Lisa Yee's first novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, is an absolute riot. At the tender age of eleven, Millicent completed eleventh grade. Over the summer, she plans to take college courses and (unhappily) tutor Stanford, a boy who drives her up a wall. Her mother, thinking she needs more of a social life with kids her own age, enrolls her in a summer volleyball team. There, she meets a girl who recently moved to town and does not know of Millicent's collegiate status. What's a smart girl to do?

This hilarious book reminds readers of all ages that it is okay to be smart. Millicent may feel much older than she is, mentally, but chronologically, she is still a kid. By the end of the summer, she is a little more comfortable in her own skin and proud of who she is and what she's accomplished.

Pop culture tidbit: The audio book of Millicent Min is read by Keiko Agena, best known for her role as Lane on the Gilmore Girls television series.

When I originally read and reviewed Millicent Min upon the book's release in 2003, I said, "I hope that Yee writes more tales, if not of Millicent, then of others. She has a real knack." Happily, Yee DID write more tales, two of which are connected to Millie: Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time and So Totally Emily Ebers.

Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time parallels the events of Millicent Min, Girl Genius, retelling things from Stanford's point of view. He would much rather play basketball than study, so he's super upset when he has to go to summer school instead of basketball camp. He also doesn't want to be tutored by Millicent, but he relishes the opportunity to make her look silly when she pretends that SHE is the one being tutored.

I've known many real-life Stanfords, kids who have struggled with school and excelled in sports. I want to give this book to all of them, even if they are grown up now. Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time will hopefully encourage readers to see the value in both education and athletics.

Millie's volleyball teammate tells her own story in So Totally Emily Ebers. After her parents get divorced, Emily has to move across the country with her mom. The bulk of the book is a letter to her father, filling him in on everything that goes on that summer. She tells him all about volleyball, her new friend Millie, and her crush Stanford. She misses her dad like crazy, but she finally clicks with her mom and enjoys making a new start in their new town.

Emily is a truly nice kid. Rather than act out in an angsty, cliched way after the divorce and the move, she remains perpetually optimistic and eternally kind. Emily is charming and sweet, and her story wraps up the trilogy with the smile.

Lisa Yee has also written for American Girls. Their line of Julie Albright books written by Megan McDonald introduced Ivy, Julie's best friend. Ivy then got a book all her own called Good Luck, Ivy, and Yee got to write it.

Between regular grammar school Monday through Friday, Chinese school on Saturdays, homework, and gymnastics practice, Ivy's plenty busy. She's looking forward to an upcoming gymnastics meet, but she's worried about her routine on the balance beam, having fallen off of the apparatus in an earlier competition. When she learns a family reunion is scheduled for the same time as the meet, Ivy has to decide which event to attend . . . or figure out a way to go to both!

The book takes place in 1976, so Ivy references the 1972 Olympics and Olga Korbout's balance beam routine, which won her the gold medal. Even though the book takes place over twenty years ago, the theme of appreciating your family's culture is timeless. Readers will hopefully be moved to consider the struggles and traditions of their own families.

The vignettes at the end of the book details real-life events in the lives of Chinese immigrants. This section also includes photographs of Lisa Yee and her relatives. How cool is that?

Learn more about Ivy's best friend Julie.

To learn more about Lisa Yee, read my interview with the author or visit her website or her LiveJournal.

Author Megan McDonald and illustrator Robert Hunt have created a memorable character in Julie Albright, a smart, passionate young girl who is ready to make changes and take changes as they come. Julie reminds me a bit of Dawn from The Baby-Sisters Club by Ann M. Martin, with her California cool, her compassion, and the way she is illustrated by Hunt.

Julie Albright is one of the American Girls, books which offer realistic glimpses into America's past through the eyes of young girls. The Julie books begin in 1974, when Julie is nine years old, and end in 1976. There are six Julie books in all.

Meet Julie: After her parents get divorced, Julie moves to another part of San Francisco with her older sister Tracy and her artsy mom, who opens up a shop called Gladrags below their apartment. Although Julie gets to see her father (and her rabbit Nutmeg, and her best friend Ivy) every other weekend at her old house, things just aren't the same.

Shortly after Julie starts fourth grade at Jack London Elementary School, she learns that they don't have a basketball team for girls so she asks if she can join the boys' team. The coach initially refuses her request, but Julie sticks to her guns. She learns about Title IX and turns in a petition with 150 signatures on it. The coach still refuses to hear her out, so she works up the nerve to talk to her principal about the situation and earns a spot on the team.

By the end of the book, Julie is a little more confident and a little more content. Though still sad about the divorce, she settles nicely into a pattern with her parents, and she enjoys her new home and her school.

( Read more about all of the books in the series! )

Now I'm happily picturing a grown-up Julie working in politics or education, and wishing there were more books in this delightful series.

Julie's best friend Ivy has her own book, which I also recommend: Good Luck, Ivy by Lisa Yee.

I have included the Julie and Ivy books on the Hey There, Sports Fan! booklist.

