --- more, you think, than your bestie. At least more than your bestie has been willing to admit.

This is Gia’s dilemma in COOL LIKE THAT. She and her best friend Ricky have been accepted into a summer program (holla!) and they are pumped to be spending the summer before their senior year in New York City. They just, kind of, declared their like for one another, but decide to put crushes on hold for the summer so that Gia’s mother won’t spazz out.

Then along comes Rashad. He’s from Atlanta and has no plans of putting anything --- crushes included --- on hold. One look at Gia and he decides that she is going to be his girl for the summer. His swagger is hard to resist even if she knows she’s hurting Ricky in the process.
What should she do? Should she pick the one who’s been there for her since the beginning of time, or the new and exciting Rashad? And then what about senior year? Homecoming and prom are both right around the corner and picking Rashad would mean a long distance relationship since she lives in Ohio.

I think she should follow her heart…but what if her heart doesn’t know what it wants? If you want to know who she picks, score yourself a copy of COOL LIKE THAT. As a matter of fact, you probably need to pick up the entire So For Real series, so you can read about all the drama that leads up to the summer before senior year.

-- Nikki Carter

Reader Q&A: Olivia from Columbus, OH

2010-02-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

Today, soon-to-be 15-year-old Olivia Miltner from Columbus, OH answers our Reader Q&A, where she discusses appealing aspects of Scott Westerfeld's EXTRAS universe, her love for Sarah Dessen's books, and her soft spot for all things romance.

If you could trade places with any character from a book for a day, who would you be and why?

Aya Fuse from Scott Westerfeld's EXTRAS. It would be so cool to live with the technology that they have and the new sense of freedom, where people are so individual that nobody is looked at as being weird.

Name three characters from a book that you'd like to invite to your birthday party.

In no particular order:

Wes from THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER: Who wouldn't want to meet a truly extraordinary boy?

Kate Fitzgerald from MY SISTER'S KEEPER: She was so brave and selfless.

Sirius Black, when he was still a student: I''d ask him about all the Marauders and how they found all of those secret passageways???
Do you have a favorite quote from a book? If so, what is it?

Oh, I can't choose! There are so many! Usually the ones that I love are where the girl finally has some epiphany and goes after the boy. And everything that follows.
Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

1. THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER by Sarah Dessen: I've read this book over and over again! She addresses all the hardest parts of life all in one book! And you can always relate to Macy in one way or another.

2. THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: Harry Potter all the way!!! And this is a perfect ending to an epic series.

3. THE ROAD BOSS by Joyce Dingwell: Oh gosh, I'm such a hopeless romantic. This is a Harlequin Romance book from the 80s, but it never gets old.

If you had the opportunity to meet any author (dead or alive), who would you choose to meet, and what three questions would you ask him/her?

Sarah Dessen, because she sends so many different messages in her books. In THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER, she says it's not that you get there, but how you get there, while in another book she says that its not how you get there, but just that you do get there. I'd ask her if she relates to any of her characters, because while her books are all different, there is always an underlying conflict that's similar in all her books.

This Week's New Releases

2010-02-22T09:00:00.002-05:00

February truly goes out with a bang and not a whimper, as we have some great releases coming your way. In the mood for a good techno-thriller? Then Matt Whyman’s GOLDSTRIKE is the book for you. Or maybe a gritty novel about gang life is more up your alley. If that’s the case, then Todd Strasser’s IF I GROW UP may pique your interest. And if you’re looking for something a tad lighter, TIME YOU LET ME IN: 25 Poets Under 25 may be what the doctor ordered. There are so many great things coming out this week that you can’t go wrong!

New Releases for February 22nd

Paperback

THE COMEBACK SEASON by Jennifer E. Smith (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
The last place Ryan Walsh should be this afternoon is on a train heading to Wrigley Field. She should be in class, enduring yet another miserable day of her first year of high school. But for once, Ryan isn't thinking about what she should be doing. She's not worried about her lack of friends, or her suffering math grade, or how it's been five whole years since the last time she was really and truly happy. Because she's finally returning to the place that her father loved, where the two of them spent so many afternoons cheering on their team. And on this --- the fifth anniversary of his death --- it feels like there's nowhere else in the world she should be.

Ryan is once again filled with hope as she makes her way to the game. Good luck is often hard to come by at a place like Wrigley Field, but it's on this day that she meets Nick, the new kid from her school, who seems to love the Cubs nearly as much as she does. But Nick carries with him a secret that makes Ryan wonder if anyone can ever really escape their past, or believe in the promise of those reassuring words: "Wait till next year." Is it too much for Ryan to hope that this year, this season, might be her comeback season?

New Releases for February 23

Hardcover

GOLDSTRIKE by Matt Whyman (Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster)
In GOLDSTRIKE, a fugitive teenager hacks into a state-of-the-art computer guarding priceless goods while on the run from the government and assassins.

