Crosspost: New to Me: A Summer to Die

It's time for a (belated) New to Me post at the YALSA blog! Check out my thoughts on A Summer to Die.

Although I'm a big fan of the original cover of this novel . . .



I have to admit that I love the paperback reissue's cover.

Review: The Life of Glass

The Life of Glass
Jillian Cantor
2010; HarperTeen; ISBN 978-0-06-168651-1 (hardcover)

Summary: It's been over a year since her father died, but Melissa still misses him. Having his journal full of unusual facts and quotes about love, her memories of him, and the piece of rainbow glass he touched the night he died--they're no substitute for her father. Now that she's starting high school, Melissa's world is changing again. Her beautiful older sister Ashley ignores her at school, while her best friend Ryan is falling for glamorous new girl Courtney. To make it worse, her mother has started dating. Melissa must find a way to navigate her own path amid friends and family landmines.

The Life of Glass is about mourning, about going on as the death of your loved one becomes more nad more part of your past. Yet this novel is also about coming-of-age, learning how to stand on yoru own rather than go with the flow. That's what Melissa figures out as she grows closer to her sister and avoids the shallow friendship of Courtney. Most of all, it is the slow transformation of her relationship with Ryan-from friend to romantic interest-that marks Melissa's freshman year of exploration. Younger fans of Sarah Dessen and Elizabeth Scott are the perfect audience for Jillian Cantor's second novel.

Any opinions on books published in 2010 are my own and do not represent the opinions of the 2011 Printz Committee.

Review: The Sweet Life of Stella Madison

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison
Lara M. Zeises
2009; Delacorte Press (Random House); ISBN 978-0-385-73146-1 (hardcover)

Summary: It's the summer before her senior year, and Stella think her summer's all set. She'll spend time with her boyfriend Max, who's just said the L-word. She'll get rides and hang out with her friends Olivia and Kat. And she'll work for her mom at the Open Kitchen, a restaurant/food demonstration kitchen, where her father the cook often prepares special meals. As the daughter of foodies, Stella knows about chiffonade and ceviche, but she prefers cheeseburgers and cinnamon twists. But then her summer gets some unexpected new ingredients, like Jeremy, the flirty intern at the Kitchen. And then there's Stella's new job, working as an intern for a local paper . . . and writing about food. Will Stella's summer turn out like a perfect crepe or fall faster than a souffle?

A novel that's like your first glass of summer lemonade, The Sweet Life of Stella Madison is definitely a good-for-you read. Zeises brings her knack for realistic teen protagonists to the story of Stella, a "bouncing rubber ball" girl who wants to figure out what she really wants, and then get it. She spends the summer torn between Jeremy, who likes her but won't make a move, and Max, who is the perfect boyfriend. Meanwhile, her separated-but-not-divorced parents are slowly getting back into the dating pool--with other people--leaving Stella confused about her emotions. Add in her worries over writing about food and Stella's got a lot to deal with. Yet as the summer progresses, Stella finds her own voice and her own way. The Sweet Life of Stella Madison is a great choice for any reader who wants to find themselves, and perfect for burgeoning foodies. Pair this with Flavor of the Week by Tucker Shaw for a similar experience from a boy's perspective.

ARC Contest Winners

Congrats to Wendy, FireandIce, and Shannon, the winners of the three ARC packs! My apologies for the delay in announcing these winners. Happily, I'm now able to get back to blogging. And there will be another ARC contest coming in April!

Thank you to everyone--it's your readership and comments and tweets that help make the work worthwhile!

Hiatus

Due to several factors--first amongst those, finishing the book I've been working on--I'm taking a hiatus for the rest of the month of February. Check back in early March for more reviews!

I will be posting with the winners of the ARC giveaway in the next few days. I'm snowed in thanks to all the storms that have rolled through the Mid-Atlantic over the last week and a half. As soon as I know that postal service is up and running, I'll be announcing the winners and getting their ARCs to them.

Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
John Green & David Levithan
April 2010; Dutton Books (Penguin); ISBN 978-0-525-42158-0 (hardcover)
Reviewed from ARC received from publisher

Summary: On a night that wasn't too different from any other, Will Grayson walks into a downtown Chicago porn shop after getting left behind by his friends. At the same time, Will Grayson--a different Will Grayson--walks into the same porn shop to meet his Internet boyfriend. The meeting of the two Will Graysons, both with teh same problem, will change each of them in unexpected ways. For both Wills are scared to risk it all. But thanks to a girl named Jane, a boy named Gideon, and the fabulous Tiny Cooper, Will Grayson's life will become something great.

Two Things to Know about Will Grayson, Will Grayson

#1: Two heads are better than one.

From the minds of John Green and David Levithan comes a funny, insightful look at two boys with the same name and a similar problem. While each author's style is clearly visible, working with a co-author seems to have benefitted each story. John Green's Will Grayson doesn't pine after an unattainably beautiful girl--instead, he tries to decide if he wants a relationship with a quirky music geek. Meanwhile, David Levithan's Will is messed-up and moody, but he's perhaps the most accessible and authentic teen that Levithan has written. Will Grayson, Will Grayson is a great example of the strengths that come from two great authors collaborating together on a story.

#2: Sometimes the most memorable characters aren't the star.

A character like Tiny Cooper isn't often the main character. He's just too much: too dynamic, too fabulous, to use his own words. A book written around Tiny Cooper might be too freewheeling, an example of chaos in book form. But as a supporting character, Tiny can be anything he wants to be. Green and Levithan create a group of secondary characters that enrich the story greatly. Besides Tiny, there's Jane the music geek who makes a connection with one Will Grayson, much to his confusion. There's Gideon the friendly, sweet guy who supports Will when he comes out at school. Even parents get small moments with their sons, showing that adults don't all have to be lame or nonexistent in YA novels. All in all, this cast of characters doesn't just reflect back on each of the Will Graysons; they help make the story of each protagonist richer and deeper. Even Maura, who tricks Will with a fake Internet boyfriend, is given motives and shades of gray.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is an enjoyable, accomplished work from two authors at the top of their game. The lives of two boys, from different worlds, are shwon to be not that different. As they learn how to confront the challenges that won't let them change for the better, each Will Grayson opens his heart and makes a difference. Plus, there's the world's most fabulous musical. Teens who enjoyed Dramarama by E. Lockhart, as well as John Green's Nerdfighter fans and followers of David Levithan, are sure to enjoy Will Grayson, Will Grayson.

Any opinions on books published in 2010 are my own and do not represent the opinions of the 2011 Printz Committee.

Crosspost: New to Me: Flowers in the Attic

January's New to Me is Flowers in the Attic. Head over to the YALSA Blog to see my take on this "classic".

As a side note . . . many of us are familiar with the traditional V.C. Andrews cover style. But check out these two new covers!

This one gets what I've called "The Twilight Treatment".



And this one . . . is it just me, or does it look like a standard romance novel?

Contest: Win Some ARCs!

I got some extra ARCs at ALA, so I thought I'd offer them up. There are three sets of ARCs: one middle-grade and two YA.

ARC Pack #1 (Middle-Grade)
Yours Truly, Lucy B. Parker: Girl Vs. Superstar
Robin Palmer
Publication Date: May 2010
When Lucy B. Parker was friend-dumped right before school starts, she figures things can't get much worse. But then her mom announces that she's dating Laurel Moses's dad. THE Laurel Moses--the TV-movie-music star whose face is on the cover of every magazine. Suddenly, Lucy's life is turned sideways! Up until now, her main goal has been to just get through the day without totally embarrassing herself. And now she's going to be the less-pretty, less-talented stepsister of the most famous girl in the world!

Palace Beautiful
Sarah deFord Williams
Publication Date: April 2010
Everyone dreams of finding a secret room in their house that they can escape to, and Sadie is thrilled when she finds one in her new house. It has a sign that says "Palace Beautiful," and she finds a journal written over sixty years ago by a girl her age. But Sadie never imagined her own life could get almost as dramatic as the one she reads about in the journal!

