An open letter to a frightened mother and her bookless teen.

To: Amy Freeman
CC: Meghan Cox Gurdon
Re: Darkness Too Visible

Dear Ms. Freeman,

I am disheartened to know that you did not find any books for your 13-year-old daughter at your local Barnes & Noble. I mean, the saddest part of this whole fandangle is that you went home without a book! Or maybe the saddest part is that there were, indeed, a bazillion choices for a) a younger, more innocent YA reader and/or b) a conservative mom to share with the aforementioned teen who may or may not be as innocent as you believe.

The bookseller in question, well, I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she was new to the store and specialized in cookbooks and didn't know who to tag in. Either way, a GOOD bookseller could have helped you. Since I am a former bookseller who was TOTALLY badass at her job, I'm going to help you out. The following are a list of books that I would have suggested. Some might be too saucy for your tastes. You might object to a few titles because of purported violence or swear word or vampires. But, ho! I will be letting you know why they are good books for your girl! And all of them are light reads that I feel completely comfortable selling to an 11-13 year old who enjoys reading OR to a conservative family with a parent willing to answer her daughters questions should she have some. Here goes:

1. I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU by Ally Carter
Yes, the word "kill" is in the title of this book. But Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series is about butt-kicking smart girls in an academy for spies. SPIES! There're hints of romance, action, and adventure, but you won't find over-the-top violence or sexual themes here. Bonus: readers will SO be inspired by the overflow of girl power!

2. DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK by Marlene Perez
Again, this might look like a "dark" book. But I swear, it's not! I don't even think it has any swear words. Yes, it's a paranormal. The main character is from a family of psychics and her mom works with the police department. Yes, this series has murder mysteries. But at heart, this is a comedy. Think Nancy Drew meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So if your girl is aching for something ghostly with a side of werewolf, fear not. The DEAD IS series will sate her passion for the paranormal without putting too much of the dark, sexy stuff on her plate.

3. ANGUS THONGS & FULL-FRONTAL SNOGGING by Louise Rennison
I love this book. I love that the most salacious thing about this book is the title. And I love that the protagonist Georgia Nicolson is such a real girl, and in this diary-formatted series, she says everything she thinks. And like so many girls her age, she thinks she knows a lot more than she does. What really shines through is a lot of her naivete. I mean, all she wants to do is kiss boys and play pranks! And while she might be a bit boy crazy, she's a good sister, way supportive of her family, and (albeit at times reluctantly) a good BFF. I guarantee this book will make your daughter laugh her butt off, and it won't put any ideas in her head that she isn't ready for.

4. CLOVER TWIG AND THE MAGICAL COTTAGE by Kaye Umansky
This is a book that you will probably find in the middle grade section, but I think most 11-13 year olds read a decent mix of YA and MG. Clover Twig is a precocious young lady who has taken a job as housekeeper for a witch. Little does she know that the witch's sister has a major case of jealousy, and that she has a nefarious plan to steal the magical cottage that Clover is currently in charge of. This book is a completely silly fantasy and I don't know anyone who's read it -- of any age --and not enjoyed every minute. I swear!

5. DEALING WITH DRAGONS by Patricia C. Wrede
I love love love Patricia C. Wrede. One cool thing about her is that she's a very prolific author with books for all ages from young readers to adult, so if your daughter becomes a fan of PCW, you'll be able to stock up! DEALING WITH DRAGONS is another of my fave girl power books -- it's about a princess who doesn't want to be a princess and runs away to live with a dragon instead. It's hysterically funny, rife with fun feminism, and full of magic! It's also the first in a four book series which I read and reread many times during my own tween years. I was so inspired by the main character, Cimorene, that I truly believe she had a part in making me the confident woman I am today. This series definitely straddles the line between MG and YA, making it a solid tween title. Your girl will love it.

6. FRONT PAGE FACE-OFF by Jo Whittemore
Another book that straddles MG/YA, this tween comedy from Jo Whittemore tackles the middle school issues of popularity, competition, and crushes with a serious sense of humor. I love that the main character is a smart girl with absolutely no intentions of toning it down. I love that this book made me laugh out loud when I was reading it on the bus. And I love that it's a book about competition for control over the school newspaper. If your 11-13 year old likes a good, girly comedy, this one hits the spot and then some.

7. THE TIME-TRAVELING FASHIONISTA by Bianca Turetsky
Once again we have a book that fits easily in either the teen or kids section of the library (though you will probably find it with the middle grade books), this is a fun, girly book with a touch of sci fi (time travel, hello!) and history (it takes place on the Titanic. Yes, THAT Titanic). When Louise Lambert puts on a dress at a mysterious vintage sale, she slips backward in time into the body of a teen actress on board the aforementioned doomed ship. At first she's having the time of her life, but when she figures out that, you know, she might drown, everything changes. Louise has got to find a way to save herself -- and her new friends -- before the ship sinks. And she wouldn't mind getting back to the future either. The first in an upcoming series, this one is sure to delight any burgeoning fashionistas and it will absolutely spark an interest in history as well!