PROM NIGHTS FROM HELL by Stephanie Meyer, Kim Harrison, Meg Cabot, Lauren Myracle, and Michele Jaffe (HarperTeen)
In this exciting collection, bestselling authors Meg Cabot (HOW TO BE POPULAR), Kim Harrison (A FISTFUL OF CHARMS), Michele Jaffe (BAD KITTY), Stephenie Meyer (TWILIGHT), and Lauren Myracle (TTYL) take bad prom nights to a whole new level --- a paranormally bad level. Wardrobe malfunctions and two left feet don't hold a candle to discovering your date is the Grim Reaper --- and he isn't here to tell you how hot you look.

From angels fighting demons to a creepy take on getting what you wish for, these five stories will entertain better than any DJ in a bad tux. No corsage or limo rental necessary. Just good, scary fun.

TIME YOU LET ME IN: 25 Poets Under 25 selected by Naomi Shihab Nye (Greenwillow Books)
Celebrated poet Naomi Shihab Nye brings together the poetry of twenty-five poets under the age of twenty-five. Ranging in style and subject, but all already high-caliber in their artistry, these young voices speak the thoughts, hopes, and concerns of their generation. Featuring an introduction by Nye, this is a collection full of hope, humor, and heartbreak. Features extensive notes on the contributors.

Paperback

THE BIG GAME OF EVERYTHING by Chris Lynch (HarperTeen)
You have to love your family. You do, even if you don't, right? You don't have to understand them or play tennis with them, but you have to love them. It's a rule, and it's the kind of rule you don't break unless you're some kind of animal.

My brother happens to be some kind of animal. My sister rides this sweet gold Honda scooter and has amazing hair. You'd hate her. My parents are vegetarian let-the-sunshine-in freaks. Lovable freaks but freaks all the same. My grandfather possesses a shocking comb-over, a kilt, about half of his original marbles, and his own golf complex. This summer, we are all working for him. It is going to be two hot, lucrative, carefree months of paradise.

Or, possibly something else.
- Click here to read our review of THE BIG GAME OF EVERYTHING.

IF I GROW UP by Todd Strasser (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
In the Frederick Douglass Project where DeShawn lives, daily life is ruled by drugs and gang violence. Many teenagers drop out of school and join gangs, and every kid knows someone who died. Gunshots ring out on a regular basis.

DeShawn is smart enough to know he should stay in school and keep away from the gangs. But while his friends have drug money to buy fancy sneakers and big-screen TVs, DeShawn's family can barely afford food for the month. How can he stick to his principles when his family is hungry?

In this gritty novel about growing up in the inner city, award-winning author Todd Strasser opens a window into the life of a teenager struggling with right and wrong under the ever-present shadow of gangs.

Rename the "Reader Q&A" Feature!

2010-02-19T11:24:00.006-05:00

Last month, we launched a new feature inviting all of you to write guest posts on the Teenreads.com blog. We came up with a list of questions for you to answer --- and you replied enthusiastically --- and we’ve been sharing your responses.

While we're excited about the posts we've been getting so far, we are less than thrilled with the name we came up with for this feature --- "Reader Q&A." It just does not capture your energy and enthusiasm --- and, it's just kind of boring.

So, we are turning to you! If you could rename the “Reader Q&A,” what would you call it? After all, this is YOUR feature. Send us your suggestions by filling in the form here by Monday, March 8th. And, as our way of saying thank you, we will send two free books to the person whose title we select and one book each to a group of up to ten runners up. If more than one entrant suggests the winning title, then the person who submits the title first will be the winner. We can’t wait to hear what you have to say. One last thing --- you need to be over 13 to enter.

For more details on the contest, click here.

Suzanne Young: Romance in YA

2010-02-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

Suzanne Young's debut novel, THE NAUGHTY LIST, is the first installment in a series about a group of girls who by day are known as the cheer squad of Washington High, and by night, double as the members of a spy society who catch cheating boyfriends in the act. In today's guest blog, Suzanne explains why she has such a soft spot for YA romances and shares a few of her absolute favorites.

I read a lot --- especially between projects --- and I’m not afraid to admit that there is only one thing I look for in my YA books: romance.

Sure, there are some fantastic books about family, suicide, or zombies, but I’ve taken an oath to only read books that I can completely fall in love with. And for me those books involve making out.

So what are some great YA titles and that give you the thrill of first love? I have a few favorites --- okay, more than a few. The funny thing is, I’m not a fan of adult romance novels. YA captures something special --- the magic of it all. Sigh…

Here are just a couple of YA romance books in no particular order:

PERFECT CHEMISTRY by Simone Elkeles: This book is hot! I was hooked by the first chapter and a little out of breath when it finished. It was a fast-paced, sexy and real. I highly recommend this one.

THIS LULLABY by Sarah Dessen: I adore this book more than any other Sarah Dessen novel (and that’s a tough call). I just found Dexter to be absolutely perfect in his own odd way and I was in love with him by the end. A perfect guy in my opinion.

TWILIGHT by Stephanie Meyer: Please don’t judge me. I have to admit… when I first read this a few years ago, I was completely smitten with Edward. Something about the fact that he and Bella wanted each other so badly but couldn’t even really kiss was fascinating, and the tension was delicious.