ARC Pack #2 (YA)
This World We Live In
Susan Beth Pfeffer
Publication Date: April 2010
It's been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth's climate. For Miranda Evans, life as she knew it no longer exists. The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda's father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda's complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits the town of Howell, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever.

The Eternal Ones
Kirsten Miller
Publication Date: August 2010
Everyone has experienced deja vu. And love at first sight? Most of us believe it's possible. Maybe it's happened to you already--or maybe it's about to. The Eternal Ones is a novel about discovering that someone you are meant to be with, and knowing in an instant--even if everything else seems set against you. It's a novel that will make you experience for yourself the chilling, tantalizing sensation of having lived many times, of knowing that more awaits you than just this life. That you are a part of something bigger. That you are part of forever.

ARC Pack #3 (YA)
Incarceron
Catherine Fisher
Publication Date: February 2010
Incarceron is a prison unlike any other: its inmates live not only in cells, but also in metal forests, dilapidated cities, and unbounded wilderness. The prison has been sealed for centuries, and only one man, legend says, has ever escaped. Finn believes he came from Outside Incarceron. He's going to escape, because he's found a crystal key and through it, a girl named Claudia. Claudia claims to live outside--her father is the Warden of Incarceron and she's doomed to an arranged marriage. But they don't realize that escape will take their greatest courage and cost far more than they know. Because Incarceron is alive.

The Sky is Everywhere
Jandy Nelson
Publication Date: March 2010
When her fiery older sister Bailey dies abruptly, seventeen-year-old Lennie, bookworm and band geek, 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.

Rules for Entry
Please leave a comment with your name, your contact info, and if you have a preference on which ARC pack you'd like to win. You have until Friday, February 5 at noon EST to leave a comment. Spread the news about this contest and share some great books!

Quick Thoughts About Midwinter

The 2010 ALA Midwinter Conference was, as always, full of activity. The YALSA Board voted on the BBYA proposal, AASL adopted the term "school librarian" for their profession, and of course, Random House jumped the gun in announcing the Newbery winner.

Midwinter isn't just about the controversial or the unusual. There's networking, watching committees in action, and advance reader's copies of forthcoming titles. Here are my short takes on 2010 titles I've read so far.

Heist Society
Ally Carter
Publication Date: February 2010

An all-out fun book, evoking the world of Oceans Eleven but with teenagers. Carter shifts from her Gallagher Girls series to bring us Kat Bishop, from a family of high-class thieves. She tries to get out of the family business only to be pulled back in when her father is threatened. Carter has a real knack for creating lively, interesting characters, and that skill is showcased in Heist Society. With a plot that moves smoothly and a dash of romance, there's also just enough complexity to create some tension. There's always a question of how Kat and her teenage crew will pull this off, but the answer isn't taxing reality. For a fun, fast-paced read, Heist Society is a great choice.

This World We Live In
Susan Beth Pfeffer
Publication Date: April 2010

The third book in the Last Survivors series brings together the characters from the two previous books: Miranda and her family from Life As We Knew It with Alex and Julie Morales from The Dead and the Gone. Pfeffer continues to be unafraid to pose hard challenges for her characters to face, ranging from a tornado to running out of food and personal care products, not to mention normal teenage concerns like meeting a cute guy and thinking he doesn't like you. It's unfortunate that the characterization in this volume seems clumsy; Miranda, in particular, does not seem to have any of the maturity she gained over the course of the first eight months since the initial disaster. Aside from this problem, Pfeffer shows her talent at constructing plots and increasing the jeopardy for her characters.

Jekel Loves Hyde
Beth Fantaskey
Publication Date: May 2010

The sophomore effort from Fantaskey once again combines a paranormal story with romance. In this book, she's mined less-popular ground, by using the jumping-off point of Stevenson's novella The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Plain, studious Jill Jekel can't help being drawn to enigmatic, gorgeous Tristan Hyde--and not just for the normal reason. No, they are drawn to each other because Stevenson's story was based on their actual ancestors. And Tristan needs Jill's help to conquer the beast within him. Full of sweeping romance, Jekel Loves Hyde is a compelling read. The character of Tristan is perhaps not successful as a teenage boy, but he's got the Byronic romantic hero part down pat. But it's a minor quibble for readers who are looking to be carried away by romance.

Any opinions on books published in 2010 are my own and do not represent the opinions of the 2011 Printz Committee.

Compilation of Youth Media Awards posts

I'll be sending some texts here to capture the feel of being at the youth media awards. Stay tuned!

Visit www.ala.org/yma for all the award winners!

Jim Murphy is the winner of the Margaret Edwards award. Big cheer for a nonfiction author.

The Morris Award goes to Flash Burnout.

The first Nonfiction Award goes to Charles & Emma. Now perhaps my library will get it!

And the Printz goes to . . . Going Bovine!!! So excited! Had hoped for that & so glad.

In a switch from previous years, this year I've only read the Printz winner. Now I know what I'll be reading before I start working on my own Printz reading!

Morris Shortlist: Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures
Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
2009; Little, Brown; ISBN 978-0-316-04267-3

Summary: For weeks, Ethan Wate has dreamed about a girl, falling from his grip. It's somethin else to think about, something to distract him from grieiving his mother, worrying about his father, and wishing he could leave Gatlin, South Carolina. And then Lena Duchannes comes to town, to live with her uncle Macon Ravenwood, the town's Boo Radley. Ethan realizes that Lena is the girl in his dreams. Even more, Lena is part of a prophecy, part of a battle between Dark and Light. On her sixteenth birthday, five months in the future, she will be Claimed for one side, and her life as she knows it will be over. But Ethan will not let her face this alone. Because together, the two of them are strong enough to face anything.

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

#1: The best of two worlds can create a new one.

Beautiful Creatures is both a paranormal romance and a Southern Gothic novel. Lena and Ethan's developing relationship is affected not just by her growing supernatural powers, but also by a small-minded Southern town that has the DAR and voodoo as its influences. There are the features of paranormal romance, like strange powers, a whole other world concealed from non-magical people, and a love that cuts across the lines between these two worlds. On the Southern Gothic side, there are standards of behavior, a certain mindset, and an understanding that the past still has power in the present. Ethan and Lena are drawn together thanks in part to a curse that affected their ancestors. And the climactic battle between Dark and Light will happen the night that the Civil War-era Battle of Honey Hill is recreated. The combination of these two styles works because both are focused on pacing and tone. The plot slowly unfolds, the love story contrasted with life in a small South Carolina town. The Southern details--dialect, manners, and attitudes--are interwoven, creating a sense of place as well as heightening the romantic aspects. The love between Ethan and Lena is intense yet pure. Ethan feels sparks when he touches Lena--and not just because he's attracted to her. Working in tandem, the romantic and Southern elements combine into a compelling look at a darkly mysterious world.

#2: Small town life is more challenging in the South.

Ethan is not really a typical Southerner. His parents forced him to speak without a Southern accent, and they were all viewed as being perhaps too liberal, especially Ethan's mother. But Ethan's father and his family had lived in Gatlin for over a century, and so they were one of "us". In a small Southern town, it's about when your family arrived, not what you've done since then. There's plenty of gossip, of course, but when everyone knows every family's secrets, it can feel like you know everything. Ethan is accepted, even when he starts dating Lena, because he's part of Gatlin. This attitude is one that Ethan wants to get away from, but it also gives him a place even when he turns his back on the DAR ladies during their crusade against Lena. For the Ravenwood family, always suspect and fodder for gossip, becomes a true threat in the town's eyes with Lena's arrival. Moving to a small town is bound to be an adjustment for anyone; moving to Gatlin, though, is a trial by fire. Mean girls, sweetly insulting women, and weak-willed men turn Gatlin into a crucible for Lena. And Ethan, who has grown up there and never cared for such tatics, fully sees his hometown as the hypocritical, narrow-minded place that it unfortunately is.

#3: Love is what binds people together.

Falling in love with each other creates a connection between Ethan and Lena. From the moment they met, they were drawn to each other in ways that hadn't been anticipated by Lena's family. What's more, their love gives them unexpected powers, like telepathy. And it's thanks to Ethan's love that Lena is able to stand strong during the greatest struggle of her life. It's not just Ethan who protects Lena, though: there's her family, in particular her uncle Macon. A creature of darkness, Macon has chosen to work on the side of Light, vowing to protect Lena with all his powers and even his life. Ethan is not without help, either. He has Amma, a grandmother figure who is famed for her gifts as a reader and a seer. She creates charms that guard Ethan from harm, and dispatches wisdom and love amidst her crossword-puzzle complaints about Ethan's behavior. Macon and Amma could not be more different, but they are both motivated by the same thing: love. They show that when you care about someone, you will take great risks and go beyond misgivings to follow their loved ones down their path.

Sixteen moons, sixteen years
Sixteen of your deepest fears
Sixteen times you dreamed my tears
Falling, falling through the years . . .
(page 4)

Sixteenth Moon, Sixteenth Year,
Now has come the day you fear,
Claim or be Claimed,
Shed blood, shed tear,
Moon or Sun--destroy, revere.
(page 473)

Like a slow, mournful ballad, Beautiful Creatures has a story to tell. The debut work of two novelists, this novel creates a unique take on paranormal romance by marrying it to Southern Gothic, not unlike the Southern vampire stories of Charlaine Harris. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl reinterprets these influences, shaping a story that could be cliched into something new. For some, the pacing is too slow, and some of the characters are somewhat two-dimensional. Yet thanks to Garcia and Stohl, these characters are still fun to read about, as they tell their story at their own speed. A welcome addition to the YA paranormal romance field, Beautiful Creatures is bound to cast a spell over many readers.

Nonfiction Award Interviews

I was lucky enough to interview a few of the authors who are on the shortlist for the first-ever YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults. Head over to the YALSA blog to read the interviews!

Sally M. Walker, author of Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland
Interview
My review

Tanya Lee Stone, author of Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
Interview
My review

Phillip Hoose, author of Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
Interview
My review

Morris Shortlist: The Everafter

The Everafter
Amy Huntley
2009; Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins); ISBN 978-0-06-177679-3

Summary: Maddy comes to in a dark, limitless place. It's not anywhere . . . it just Is. Surrounding her, though, are things that she's lost. Since she was always losing stuff, there's a lot of items: keys, a bracelet, a purse, some orchids . . . But the strangest thing about all this is that when Maddy touches an object, she's sent back to when she lost it. Sometimes, Maddy can alter things, finding what was lost. Maybe Maddy can connect all this to the biggest thing she's lost: the memory of how she died.

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

#1: A believable take on teenage relationships.

Friendships and romantic relationships are complicated for anyone. For teens, these connections are even more fraught. Maddy, who is emotional and sensitive, has difficulties with several people in her life. She's insecure about her boyfriend Gabe, worrying that he'll break up with Maddy and start dating the ex-girlfriend who still wants him. She gets annoyed with her best friend Sandra, who will drop everything to do whatever her mother asks. Maddy's feelings, although self-centered and even paranoid, are honest. All of us have felt such unflattering emotions, even about those we're closest to. It's part of becoming an adult that you learn to deal with these kinds of feelings. Maddy won't get that opportunity--but in her death she gets a similar chance at learning that lesson.

#2: An intriguing look at what happens after death.

The afterlife continues to exert a pull on writers and readers. In The Everafter, Amy Huntley creates a new take on death. By touching a lost object and reliving the memory of losing it, Maddy can even change the outcome. It's not an afterlife of observation alone; Maddy can make an impact on her life. But there are limits: if she changes the event, she loses the memory of how the event first occurred. And if Maddy finds the lost item in her memories, she cannot return tot he memory. All these aspects give a richness to this imagined purgatory. By exploring what could happen after we die, Huntley lets Maddy--and the reader--gain a greater respect for what happens before that event.

#3: A clear approach to an intertwined storyline.