8. GIVING UP THE GHOST by Sheri Sinykin
Yes, it's a ghost story. Yes, it's a southern Gothic, taking place at an old Louisiana plantation. Yes, there are some, er, questionable deaths on the part of the ghosts. And it's not like the elderly aunt that our protagonist, Davia, is taking care of is going to survive the book (I promise, this isn't really a spoiler). But the cancer-survivor mom is inspiring, and the fact that this book is, at its heart, about overcoming fear really hits home for almost everyone. I love the idea that Davia has to help the ghosts at the plantation in order to help her aunt. GIVING UP THE GHOST isn't about death, it's about finding strength, about forgiveness, and about facing the things that scare us the most. If your daughter wants a more serious book, this would be a good one to start with.

9. OYMG by Amy Fellner Dominy
This comedy about a Jewish girl at a Christian summer camp has a bit of a serious side, but that doesn't make it any less fun to read! I mean, who doesn't love a girl who loves to argue -- and does it so well that she's a candidate for a debate scholarship? Who doesn't love a grandpa who speaks Yiddish and encourages his family to be strong in their faith and to be proud of their culture? And while the protagonist of this story does have to face antisemitism while in pursuit of her scholarship -- and her crush -- I think that the message of the book is a good one: being true to yourself is worth more than any boy, OR any prize.

10. ZITFACE by Emily Howse
If your daughter loves stories about teen Hollywood, this new YA/tween novel from Emily Howse is a sure-fire hit! It's about a teen actress who has just landed a job in a major commercial campaign. She's also just landed the boy of her dreams -- the new kid at school who is just completely crushworthy. But everything goes awry when she breaks out. And one breakout leads to another and she's diagnosed with every actress' nightmare: acne. She goes from being popular to picked on at school, and her agent is none too pleased either. But this is how she learns who her true friends are, how she learns to persevere and pursue her Hollywood dreams despite her condition, how she becomes a stronger person. ZITFACE is funny, cute, and a great read for younger readers looking for a new YA title.

11. DRY SOULS by Denise Getson
Dystopian novels are a major trend right now, and if your daughter is interested in reading about a not-too-distant future in which things have gone awry -- but she's not quite ready for some of the harsher, more violent titles -- DRY SOULS is a great choice. It's about Kira, a girl who, in a world where water is beyond scarce and controlled by the government, discovers that she can generate water herself. Kira runs away from the orphanage in which she grew up, hoping to find a way to share her gift and replenish the world's water sources. But it's not long before she realizes the government is on her tail, and they have other plans for Kira. In this book about friendship, ecology, and survival, there's nothing I would feel uncomfortable sharing with an avid reader as young as 10.

13. MY SO-CALLED DEATH by Stacey Jay
Stacy Jay has written a lot of books about zombies, and this is one of my favorites. It's about a young cheerleader who falls during a stunt, dies, and comes back as the undead. But while the topic seems grim, I'd hardly classify this as a dark book. I mean, it's about a cheerleader, right? It's not long before the girl is whisked away to a secret academy for the undead, where she'll learn all about being undead along with, you know, math and reading and all that jazz. Of course, no zombie book is complete without a little brain harvesting, and this is where our heroine comes in to help solve a mystery and perhaps even save some of her classmates from a sinister power using forbidden magic to steal her friends' brains. No, seriously, this book is funny, sweet, and a great book for kids and teens who want to read about zombies but still want to sleep at night. And, on the sexy front, there's nothing more than crushing and kissing!

13. FORGIVE MY FINS by Tera Lynn Childs
Everyone loves a mermaid tale! (Tail?) And in this coming-of-age novel a teen is torn between her new life on land (an experiment to see if she would ever want to leave her mermaid heritage) and her old life at sea. Of course, everything gets completely messed up when she's tricked into kissing the annoying guy next door instead of the boy of her dreams -- because in the world of mermaids, when you kiss a boy, you're choosing him for life. So now she's on a mission -- to ditch annoying neighbor boy and get back to her life -- whichever she should choose. But what she can't predict are the sparks of romance in the last place she'd ever expected. FORGIVE MY FINS is a totally adorable and safe pick for teens looking for the paranormal, magical element without anything too dark or sexy. I think your daughter would love it!

Hopefully this list is helpful. If not, feel free to write me for more choices. I'd be happy to reply! I mean, I could go on all day.

And if you're looking for, you know, well-written, heart-felt, and intelligent replies to the article in the Wall Street Journal, I hope that you will look here, here, or here. Or, like, Google it -- everyone in YA has something to say about the bias in the article, the anger, the ignorance, and the hate. I'm choosing the let the other voices say what I'm thinking about this part of your complaint, because they've already done it so well. I'm offering you my book shopping help instead. Because YA is so big. Kidlit is enormous. We have books for everyone!

Warm Wishes! (For real!)

Review: DRY SOULS by Denise Getson

There are a billion dystopians out there right now.  And a lot of them are based on ecological premeses.  But it's been a while since I read one so compelling as debut author Denise Getson's DRY SOULS.

DRY SOULS follows Kira, a teen girl who can hardly remember her mom, and has grown up at an all-girls orphanage.  She's never quite fit in with the other girls, and when she finds a flower -- something no one has seen in years, since the water is too tightly regulated to support purely aesthetic plantlife -- Kira is compelled to protect it.  It feels like her safe place, her one thing that she has in the world.  And it could have been the key to friendship, with a girl named Mary.  Together they water the flower by saving their rations -- it's their secret.  But on the day that Kira discovers she can conjure water on her own, Mary freaks out, tells the headmistress, and is on the outs again. 

So Kira strikes out on her own, as a traveler, with little direction except to maybe go to the town of her birth, Slag, in an area once known as the Great Lakes Region.  Meeting up with fellow runaway J.D., things seem to be going okay, and Kira is feeling good about her choice to leave the orphanage.  Little does she know, the goverment -- the Territories -- is out to find her.  They know about her power, and have no interest in her filling the lakes and rivers and bringing water to the people.  The Territories have managed to keep control over the population by keeping control over the water, and to them, Kira is an enormous threat. 

Part adventure, part coming-of-age, and completely unputdownable, DRY SOULS is an elegantly written addition to the dystopian genre.  One that presents its stark future with an element of hope, with relateable characters, and without the pretense of a forced romance.  And, at just under 200 pages, it makes a great pick for reluctant teen readers.  Make sure you go to your local library or bookstore and ask for DRY SOULS, stat!

And, fyi, DRY SOULS is with the small press CBAY books.  So if you can't find it right away, make sure to special order it!  Gotta love the small presses, y'all!

Lois Duncan Winners!

Hey everyone!  Today I just wanted to announce the winners of the Lois Duncan books!

Each winner will receive a set of THREE Lois Duncan YA thrillers, courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

1. Maggie Desmond-O'Brien
2. Darsa Morrow
3. The Book Groupie

Looking forward to hearing what you all think!  I'll be contacting y'all shortly to get mailing addresses.  Congratulations, and thanks again to Little, Brown!

WINNER of THE TIME TRAVELING FASHIONISTA announced! Plus, check out these other giveaways!

Chosen by random number generators, the winner of THE TIME TRAVELING FASHIONISTA is....

Schuyler, aka @ReadersInk!

Schuyler, I just know you're going to love this one!  And to those of you who didn't win, don't dispair! There are a LOT of giveaways going on both here and at my other blog, The Tart.  (And more still coming!  Go ahead and enter -- I'm linking some of them below.  All of these are open through May 1!

For THREE Lois Duncan novels, newly reissued and updated by the author, see this post!  Three winners will win a set of these books including DOWN A DARK HALL, STRANGER WITH MY FACE, and SUMMER OF FEAR.

For a copy of the adorable new middle grade novel in verse, LIKE PICKLE JUICE ON A COOKIE by Julie Sternberg, comment on this post!

To enter to win a copy of POEM IN YOUR POCKET FOR YOUNG POETS, edited by Bruno Navasky, see on this post.

Especially for National Poetry Month, win one of THREE copies of renowned author Julia Alvarez' poetry collection, THE WOMAN I KEPT TO MYSELF, comment on this post.

And if you're interested in a set of TWO poetry anthologies for young readers from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, check out this post, here! Two winners will be selected.

Thanks to Abrams/Amulet, Algonquin, and Little, Brown for providing all of the above books!

Review: THE TIME-TRAVELING FASHIONISTA by Bianca Turestky

Wow.  If there was ever a book that understood my passion for vintage fashion, it's this one.  Add a savvy teenager whose voice I can totally relate to (Louise and I would totally have been BFF in high school), a trip back to the Titanic (whoa!) and gorgeous full-color fashion illustrations throughout, and I'm hooked.  Bianca Turetsky's THE TIME-TRAVELING FASHIONISTA is a must read for all you girlie girls this summer.

I mean, it definitely helps that the story is compelling -- girl gets invitation to exclusive vintage sale, girl tries on mysterious dres, girl gets sucked back in time and is thrust into the life of a glamorous film star....and girl has to save herself and her new friends from dying on the freaking Titanic?  I mean, hello...it doesn't get much more riveting.    And you know what?  The writing is absolutely wonderful as well.  Just plain magical!

So, in celebration of this fabbity-fab new book for teen and tween fashionistas, Little, Brown has offered to give away a brand new copy to one of our YA-5 readers!  So leave us a comment to enter.  Winners will be determined by the random number generating faeries.  GOOD LUCK!

Review: PERCIVAL'S ANGEL by Anne Eliot Crompton

If you love Arthurian legend, knightly battles, and tales of The Good Folk (you know, faeries!), I have a book for you.