Like the other American Girls books, each of the Julie books includes vignettes explaining and depicting real-life events that happened in that girl's time period. The vignettes in the Julie books were written and compiled by historians and writers such as Susan McAliley and Nika Korniyenko.

Author Megan McDonald also writes about contemporary girls. Check out The Sisters Club, which is also an American Girls book, and the Judy Moody series, which is illustrated by Peter Reynolds.

This list was initially created for Deb and her son in middle school. I then added titles for other age groups.

( Check out titles by Matt Christopher, Megan Shull, and many other authors. )

Note: I consider dancing a sport, and I have created a separate booklist for dancing.

I can think of many other sports stories which I have not read, so I'll post those titles in the comments below.

Right after graduating from high school, four best friends prepare to set sail on a Caribbean cruise. Despite their different interests and backgrounds, the girls are thick as thieves. They can't wait for this voyage -- one last great time as a group before they head off to different colleges.

The night before they leave for their big trip, a fortune teller at the school fair tells the girls that one of them will not come home. Some of the girls get scared by this, and some brush it off. They still all take the trip, but it doesn't go exactly as they planned. Boys, flings, secrets, and impulsive acts shake up the foursome. After eight years of friendship, will eight days at sea separate them forever?

Author Gaby Triana (Backstage Pass, Cubanita) has made each of The Temptress Four girls distinct in name, appearance, and personality. There's daring, beautiful Killian; curvy, darkly-dressed, maternal Alma; petite, typically cautious Yoli; and our narrator, Fiona, who is ever watchful of her friends. She's also concerned about her relationship with her boyfriend Lorenzo. Due to a fight they had before she left for the cruise, she's uncertain about their future together. Add in her worries about the fortune teller's prediction and you've got a girl trying to keep her balance as she rides the waves.

With a little romance, a little adventure, and plenty of post-high school what-now wonder, Triana's third novel is a quick read. The Temptress Four is a suitable gift for graduating seniors, especially those who liked Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares.

Related Booklist: After Graduation

Congratulations to all of my readers who are about to or have recently graduated from high school or college. You did it!

Times of transition can be difficult. The summer following the completion of high school is typically an interesting one as teens prepare for more changes in vocation, location, education, and life.

The following books follow characters as they live through that summer...

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
- Two guys go on a road trip and end up in an interesting little town.
This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
- One of my favorite Dessen novels, second only to The Truth About Forever.
Cubanita by Gaby Triana
- A summer filled with family, culture, heartbreak, and art.
The Temptress Four by Gaby Triana
- Four best friends take a cruise together after high school graduation.
How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski
- Three girls take a three-day road trip.

...and/or as they make the transition between high school and college.

The Body of Evidence series by Christopher Golden and Rick Hautala
- There are ten books in this series. The main character, Jenna Blake, enters college in the first book, Body Bags. The first chapter begins with the line, "It was a beautiful day to grow up." Isn't that perfect?
Cupcake by Rachel Cohn
- The third in the CC trilogy, following Gingerbread and Shrimp.
Rocky Road Trip (previously published as Wurst Case Scenario) by Catherine Clark
- Sequel to Banana Splitsville (previously published as Truth or Dairy).
It's Not About the Accent by Caridad Ferrer
- A girl reinvents herself upon entering college.
Finding Grace by Alyssa Brugman
- A high school graduate becomes a sort of caretaker to a brain-damaged woman.
Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
- Two guys go on a biking trip after high school, but only one starts college.
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
- Two of Scarlett's siblings consider college and work.

Related Booklist: Set in School

In March, I had a special request from high school English teachers who needed books for their students reading at a high elementary/middle school level. Here, in part, was my response:

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin is one of my all-time favorite books. It has characters of every age, and I consider it a book for all ages. It's also a Newbery Award winner, and there are teaching guides for it out there.

Have them try short stories by classic authors. That way, they aren't reading "books for babies," but something they can really sink their teeth into and build on later. Try the short stories of Jack London, Lewis Carroll, and Edgar Allan Poe. Delicious.

For a magic/fantasy series, get OutCast by Christopher Golden and Thomas E. Sniegoski. It's imaginative and action-packed. It's done especially well with boys who are reluctant readers. The quartet must be read in order:
- The Un-Magician
- Dragon Secrets
- Ghostfire
- Wurm War

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli is a contemporary read that is memorable, award-winning, and straightforward, as is Nothing but the Truth by Avi. Of the two, I favor Maniac Magee, but note that Nothing but the Truth takes place in high school.

Of the contemporary collections included on my Quick Reads and Short Stories booklist, Twice Told: Original Stories Inspired by Original Art by Scott Hunt really jumps out for analysis, because though the stories are brief, many of them are deep and address gender/cultural identity, orientation, death, and abuse.

The same for 21 Proms edited by David Levithan (stories about prom written by various authors) How They Met, and Other Stories by David Levithan (18 stories all written by David) - short stories with older content - some stories are tame, others more racy.

Also try the Orca Soundings line, which is written specifically for high schoolers who don't want (or can't get through) long books and want contemporary, daring storylines. Think Degrassi: the Next Generation.