As the reader dips in and out of Maddy's life, it would be easy to lose track of story points or become confused. Yet Huntley preventst hat from happening with how she structures the flashbacks. You don't have to start at hte beginning to tell a story; in the same sense, you dont' have to go to Maddy's first memory to begin seeing her past. Huntley picks certain moments, one that have meaning not just for the story but for Maddy and other characters. It's a great example of how a stylistic device can be both elegant and practical. Many of Maddy's flashbacks are set in her recnet past, but others are older, one even from her infancy. This sort of whimsy lightens the story, as well as providing a character beat. Throughout the novel, the flashbacks are contrasted with Maddy's current state, showing the differences between the land of the living and the world of the dead. And it's done in a tone that's straightforward and natural.

Over the last few years, no doubt inspired by the popularity of The Lovely Bones, ther have been several YA novels exploring death. From The Book Thief to Elsewhere to If I Stay, there are as many version of the afterlife as there are stars in the sky. Amy Huntley's perspective seems to be of a world that allows contact with the past, even correction of its events. Yet it's not without a cost, and such questioning and manipulation doesn't change destiny. You can't prevent your death, and you can't stay in limbo forever. Eventually, you have to move on to the Everafter. That's what Maddy realizes, and it's a powerful message. The epilogue feels tacked-on, muting the power of Maddy's last moments, and the subject matter is perhaps too common. Yet these flaws do not greatly detract from an intriguing debut novel.

Morris Shortlist: Flash Burnout

Flash Burnout
L.K. Madigan
2009; Houghton Mifflin; ISBN 978-0-547-19489-9

Summary: Who knew what a simple picture could lead to? For a photo assignment, Blake takes a picture of a passed-out woman. When his friend Marissa sees the photo, she recognized the woman as her missing mother, a meth addict. Blake wants to help Marissa, but that doesn't sit well with his girlfriend, the beautiful Shannon. As the aspiring comic Blake starts to get serious, he finds that what looks clear through a camera gets blurry in real life.

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

#1: A storyline that never fully comes together.

Good novels balance plot and character to create a compelling story. Even the most character-driven books have to have some kind of action or forward momentum, to capture a reader. Flash Burnout unfortunately has a plot that features too many contrivances and coincidences, making the reader go far beyond the normal suspension of disbelief. What are the chances that Blake's picture of a drug addict would happen to be his friend's mother? How likely is it that Shannon's grandmother would die on the same day that Blake sleeps with Marissa?

Beyond this, the novel seems to just come to a stop, rather than to a natural ending. Marissa's disappearance and the breakup of Shannon and Blake seem to be two separate events that occur at the end of the book, rather than a story drawing itself to a close. While some novels with an open-ended narrative have this structure, Flash Burnout does not seem to be focused on leaving things unresolved, so this lack of resolution is frustrating.

Also troubling are some of the unanswered questions. Marissa has a black eye and bruises during the novel; she blames them on participating in Hurtle, a high-speed bike ride, but they could equally have been signs of abuse. Yet this question is never even hinted at. Blake's parents are so worried about him acting responsibly when it comes to sex with Shannon that they don't seem to spend any time asking him about the relationship itself. And finally, what mother is going to take off her top due to a hot flash in front of her teenage son?

#2: Characters that are well-rounded but still two-dimensional.

L.K. Madigan has, on the surface, created a slate of three-dimensional characters. Blake cracks jokes but takes gritty photographs. Garrett, Blake's older brother, is a football player and a jock. Shannon is not the hottest girl in school, but Blake thinks she's beautiful. Yet if you go deeper, most of these characters are quickly reduced to stereotypes, never acting like anything more than a cardboard cutout. Shannon becomes the jealous girlfriend, Blake becomes the immature, overreacting boy, Marissa becomes a victim who needs rescuing. Being able to see these stereotypes this easily reduces the reader's sympathy for what happens to these characters. Blake himself veers from worrying about Marissa to losing his temper because Shannon's mother didn't give him enough help picking out a gift for Shannon. While we expect some volatility in teen characters, Blake seems designed to run through a gamut of teenage experiences without learning anything or even acting believably. This lack of control, of anything that appears like normal teenage behavior for a boy who's described as such, makes the characterization seem shallow. Adding in useless characters like Cappie and you see a novel that does not have a good grasp on how people act.

"Too bad about the flash burnout on this one."
I look over at the shot she's indicating. "The what?"
"The flash burnout. You got too close to the subject. So the flash overexposed her. Well, me, I mean."
It's the last shot I took at Marissa's house. It's the only one I took of Marissa and her mom together. I was in such a hurry to leave that I didn't take enough time to frame them. I was too close and the flash overexposed Marissa's face, turning it bright and blurry.
"Yeah, it would have been a good shot otherwise," I agree. (page 213-214)

While Blake's voice does have some appeal as a coming-of-age story, Flash Burnout reads like a first novel, without enough successes to make up for its misfires. The frustration of reading Flash Burnout is like looking at a bad photo of an interesting subject, one that has been framed poorly. The struggle between your girlfriend and your girl friend isn't one that's been explored much in YA fiction, and this novel could have filled that niche. There are good points to this novel, like the way Garrett acts towards his younger brother. But with poor plotting and lackluster characterization, it seems like Flash Burnout won't appeal to many teens.

Crosspost: Nonfiction Award Interview

For the YALSA blog, I'm interviewing some of the authors who have been shortlisted for the Nonfiction Award. First up is Sally Walker, the author of Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland. Find out what it was like visiting archeological digs, the five words Sally would use to describe her book, and what she thought about being shortlisted for this new award!

Read my earlier review of Written in Bone.

Nonfiction Shortlist: The Great and Only Barnum

The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum
Candace Fleming
2009; Schwartz & Wade Books (Random House); ISBN 978-0-375-84197-2 (hardcover)

Summary: P.T. Barnum didn't say "There's a sucker born every minute," but there's no denying that never was born anyone like him. As a boy, he would rather think of ways to make money than work for the money. Inheriting a love of practical jokes from his grandfather and Yankee values from his parents, Barnum set out to entertain the world and give them a good value for their money. Through his museums, circus and writings, Barnum became known as the greatest showman on Earth. But there was more to Barnum, as you will see . . .

Balancing fact with entertainment, Candace Fleming creates a readable, rollicking biography of the larger-than-life P.T. Barnum. From his beginnings in a small Connecticut town to his travels through America and Europe, the details of his life will delight readers. For teens used to tabloid journalism and Photoshop fakes, stories about original humbugs like the Feejee Mermaid will open their eyes to simple, entertaining hoaxes. Perhaps in this age where it's easier than ever to be fooled--and to grow angry over being tricked--the story of Barnum will remind us of the art and fun of having the wool drawn over our eyes. The life of Barnum is told with flair and skill by Fleming, enriched with original pen-and-ink illustrations as well as photos and engravings. By reading The Great and Only Barnum, readers can see just how much of today's celebrity culture began with Barnum.

Discover just what Barnum's American Museum was like, thanks to The Lost Museum.

Nonfiction Shortlist: Almost Astronauts

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
Tanya Lee Stone
2009; Candlewick Press; ISBN 978-0-7636-3611-1 (hardcover)

Summary: A desire to explore, go fast, and have an adventure isn't just a male one. Women too wanted to fly higher and faster--not just on Earth but into space. But in the 1960s, mainstream American society did not accept the idea that any woman would want to be an astronaut. After all, everyone knew that women are weaker then men: mentally, physically, emotionally. Everyone might have known that, but there was no scientific proof of those facts. But what if there was evidence? How would that change the mindset of NASA and Americans? Thirteen women were recruited to undergo tests to gauge woman's ability to handle the pressure of spaceflight. This is the story of those women.

Almost Astronauts brings to life a different time in America, when women were related, even expected, to stay in the home. For today's teens, this mindset is so alien thanks in part to the existence of the Mercury 13--the women who underwent medical and psychological testing that demonstrated their fitness for space exploration. Tanya Lee Stone patiently and meticulously explains just how different a woman's life was just fifty years ago, in order to give the full context to the courage fo the female pilots who wanted more. And their story can still inspire girls and women who are, even now, facing prejudice and barriers to their achievement. By taking a historical event and explaining it, but also showing its continuing importance, Stone has crafted an inspiring story of women who dared.

Accuracy or Agenda? Take a look at this post on School Library Journal's Heavy Medal blog for discussion about the position taken by Stone in this book.

Morris Shortlist: hold still

hold still
Nina LaCour
2009; Dutton (Penguin); ISBN 978-0-525-42155-9 (hardcover)

Summary: The suicide of her best friend has sent Caitlin into an abyss. Three months after Ingrid's death, Caitlin is starting her junior year and trying to carry on. But without Ingrid, Caitlin has to find new ways to define herself. Things she loved, like photography, have no allure; her former favorite teacher barely notices her. Oh-so-slowly, Caitlin begins to create a new life. It will take a year of reading Ingrid's journal, making new friends, and building a tree house, before Caitlin will be ready to let Ingrid go.

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

#1: A journey that's an emotional punch in the gut.

"I have her journal. I have her photographs. But still. There is so much missing. I crawl under my blankets and curl my body as tight as I can. I shiver and rub my feet together. Try os hard to get the cold out." (page 186)

Caitlin and Ingrid had a close friendship. Caitlin knew that sometimes Ingrid seemed a bit out of it, but she had no idea her friend was on medication and seeting a therapist. So Ingrid's suicide is a great shock to her. Losing her best friend much too soon sends Caitlin on a journey to deal with this loss. But how? Should she see a therapist? Bury herself in photography? Find a replacement for Ingrid? None of those options works for Caitlin. She has to find her own way, through starts and stops. It's not an easy process; Caitlin makes mistakes, pushes people away, takes unnecessary risks. But everything she does feels like the right choice in each dilemma. And each choice makes you feel the same things Caitlin is feeling: joy, sorrow, regret.

#2: A universal teen concern.

Death may be an awfully big adventure, in the words of Peter Pan, but is is a subject that holds a certain lure to teens. It's one of the contradictions of being a teenager: you think you're going to live forever, but you know that you could die any day. Death and dying is such a common topic in teen literature that there was a 2009 Popular Paperbacks list on the subject. Nina LaCour, who in her author's note credits the suicide of a high school classmate as an inspiration, focuses on the repercussions of a suicide. Teen readers are fully exposed to one girl's recovery from her friend's death, getting the chance to safely explore a scary, dangerous subject. But LaCour doesn't patronize or sugar-coat matters. With a true, honest voice, LaCour brings the reader along on Caitlin's journey.

hold still is an accomplished, moving debut. Nina LaCour has written a novel of great power, exploring the nature of friendship and grief. Caitlin is a complex, fully-realized character; it's to LaCour's credit that supporting characters as diverse as Ingrid, Dylan and Taylor are just as well-rounded. With a rich sense of language and a character-driven story, hold still is a great novel, one that will find readers who have read 13 Reasons Why and other similar novels. But Nina LaCour's first novel is able to stand on its own, gracefully meeting the criteria of the Morris Award.

YALSA Nonfiction Award

The first awarding of YALSA's new Nonfiction Award will occur in 2010. Like the Morris Award, the Nonfiction Award will be selected from a shortlist. The following titles have made that shortlist.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice by Phillip Hoose (my review)

The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous and Stupendous Life of the Showman P.T. Barnum by Candace Fleming

Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally Walker (my review)

Hopefully, I'll get some of the remaining books reviewed before Midwinter. I think this is a great shortlist: congrats to the nominated authors! And a big round of applause to the committee who created the inaugural shortlist.

Morris Award 2010

The shortlist for the 2010 William C. Morris YA Debut Award has been announced!

Ash by Malinda Lo (my review)

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

The Everafter by Amy Huntley

Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan

hold still by Nina LaCour

Congratulations to the authors, and many thanks to the hard-working Morris committee!

I will hopefully be writing blog posts on all the shortlisted titles in the coming weeks; the only monkey wrench is my feverish work on the reader's advisory guide that I'm writing. My deadline is December 31, so I might not get all my Morris posts done until right before Midwinter. But here's hoping!