Review: Gothic Lolita

Gothic Lolita
Dakota Lane
2008; Atheneum (Simon & Schuster); 978-1-4169-1396-2 (hardcover)

Summary: Chelsea and Miya have so much in common, in spite of being separated by thousands of miles. They're both half-Japanese with a little brother. They're both fans of the Gothic Lolita look, combining ruffles and parasols with black and boots. And they're each utterly devoted to the manga Shonen Rainbow Warrior. They found each other through their blogs, and spent years following each other's lives. But then, one day, Chelsea stopped posting. Why did she stop? Why does Miya keep checking Chelsea's blog? Will they ever reconnect?

In a dreamy book, interspersed with photographs and subtitled "A Mystical Thriller," Dakota Lane explores how the Internet can create connections between people with similar interests. Originally drawn together by their interest in a style, Chelsea and Miya slowly reveal some of their secrets--but not the ones that show how truly linked they are. As the two separate plotlines come together, the magic of their shared story becomes clear to the reader. Fans of Francesca Lia Block will definitely snap up this slim book, as well as those teens who are intrigued by all things Japanese.

Review: The Carbon Diaries 2015

The Carbon Diaries 2015
Saci Lloyd
2008; Holiday House; 978-0-8234-2190-9 (hardcover)

Summary: Environmentally speaking, everyone's up the creek. After a Great Storm hits London, the desire to reduce greenhouse gases and stop climate change becomes a necessity. So Great Britain agreed to institute carbon rationing. Every citizen is issued carbon points. Go over your monthly points, and you have to pay fines, get reeducation counseling--even have your power shut off. In her diary, Laura writes about how climate change has also changed her life: family, friends, school, her band. Will things be better by the end of the year?


Three Things to Know About The Carbon Diaries 2015

#1: After disaster comes change.

The Great Storm-alluded to but never fully described-apparently lit a fire under people to prevent further similar tragedies. Instead of gradually phasing in emissions restrictions by 2030, as originally planned, Great Britain decides to institute restrictions right away. Over the course of the year that Laura keeps her diary, emissions levels do fall. Yet there's still disasters and tragedies. A massive super-hurricane devastates the American East Coast, blizzards and wildfires wrack Europe, and England itself has a prolonged drought followed by unprecedented flooding. Sadly, it took over a hundred years to radically alter Earth's climate; one year won't make that much of a difference. But it's the first year of change.

#2: Within a family, you see the worst.

It's tough times for Laura's family. Her older sister Kim planned to spend her gap year in the United States, working in a clothing store and having fun. But with carbon rationing, her plans are canceled and she rebels against the new carbon rationing. She flies to Spain, keeps her TV running 24/7--and thus drains her carbon points and wracks up such a big fine, she has to go to Carbon Offenders counseling. Laura's parents aren't much better. Her father loses his job as a travel and tourism instructor at the local college, thanks to the new carbon rules. With travel now an extreme luxury, students just aren't interested in travel and tourism anymore. Meanwhile, her mother is forced to give up her beloved car, and keeps getting lost on buses. And when one family member goes over their points, everyone is affected, like when the power is shut off in the middle of cooking dinner. For the first half of the year, Laura keeps seeing the worst in her family, how none of them seem able to deal with these changes. Slowly, though, everyone adjusts and carbon rationing isn't that big of a deal anymore--not with the problems that Great Britain faces.

#3: You still have to live even as the world is falling apart.

In spite of all these negatives, Laura tries to focus on the good things in her life. Her friends, her crush on the boy next door, her band the dirty angels: that's what matters to Laura. Not everything is good, of course. One of her friends has become environmentally liberal, encouraging destruction of inefficient gas cars and other such acts. Laura manages to get her crush to notice her, but once he does, he can't seem to commit to a real relationship. Her band goes from the highs of playing gigs to falling apart due to infighting. But through it all, Laura doesn't give up on her friends or her band. Even as there's so many hardships to face, by maintaining the things she enjoys Laura weathers the storms of 2015.


An intriguing look at how climate change for the better could be started, this novel is bound to provoke discussion in the same way as Cory Doctorow's Little Brother. Although both books work better as consciousness raisers than as literature, The Carbon Diaries 2015 will appeal to many teens with its relatable protagonist and quick-paced storyline.

Revamping a Teen Area

This is part of the Teen Zone at my library. Over the last few days, I've been working to revamp this area. I've done it for almost nothing, using resources that were already available to me. Thanks to buy-in from the different departments within my library, and working with my supervisor and the branch administrator, I was able to succeed (so far) in the revamp. Basically, I shifted various parts of the collection to different shelves, and as the biggest change, rearranged the YA fiction so that it would flow continuously, instead of being broken into two sections. You can see more pictures of the transformation here.

And now that the books in the Teen Zone are arranged better, here's hoping circulation goes up and the teens who visit, as well as me, will discover some great new books!

Review: Just One Wish

Just One Wish
Janette Rallison
2009; Putnam; 978-0-399-24618-0 (hardcover)

Summary: Annika's little brother, Jeremy, has cancer. Soon, he'll be going in for surgery to see if the tumor can be removed from his brain. Annika decides to focus on the positive and tells Jeremy she has a genie--a genie who can grant him two wishes. She expects him to wish for a Teen Robin Hood action figure and for a successful outcome to his surgery. Instead, Jeremy wishes for the real Teen Robin Hood. So now, it's up to Annika to get the actor who plays Robin to visit her brother, all within four days.

What appears to be a fun, fluffy book has surprising depth. With a lot of pluck and determination, Annika manages to pull off the near-impossible: bringing Steve Raleigh, aka Teen Robin Hood, to her brother. She has a gift for reading people, being able to find a way to make them help her, and she uses it fully during this adventure. The trip from LA to her home in Henderson, Nevada is full of roadblocks like paparazzi, a broken-down car, and family tension, but Annika won't give up. Annika can't help hoping that because of this, her brother will be fine--that his surgery will be a success. She tries to outrun her fears, but it's only at the end of the novel that she has to finally face them. Then Annika finds out what the true power of hope and wishes is.

This novel is more serious than some of Rallison's other works, but bound to be a crowd-pleaser. With a great family story intertwined with a fun romance, it has appeal for those teens who like Lurlene McDaniel but don't want something that angst-filled.

Crosspost: New to Me: Johnny Tremain

At the YALSA blog, the latest post in my "New to Me" series is up. In this review, I talk about that historical fiction classic Johnny Tremain.

Winners!

Congrats to the winners of the four copies of Far from You: Hannah, Terri, Sherry, and Kathy. Your books will be sent out this week.

For everyone else--thanks for participating! I hope to have more of these contests in the future. Now, back to reviews!

Reminder: Win a Book

Entries for the contest to win a copy of Far from You will close on Monday morning at 9AM EST. Thanks!

Review: Far From You

Far From You
Lisa Schroeder
Simon Pulse; 2008; 978-1-4169-7506-9 (hardcover)

Summary: Ever since the death of her mother, Alice has been trying to cope with the loss. But music and friends and a boyfriend haven't been enough. Add in her stepmother and the brand-new half-sister and Alice wonders if anyone would notice if she vanished into wonderland. Then, Alice is stranded with her stepmother and half-sister in the midst of a snowstorm. How will they escape? Perhaps Alice hasn't been as alone as she thought . . .

In spare, wintry verse, Lisa Schroeder captures the individuality of the grieving process. Even though people tell Alice that she needs to move on, Alice knows it's not time yet. She still has songs to write about her loss, memories of her mother to hold close. It takes the moments of honesty with her stepmother and the responsibility for her half-sister to show Alice the way. And once she's found it, she's able to climb out of the rabbit hole. Fans of Margo Rabb's Cures for Heartbreak will embrace this novel-in-verse.

If this sounds like a book you'd like to read, why not enter the contest to win a copy?

Photo Story Booktalk: Because I Am Furniture

I just finished taking an online class called The Tech-Savvy Booktalker, instructed by Nancy Keane herself. It was a great class--I highly recommend picking up Nancy's book of the same title to find out more about using technology to create booktalks.

As part of my final project, I made a booktalk using Photo Story 3 for the book Because I Am Furniture. I hope you enjoy it--and I'm hoping to do more of these in the future!

Review: Because I Am Furniture

Because I Am Furniture
Thalia Chaltas
Viking; April 2009; 978-0-670-06298-0 (hardcover)

Summary: Anke is invisible to her father--she's nothing more than a piece of furniture. So while her brother and sister are abused by his words and his hands, Anke tries to deal with her conflicted feelings. Does her father love her at all? Why does everyone in her family let this happen? How can Anke carve out a life for herself amidst the tension?

In riveting, well-crafted verse, Thalia Chaltas explores the way a family is destroyed by abuse, yet how a girl can grow strong in such an environment. Anke has not had beauty and kindness and courage beaten out of her by her father's neglect; she is still a teenager, occasionally insensitive and melodramatic, but she is also brave and determined. When Anke stands up to her father, ending the abuse that is now spreading to outside their family, it's another step in the growth we've seen from the first page of this book. Fans of Sonya Sones and Ellen Hopkins will want to check out this novel-in-verse.

Contest: Win a Book!

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Simon & Schuster, I have FOUR hardcover copies of Far From You, the latest novel in verse from Lisa Schroeder. So, I'm doing another contest!

Please comment on this post with your name and an email address. I'll randomly select four people to win copies of this book. The drawing will be held on Monday, April 13, at 12pm EST. You must comment by Monday, April 13 at 9am EST to be eligible for this drawing. Feel free to advertise this on your blog, via Twitter, or any other method you like.

Curious about the book? Here's a summary:

FAR FROM YOU
By Lisa Schroeder

Lost and alone...down the rabbit hole.

Years have passed since Alice lost her mother to cancer, but time hasn't quite healed the wound. Alice copes the best she can by writing her music, losing herself in her love for her boyfriend, and distancing herself from her father and his new wife.

But when a deadly snowstorm traps Alice with her stepmother and newborn half sister, she'll face issues she's been avoiding for too long. As Alice looks to the heavens for guidance, she discovers something wonderful.

Perhaps she's not so alone after all....

Thoughts: I'm Seeing Double, Maybe

Is it just me, or do these covers seem to feature the same stock photo, only flipped?

Review: Wintergirls

Wintergirls
Laurie Halse Anderson
Viking; 2009; 978-0-670-01110-0 (hardcover)

Summary: Lia is skinny-skinnier-skinniest. That's because she's starving herself, drowning out the voices that say stupid/ugly/stupid/bitch/stupid/fat. But the voices are still there, no matter how little she eats or how much she cuts herself. And now she's seeing the ghost of her dead ex-best friend. Cassie called Lia thirty-three times the night she died. What did she want to say? Will Lia find out what Cassie's message was by starving herself to death?


Three Things to Know About Wintergirls

#1: Form meets function.

Wintergirls represents how a story's form helps tell it. Lia's voice is full of tangents and cross-outs, strange imagery and poetic language. Laurie Halse Anderson choose to use typography and layout as one aspect of Lia's descent to rock bottom. Yet it doesn't feel gimmicky or a ploy for attention. The reader comes away from the novel feeling like Lia's story could only be told in this fashion.

#2: The shared world of girls.

An intriguing aspect of this novel is the central friendship between Lia and Cassie. It doesn't seem like an equal friendship, and the two girls couldn't be more dissimilar. Cassie is loud and brash and bulimic, Lia is quiet and unnoticed and anorexic. These two girls, however, are bound by their shared oath: to be the skinniest. Lia's mother says that she was happy when Lia moved in with her father and step-mother; it got Lia away from Cassie's influence. Lia doesn't agree with her mother, and for good reason. For even though they hadn't been friends for a year, there is still a connectiong between these two wintergirls. It was forged through fantasy novels and escapades and binges and purges. Does a lack of contact or even death break such a friendship?

#3: Discovering the iceberg underneath.

Throughout most of the novel, Lia's manner of expression and the ghosts she sees can be written off to her physical condition: it's natural that a girl on the verge of starving to death would be hallucinating. However, it slowly becomes clear that her eating disorder is only masking a greater problem. No one thought to question any deeper, though, because Lia never told anyone about her ghosts. Her parents are frustrated because Lia cannot see what they see; she cannot see that she is wasting away. But since her parents don't see as Lia sees, they lack the ability to reach out to her. It's only when Lia starts to talk, to share her innermost thoughts, that she begins to receive the help she needs--and not just for her anorexia.

Any review of this novel will not be able to capture the true richness of Wintergirls. It's a book that begs to be read by anyone who appreciates thoughtful writing. With imagery that is reminiscent of Francesca Lia Block and a story that could happen to any teenage girl, Wintergirls is a jewel from Laurie Halse Anderson.

Vote for me for the 2011 Printz!

So I'm standing for election to the 2011 Printz. Since you're here at my blog, feel free to look around and see how I review books and what I think about teen literature.

You can see me in action in video from the Candidates Forum; I'm in the second video, at around the 22:00 mark. Liz from A Chair, a Fireplace and a Tea Cozy interviewed me, too!

Thanks for considering me. And if you're curious about who else is running for YALSA offices, check out the official YALSA slate.

Review: Response

Response
Paul Volponi
Penguin; 2009; 978-0-670-06283-6 (hardcover)

Summary: Noah and his friends have a simple plan: go into Hillsboro, steal a car, sell it to a chop shop, and pocket some cash. But even a simple plan doesn't always work. And while they're trying to figure out what to do, some white guys aren't too happy to see three black guys in their neighborhood. So they chase Noah and his friends. And one of the white guys has a baseball bat . . .

This slim novel has a lot to say. There's been so much discussion about race in the last year, in large part due to the presidential election, that it's easy to forget that racism is a serious problem in the United States. However, Response shows that even big problems still come down to people. At first after his beating, Noah is scared of white people, prone to believing the worst. Yet he slowly realizes that how he chooses to respond matters more than other people's actions.

Along the way, the reader gets a chance to see other perspectives, with dialogue from Noah's attacker and newspaper articles. These moments, reminiscent of Walter Dean Myers' Monster, help us see just how much Noah changes for the better as the result of the attack--and how much his attacker remains the same.

The World Beyond the Library's Walls

Share a Story - Shape a Future: The World Beyond the Library's Walls

Visiting your local library is one of the best first steps to improve the literacy of yourself or your children. The wealth of materials--books, music, movies, kits, and more--available for free or at very low cost presents an ideal opportunity during tough economic times to enhance your education.

Yet visiting the library is just a first step. What if your child is a reluctant reader? How can you fit in reading when you're so busy? You may not know it, but your local library probably offers a wealth of services you can enjoy from home, as long as you have a computer and an Internet connection. Or, if you're economizing by downsizing your online access, you can stop by the library and use their computers to explore the variety of online worlds.

Let's take a look at something for every age.

Toddlers, Preschoolers, and the Whole Family: Interactive Books
Here's a win-win situation: inspire your little ones with a love of reading while helping them gain valuable computer skills. There are a variety of websites, some of which may be provided by your library, that feature picture books that have been brought to life. TumbleBooks, for example, has digitized a wide range of picture books. BookFlix from Scholastic pairs picture book videos produced by Weston Woods with nonfiction tie-ins. And don't overlook the possibility that your library has electronic books for children.

Elementary Age: Interactive Websites
Publishers are now applying a wide range of tactics to improve literacy and promote reading. Perhaps the best-known example is The 39 Clues, a ten-book series that is packaged with trading cards and a website. The idea is to encourage children and young teens to go on a scavenger hunt for information within the books and then compete to solve the mystery. While there has been some criticism of this concept, for reluctant readers who need a hook to get into literature, this approach might be just what you need.

Middle School: Virtual Worlds
More than any other age group, tweens are being targed for a variety of online virtual worlds. Sites such as MySpace and LiveJournal have age limits that are designed to prevent sign-ups by children under the age of thirteen. Therefore, every day it seems like there's a new site for children ages nine through fourteen. Many of these are from corporate organizations and warrant scrutiny from parents. Happily, there are options, such as the Girl Scouts: now scouts are able to visit websites, videoconference with troops in other countries, and write their own blogs. These sites work to encourage self-expression and improve analytical and writing skills.

High School: Authors Online
For many authors now, writing their books is just the start. Their online presence is a way to connect with fans, solicit feedback, and promote their works. Sarah Dessen readers can become a fan of the author on Facebook; you can follow Coe Booth or Neil Gaiman on Twitter, the micro-blogging site; Ned Vizzini and David Levithan are just a few of the authors on MySpace. This is on top of websites and/or blogs that most authors now have. And for some authors, their online projects have become just as popular as their books. John Green started a project with his brother Hank to communicate through short videos, one posted each weekday, for a year. After the conclusion of the year, they've continued posting videos, gaining a large online following as the VLog Brothers.

Adults: Chapter-a-Day Emails and E-Audiobooks
With your busy day, you might have overlooked your own literacy needs. Yet there are ways to squeeze in some time for reading--which is important not just for yourself, but to model literacy behaviors for your children. For example, there's several chapter-a-day programs such as Dear Reader, where each week, you're sent an email a day with a chapter or excerpt from a book. At the end of the week, you can either get the book from your library or wait for next week's selection. Your library might also provide access to electronic audiobooks: you can download an audio version of a book and listen to it on your MP3 player or even burn a CD of the audiobook.

The next time you visit the library, talk with a librarian about what services are available from home. They can provide you with customized information about what products and databases are provided to library users. In addition, they can tell you about other websites and resources to improve your family's literacy.

Review: The Musician's Daughter

The Musician's Daughter
Susanne Dunlap
December 2008; Bloomsbury Children's Books; 978-1-599990-332-3 (hardcover)
Book provided by the author

Summary: Theresa lives in Vienna, a glittering city of music. As the daughter of a violinist in service to Prince Nicholas Esterhazy, Theresa is focused on learning music and trying to avoid her mother's disapproval of her viola playing. But then her father is murdered, and Theresa is thrust into a tangled mystery. What kind of man was her father and what was he involved in that lead to his death? What is the strange medallion found on his body and what happened to his violin? Theresa is out to find the answers . . . at any cost.

This action-packed historical mystery belies the chick-lit cover and pulls in the reader. This is due mostly to the character of Theresa. She is a headstrong, impulsive, clever fifteen-year-old, able to play a large role in the world she discovers yet still acting like the teenager she is. As she seeks to find the reason for her father's murder, the world of Vienna in the late eighteenth century is brought to life. The issues of the day--tense relations between Austria and Hungary, discrimination against ethnic groups like the Gypsies, and the ill health of Empress Maria Theresa--rub against everyday problems like surviving after the death of the family breadwinner and a girl's desire for more than a husband and babies. And through it all, there's music. The subplot of Franz Joseph Haydn and his declining eyesight weaves through the story, showing the power of music to lift spirits, even amidst tragedy and adversity.

For teens who like historical fiction that features a strong-willed girl and a sprawling plot, The Musician's Daughter would fit the bill. Recommend this to readers of The Luxe series and Bewitching Season.

Crosspost: New to Me: Forever . . .

I'm very excited about becoming a YALSA blogger, since the YALSA blog is full of great information for teen librarians or anyone interested in working with teens. Why not amble over to the YALSA blog and check out my first post?

New to Me: Forever . . .

Hope you enjoy it!

Thoughts: 100 YA Books

There's been a YA book meme (what's a meme?) going around on Facebook and on other blogs like Libarilly Blonde, and I thought I might do it here, both to see how I stack up and also to ask the question of what you think should be on this list--or shouldn't.

It's totally unscientific, but still a fun exercise!

The following list of books teens love, books teens should read, and
books adults who serve teens should know about was compiled IN
ABSOLUTELY NO SCIENTIFIC MANNER and should be taken with a very large
grain of salt.

Instructions:
Put an "X" next to the books you've read
Put a "+" next to the books you LOVE
Put a "#" next to the books you plan on reading
Tally your "X"s at the bottom
Share with your friends!

1. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy / Douglas Adams X
2. Kit's Wilderness / David Almond
3. Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian / Sherman Alexie
4. Speak / Laurie Halse Anderson X+
5. Feed / M.T. Anderson X
6. Flowers in the Attic / V.C. Andrews
7. 13 Reasons Why / Jay Asher #
8. Am I Blue? / Marion Dane Bauer (editor)
9. Audrey Wait! / Robin Benway X
10. Weetzie Bat / Francesca Lia Block X
11. Tangerine / Edward Bloor X
12. Forever / Judy Blume #
13. What I Saw and How I Lied / Judy Blundell #
14. Tyrell / Coe Booth X
15. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants / Ann Brashares X
16. A Great and Terrible Beauty / Libba Bray X
17. The Princess Diaries / Meg Cabot X
18. The Stranger / Albert Camus
19. Ender's Game / Orson Scott Card X
20. Postcards from No Man's Land / Aidan Chambers
21. Perks of Being a Wallflower / Stephen Chbosky
22. And Then There Were None / Agatha Christie
23. Gingerbread / Rachel Cohn
24. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist / Rachel Cohn and David Levithan X
25. Artemis Fowl (series) / Eoin Colfer X
26. The Hunger Games / Suzanne Collins X
27. The Midwife's Apprentice / Karen Cushman X
28. The Truth About Forever / Sarah Dessen X
29. Little Brother / Cory Doctorow X
30. A Northern Light / Jennifer Donnelly X
31. Tears of a Tiger / Sharon Draper X
32. The House of the Scorpion / Nancy Farmer #
33. Breathing Underwater / Alex Flinn X
34. Stardust / Neil Gaiman
35. Annie on My Mind / Nancy Garden #
36. What Happened to Cass McBride / Gail Giles
37. Fat Kid Rules the World / K.L. Going X
38. Lord of the Flies / William Golding
39. Looking for Alaska / John Green X
40. Bronx Masquerade / Nikki Grimes X
41. Out of the Dust / Karen Hesse X
42. Hoot / Carl Hiaasen X
43. The Outsiders / S.E. Hinton #
44. Crank / Ellen Hopkins X
45 The First Part Last / Angela Johnson X
46. Blood and Chocolate / Annette Curtis Klause
47. Arrow's Flight / Mercedes Lackey
48. Hattie Big Sky / Kirby Larson X
49. To Kill a Mockingbird / Harper Lee X
50. Boy Meets Boy / David Levithan X
51. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks / E. Lockhart X+
52. The Giver / Lois Lowry X
53. Number the Stars / Lois Lowry X
54. Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie / David Lubar X
55. Inexcusable / Chris Lynch X
56. The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things / Carolyn Mackler X
57. Dragonsong / Anne McCaffrey
58. White Darkness / Geraldine McCaughrean
59. Sold / Patricia McCormick
60. Jellicoe Road / Melina Marchetta #
61. Wicked Lovely / Melissa Marr
62. Twilight / Stephenie Meyer
63. Dairy Queen / Catherine Murdock X
64. Fallen Angels / Walter Dean Myers
65. Monster / Walter Dean Myers
66. Step From Heaven / An Na X
67. Mama Day / Gloria Naylor
68. The Keys to the Kingdom (series) / Garth Nix
69. Sabriel / Garth Nix
70. Airborn / Kenneth Oppel X
71. Eragon / Christopher Paolini X
72. Hatchet / Gary Paulsen X
73. Life As We Knew It / Susan Beth Pfeffer X+
74. The Golden Compass / Phillip Pullman X
75. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging / Louise Rennison X
76. The Lightning Thief / Rick Riordan X+
77. Always Running: La Vida Loca / Luis Rodriguez
78. how i live now / Meg Rosoff X
79. Harry Potter (series) / J.K. Rowling X+
80. Holes / Louis Sachar X
81. Catcher in the Rye / J. D. Salinger X
82. Push / Sapphire
83. Persepolis / Marjane Satrapi X
84. Unwind / Neil Shusterman X
85. Coldest Winter Ever / Sister Souljah
86. Stargirl / Jerry Spinelli X
87. Chanda's Secrets / Allan Stratton
88. Tale of One Bad Rat / Brian Talbot X
89. Rats Saw God / Rob Thomas X
90. Lord of the Rings / J.R.R. Tolkien X
91. Stuck in Neutral / Terry Trueman X
92. Gossip Girl / Cecily Von Ziegesar X
93. Uglies / Scott Westerfeld X+
94. Every Time a Rainbow Dies / Rita Williams-Garcia
95. Pedro and Me / Judd Winick X
96. Hard Love / Ellen Wittlinger X
97. American Born Chinese / Gene Luen Yang
98. Elsewhere / Gabrielle Zevin X+
99. I am the Messenger / Markus Zusak X+
100. The Book Thief / Markus Zusak X+

Total: 63, which isn't bad. There's a few books that I'm a bit embarrassed I haven't read, but that I'm reading now (The Outsiders). How about you? Anything you're embarrassed to admit that you haven't read?

Share a Story - Shape a Future

I'm very happy to be participating in the literacy blog tour Share a Story - Shape a Future, which will be held during the week of March 9. I'll be posting on Day Four - A Visit to the Library. Visit the event's blog to find out more about other days and who will be posting!

Review: North of Beautiful

North of Beautiful
Justina Chen Headley
February 2009; Little, Brown; 978-0-316-02505-8 (hardcover)

Summary: Terra strives for perfection in everything. She works out two hours a day, including five hundred stomach crunches. She's going to graduate from high school in three years. And she's got a part-time job on top of school and extracurricular activities. But in the eyes of her father--and herself--all this effort doesn't matter. Because with her port-wine stain covering half her face, Terra clearly can't be perfect. Will Terra be able to chart her own course to True Beauty and Terra Firma--or will she let her father keep her in Terra Nullis?


Three Things to Know About North of Beautiful

#1: Words hurt more than anything else.

When Terra says her dad yells at her, her friend Karin doesn't understand. "You mean he just yells at you?" For Karin, yelling isn't very damaging. But Terra knows that words can hurt as much as a slap or a punch. It's a slow, insidious pain, one that slowly grinds you down. In addition, the belittlement from her father has affected her whole family: her brothers have escaped and her mom fulfills her father's every need or whim. Terra thinks that she should escape, too: go to Williams College and become an executive. Yet slowly, she comes to realize that this path isn't for her: that the best way to escape her father is to stand up to him, to realize that he's no different from the ancient cartographers who wrote "here be dragons" on unexplored regions. He might try to keep her in a cage with his words and derision, but Terra can break free.

#2: An extended metaphor leads to exploration.

Terra's father is a disgraced cartographer, and his profession has created Terra's boundaries. Justina Chen Headley uses maps to define the way that Terra sees her own life and how she manages to go off the map, into the land of dragons. This metaphor infuses the novel, allowing us to effortlessly see Terra's development through the story. Even more impressive, aspects of maps also are used to explore other characters and their actions. Yet maps aren't the only way you discover where you are, as Terra discovers. Thanks to Jacob, a boy she meets after she hits his car, she learns about GPS and geocaching. This new technology gives Terra further power as she journeys towards self-knowledge.

#3: Questions of what is beauty.

Terra's port-wine stain has lead her to hide it--and herself. Despite uncomfortable and painful laser surgeries, her birthmark cannot be healed or lightened, and so she plasters makeup over it. Yet when she meets Jacob, she starts to realize that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Jacob is Chinese, abandoned when he was three due to his cleft lip. Now repaired, Terra at first can't help but notice his scar. Gradually, though, she stops seeing it--just like he stops seeing her birthmark. And when they visit the orphanage that Jacob lived in, Terra meets a small Chinese girl who has a port-wine stain, too. This little girl helps crystalize for Terra that beauty comes in a hundred million different variations, and that her port-wine stain is just one of her features: not her only one, not the one that defines her.


In North of Beautiful, Justina Chen Headley gives us an in-depth look at one girl as she moves towards becoming a woman. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Ann Brashares will find a new favorite author after reading this lyrical, compelling novel.

Review: What Would Emma Do?

What Would Emma Do?
Eileen Cook
2009; Simon Pulse; 978-1-4169-7432-1 (softcover)

Summary: If Jesus was a girl in the early twenty-first century, how would he feel about kissing your best friend's boyfriend? That's the question that Emma is struggling with, and it has her talking to God a lot. Because the boyfriend in question is also her long-standing friend, too. There's also Emma's desire to get out of Wheaton, Indiana and go to Northwestern, something that can only happen if she gets a track scholarship. Add in a strange illness that's affecting the popular girls--a illness that Emma could reveal isn't an illness at all--and you've got a lot to ask God for. Will God come through, or will Emma find another way?

In a fun, fast read that provides a modern-day commentary on the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials, What Would Emma Do? provides us with a glimpse of evangelical life in a small town. Even though small-town living is so lauded in politics and culture, this novel reveals that such a life isn't for everyone. It's certainly not for Emma, who's becoming a questioning, doubting young adult. Yet how does she juggle her dislike for this life with her friends and her mother, who are perfectly happy in Wheaton? It's a tough line to walk, and Emma has a few stumbles. Yet by the end of the novel, she's able to answer the question poised by the book's title. Recommend this title to the teens who aren't about to take what they've been told at face value.

Review: Flygirl

Flygirl
Sherri L. Smith
January 2009; Penguin Young Readers; 978-0-399-24709-5 (hardcover)

Summary: Ida Mae was born to fly. Ever since the first time she went up in her daddy's plane, she knew that she wanted the sky. But for a colored woman in 1940s Louisiana, there's not many opportunities, even before the war starts. And then, one day, Ida hears about the Women Airforce Service Pilots: a training program to teach women to fly and free up male pilots for combat. Could this be her chance to live her dream--or will it be the greatest danger she's ever faced?

Two Things to Know About Flygirl

#1: The homefront wasn't just about knitting and Victory Gardens.

Flygirl exposes readers to another facet of life in America during World War II. Many women were urged to take jobs in factories, allowing men to enlist. Yet while the WASP had that goal, it was viewed differently. Perhaps it was because female factory workers would obviously want to go back to their homes once the war was over. But if women were pilots, highly skilled and eager to travel, would they go back to being wives and mothers? Most people seemed to think no. Add in that women would therefore be "stealing" jobs from men, and it's little wonder there was a fair amount of resistance to the WASP. But the service this group performed can't be underestimated. While the United States was at war, every citizen needed to do their part. The WASP did theirs and more.

#2: Is color more than skin-deep?

The Army, like most if not all of American society, was segregated. The WASP was not open to African-American women, thus leading Ida to the dangerous decision to pass for white. Issues of light and dark, smooth or frizzy, "gonna" vs. "going to" dominate the novel. Ida is of course always worried that her secret will be revealed. But there's also all the different ways her choice impacts her life, and the lives of other people. From the fight that ends her friendship with her oldest friend to being warned by an older African-American man, Ida is never allowed to forget that she is passing for white. As she slowly navigates this new world, Ida comes to realize that her color does not definer her--but it is a part of her.

Flygirl is an excellent novel, juggling questions about race and gender during a time when America was facing its greatest challenge. Having been familiar with the story of the WASP for years, I thoroughly enjoyed Ida's story. For another novel about a woman questioning her place during World War II, try Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher. There are also several book about the WASP, for readers interested in learning more.

Thoughts: Scholastic Book Clubs

I'm sure I'm not the only person who has fond memories of the Scholastic Book Club. My parents, who were saintly enough to support my book habit, would give me a set amount of money, and I would pour over that circular, printed on flimsy, thinner-than-newsprint paper, to figure out how to get the most books for the money.

It seems that things have changed with the Scholastic Book Club. As reported in the New York Times, a watchdog group says that Scholastic is misusing the book club to sell non-book products.

Certainly we can appreciate the points raised by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood: children and teens seem to be subjected to an endless barrage of commercials and tie-in products nowadays. Yet I can't help seeing Scholastic's side of the issue, in that reluctant readers might need the hook of stickers or a game to bring them to a book. Plus, there's been plenty of discussion about how video games also encourage literacy and learning.

Perhaps Scholastic could choose products to include in the book club flier that are a bit less commercial, but if the end result means that a child or a teen learns and develop a new skill, I have a hard time finding the negative.

What are your thoughts?

Contest Winner

Congrats to MJ for winning the ARC and discussion questions for Absolutely Maybe. I was so pleased by the response, especially by seeing some new faces on the blog, so thank you for participating!

You're reading quite a lot of great books, too! Between Brunze's recommendation for 13 Reasons Why, and the fact that the teen book group at my library raved about it, I'm definitely moving that book closer to the top of my To Be Read pile. There were also comments about the Hungry Cities books by Phillip Reeve and the 2009 Printz Medal-winning Jellicoe Road. Other award winners getting mentions are Graceling, Nation, and The Graveyard Book. Read the comments on the contest post to see these and other recommendations.

Contest: Win an ARC!

At ALA Midwinter, I got two ARCs of Lisa Yee's upcoming book Absolutely Maybe, so it's time to share the wealth!

I'll draw a random name from the comments on this post to win the ARC, as well as the discussion guide prepared by Scholastic. Please comment by Monday, February 9, at 12:00pm EST to be eligible for this contest.

And in order to get to know my readers better, please comment with your name, email and the book you're talking to people about. Doesn't have to be new or noteworthy: just the book that you're currently enjoying.

Blurb: Meet Maybelline "Maybe" Chestnut. She may be named for her mother's favorite brand of mascara, but she has a mind--and a hair color--all her own.

Meet her mother, Chessy--that is, Chessamay Chestnut Abajian Wing Marshall Wing Sinclair Alvarez and soon-to-be Himmler. The one man she didn't marry? Maybe's father.

Meet Ted and Hollywood, a.k.a. Maybe's best friends. When Chessy chooses her latest scuzzball fiance over her daughter, the trio sets out to find Maybe's dad in California.

When they meet Los Angeles: city of swimming pools, movie stars, and a whole lot of surprises, including an aging screen goddess, a famous photgrapher, three makeovers, a Rolls-Royce, and a taco truck. Hollywood makes a film; Ted makes his fortune. But the biggest surprise may be Maybe hersel, as a charm-school dropout becomes a drop-dead charmer in Lisa Yee's terrific new novel.

Thoughts: Cover Double-Takes

There's times that I just do a double-take when I look at a book cover, because the photo is similar to another book . . . or the same picture, as I've talked about before. This one, though, is definitely an odder double-take, because is it just me, or is it the same boy on the covers of these books?














Edited to Add: In the comments below, another book with the same photo was identified.

Thoughts: The Spoils of Midwinter

I might have gotten my Morris prediction wrong, but I'm satisfied with the results. And while I only read one of the five Printz winners, I'm thrilled that The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks won a Printz Honor. Congrats to Liz and the whole Printz committee for their hard work.

Books I've already read: Envy by Anna Godbersen and The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. Major props to HarperTeen for giving out hardcover copies of the third book in The Luxe series on Friday night. And even better, it was a rewarding read, full of both twists and turns and expected outcomes. It definitely leaves me wanting the fourth (and last?) book in this series. Sadly, The Summer I Turned Pretty left me a bit cold. I thought the structure was a bit confusing and all over the place. And honestly, the main character picked the boy that I found the least appealing out of her three choices. (And talk about an embarrassment of riches there!)

Books I'm currently reading: Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle and Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen. Many thanks to Holt for giving me an ARC of the sequel to Bewitching Season, a book I really enjoyed. Betraying Season is just as enjoyable, too--I'll definitely be reviewing this closer to its publication. I've only read a few chapters of Along for the Ride, but already I was struck by Sarah Dessen's ability to shape her character's voice to her personality. Full of big words and deep concepts, Auden sounds like the smart, driven girl that you're told she is.

Books I'm looking forward to: Penguin Harcourt Dial/Penguin (once I got my box o' books, I could confirm my initial statement that it was Penguin) was fantastic and offered up ARCs of Fire, the companion novel/sequel to Graceling. I really can't wait to read it, considering how much I enjoyed Graceling. As others have commented, vampire novels seem to be getting edged out by werewolf and other supernatural creature books--and I got a few of them that I'm excited about. I'm also pleased to have copies of Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson and Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles.

I have a great big box of books on its way to me, so once I get it, I'll be able to really dive in and start reading. And of course, there's also reading the Printz winners that I haven't read yet--happily, I have an ARC of Jellicoe Road that I'm hoping to get started soon. What are you looking forward to reading this spring?

Edited to Add: Liz recommends that anyone who's looking to read Jellicoe Road should get the final copy, since the ARC has some sloppy mistakes that might take you out of the book. Since that's been known to happen to me, I'm gonna follow this advice!

Morris Shortlist: A Curse Dark as Gold

A Curse Dark as Gold
Elizabeth C. Bunce
2008; Arthur Levine Books (Scholastic); 978-0-439-89576-7 (hardcover)

Summary: With the death of her father, Charlotte is now the miller of Stirwaters. For years, strange mischief has troubled the mill: machines stop working for no cause, accidents strike the people that are needed most, cloth is damaged or destroyed days before it is to be sold. Charlotte doesn't believe in superstitions or hexes or curses. But what if there is a curse on Stirwaters? And could it have something to do with the mysterious Jack Spinner, the man who has rescued Charlotte from disaster by spinning gold from straw or making fabric from scraps?

My Humble Thoughts on Why This Book Was Shortlisted for the Morris Award

#1: A blending of history and folktale.

In A Curse Dark as Gold, Bunce admirably combines two seemingly unrelated concepts: historical fact and oral fantasy. Based on the Name the Helper folktale concept, the most well-known version being Rumpelstiltskin, this novel sees to tell the story of the miller's daughter who manages to break the curse placed upon her. By setting the story at the dawning of the Industrial Revolution, we see a world where science is starting to overcome superstitions. Charlotte is a very practical woman, with little regard for the protection charms and talismans practiced in her village. But disregarding these methods, even though they make no scientific sense, nearly leads Charlotte to her doom. She gets drawn into the cycle that has repeated itself over and over through the years, ever since the incidents that caused the curse to be placed on Stirwaters. Yet it is still Charlotte's sense and practicality that allows her to break the curse, in a fusion of science and nature.

#2: The relentless pounding of doomsday.

"Slowly, as we watched, he drew out the straw and spun it -- spun it! As if it were a roving of wool! As the spindle bobbed and twirled, something -- I could not quite see what -- pulled out from the brown straw and through his knobby fingers, and where it should have gone onto the spindle, the finest strands of gleaming golden threads appeared. Around and around the spindle went, and the glitter of gold turned with it. I could not take my eyes away." (pg 97-98)

With Jack Spinner's first offer of assistance, the reader knows the eventual outcome of this story. Yet even before this moment, Charlotte has seemed set on the path towards a deep darkness. The novel, beginning with the death of her father, features calamity after catastrophe; moments of safety seem like the calm before the storm. Bunce achieves a pacing that never lets up, that keeps the reader turning the pages, wonder what strange fate will befall Charlotte and Stirwaters next. It's the kind of pacing that you typically see in horror movies, not in a historical fiction/fantasy novel. But it's this aspect of the novel that lends it an intriguing, contemporary feel. Fairy-tale retellings are quite common, but this one feels very modern thanks to its timing.

#3: The richness of village life and its people.

A Curse Dark as Gold features a vast array of supporting characters, from Mrs. Tom and Uncle Wheeler to Jack Spinner and Bill Penny. These people have various motives and actions that impact the story, helping Charlotte or crossing her. For a small village, Shearing is lively and active; one feels that even if the mill did fail, the people who live in Shearing would find a way to stay together, to preserve their homes. Yet for most of the novel, it's only the reader who senses this; Charlotte doesn't seem to realize just how strong people are when they stand together. She tries to take everything on her shoulders, keeping secrets from her sister, her husband, and as best she can from the village. Yet at the climax of the novel, Charlotte realizes that these people give her the strength to face Jack Spinner and save her son. Richly-drawn characters help make this realization seem honest and obvious, not contrived or cliched.

A Curse Dark as Gold is a novel that is not for the faint-hearted. Full of danger and disappointment, it fully presents how our lives hover on the point of disaster. Yet it also makes clear how much hope there really is in life. Bunce portrays this dark, scary world with a great degree of historical accuracy, yet also infuses it with a simple, strong aspect of support and courage. For teens interested in historical fiction, fairy-tale retellings, or "sad books", this novel will draw them in.

Thoughts: Reading Post-Gossip Girl YA Literature

As someone who tends to look back, not forward, it's always interesting to me to look back and see how trends begin, and how they go in unexpected directions. I was reminded of this when I finished reading Rumors, the second book in The Luxe series, in preparation for book three, Envy, which is being published later this month. I remember picking up the ARC for The Luxe, looking at the cover, and then turning it over to the read the blurb. As I read, I thought to myself, "It's Edith Wharton meets Gossip Girl."

I was pleasantly surprised at the end of the blurb when it said The Luxe was "The Age of Innocence meets Gossip Girl." It's not often I get things so very right.

Yet what's more interesting to me is how Gossip Girl has become more than just one series; it's touched off ripples throughout young adult literature that goes beyond similar series like The A-List or The Clique. You have The Luxe, a historical twist on Gossip Girl, which is going so strong that it seems to have inspired it's own lookalike imitator, La Petite Four. And that's just one example of how Gossip Girl changed publishing.

I've been equally intrigued by how the Gossip Girl series has changed series publishing, as well. Those of us who grew up on Sweet Valley High know that paperback series never changed for the long-term. Yet Gossip Girl drew its original storyline to a close, and then did a reset, starting over with a new group of characters. It's a risky proposition, and I felt that Gossip Girl: The Carlyles was a shaky start. Happily, You Just Can't Get Enough, book #2 in the Carlyles series, was much stronger, and I feel that the Carlyles series will turn out to be just as addictive as the original series. I'm now waiting with baited breath to see how the reboot of The A-List turns out, as The A-List was my personal favorite of all these series.

What are your thoughts on Gossip Girl? For good or for worse, it's changed YA literature, in ways we're still figuring out. Do you think Twilight will have the same impact? Or is there something waiting in the wings that will surpass anything else?

(My apologies for the radio silence last week . . . life got in the way of blogging!)

Review Roundup: The Morris Award Edition

After I've posted my review of one of the titles shortlisted for the Morris Award, I'll present a collection of reviews of the title, so you can get some other perspectives on the book in question. I hope you enjoy this feature--and I'll just be scratching the surface, so if you're looking for more, give Google Blog Search a try.

Absolute Brightness

A Patchwork of Books: Too many problems, too much info, took away from a great story.
BookEnvy: Somehow, knowing in advance that it was going to happen made the anticipation while reading the book even stronger.
Kids Lit: It is writing that makes one pause, sometimes gasp, reread and then think for awhile.
Libarilly Blonde: Absolute Brightness is one of the most hyped YA novels of the year so far, and after reading it, I'm sorry to say that I was not impressed.

Madapple

Two Turtles: I wouldn't recommend this to the masses, but there are certainly a lot of teens who will be fascinated and appreciate something a little different.
Becky's Book Reviews: Weird and sometimes wonderful is how I'd describe Madapple by Christina Meldrum.
Sarah Miller: This is one of those stories that has its own palpable atmosphere, and it feels just like the cover looks: murky, stirring, and intense.
Bookshelves of Doom: It's not an easy-breezy read -- I wouldn't give it to a reluctant reader, for sure -- but teens (and adults) who're interested in exploring the subjects I mentioned shouldn't miss this one.
Stuff As Dreams Are Made On: It was dark and melancholy and philosophical at times and piqued my interests non-stop.

Graceling

Teen Book Review: I’ve heard nothing but raves about Graceling, so I was unsurprised when I found it to be a wonderful book.
Avid Teen Reader: Graceling has a strong heroine who knows what she wants but isn't exactly sure how to get it, and despite her Grace is a very loving and sensitive person.
YAthenaeum: She tells so much in so little, and I want nothing more than to spend more time in these character's lives.
Sarah Miller: I've read my share of tomboy and feisty princess stories, but Katsa's a cut above the stereotype.
Bookends: Kristin Cashore has created an intensely interesting world and peopled it with characters that sparkle with complexity and life.

Me, the Missing, and the Dead

Bookshelves of Doom: It explores the differences between our memories of people who are gone and the reality of what life with them was really like.
What KT Reads: And, the story itself didn't really sit well with me. There's nothing wrong with it really, it just isn't my kind of story.

General Morris Award

Interactive Reader: I like the whole shortlist concept. I wonder if there would be less shock and controversy for the Newbery and Printz if people had a little warning and time to read the books themselves.
Libarilly Blonde: So, um, may the best Madapple win!
A Chair, A Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy: This is one of the good things about the shortlist; it's not just the buzz for these five books, but it's the opportunity to read these titles with a different perspective and to discuss these books and the award.

Morris Shortlist: Absolute Brightness

Absolute Brightness
James Lecesne
2008; HarperTeen; 978-0-06-125627-1 (hardcover)

Summary: When Leonard Pelkey arrives in Neptune, New Jersey, he stands out. Flamboyant and dramatic, no one really seems to know what to make of him, including Phoebe, his almost-cousin. But when Leonard disappears, and is later found dead, Phoebe is left to wonder at the changes he made in her life.

Fair Warning: I'm breaking my normal review policy--namely, not reviewing books I disliked--in order to complete my series of Morris Award shortlist reviews.


My Humble Thoughts on Why This Book Shouldn't Have Been Shortlisted for the Morris Award

#1: A confusing, meandering plot.

With judicious editing, Absolute Brightness could have been an intriguing exploration of tolerance and how an outsider changes a place. However, this 469 page tome packs in too many unneeded plot threads and digressions to achieve such a goal. It's just far too sprawling with tangents that don't pay off, like the allegations that Deirdre, Phoebe's sister, was abused by their father. In addition, James Lecesne wastes opportunity for natural conflict and drama by having events happen off-screen, like Deirdre's haircut, or by not giving enough structure and lead-up for turning points. When Phoebe, near the end of the novel, says that she sees Leonard all the time, the reader is left scratching their head. Is this a metaphor? Has Phoebe been seeing images of Leonard? Where was Phoebe's reaction to such an unusual occurrence? We don't know because Phoebe's statement about seeing Leonard seems to come out of left field. The extra plot points and a tell not show approach removes much of the power from Lecesne's story.

#2: Factual errors and a muddied setting.

Having lived in New Jersey for a year, I couldn't help but be rattled by the changes from New Jersey geography that were made in Absolute Brightness. While these are trivial changes, they seem unnecessary, made for no clear reason. Referring to the Turnpike when the Parkway would be the actual roadway, having Phoebe visit a department store that is now known as a different chain--they're not important in the bigger picture, I know. But misstatements like a character pumping their own gas (something that has been outlawed in New Jersey since 1949) seem to speak to a carelessness in creating a time period for this novel. The novel is rife with references--Winona Ryder, Save the Whales, platforms--that do not seem consistent with a modern setting. Even more, this story seems like it would have worked much better set in the early to mid 1980s, rather than the late 2000s. Adding in more sloppy editing, like a binder that changes colors twice, both times within the same page, and the reader comes away feeling that a lack of care has been taken with this novel.

#3: Shallow, unconvincing characters.

Leonard is certainly a moving, intriguing character: dynamic, hopeful, and cheerful. Yet with his literal disappearance, much of the character depth is erased. Phoebe is a flat, bland character; with the weight of narrating the novel on her shoulders, the middle of the novel sags dramatically. It's not until the trial of Leonard's killer that the novel regains some momentum. Character motivations often come out of nowhere, like Deirdre's behavior especially at the end of the novel. Coupled with several stock characters--the in-denial mother, the bevy of quirky old ladies, the homewrecking younger woman--the reader quickly misses Leonard and his deeper, yet still somewhat two-dimensional, characterization. The only other character who seems fully-fleshed, in spite of his minor role, is Father Jimbo, and his part is small within the overall novel.


While Absolute Brightness has been well-reviewed, too many problems took me out of this work. With more editing, it could have been a worthwhile selection for the Morris Award shortlist. As is, though, this novel serves as the answer to "What's wrong with this picture?" as one reviews the books included on the shortlist for the Morris Award.

Review: Forever Princess

Forever Princess
Meg Cabot
2009; HarperTeen; 978-0-06-123292-3 (hardcover)
ARC provided by Meg Cabot's publicist via Libarilly Blonde

Summary: Mia Thermopolis, high school senior and princess of Genovia, is juggling many secrets. She's told all her friends she didn't get accepted by any college--but she got accepted by all she applied to. She said her senior project was on the Genovian olive oil industry--but it's really a four-hundred-page romance novel set in medieval England. And even when she tells the truth, like not really wanting to go to the prom, no one seems to believe her. What college will Mia pick? Will she find a publisher for her novel? And how can she deal with the return of Michael, her ex-boyfriend? It's a lot for anyone to handle, but Mia's not just anyone--she's a princess.

Three Things To Know About Forever Princess

#1: The more things change, the more they stay the same?

Forever Princess jumps from where Princess Mia (Book IX in the Princess Diaries series) left off, to the last week of Mia's high school career. During the time when she wasn't writing in her journal, due to writing her romance novel (a clever explanation for the time jump), a lot has changed for Mia. She's been in therapy to deal with her control issues. She's no longer friends with Lilly, while Lana, her former enemy, is now part of her circle of friends. Genovia has become a constiutional monarchy and her father is running for Prime Minister. But with all these things, there's still plenty of turmoil for Mia to face, and the fun of The Princess Diaries is seeing how she confronts these challenges. Happily, Forever Princess is able to walk the line of giving us the same old Mia and a new, more mature Mia. Cabot is to be commended for achieving such a delicate balance, all the while keeping several plot threads progressing.

#2: Opposites really do attract.

Mia and Michael had a messy breakup when Michael chose to go back to Japan to work on an invention. When he returns, now a success, Mia's friends naturally expect her to want Michael again. But Mia won't hear anything about it. After all, she's with J.P., who's perfect for her. He's sweet and affectionate. He always agrees with her. He's every girl's ideal boyfriend. Except . . . he smells like dry-cleaning solution. And he did write a play that's a thinly-disguised version of their relationship. And he didn't ask her to the prom until a week before the event. But that isn't worth breaking up with him, is it? Even though Michael always smells amazing to Mia and makes an incredibly generous gesture that helps Genovia? Mia doesn't know what to do, until an old friend comes through for her.

#3: True friends forgive.

Mia learns a lot about her friends in the last week she'll have with them. She finds that her lies--about her novel, about college--don't really matter to her true friends. Even more important, as Mia has changed, so have her friends. But they're still friends. So Tina can reveal the lie she's told Mia. And Mia can find out the truth about why Lilly stopped being her friend. Perhaps one of the most satisfying moments in the whole novel is when Lilly and Mia talk, really talk, for the first time in two years. The conversation not only lets the characters reconnect but allows Mia to start figuring out her romantic tangle. For long-time readers of the Princess Diaries series, this moment is both the characters' and the reader's nostalgic encounter with an old friend, right before they part ways. And like our truest and best friends, Lilly is able to help Mia get on the right path.


Forever Princess is a fitting conclusion to the Princess Diaries series. Cabot took a chance leaping the action forward, yet this choice allows us to appreciate the changes in Mia that still hasn't really changed her. Amidst a range of celebrations and sadness, we can be grateful that Mia, and all the people she knows, has had a great send-off.

Read the first 80 pages, if you can't wait to get the actual book. And don't forget to buy Ransom My Heart, Mia's romance novel.

Reviews: YABookNerd, Genre Go Round. And an article from last month's Publisher's Weekly covers the end of the Princess Diaries.

Morris Shortlist: Madapple

Madapple
Christina Meldrum
2008; Knopf; 978-0-375-85176-6 (hardcover)

Summary: Aslaug didn't kill her mother. She didn't kill her aunt or her cousin, either. Aslaug wasn't born to a virgin. She wasn't a virgin when she gave birth to her own daughter. Yet it's hard for Aslaug to know what is real and not, what is true and not. As she sits in a courtroom, accused of killing her relatives, Aslaug starts from the beginning to reap the truth, the Solomon's seal, from amongst the weeds and lies.


My Humble Thoughts on Why This Book Was Shortlisted for the Morris Award

#1: An impressive use of language.

Christina Meldrum bursts onto the YA lit scene with this atmospheric first novel. With carefully chosen words and finely wrought phrases, Madapple is like a rare, exotic plant in a field of daisies.

"This memory stirs my longing for bloodroot, for the blood of the root, that orange-red sap I've used in secret to dye my belly with the likeness of a spotted touch-me-not, as if somehow that golden flower with its splotches of burnt red could protect me from my mother; from her biting words, the stinging rod; her absence. Touch me not. And yet, I want her touch, and I want to hear her words--words that open small passages into the tunnels of her mind, and often seduce me with wonder. "(pages 16-17)

Long sentences and short, dreamy introspection and fast actions, are all combined. While the pacing is slow, a patient reader is rewarded by the last third of the book, as past and present come closer and closer, and questions begin to have answers revealed.

#2: A collection of intriguing, unknowable characters.

To most of us, the characters in Madapple are all crazy. Aslaug, her mother Maren, her aunt and cousins--they're all a little off. Yet this oddness draws in the reader, compelling you to figure out these people. Is Aslaug more than just a girl? Does her preacher aunt have a God-given gift to save the spirit? Are they really crazy, or do they appear that way because of the intoxicating plants they consume, like the madapple of the title? And through it all, Aslaug is trying to find the same answers as the reader, searching to discover who is her father, who is her mother really, and who or what she is.

#3: Probing into what we see and what we believe.

Questions of nature, science and religion dominate in Madapple. From Sanne's devotion to pre-Christian religions, Rune's disbelief and skepticism, and the preacher's reliance on God and schnapps, Aslaug finds herself unprepared for the questions these people raise in her. Her mother put her faith in nature and science, instructing Aslaug to do the same. Yet Maren still searched for answers in religious writings until her death. And Aslaug, as she becomes more adrift in the world of the Charisma Pentecostal Church, also turns to the books, the writings of prophets and holy ones. By the end of the book, Aslaug has found her true faith, has found the things she can believe in and worship. And they're not found in any book.


Madapple is a book like none other. In tone and language, complexity and characters, this book challenges a reader to think and see. And our eyes are opened and our minds are made aware of the many things that are beyond our comprehension.