The third in Anne Eliot Crompton's series of companion novels taking place in the times of Merlin and the Knights of the Round table, PERCIVAL'S ANGEL is an adventure novel sprinkled with magic and mystery.  Percy has known the Fey Forest as home his whole life -- his mother brought him there when all of her other sons and even her husband were killed as knights.  She never wanted Percy to become a knight, and it was her life's goal to prevent this, even if it meant living in isolation among the faeries.  But when a few of Arthur's knights stumble into the forest, Percy knows that his path in life is to pursue knighthood.  He will have nothing else.

Lili is fey, grew up not knowing her mother, as is traditional for fey.  But she's always known Percy.  And over the years she's developed a desire to understand the human heart.  In fact, she wants one on her own.  When Percy decides to go questing, Lili accompanies him, both as a protector, but in pursuit of her own goal -- the human heart she yearns for.

And elegantly written novel, PERCIVAL'S ANGEL is filled with prose that is almost magical in its construction.  The reader is immediately swept into the world of magic and knights and ladies and kings.  While this is the third in a series, it does stand alone (I haven't read the first two books myself) and it's an adventure that readers of Robin McKinley and Ursula K. LeGuin will love to follow.

WINNERS announced for two signed copies of THE HANDBOOK FOR LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORES by the indomitable MICHELE YOUNG-STONE!

So excited to announce these winners today! Kari graciously lent me her Thursday post to do so, so thanks, Kari!

A reminder, this is what our lovely winners will be getting:

Signed, sealed, and delivered by Ms. Michele!
(emphasis on the SIGNED!)

I'm really excited to share this book, one of my favorite reads of 2010, with two of the YA-5's readers. I hope y'all enjoy it and will blog about it when you've finished! And again, thanks to Michele Young-Stone and her publisher, Crown, for providing the loot!

Without further ado, here are the shiny, sparkly, lucky winners!


KATE and CHOLISOSE! Y'all, I'll be sending you an email. If the email associated with your blogger account (or the one you left me is inaccurate), please be sure to get in touch with me at e.kristin.anderson AT gmail DOT com. THANKS! And ENJOY!

WIN a copy of THE HANDBOOK FOR LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS by Michele Young-Stone

One thing that I love about books is their indefinability.  You know, we love to label things -- books being no exceptions.  This book is YA, this book is sci fi, this book is for adults -- you know the drill.  But every once in a while you come across a book that seems shareable amongst all readers.  Or, you know, at least crosses that boundary between the YA audience and the adult world.

One of my favorite such books is THE HANDBOOK FOR LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS by the inimitable Michele Young-Stone.  Today, we are giving away copies of Michele's book.  Because a) it is an awesome book that, while labelled as "adult fiction" is absolutely a book worth sharing with YA readers and b) because I love this book and Michele is awesome enough to send my readers copies and c) we are celebrating next week's paperback release of this, her debut novel.

I could talk about this book for days and months and years, so let me just tell you what a few of the fancy reviewers had to say:

"Yes, it's a book about lightning, but it's so much more.  It's about the interconnectedness of our stories, our seemingly lonely and individual sufferings.  It's about the strength of the human spirit.  It's about finding redemption where you least expect it.  This book, like lightning itself, will take your breath away."  Our State Magazine

Young-Stone has written an exceptionally rich and sure-handed debut, full of complex characters, brilliantly described. . . . Her style certainly has an electric immediacy."   The Boston Globe

Author Michele Young-Stone
with her hardcover debut!

So if you want to win your own brand-new, shiny, autographed(!) paperback of THE HANDBOOK FOR LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS -- which you will have in your hands before it even hits store shelves -- all you have to do is leave a comment.  I promise, this won't be a book you'll soon forget.   I mean, Publisher's Weekly named it one of the best debuts of 2010.  (And yours truly does not disagree!  In fact, it was one of my favorite books PERIOD of 2010!)

To review: All you have to do to win is leave a comment (though retweeting and all that is appreciated).  Two winners will be selected by the random number generating faeries, and results will be posted on Thursday.  Good luck!

YA, Pop Culture, and You, the READER!

Hi everyone. I've had this blog post rattling around in my brain for a few weeks now and I think it's finally time to put it out there. There's no place like the YA-5 to question the norms and find out what the readers REALLY think of industry standards and yadda yadda yadda.

So here's the thing: pop culture in YA can be kind of a hot button. Some people think that referencing a popular actress or hit song immediately dates a book -- and I can't argue with that. If I set out tomorrow to write a book, whether it's YA contemporary or adult horror, I'm probably not going to talk about my protagonist's addiction to Ke$ha. No matter how catchy Ke$ha's music is. I mean, I have no idea which pop stars are going to be remembered just two years from now (which, even if my book sold the day I finished it, is probably about how long it would take for the novel to hit stores), let alone five or ten years.

Do you watch your fave
shows with your friends?

But here's the dilemma: a lot of teens -- a lot of people -- really think in terms of pop culture. We schedule our evenings around our favorite TV shows. (I have friends who go to Glee-watching parties, and in high school I had my BFF over once a week for Buffy night.) We stand in line for hours to be in the front row at a concert for our favorite band. We make play lists for ourselves and our friends on iTunes. We idolize actresses and models and pop stars and emulate their styles. Is there any way to write a book without talking about some of these things? Sure. Do I want to? Not really.

I aspire to write characters that feel like your friends, your family. I like it when I'm inside a character's head and I can see what she likes and how she relates to her world. If my character is an audiophile, you can bet she's going to relate to her world through her favorite bands. If my character is a musician, she'll probably talk about her influences. If my character loves fashion, she's definitely going to describe clothing in terms of style icons. For some, it might cut it to make up names. This doesn't always work for me.

So when is it too much pop culture? I think it comes down to context. If I can talk about a band from 1994 that you don't know about, and make you feel like you know why it's important, does that work for you? If my book takes place in 1980, is it more obnoxious to have my character reference made up movies and fashion icons, or to talk about real ones that you don't know much about?

Like all things, I think pop culture in literature is about balance. And like all writing, there's got to be a reason for anything an author puts into a book, whether it's violence or a sex scene or swear words or a sub plot or your character's iPod playlist. I mean, if I can go again to HIGH FIDELITY, that book simply wouldn't have been right without all the real pop culture infusion it showcased. Music is what makes that book work. As a reader, what makes a music-y, pop-culture-y book work for you?

Celebrate International Women's Week With Me!

Hi everyone! Sorry about the crazy inconsistency of my posts over here at the YA-5 lately. I promise, I'm going to work hard to make my Mondays awesome! BAM. There, I said it -- I PROMISE!

Okay, so, there's this thing this week. It's INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S WEEK. Yeah, feminism is a dirty word to some. I know some women who don't even like to call themselves feminists because they associate the word with man-haters and bra-burners. To me, feminism just means being able to be who I want and do what I want and achieve what I want regardless of my gender. I believe in equality. I believe in fierce, fabulous ladies making names for themselves in a world that would rather they stay silent. I believe in stay at home moms and career women. I believe in girls who want to be quarterbacks and cheer captains. I believe in fashion models and rock stars and engineers and math teachers. And, DUH, I believe in women writers.

Author Cayla Kluver

So this week over at my personal blog, I'm celebrating women in writing. From LOTS of different angles. Today, the fabulous Cayla Kluver (whose debut novel LEGACY will be coming out with HarlequinTEEN later this year) is talking about writing "That Woman" -- the Mina Harker, the Buffy Summers -- the woman that every man and even a lot of the ladies want to write off but, you know, they sort of kick butt anyway?

I love Cayla's post and I am looking forward to the lineup I have for the rest of the week: Tess Hardwick on the sometimes limiting labels of "chicklit" and "women's fiction," The YA-5's own K.A. Holt on writing male-voiced middle grade, Tiffany Reisz on writing naughty novels WITHOUT a penname, Gretchen McNeil on being bold, and Jeanette Larson on literary awards. I'm so so so excited for this week, and I hope you'll join me in celebrating the literary ladies who make our bookshelves so much more badass. And, you know, go give some chicks a hug today, okay? The world would totally suck without women!

A new butt-kicking supergirl for paranormal fans.

Riley was hoping to trap a simple Biblio-Fiend making a nuisance of itself at the library -- one of her first traps on her own -- but instead of making a name for herself as a decent trapper she's ended up all over the web in a video that makes her look like a total spaz. You know, books flying, shelves toppling, the Biblio nearly escaping.

She's the only female Trapper in the Guild, and the old boys' club already thinks the only reason she's an apprentice is that her dad is the legendary Paul Blackthorne. This so isn't helping. And the last person she wants to see is the first person who shows up -- cute but obnoxious Beck, a guy who idolizes her dad and treats her like a little kid. And he doesn't believe her when she says that the demons must be working together -- a low-grade Bilio-Fiend can't create that kind of chaos on its own.
 
It's not long before things get even worse, when the unthinkable befalls Riley, Beck, and the entire Guild. It's a tragedy that makes stresses like Riley's crush on fellow apprentice Simon and her strained friendship with civilian Peter and even the economic upheaval that is her hometown of Atlanta seem like small potatoes. With a whole new -- and scary and tragic -- look on life, Riley has a new mission: find the Grade Five Geo-Fiend who created this disaster and put an end to it all.

Set in a post-apocalyptic-y Atlanta that most of us wouldn't recognize, and built on intricately woven mythology, THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER by Jana Oliver is a fast-paced, exciting read. With sparks of romance and bone-chilling fight scenes, the intrigue and the action compel the reader forward with each turn of the page. I am eagerly anticipating the sequel, set for release in fall of this year. In the meantime, if you've loved the tough heroines in series like Lili St. Crow's STRANGE ANGELS and Richelle Mead's VAMPIRE ACADEMY, get thee to a bookseller or library and pick up THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER.

You know how sometimes you read a book and you're like HEY AUTHOR GET OUT OF MY HEAD? Yeah. That thing.

Ever been just minding your own business, enjoying a good book, when you realized the author has clearly been stalking you? Or perhaps even tapped your phones? Or implanted a microchip in your brain?

You're like, holy crap, how the frick did you know that about me? Because, there is no way that moment could have been captured without a direct link into your cerebellum.

Yeah. It's a little unnerving. But it's also kind of cool. It's one of the best things about books, really.

One of the books that does that for me is HIGH FIDELITY by Nick Hornby. It was one of the first books that I connected to as a young adult, even though it's not a YA book and it's totally about thirty-somethings. What does this say about me? Well, there's the fact that the narrator has a certain sense of self-importance, worked in a record store, and defined his life in terms of the pop culture around him. He made top-five lists (I used to make top-tens obssessively), mix tapes (check), and big mistakes in his relationships (oh yeah). And, okay, he was totally a dude, but he got me. Nick Hornby got me.

I still go back to that book as a home base. I look at passages and smile. I'm still angry at one of the characters. I'm still nostalgic for Championship Vinyl. And I watch the movie that was based on the book as if I'm sitting down with friends. It's just that cool.

What books feel like that to you? Is there anything that just boggled your mind when you read it, like the author might even be yourself in a parallel universe? I need to know. Because, apparently, I've been exactly like a 34-year-old, male record shop owner since I was about 19.

Anna and the French Kiss: yes, you need to read it!

There's another YA romance around every corner. And whether you love or loathe the genre, sometimes it feels like it needs a little kick start. Like you've read that story a few times and want something new.

Let me be the first to tell you that ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS is not just another anything. It's a romance, and it's an adventure, and it's a comedy, and it's a coming-of-age story. It makes me want to spend all day at a cafe in Paris. It makes me want to go back in time and go to boarding school. It makes me want to go on silly romps with my friends and take my boyfriend to arthouse theatres. It is a story in which you feel like you know everyone, and when you close the last pages, they're a part of you.

It's the story of Anna, sent by her rich father who writes melodramatic cancer romance novels to a French boarding school. She soon finds herself in a tight group of friends including the charming St. Clair, an American boy who grew up in Britain but has a French dad. And Anna has never met anyone like him. Not even the cute boy she is almost sort of maybe dating from the theatre where she works back home. As she and St. Clair -- who is dating a college freshman -- get closer and closer, Anna has to push back her growing feelings for him. And, ultimately, this school year abroad in France could either be the best year of her life, or lead her to self-destruct. Either way, it will change her forever.

If you like John Green, Maureen Johnson, or Simone Elkeles, you'll love Stephanie Perkins. Pick up ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS right now.

TV: It's just another way to tell a story, right?

Oh my goodness. How many times in my life have I heard someone tell young people (or me!) to "turn off the TV and open a book?" Or, you know, something similar?

How many times have you heard that television rots your brain? And then wanted to charge at the person making this claim like a velociraptor at a cocky paleontologist?

Oh, don't get me wrong. I love books. I mean, well, duh, I write books! I have a house full of books! Books are sort of my life. But you know what else I love?

TV.

I love TV on DVD. I love that I can use my DVR to record shows that are on at the same time. I love that there are funny shows and serious shows and documentary shows and sci fi shows. I love that there are all these stories that I can watch.

So why does TV get a bad rap? Why do so many of us think of it as a "low" art form, or as a hobby for the feeble-minded? Like, okay, The Jersey Shore exists. I'll admit it. But so does The X Files. So does House. So does Scrubs.

And, yeah, books might be easy to pin as a high art, because you have to read them. But, come on, not to lay the smack down on anyone, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that GOSSIP GIRL isn't particularly literary. (And I'm putting this out there because I'm like 99.9% sure that creator Cecily von Ziegesar would agree with me. I hope.) Does this fact stop jillions of readers from being entertained by the books? No.

Books are a form of entertainment, too. Sure, sometimes books are going to be what I like to call "meat and potatoes" books. SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green's LOOKING FOR ALASKA -- you know, award-winny types. Entertaining and also enriching. Then there are what I like to call "candy bar books" -- the books we read for funsies and sometimes consider guilty pleasures. Books without many SAT words but with superfluous kissing scenes or maybe epic gun fights. Do these books change your world? Probably not. And that's cool.

So what makes books better than TV? What makes them sacred? Like, okay, there are lots of reasons that books are different, ways that without seeing the pictures on your screen you might have to use your imagination more while you're reading. But have you ever watched an episode of your favorite show and felt just so inspired? Just wowed? The same way you feel after you finish a good book?

TV and books are different ways to tell a story. But when it comes down to it, a story is a story. Why can't we love both, treat them equally, and call it a day? Why do we think certain things can go on TV but "don't belong" in books? Why are books on a pedestal, guys? I want to know.

New Year, New Projects, Epic Awesome

As we get closer to the holidays (and further from the pie-pocalypse that was Thanksgiving), things may appear to be slowing down in the blogosphere. But that's not entirely true. Even if I miss a Monday every now and then (hey, I was in a wedding last week!) know that I am busy behind the scenes working with fellow 5-er Miranda on a sekrit project.

Okay, it's not so sekrit. It's called Dear Teen Me and, holy crap, it's going to be awesome.

Dear Teen Me launches Dec. 1st with some of your favorite authors participating. Head on over to the site for more details, but for now, I'll tell you this: it's an entire blog dedicated to authors writing letters to their teen selves. Could it possibly get more awesome?

I'm not sure. I mean, every time I get an email from an author saying "hey can I write a letter for Dear Teen Me, too?" it definitely gets more awesome. And all of the YA-5 bloggers are on board, so, you know, you can count on some hilarity.

I hope you'll go check out our website. There's not a ton there now, but there will be very, very soon. I promise, this is going to be epic!

I CAN TELL THE FUTURE: Award Predictions

So every year I get all excited and make lists of books that I think should win awards from the ALA. My lists are so long this year! And I am having a hard time whittling them down. So I figured I would blog here, and see what y'all think. Since I mostly read YA this year, I won't be able to cover all the categories, but I hope you're inspired to take a look at the books I do mention in today's post. YAY!

For the Michael L. Printz Award:
The Printz award is for young adult books, and unlike many of the other award categories, the author does not have to be a US-ian to win. So that makes my life even more difficult when trying to narrow things down. Here are the books I picked:
SEA (Putnam, 2010) by Heidi R. Kling
This story of love, of travel, and of loss is so jarring, so heartbreaking, so beautiful that I practically read it in one sitting with one eye open deep into the wee hours of the morning. It transported me overseas, introduced me to victims of the 2004 Tsunami, and enchanted me with elegant writing and wonderful characters. SEA is totally Printz-worthy. (my review)
THE LESS-DEAD (Delacorte, 2010) by April Lurie
Exploring tough topics like Evangelism, hate crime, and homeless teens, THE LESS-DEAD is one of the most compelling books I read this year. Following the son of a pastor-slash-talk-radio-host in Austin, THE LESS-DEAD is a solid mystery novel (would be a great candidate for the Edgars later this year, too) with a serial killer targeting gay teens. It is an ambitious book, and it delivers.
SAVING MADDIE (Delacorte, 2010) by Varian Johnson
I don't know what's not to like about SAVING MADDIE. The small-town Carolina setting, the story of friendship growing into first love, the poetic language and humor with which Varian Johnson tells this story -- it's all wonderful. I love the idea that this book captures: the way we change as teens, the way the things that happen to us shape us forever, and how we can still be ourselves despite this.
YOU ARE NOT HERE (Scholastic Push, 2010) by Samantha Schutz
This haunting novel-in-verse is told from the point of view of a young girl who lives way too close to a graveyard. And when her sort-of-boyfriend (that her mom didn't know about and whom her friends didn't like) dies suddenly, well, Annaleah is a mess. This story of coping, of growing, of saving oneself despite the grief is compelling and beautiful from page one. I'd love to see a Printz for the brilliant Samantha Schutz.
THE EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS OF APRIL, MAY & JUNE (Razorbill, 2010) by Robin Benway
This tale of sisterly love, companionship, and sometimes loathing is so true to life. And yet, so not. I'd hate to give away too much of the plot, but I just loved the characters in THE EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS, and the writing was so beautiful. Robin Benway totally deserves a nod! (my review)
ALIEN INVASION & OTHER INCONVENIENCES (Candlewick, 2010) by Brian Yansky
One of the most literary YA sci-fis I've ever read, I just can't gush enough about my love for ALIEN INVASION. Focusing on what happens after the ten second conquering of Earth by Sanginians, the book is genius, funny, heartbreaking, scary, smart, and wonderful in every way. The Printz committee has definitely been open to some weird books in the past, so I hope they'll continue to give weird a chance with Brian Yansky's latest. (my review, my interview with the author)

For the John Newbery Medal
This award is given to a book by an American author. It is usually middle grade, though I have seen some YAs slip in. I'm pretty sure we're all familiar with the Newbery, as it filled a lot of our required reading in school, back in the day.
BAMBOO PEOPLE (Charlesbridge, 2010) by Mitali Perkins
This heartbreaking tale of child soldiers in modern-day Burma, told from perspectives on both sides of the war, is one of my favorite books of the year. Political stories are no stranger to the Newbery award, so I do think this book has a serious chance. Plus, with Perkins' beautiful narrative, it's not hard to be won over by this amazing book. (my review)
MODERN FAIRIES, DWARVES, GOBLINS, AND OTHER NASTIES (Knopf, 2010) by Lesley M.M. Blume
This cleverly-written collection of short stories combined with a field guide and gorgeous illustrations is both artful and delightful. Fantasy doesn't often get the nod from the Newbery committee, but I'd love to Blume's book in the ranks this year. (my review)
BRAINS FOR LUNCH (Roaring Brook/Neal Porter, 2010) by K.A. Holt
I've never read a funnier, cleverer, more awesome book written in haiku. And the way this book tackles tough issues like race, segregation, cliques, and conformity? Yeah, brilliant. So maybe it's a stretch to think that the Newbery committee will give an award to a zombie book. Who cares? I WANT THEM TO. (Shhhh, I know K.A. Holt is totally a fellow YA-5-er, but that doesn't make her book any less awesome.) (my review)

For the Alex Award:
The Alex award is given to adult books of literary merit that the ALA thinks would be of interest to teens. I didn't read that many grown-up books this year, but of those that I did pick up, these two are major stand-outs.
THE HANDBOOK FOR LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS by Michele Young-Stone
Poetically written in two voices, this novel covers the lives of two young people affected by lightning. Their story is compelling, relateable, and perfectly narrated. It's one of my favorite books of the year, for sure, and one from which both adults and teens can take a lot. (my review and interview with the author)
THE REAPERS ARE THE ANGELS (Holt Paperbacks, 2010) by Alden Bell Honestly, I think this is a shoo-in. Not only is this zombie-infested pseudo-road-trip novel already being marketed at both adults and teens by the publisher, but the heroine of the novel is so wonderful to read. Plus, this book is so artfully written, so perfectly constructed, I'd love to see a jillion awards hanging around its proverbial neck. (my review and interview with the author)

For the Schneider Family Book Award:
This award goes to a book for young people that highlights a character's experience with disability. I picked out two books for this award -- two books that could easily win other awards, too, honestly.
THE STRANGE CASE OF ORIGAMI YODA (Amulet, 2010) by Tom Angleberger
Oh how I love this book! What I love most about it is that the point of view character and the subject of the story are both struggling with a disability, but it is never labeled in the book. It merely illustrates the differences that kids face in a classroom, all with a sense of humor and awesome illustrations. Plus, the story is just fabulous. I mean, come on. Origami Yoda? Yes, please! (my interview with the author)
THE HALF-LIFE OF PLANETS (Hyperion, 2010) by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin
This story of music and first love and promises and challenges is just plain fun to read. But there's something very different about one of the protagonists. And the other can't figure it out. When she does, her reaction is so human, even if its one that makes us temporarily loathe her. This becomes a story of coping and understanding and love all over again. (my review)

For the William C. Morris Award:
This award is given to a debut YA author each year. I read a lot of YA this year so I really had to narrow down my favorites. Here they are:
THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE (Dial, 2010) by Jandy Nelson
This story of love and loss and grief is so heartbreaking, so beautifully written, that I wouldn't be surprised if it won both the Morris Award and the Printz. If you haven't read it yet, go find it. Like now.
THE DUFF (Poppy, 2010) by Kody Keplinger
So THE DUFF is commercial fiction. And we don't always give awards to commercial fiction. But guess what? THE DUFF is awesome. It is funny and bold and groundbreaking. It looks at teen relationships in a way that many of us would rather not see. But it works. It's a brilliant debut and I'd love to see Miss Kody honored for it. (my review, my interview with the author)
DECEPTION: A HAUNTING EMMA NOVEL (Bloomsbury, 2010) by Lee Nichols
This paranormal mystery/romance is a whole new kind of ghost story. It has the creepy boarding school, the mysteriously out-of-the-picture parents, and the unexplainable childhood memories. But it also has beautiful prose and a striking new mythology that I've never seen before. I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel! The lovely Lee Nichols has written adult novels before, but this is her first YA, so I'm pretty sure she qualifies! (my review)
THE SPACE BETWEEN TREES (Chronicle, 2010) by Katie Williams
Wow, this work of literary YA blew me away. The character has a naivete that is sort of rare in YA, and a quirkiness that I immediately fell in love with. Williams' prose is poetic and the story just sucks you in from page one. This is another one I would feel comfortable putting down for The Printz. (my review, my interview with the author)

For The Coretta Scott King Award:
This award is given to books by African-American authors and/or illustrators on the topics concerning African American culture. There are actually several awards under this umbrella, and because I didn't read very many picture books or much nonfiction this year, I'm not going to break it down. I'm just going to tell you my two favorites for this award.
SHE LOVED BASEBALL: THE EFFA MANLEY STORY (HarperCollins 2010) by Audrey Vernick and illustrated by Don Tate
Baseball fans and history buffs alike can't help but adore this beautiful picture book biography of Effa Manley, an entrepreneur and activist most well-known for her involvement in Negro League baseball. Seriously, if this book doesn't get a gold sticker, I will eat my hat. Several hats, actually.
YUMMY (Lee & Low Books, 2010) by G. Neri and illustrated by Randy DuBurke
This graphic novel could easily snag a Printz award as well. It's a semi-biographical story of the young killer Yummy, an eleven-year-old famous for becoming involved with the Black Disciples Nation, a gang that was prevalent in the South Side neighborhood in Chicago in the 1990's. After being involved in the accidental shooting of a young girl, Yummy's name made headlines, becoming the posterchild for youth violence. Neri's story, told from the point of view of a non-gang-member, Roger, is eloquent, important, and covers all sides of this difficult topic. Randy DuBurke's illustrations are a perfect complement. (my review)

Okay. I think I'm done predicting the future for now. What are your predictions? Tell me! Leave all your award-y thoughts in the comments!