For more suggestions, just ask.

What if you are a famous athlete or actor who wants to (or is forced to) spend some time out of the spotlight? What do you do when you are the child of famous parents? What if your sibling is world-famous while you are completely shy? Here is a list of fun teen fiction that deal with fame. Some titles are comedies, some are melodramas, but all are sassy.

( Read more... )

Related Booklists:
But I DO Want to Be Famous!
Hey There, Sports Fan
Sing Sing Sing
I Am a Dancer

Passer-by, these are words. But instead of reading
I want you to listen: to this frail
Voice like that of letters eaten by grass.

- from Passer-by, these are words... by Yves Bonnefoy, translated from the French by Hoyt Rogers

Read the poem in its entirety.

Learn more about Poetry Friday.

jenahville needed recommendations for her son. Here are some great books for ages eight to twelve.

FANTASY / SCIENCE FICTION
OutCast by Christopher Golden and Thomas Sniegoski - Everything and everyone in the world has magic . . . except for 12-year-old Timothy. A four book series, starting with The Un-Magician. Good guys (and girls), bad guys, dragons, warriors, inventions, and more. Give this to avid readers who enjoy action-packed fantasy series and to reluctant readers who like Star Wars.
The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende - An imaginative, amazing book! Very long, very deep, so if it's too much for him on his own, read it aloud and trade off reading duty every few pages!

COMEDY
Henry Huggins series by Beverly Cleary - Start with the aforementioned title and prepare yourself for innocent hijinks with a boy and his dog. Ribsy is adorable. Companion to the Ramona Quimby series.
Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary - Otis is a third-grade goof. Companion to the book Ellen Tebbits.
Ralph trilogy by Beverly Cleary - A mouse, a motorcycle, and many adventures.
I, Houdini by Lynne Reid Banks - An escape-artist hamster has plenty of stories to tell.
Wayside School books by Louis Sachar - Start with Sideways Stories for Wayside School. Great read-alouds.
Peter Hatcher series by Judy Blume - Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing kicks off Peter's stories of life with his parents, his pets, and his little brother Fudge, who seems to get all of the attention.
Sam books by Lois Lowry - Another little brother companion series. His big sis is Anastasia Krupnik.
Everyone Else's Parents Said Yes by Paula Danziger - and the other books about Matthew Martin
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald and Stink by Megan McDonald - Judy is in 3rd grade; Stink is in 2nd grade, so the books revolving around him are shorter and easier to read.

MYSTERY / HORROR
Every single book by John Bellairs - Start with The Mummy, the Will, and the Crypt, and proceed!
Coraline by Neil Gaiman - creepy, twisted, good.
Selected titles from Goosebumps by R.L. Stine - The Girl Who Cried Monster, Welcome to Camp Nightmare, Let's Get Invisible and The Haunted Mask are recommended.

MYSTERY / ACTION
The Hardy Boys - Action. Adventure. Mystery. Need I say more?
Choose Your Own Adventure - This series lets readers make their own decisions with the turn of a page. (A quick, fake example: Want to go sledding down the hill with your wild uncle? Turn to page 14! OR Would you rather follow the treasure map and walk down the hill? Turn to page 37!) Readers may get a different ending with each re-read. This is a fantastic series for reluctant readers. I am so glad that it is finally back in print!

MODERN-DAY DRAMA
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli - I cannot recommend this book enough! It's about tolerance. It's about literacy. It's about family. It's about belonging. It's so powerful.

DRAMA WITH FANTASY
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks - A fantastic series in which a young boy gets a cupboard with a key - and discovers that if he puts his plastic little figures in the cupboard, twists the key, and re-opens the cupboard, the figures come to life.

SPORTS
Anything in juvenile fiction by Matt Christopher - stories about kids playing football, baseball, basketball, soccer, extreme sports, you name it! - as well as the biographies of big-name athletes by the same author.

I have many more sports-related books on my list entitled Hey There, Sports Fan!

CLASSICS
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
White Fang by Jack London
Call of the Wild by Jack London

What if you learned that all of the fantastic tales your mother told you were true - including those with dark magic and danger? What if you knew that using magic could kill you, and not using magic would drive you to the brink of insanity? Which would you choose?

Australian author Justine Larbalestier's Magic or Madness trilogy challenged Reason - that is, to say, a teenage girl named Reason who spent her life with her cheery mother, until her lovely mother went a little mad.

When her mother fell apart, Reason finally realized that the stories her mom told her were true. Magic exists, and it runs through the veins of all of the women in her family. Either they use their magic and die young, or they repress it and go mad. One way or another, whatever path Reason chooses is bound to lead her to tragedy.

Her grandmother, who is depicted as a villain in all of her mother's stories, takes Reason in when she has no other place to go. Reason then meets her gran's neighbor, a boy her own age, and Jay-Tee, a girl who lives in New York - which magically appears outside of her grandmother's door.

( Read more... )

Read the trilogy in the proper order:
Magic or Madness
Magic Lessons
Magic's Child

Read my interview with Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier.