First Kiss (Then Tell) Bloomsbury Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-59990-199-2 $15.95 212pp

****

His name was Mike. I was old-- 15 and 3/4, and dreading turning sweet-sixteen-and-never-been-kissed. I agreed to play spin the bottle, hoping no one would be able to guess at my inexpertise. I almost instantly regretted not holding out for someone I truly and genuinely liked.

Popular authors for teens reveal the stories of their first kisses - first kiss ever, first kiss with a new person, first LAST kiss at the end of a relationship...the memoirs, by the likes of Jon Scieszka, David Levithan, Cecil Castelluci, Donna Jo Napoli, Deb Caletti are much more entertaining that MY story. Well articulated, diary-intimate, and full of delectable and gory details, they are funny, embarrassing, tender, and evocative by turns.

Some of the stories are presented in comic panel format, and others in poetry. Some gems: Sarah Mlynowski and Leslie Margolis provide a self-help spoof, centering around kissing advice. Scot Westerfeld offers a simple haiku, Robin Wasserman's second person point of view tale is one of woe, and Deb Caletti breaks the rules and writes about her second kiss.

The stories are interspersed with facts and tips: great screen kisses, how to avoid a kiss, what not to eat before kissing. The cover screams summer reading - the close together bare feet of a couple on a beach, one on tiptoes, suggests an intimate moment at days end. Indeed, this is a perfect summer read: light and easily digestible in chunks between sunbathing and running through the sprinkler. Whether you are still anticipating your first lip-lock or been kissed a hundred times, girls age 12 & up will probably get a vicarious thrill from reading these sweet reminiscences. 

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

(Tor Teen, 2008)

ISBN-13: 978-0765319852

Hardcover: 382 p.

List Price: $17.95

 

 

***** (5 out of 5 stars: excellent; nearly flawless; a must-have for all libraries serving youth)

“What’s the big deal? Would you rather have privacy or terrorists?”That is the question 17-year old Marcus Yallow of San Francisco, California struggles with in the wake of a modern-day terrorist attack which murders thousands and devastates the city’s infrastructure. After being seen with his three best friends near the scene of the incident on the day of the attack, the group becomes detained by the Department of Homeland Security who are suspicious of the teens’ DIY-style tech gadgets and their involvement in an international web ring of gamers and hackers. Over the course of a few days, a terrified Marcus is eventually released, only to realize that one of the friends is still missing, his house has been bugged, and the city has been transformed into a state of fear, paranoia, and scrutiny. Urgent to tell his story, rescue his friend, and combat what he sees as a fanatical police state in the making, Marcus assumes an alter-ego, “M1k3y”, who gathers a legion of devotees and “jammers” to fight back against the DHS with technological savvy and everyday objects such as personal gaming platforms.

In a nod to the Orwellian dystopic tradition, BoingBoing.net contributor Cory Doctorow creates a vivid and adventurous “what-if” portrait that is more reality than sci-fi. It’s great to see an author take on such sophisticated issues as politics, terrorism, and civil liberties and present them in a way that is not only accessible but meaningful to teens. The first Young Adult novel for the acclaimed writer and columnist, it will be curious to see where Doctorow takes his readers next, whether it will be bringing Marcus back for another adventure (though I don’t foresee this as the conflicts and characters in L.B. wrap up nicely and seem “one and off”) or whether he will pursue his other interests in steampunk or post-apocalypse. Another perk of this novel is the multicultural cast of characters, from Marcus’ close-knit group of friends to the various ethnic boroughs in which the teens live and go to school. Through the attention to sensuous details and vivid descriptions of his favorite hangouts, it is easy to empathize with Marcus’ need to save the home and city he so passionately loves from destroying itself from within; Doctorow allows San Francisco to be its own living, breathing “character” adding a unique dimension to the storytelling. Marcus voice is fresh and not in the least bit contrived, but balanced by the equally witty female counterpoints of Vanessa (“Van”) and Angela, fiercely independent, no-nonsense, street-savvy girls who give Marcus a run for his money. For teens that may be wary of the “techno-geek” lingo, urge them to give the story a shot, as Doctorow finely balances the “how-to” moments of machine building and computer programming so that it is on-point and factually accurate without being overwhelming. Readers might be surprised by their sense of curiosity and take a leap to the back of the book for tips by real life security experts and hackers (though that term is so ugly, I prefer the contributor’s term “digital pioneers”). Another value-added piece takes form of a bibliography of works both mentioned throughout by the characters and those which inspired Doctorow – your “read alikes” are already compiled for you!

 

If it is not clear from the worthy amount of praise that adorns the cover of this first edition from the likes of Neil Gaiman (Sandman, American Gods) and Scott Westerfeld (Uglies), then let it be said that this is a must have for all collections and one of the premier, stand-alone works to be published for YA in 2008; if I may be so bold as to predict that this will surely make the short list for the 2009 Printz Award nominees and other end-of the year “Best of” lists. Sure to spur controversy and discussion (this would be a great book club pick), this read will keep you thinking long after the final chapter about the future and vulnerability of free speech and human rights, as well as the promising inventive and rebellious spirit of the “millennial” generation.

For a fun twist on the “audio book”, check out Cory Doctorow performing readings from Little Brother here: http://tv.boingboing.net/2008/05/28/cory-doctorow-a-read.html

*****

This is Marillier's only book that is written for young adults, as far as I know, but it has all of the elements of her other fantasy writing. Like her other books, it is drawn from traditional folklore and is set in our world, although magic is a part of that world. In this case the folklore is Romanian, and the story takes place in a castle called Piscul Dracului. The main character is the second of five sisters who for years have been traveling to the Other Kingdom through a secret passageway in their bedroom, every full moon. The sisters range in age from five to seventeen years old, with Jena being fifteen years old. Jena's best friend, Gogu, is a frog she found in the forest who speaks to her telepathically and joins her in everything she does. Although Jena is only fifteen, and female, she is given a lot of responsibility, and helps her liberal-minded father with his trading business. The story begins when her father is very ill, and must leave for the winter for warmer climates if he wants his health to improve. Jena and her sisters are left in charge of the manor in his absence.
The sisters' cousin, Cezar is eighteen, and seeks to take control of the family and the business while their father is gone. Cezar and Jena were once close, but now Jena watches while Cezar changes into a greedy young man that she no longer recognizes. Jena must learn how to protect her family from his machinations, while keeping her younger sisters in line, and managing the manor and the business. Her older sister has become lost in her love for a man from the Other Kingdom, and Jena learns that sometimes love means having to let go.

Wildwood Dancing is a wonderful book, a fantasy that is incredibly well drawn, and still very realistic and present in this world. It is a coming of age story, about learning to trust yourself and those you love, and at the same time learning to let go of those things that you have no control over.

***

Dead is The New Black by Marlene Perez (Harcourt, 2008) 978-0-15-206408-2 pbk 204 pp $7.95

Vampires & werewolves are all the rage (blame Stephanie Meyers), and this supernatural tale about a slightly odd town named Nightshade stands out as  lightweight treatment of things that go bump in the night. Daisy, whose talents include gymnastics and cooking, stands out for being normal in family of psychics whose powers include clairvoyance, and telekinesis. When young women in town begin passing out from some kind of odd attack that results in sapped energy and fits of a kind, Daisy makes it her mission to get to the bottom of the mystery, alongside hunky Ryan, football star and son of local chief of police. Romance blossoms  (a bit predictably) but the rest of the story is unique, and fun, and has some seriously campy goth elements, like a trend of towing mini coffins along as an accessory in lieu of a purse.

Strong female characters abound, from Daisy’s hardworking rock of mom, to the school’s nurse, Nurse Philips. In between making a mean tiramisu, solving the mystery and getting the guy, Daisy also transitions from ordinary girl to cheerleader, as the squad lacks some key players, uncovers a secret society, and makes nice with a former antagonist. Banter between the three Giordano sisters is witty and by turns warm and teasing (and utterly believable).

Perez’s meal descriptions are mouthwatering, and it’s a treat to read about a teen girl who enjoys food and doesn’t stress too much over body image.  The ending is a little over the top with all loose ends neatly tied up and then some, but this is a fine start to what appears to be on it’s way to a regular mystery series. 

**** 

Savvy Girl by Lynn Messina. (Harcourt, 2008) 978-0-15-206161-6 pbk 264 pp $7.95

A summer internship at a women’s magazine introduces Long Island ingénue Chrissy Gibbons to the glamorous world of high fashion at a fast pace. Although the work part isn’t everything she dreamed (no cover articles, just reading endless query letters and working on the health section while the health editor she works frenetically plans her wedding, instead of doing her work), the fashion editor befriends her. Former model Jessica takes Chrissy under her wing, dishing gossip, complimenting her accidentally audacious fashion sense and bringing her to a number of fancy cocktail parties, where Chrissy tries to rub elbows with a gorgeous college intern on another magazine. The whirlwind of gaiety puts Chrissy’s friendship with her BBF under a great deal of strain (Lily’s parents are mid-divorce, and Chrissy just isn’t there for Lily) and there is also an essay competition at the magazine to content with.,The grand prize winner will earn her very own recurring Savvy Girl column and a $10, 000 for college.

All these plot points sound like a lot to juggle, but Messina does it deftly, blending family tensions, working strife, and romance into a compelling, fast paced story about a 17-year-old girl learning that nothing in like comes easy.  Not as slick as Gossip Girls, Chrissy’s observations and experience deliver a more realistic version of life in NY and mixing with the elite of the fashion world.

The writing sparkles off the page on several occasions; “Lily chain-smokes guys,” is just one great line that stands out. Clearly, Messina has a word a day calendar like her protagonist.: cerulean, audacious, and urbane aren’t words that pop up notice in your average teen trade paperback novel.  The chapter headings are very clever, with sensationalist and playful magazine article-style titles,  like  “Fatal Crush Or Hunger Pangs? Take Our True Love Challenge” in a chapter where Chrissy meets one smooth player. Messina’s bio indicates she’s worked at several “women’s  glossies,” and the authenticity comes as Chrissy experiences a variety of persnalities, tasks and  lessons learned.

All told, this is a solid story, well executed, with a likeable and dynamic main character, and a sweet and satisfactory ending almost as good as cookie dough ice cream. Recommended for larger collections.

 

While waiting the final 10 days before Breaking Dawn's release:

• Vote in our poll!  Edward, Jacob, neither... or are your Switzerland?
  
• Check out Stephanie Meyer's website for quotes from Breaking Dawn
• Listen to music inspired by Twilight, or that inspired Twilight
  
  • Mitch Hansen Band
  • The Bella Cullen Project  
  • The Twilight Music Girls
  • Stephanie Meyer's playlists:
    • Twilight
      
    • New Moon
    • Eclipse
      
• Check out trailers for the movie, Twilight, in theaters December 12 2008
• Read some Twilight fanfiction:
  • FanFiction.net
  • Ramblings & Musings
• Check out these role play MySpace pages:
  • Bella Swan
  • Edward Cullen
    
  • Jacob Black
    
• Purchase Twilight T-shirts
  • Twilight Teez, official merchandise
  • Zazzle
  • Cafe Press
    
• Check out some fan sites:
  • Twilighters
  • Twilight Topsites
    
  • Twilight Guy

    

These four books are all really solid stories that explore multicultural themes including integration into new environments, alternative lifestyles, and embracing other cultures' differences while realizing and appreciating shared experience. They all feature a female protagonist who is independent and has a lot of personality. They are great alternatives to The Gossip Girls or the A-List (books I find to be anti-feminism and anti-diversity).

In Lydia, Queen of Palestine by Uri Orlev, Lydia is a teenage girl who is forced to move into a kibbutz because of the Holocaust. She has a vivid imagination and deals with her parents' separation as well as the chaos around her by dramatizing their lives through her dolls. As a child, I admired her ability to get through situations I would have found frightening with only her sense of humor and strong will to guide her. It is a unique take on the Holocaust that focuses not on the war itself but on how a child during the time might have perceived the chaos going on around them. I also found Orlev's description of Lydia's life in the kibbutz to be extremely fascinating. Kibbutzim is a movement that began in the 40's in Israel as a communal way of life based on socialism and agriculture. At the time I first read this book, I had never heard of it, and it seemed very exotic and foreign. The idea of a community working together almost as a family seemed very appealing especially during a time where it was so important to watch out for each other.

One More River by Lynne Reid Banks also deals with kibbutzim; however, Lesley is a girl moving from the very American state of Missouri to live in Israel (the country her parents are from) on a kibbutz. It is a classic story of the upheaval and frustration that teenagers may feel when forced to leave behind established and familiar school, friends, and lifestyles. In Lesley's case, her family is quite wealthy, and her parents' decision to exchange luxury for a life of working in a commune is one that is baffling to her. I really enjoyed seeing Lesley transform from a girl who is immature and spoiled into a girl who is beginning to understand that life isn't about possessions and "being popular".

Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye is similar in that Liyana's family is uprooting her and her brother from the Midwest to move back to Jerusalem where their father is from. This is one of my favorites because Nye writes in a shimmering, lyrical prose that brings to life all of the mixed feelings of adolescence and confusion about identity Liyana is experiencing. She questions everything and draws some beautiful conclusions about racial prejudice.

Bloomability by Sharon Creech is what I think of as a guilty pleasure. I have a penchant for books about boarding schools. I think it has to do with the whole idea of being separated from your parents and having adventures and exploring the world at your own pace. Dinnie is sent to one such school in Switzerland where she is immersed into a social dynamic that is teeming with children from around the world who speak three or four different languages and are much more worldly than she. Initially, she struggles with assimilating all of the new strangeness of this new environment and eventually realizes how exciting it is once she embraces it. Creech has a unique talent in that she can draw meaning out of every situation and reinforce her themes of connectivity and diversity.

 

* * * * *

Graceling by Kristin Cashore (Harcourt, October 2009)

Since my one allowed bag weighed 70lbs, I was determined NOT to pick up ANY books at ALA this year (don't tell, I still have some from last year, that I haven' t gotten to).  But on Saturday morning, when I was walking through the exhibit hall, I was struck by a poster of a dagger with an eye reflected in it, and a beautiful blue and tan painterly map background, adorned by flowers (seabane, perhaps?)

Stop, said my practical ego. You don't need any more books! My id replied, Pretty! and my hand disobeyed, and reached out to pick up the ARC.

I glanced at the back. Fantasy. You are hard to please, when it comes to fantastic fiction..., nagged my ego. Mmm, but the names are pronounceable... I argued with myself. Regretfully, I started to put the book back. Then I noticed the author was signing. Right now, right there. Ok, ok, I acquiesced. I declined the temporary tattoo (I am as anti-temporary tattoo as I am glitter, nothing personal!) and asked Kristin Cashore to sign my book.

I tucked it into my carry-on and saved it for the 5 hour flight home. At first glance, I thought, a book whose author gives five of seven kingdoms names remniscient of compass points may not have much imagination, but I let it go and kept on, intrigued at first by the concept of an 8-year-old who has a haunting skill--the ability to kill a man with her bare hands. I was drawn into story and compelled to continue by the relationships between deeply developed characters, and the complete worldbuilding.

I couldn't put Graceling down. I devoured it in three hours.

Katsa is a Graceling, one of a rare group of people born with a special and extreme skill. Some have talent with plants or animals, some are skilled at physical activities, some can influence others or read minds. Her unique talent puts her at the mercy of doing the bidding of her uncle the king as little more than a thug. She balances the distaste of hurting people with subversive political activities, creating alliances within the seven kingdoms, and finds herself at the heart of unraveling the plot to kidnap King, after she and her friends have rescued him.

The setting is thoughful, detailed, and unique. The characters have distinct voices, and linger long after the end of the book. Even supporting characters are well-drawn. The story is a well-paced blend of internal struggle, history and culture of the kingdoms, storytelling, fight scenes, and adventuring.

The story of Katsa growing into and controlling her Grace is balanced with story of her growing friendship of the Lienid prince, Po. Unfortunately, both the publisher blurb and Amazon spoil the budding romance between the two main characters. (EDIT 7/15/08: I've found out from the author that this won't be the case on the actual book jacket, though, perhaps readers more savvy than I will figure out what's going on early in the story) I'd have liked, as a reader, for the realization to wash over me, the same way it strikes Katsa, who doesn't even want to be beholden to another person, get married, or bear a child.

This fantasy adventure tale has a heroine, a journey, a good vs. evil battle, and heart-throbbing romance. Ultimately, though, it is a story of self-discovery, and dare I say it, identity. I admire most of all the sense of ownership Katsa comes to feel about herself and her body. One of my very favorite parts of the book is where Katsa and Po realize they are more than just friends, and instead of jumping into anything, they stop, think, and TALK, and take precautions when it becomes necessary. Po is now vying alongside Marcus Flutie and Jacob Black for best boyfriend in YA fiction. And I cannot WAIT for the next book, Fire, a prequel. 

 
I read this book even though I knew it would make me cry. It is the story of Tessa, who is sixteen years old and dying. She has stopped going to school because of how sick she is, and now only wants to live out her remaining time like any teen would, on her terms. So she has made a list of things that she wants to do before she dies. It is not a list of lofty goals, but a list that many teenagers would make, if they were honest with themselves. She wants to have sex, do drugs, do something illegal. And as she works her way down the list, it changes, and other wants are fulfilled, while she realizes that some of the things she thought she wanted were meaningless.

One of the most beautiful things about this book are the characters. Tessa is so well written - she is just as pissed off as any teenager who is not able to do what they want. She is stubborn, and she makes you incredibly angry with some of her stupid choices. Her friends Zoey and Adam are also terrific characters - you want to hate Zoey and love Adam, but in truth, the characters are much more complex than that, and Tessa seems to be more aware of this than the reader. The book is sad, of course, as it is about death, ultimately. But it is also beautiful, as life (and death) can have so much beauty. The book itself seems to grow and mature as you read it, becoming fully realized only in its end.

*****

On a trip to Wales to study photography and earn her graduate degree, KayLynn Deveney stumbled across Albert Hastings, and old man who lived alone in an apartment near where she was staying. In getting to know him, she realized that Albert was a truly unique individual who appreciated life's smaller moments. He agreed to work with her and be part of her photography project wherein she captured his life in delicate and artful photographs.

When I picked up this book, I fell instantly into Albert's existence. He does all of the things you and I do, but he does them with such intentional care and sweetness that I feel like maybe I have been missing something. Each page features one photograph of Albert undergoing one of his daily activities, and underneath in his own handwriting Albert describes what it is that he is doing. He has a sense of humor and manages to convey with brevity the essence of what the photograph is telling.

On a grander scale, I think this book is incredibly important. It speaks not only of the Buddhist theme of mindfulness but also of what is ailing American society. We all go so quickly through life in the pursuit of something...Albert has moved past that. Not because he is old but because he knows what really makes himself happy. He has embraced what has been given to him and realized the ephemerality of those things.

The other day, I was standing on the street. I looked down, and there was a tiny, wild bird just standing there next to me, not more than a foot away. I couldn't stop looking at him for some reason, and I started thinking about how swiftly this little bird's chest inhaled and exhaled and how rapidly he blinked. I felt as though his perception of time was so much different than mine, how everything was so drawn out for me, spread out over 80 years of life whereas this little bird's life was condensed into a brief chunk of time where everything must seem so much more significant. For a second, I felt really close to the bird, and when I reached down to touch it lightly on the head, it didn't move away until I stood up again. This reminded me of Albert. He must be the same as the bird, thinking about each action as an individual moment that should be savored and valued. It is when you allow time to pass unnoticed that you fall into state of unawareness. When you awake, so much will have happened that you won't have appreciated. Deveney teaches an important lesson here that everyone should pay attention to.

Any teen book that includes Shakespeare's plays as essentially a main character is one that I am going to appreciate. In this coming of age story, set in 1967, Holling Hoodhood initially believes that his exposure to Shakespeare is some sort of punishment.
By a rather strange set of circumstances, every Wednesday Holling is the only student left for the last hour or so of class. His teacher begins these Wednesdays by having him do chores around the classroom, but she soon progresses to offering him more schoolwork than she does the other students. As a seventh grader, Holling of course perceives this as more evidence of the fact that she hates him. While dealing with Wednesdays at school, in addition to the other normal seventh grade issues such as girls and bullies, Holling also has to contend with his family. His sister is growing up in ways he doesn't understand, and his father puts the burden of the family business constantly on his shoulders. Even in seventh grade he understands that he is expected to take over the business after high school, and his father makes him feel that his actions now have dire consequences for the business.
Throughout the school year, Holling learns that he has a choice about who he wants to become - the whole world seems to want to teach him this lesson: Mrs. Baker, his sister, even Shakespeare. This book is great for teens of all ages, but is especially appropriate for middle school.

*****

This behemoth of a graphic novel is a new favorite of mine. I have a weakness for attractive book covers (see previous entry for example of unattractive book cover).

Exhibit A:  *Maps and Legends by Michael Chabon. I saw this book when it first came in and purchased it immediately with only my 30% discount when in the past, I usually waited until a used one came in so that I could use my 50% discount.

Exhibit B:   **Acme Novelty Library #18 by Chris Ware. To be perfectly honest, all of Chris Ware's books are gorgeous. 

Exhibit C: Anything (and I do mean anything) published by McSweeney's.

I have rarely been disappointed interestingly enough. So perhaps the old adage should be more specific. It should probably be Just because a book was poorly marketed doesn't mean it's a bad book. Not as catchy I guess. Anyway, The Bottomless Bellybutton did not let me down. Dash Shaw's illustrations are inked in a light brown that is soft and complimentary to his sparse style. He includes some really beautiful and poetic textless images at the beginning of each section that were charming and set the tone for this somewhat melancholy tale.

It's the story of the Loony family, and all of thier individual emotional and physical trials are displayed here for public review. Mom and Dad Loony are getting a divorce after forty years of marriage. They invite all of their children for a week to spend their last days of marriage together as a family. The children (Claire, Dennis, and Peter) bring their respective spouse and/or children for one giant family reunion they will spend at a potentially haunted beach house with ***secret passages and mysterious keys. The dialogue the characters have is so perfectly realistic. Shaw points out at the beginning that this could be any family, and it's true. The Loony family could be my family or yours. Their feelings are all universal. Shaw has made sure of this by allowing us to spend time with each family member and experiencing their personal form of greiving. In particular, Dennis' feelings are so raw that his sections are difficult to read. Shaw also uses the surreal skillfully without drawing a lot of attention to it (Peter is drawn as a frog, and it is only ever once addressed. Peter asks if he looks like a frog, and the other person looks at him for awhile and says...no). Shaw explores the nature of love and marriage and what those things can mean to a spectrum of ages and types of people.

* Still sitting on my shelf unread.

** Read too many times. Must...stop...reading....it.

*** The phrase "secret passages" is like kryptonite to my soul. As soon as something mentions "secret passages", I'm hooked. See Babysitter's Club #9 The Ghost at Dawn's House by Ann M. Martin and House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski.

****

First off, I admit that I did, in fact, judge this book by its cover. It has a shiny, silver cover and pink silhouettes of two girls. It kind of screamed this book is probably shallow (it's the shininess). However, after reading the first paragraph, I was compelled by the higher powers of the book universe to continue reading. The basic premise is an examination of the high school lives of two girls who, superficially, are opposites. Meghan Ball (aka "Butter Ball") is overweight while Aimee Zorn is extremely skinny. However, they both are responding to their personal lives by controlling what they eat. So, while the manifestation is different, the emotional side is the same. George does not cave in to the temptation to take the easy way and make these two instant friends. Meghan is anti-social to the point of invisibility; she is a quiet observer who, despite her size, moves without being noticed through the halls of school. Aimee is a poet who wants desperately to fit in and succeed. She is not afraid to put her creative efforts out there and gain recognition for what she knows is good writing. Her downfall is that in her desire to participate and be "normal", she also realizes that she has too easily trusted those who are willing to take advantage of that. They are both adrift emotionally with no one to really help them, but are drawn together eventually into a reluctant friendship that could have been cliche but isn't.    

Not only was the subject matter fascinating, the characters well-developed with personalities that are original and unique, but the message George is getting across was incredibly powerful. She manages to avoid being heavy-handed about eating disorders because she doesn't focus in on the minutiae of what having an eating disorder entails. It's more about the way these girls feel that is important to her. The word choices and imagery are beautifully poetic at times, and there were several passages that really hit me hard. She knows how to use words to describe things that are somewhat intangible and difficult to conceptualize, and she managed to describe anorexia, overeating, and high school dynamics all in a way that felt new to me.  

*****

Many of my co-workers will jaw your ear off about how wonderful John Green is. He is placed upon the pedestal of young adult literature far above criticism and slander. His previous books, An Abundance of Katherines and Looking for Alaska, both feature teenagers going on emotional and physical journeys that test their character and define their personalities. My one criticism is that the male protagonist in all three of his books is the same guy. He's likable without being alienatingly popular, unusually intelligent and mature without seeming too adult to be believable, and in love with a girl he probably can't have due to his ineptness with social interaction. Which brings me to his females. John Green's females are amazing. He must have had some kind of unrequited love for this sort of girl because she also is the same in each book. She's beautiful, strong-willed, constantly out-witting Green's males, and maybe just a little bit too quirky to be really real. To his credit, that is somewhat the point (in all three books). No one is as perfect as they might seem, and to idealize a person in that way is to do them a disservice. Everyone deserves to be imperfect, and until you embraces someone's flaws, you can't ever really love them.

I just wanted to get my criticism out of the way so that I can continue on to say that I truly loved Paper Towns. While the previous two were great books, compelling and innovative (featuring footnotes in An Abundance of Katherines!), Green's talent for characterization, plot structure, and unique details comes together to create his strongest book thus far. In particular, Green utilizes Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass throughout the story to illustrate his ideas about humanity and connecting and life as it should be lived. Had I read this book in high school when I originally read Leaves of Grass, I think I would have realized its signifigance a lot sooner. He does a brilliant job highlighting meaningful passages and tying them into real life feelings and situations. In addition, he very skillfully juxtaposes all of Quentin and his friends' adventures over their day-to-day life highschool issues that it all seems very possible and accessible. I think many stories can come across as well-written but not really relatable as a result of authors forgetting that teenagers, in general, have school and graduation and parents. Too often, the parents are not present because they would impede storylines.

Quentin has loved Margo his whole life. She's the girl next door but more so. She's perfect, and, of course, Quentin feels as though he will never have a chance with anyone so untouchable. This is all very stereotypical; however, due to a traumatic childhood event that they shared, Margo views Quentin as someone she can trust, and the first quarter of the book involves her and Quentin carrying out Margo's brilliantly constructed plan to get revenge on several classmates. At this point, I was really hoping that this was not all the book was going to be. It was funny, definitely, but there wasn't a whole lot of substance outside of Quentin's soliloquies about Margo's beauty and intelligence. Luckily, Green pulled it all together to really instill some important self-discoveries for each character. The rest of the book, without giving away too much, is part Quentin discovering a lot of things about himself and friendship and Margo and part adventure as Quentin and his friends attempt to track Margo down via subtle clues she has left for them. It's all very clever and hilarious and insightful and trying to give a synopsis is tricky without spoiling anything. So, I'll stop here and hope that this was enough to convince people to read it. 

(Released in September of 2008)

****

Beth Lisick spends a year trying to improve herself in Helping Me Help Myself. In order to achieve this goal of self-improvement, she turns to the path many people discover every day. The self-improvement section in the bookstore! While legitimately trying to follow the advice found within, she reads, dissimilates, and regurgitates in humorous and pointed fashion the following popular self-help books:

• The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
• Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray
• Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern
• 1 2 3 Magic Effective Discipline by Thomas Phelan
• The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
• The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom by Suze Orman
• Life After Death: The Burden of Proof by Deepak Chopra
• If You Could See What I See by Sylvia Browne

She also goes on Richard Simmons' Cruise to Lose and attends several conventions where she meets the writers of some of these books. She records her observations of her fellow cohorts in search of enlightenment with a keen and vivid precision that caused me to laugh audibly throughout the book. Lisick is extremely talented at describing the ridiculous and making even the most seemingly mundane interesting. It has just the right balance of insightfulness and humor, allowing her to acheive guru status herself. If she can make me laugh and also make me think, then I'll probably buy her book (and I did!).   

Her goal is to do the hard work for you by sifting out the common sense and sheddding light on the parts that have been added in to increase the book's size and selling potential (read: filler). Her writing style is quick and snappy with moments of clarity where she'll reveal how she feels about certain experiences she undergoes while attempting to do exactly as she's told to achieve maximum results. It is a book that I would recommend to anyone because no one has everything together, and it's refreshing to be able to look at our flaws and laugh.

***

When a mysterious young man arrives to stay in the middle of the night, sixteen year old Tiffany does not take much notice. She has her own problems. Her mother recently left her father for another man, her father and her are fighting and she is not doing so well at school. The only good thing in her life is her new boyfriend Tony. Wrapped up in her own world, she fails to notice that the young European, Pierre l’Errant, has some strange habits. For one, he only goes out at night…

Drew Hayden Taylor’s The Night Wanderer is billed as a native Gothic novel and as such held great intrigue for me. I could not wait to get my hands on it when it finally showed its face on the library shelf. Although it was a fast read, it was not an altogether satisfactory one. For one, the characters are never fully developed. I would have liked Pierre to take up more of the story. As a young Ashinabe man who ended up in Europe in the 1600s, his story has the potential to be way more interesting than the self centered musings of a melodramatic sixteen year old girl. Yet Taylor decides to focus most of the story on Tiffany, who, I am sad to say, does not stand up too well to the scrutiny. While Pierre remains in the background, with only scraps of his story thrown occasionally to the reader, Tiffany’s mundane life is given front stage.

Now I am a little conflicted about this, because Tiffany is a typical teenager and Taylor portrays her accurately. She thinks the world revolves around her but is not satisfied with the way it does it. The problem is, she’s boring. She just keeps on whining about everything and not doing anything to help herself. Even in the last scene when Pierre pretty much reveals himself to her, she’s too slow on the uptake to know what is happening. Instead of focussing on the interesting life of a 400 year old Ashinabe vampire, we end up hearing about Tiffany who hasn’t gone anywhere, is reluctant to learn anything and stuffs all her hopes for the future in a boy. It’s like the ‘gothic’ part of the novel was just an afterthought.

Still, there’s some interesting bits to it, although I dearly wish Taylor would have fleshed them out a little. The character of Granny Ruth, Tiffany’s grandmother, could have had more airtime, and the conclusion is begging for a better understanding and knowledge of Pierre’s life. To put it in a nutshell : more Pierre and less Tiffany, please.

 

Welcome to day four of the Mélanie Watt (US) blog tour! Our interview with Mélanie follows (by the way, this is our first author interview! What do you think? Please comment!).

Hip Librarian's Book Blog: Mélanie , what is your writing process?

Mélanie Watt: I usually start with an initial topic/idea about something I would like to talk about. Then I sketch out a character (animal) that reflects the characteristics of the personality that will help me express the idea. I come up with a style for the book and setting. Then I start to divide the story usually in 32 pages and assemble a book. I will go back over and over and make corrections to the pages and pacing. After, I usually illustrate the final art and then revisit the text with my editor and polish it up. It goes back and forth between the art and text through the whole process until I‘m happy with the result.

HLBB: What are your thoughts on the review process?

MW: I welcome reviews and opinions.

HLBB: How do reviews affect your writing?

MW:  It gives me good insight on how others can perceive my books, it’s interesting to me to be able to read about what aspects of my work stands out to reviewers, librarians, teachers, and kids of course!

HLBB: What review sources do you use/follow?

MW: I Google on my own and find interesting reviews and blogs about my books. Also, my publisher provides me with reviews that come from different places.

HLBB: Who do you read?

MW:  I love collecting kids’ books. I own hundreds of them from various artists and authors. To name a few Michèle Lemieux , Marie-Louise Gay , Mo Willems , Oliver Jeffers , Laurie Keller …all pictures books and the list goes on and on.
I wish I had more time in the day to read all the novels from the many talented authors out there. 

HLBB: How do you find out about new books?

MW:  Pretty much the same way others do, by visiting bookstores and reading reviews.

Thanks so much to Mélanie for taking the time to answer our questions!

Author Mélanie Watt and her friend Scaredy Squirel will continue on their blog tour through next week, and today, Thursday April 10,  they are also stopping by the Metrowest MA Regional Library System Blog. They will be answering questions asked students in Metrowest Massachusetts region, such as:

Q. Where did you get the name Scaredy Squirrel?-
A. I was looking for a named that meant: afraid and Scaredy sounded right to me.Also, I like how it sounds when it's pronounced!

Q. What book are you going to write next about Scaredy? -
A. I think it will be about Scaredy's fears at night.

Q. Why is Scaredy afraid of germs? -
A. Scaredy is mostly afraid of what COULD happen if he does gets germs; like catching a cold!

Want to read more? Visit the Metrowest blog at http://metrowestnews.blog-city.com/
 
Other stops on the Blog Tour:
Friday April 11
Mother Reader
http://www.motherreader.com
Topic: Mélanie Watt talks about Scaredy Squirrel

And next week, Melanie and Scaredy Squirrel appear on Canadian blogs:
Monday, April 14
KidsSpace Blog
http://kidsspace.torontopubliclibrary.ca
Topic: From nuts to seashells: The progression of Scaredy

Tuesday, April 15
HRM Parent
http://www.hrmparent.ca
Topic: Kid questions for Mélanie Watt

Wednesday, April 16
The Shelf Elf Reading Blog
http://shelfelf.wordpress.com
Topic: Mélanie’s creative process and how she relates to Scaredy

Thanks again to Mélanie Watt for appearing, courtesy of Raab Associates , and to Kids Can Press , for permission to use their banner.

 ***

Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow live in the city of Ember, where lightbulbs are the only source of light. They are surrounded on each side by total darkness and because they have no way of creating a movable light (i.e. a flashlight), no one has ever ventured out of the city. But Ember is beginning to fall apart: the blackouts are more frequent, the storerooms are almost empty and the generator, the machine that powers the city, breaks down constantly. When Lina discovers her baby sister chewing on an old piece of paper found at the back of the closet, she is intrigued and tries to piece the letter back together.  With the help of the serious and intelligent Doon, she deciphers the message and attempts to save the citizens of Ember from the impending threat of complete darkness and hunger.
DuPrau creates an intriguing post apocalyptic world in the city of Ember as well as likeable and sympathetic characters in Lina and Doon. However, she leaves a lot of loose threads: the subplot of the corrupt mayor is never resolved, and Lina seems to get over the death of her grandmother a little too quickly for comfort. Lina and Doon also suffer from the same loose thread treatment. We learn that Doon has an anger problem that gets him into trouble, but nowhere is this really addressed. Lina has a tendency to jump to conclusions which leads to disappointment, but nowhere does she have time to learn patience. Although it was a riveting read and the plot flows along at a tumultuous pace, these loose ends leave you feeling unsatisfied, as if you had only a sip of water to quench a great thirst. I would recommend this book to die hard fantasy and science fiction fans only.

Matthews, Elizabeth. Different Like Coco.  Candlewick Press, 2007. 32 pp.  ISBN 978-0-7636-2548-1. $16.99

More than anything, Coco Chanel's life story is a tale about using what you've got and and building on your strengths and resources. Schooled by French nuns, ambitious Coco, a charity case, learned early to emulate the bearing of the well-to-do so she could insert herself into certain circles to make smart connections. Matthews avoids the seemier aspects of Chanel's life, and accentuates the positives, like her challenging of social boundaries.

Told with charm, Matthews hooks readers fast with this rags to riches story. Vocabulary opportunities abound and will prompt dialogical reading. A quick scan of online biographies reveal some minor discrepancies, but Coco loved to invent stories, including about herself; it's no surprise there is not agreement on her date and place of birth, whether she wore her scissors on a ribbon or string of pearls, or if the item of clothing she hacked apart to make a cardigan was a pullover or a blazer.

The endpapers set a tone of unfussy style: black with high-contrast white script quotes from Coco about character: fashion, individuality, etc. Inside, the illustrations are a pen and ink and watercolors, done up in a cartoony style that manages to be lean, whimsical and elegant.  Careful attention to detail is evident in period clothing and cars. Mostly muted tones lend a squelched feeling the to book that undermine the vibrant personality described, though, the famously unique designer stands out from the crowd on every page.

A short timeline extends the biography by appending details such as fashion milestones (the debut of the little black dress, the first perfume bearing a designer's name) and the date of her death. A bibliography is book-centric, with only one Internet link to her Time Life biography. Recommended for larger collections.

Tune in here April 10 when the Hip Librarian's Book Blog hosts Mélanie Watt, author of the Scaredy Squirrel series (Kids Can Press). We'll ask Mélanie about her writing process, what she's reading, and her thoughts on book reviews. We'll post them here, and Mélanie will stop by and answer.

Mélanie Watt was born August 20th 1975. She resides in Montreal, Quebec. Her first book entitled Leon the Chameleon was created as an art project in 1999 while enrolled in an illustration class at the University of Quebec in Montreal where she specialized in Graphic Design.
 
She has been illustrating and writing children’s books ever since. A few of her book titles include: The Learning with Animals collection, Augustine, the Scaredy Squirrel series and the Chester series. 

Mélanie works simultaneously in English and French. Her books can be found around the world in many languages including Spanish, Catalan, German, Czech, Hebrew, Korean, Norwegian and Japanese.

Her most popular and award winning character Scaredy Squirrel; a neurotic little worrywart, has captured the hearts of many with its humoristic approach and cartoon style illustrations which both young and old can enjoy!