So those are just a few, but now I need your help! What other romantic YA books am I missing out on?

-- Suzanne Young

Reader Q&A: Ugo from Lithonia, GA and Kristen from Brookfield, WA

2010-02-16T15:00:00.002-05:00

15-year-old Ugo Ume from Lithonia, GA and 15-year-old Kristen Hlava from Brookfield, WI join us for today's Reader Q&A, where they each list their top three books of all time, share favorite quotes on the magic of music, and muse on what it would be like to pick the brain of legendary writer Elie Wiesel.

Ugo Ume from Lithonia, GA
What is the last book you read? Would you suggest it to a friend? Why or why not?

The last book I read was COURTIN' JAYD by L. Divine. I would recommend this book to a friend. It was very interesting and was like nothing I have ever read.

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

My three favorite books of all time were: NIGHT by Elie Wiesel, THE PURPLE HIBISCUS by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen.

If you had the opportunity to meet any author (dead or alive), who would you choose to meet, and what three questions would you ask him/her?

If I had a chance to meet any author it would be Elie Wiesel. I would ask him: Why did you choose to write Night? Are you happy with what you accomplished? If you were to one day meet the killers of your parents, what would you say to them?

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Kristen Hlava from Brookfield WI
What is the last book you read? Would you suggest it to a friend? Why or why not?

The last book I read was INTERTWINED by Gena Showalter. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends because I thought the whole concept of having other people''s souls stuck inside of you was pretty amazing.

Do you have a favorite quote from a book? If so, what is it?

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic far beyond all we do here!" It''s from one of the Harry Potter books.

Tell us about your top three favorite books of all time.

1. THE HUNGER GAMES
2. THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH
3. 13 REASONS WHY

What movies have you seen that were based on books? Did you like the book or film version better? Why?

The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter would be the major ones. For The Lord of the Rings, I found the movies more enjoyable because it was easier for me to keep the characters straight. With Harry Potter though, it's hard to say. I enjoyed both the books and the films immensely!

This Week's New Releases

2010-02-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

We're spotlighting some great new releases this week, including Sharon G. Flake’s YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ME: Stories and Poems About Boys, a poignant look at the lives of young black males; Justina Chen Headley’s NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL, dealing with a young, “flawed” girl who must find what true beauty means; LOOK BOTH WAYS, Jacquelyn Mitchard’s sequel to MIDNIGHT TWINS, which chronicles the adventures of a pair of psychic siblings; and QUAKING by Kathryn Erskine, a novel about a girl standing up for love and peace in a time of hate and war.

New Releases for February 16th

Hardcover

YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ME: Stories and Poems About Boys by Sharon G. Flake (Disney-Hyperion)
I sit in your class

I play by the rules

I'm young

I'm fly

I'm black.

In 9 stories and 13 poems, Sharon G. Flake gives readers insight into the minds of a diverse group adolescent African American males. There's Tow-Kaye, getting married at age 17 to the love of his life, who's pregnant. He knows it's the right thing to do, but he's scared to death. James writes in his diary about his twin brother's terrible secret, which threatens to pull James down, too. Tyler explains what it's like to be a player with the ladies. In a letter to his uncle, La'Ron confesses that he's infected with HIV. Eric takes us on a tour of North Philly on the Fourth of July, when the heat could make a guy go crazy. Still, he loves his hood. These and other unforgettable characters come to life in this poignant, funny, and often searing collection of urban male voices.

New Releases for February 17th

Paperback

NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL by Justina Chen Headley (Little, Brown and Company)
As he continued to stare, I wanted to point to my cheek and remind him, But you were the one who wanted this, remember? You're the one who asked --- and I repeat --- Why not fix your face?

It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.

She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?

Written in lively, artful prose, award-winning author Justina Chen Headley has woven together a powerful novel about a fractured family, falling in love, travel, and the meaning of true beauty.

New Releases for February 18th

Paperback

LOOK BOTH WAYS by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Razorbill)
In the second book of the Midnight Twins trilogy, Meredith and Mallory Brynn are finally coming to terms with their special gifts: Meredith to see into the past, Mallory to see into the future. But they never expect that their powers will reveal danger so close to home.

Mallory must help her best friend, Eden, find the strength to defy her destiny as a shape-shifter, before Eden gets hurt --- or hurts somebody else. And Merry has her own friends to worry about when her visions reveal trouble brewing on the cheerleading squad in the form of Kim Jellico.

Mallory and Meredith must join together to rescue their friends before it’s too late.

QUAKING by Kathryn Erskine (Speak)
Goth girl Matt lives her life by simple rules: stay under the radar, never go by Matilda (only Matt), and don’t let anyone get too close. But everything changes when she moves in with a peaceful Quaker family in Pennsylvania. As the country fights a war in the Middle East, Matt fights her own personal war, battling bullies of her past and present and fighting to stand up for her belief in peace. Then violence erupts in town, and Matt finds that she will need to fight even harder to save the family she is starting to love.