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Author Spotlight: Wendy Mass
Today's spotlight shines on author Wendy Mass. Her novels that make readers think about life on a grand scale as well as a more personal one.

A Mango-Shaped Space

Every turn of the page offers another peek into the mind of a 13-year-old girl named Mia. She sees colors related to numbers, letters and sounds but has kept this a secret ever since she was little and realized that other people do not see things the same way.

Once she finally admits this to her family, and after she sees a series of doctors, she realizes there is a name for her condition: synesthesia. This eye-opening book accurately depicts the condition, explaining how it is different for those who have it (called synesthetes) and that it is not a disease so it is not "catching" nor can it be "cured."

I was truly moved by Mia's story and Mass' writing. The author has done a great job of detailing synesthesia, making them sensitive to Mia's condition while crafting a solid storyline.

A note to readers who own pets and/or are sensitive to animal storylines: bring your tissues, and avoid complete book summaries until you have finished reading the book yourself.

Leap Day

In 2004, a very cute and insightful book entitled was released in anticipation of February's special day: February 29th, a date that comes only once every four years. The book was Leap Day by Wendy Mass.

The main character was born on Leap Year. The story takes place over the course of 24 hours on her 16th - technically her 4th - birthday. Each chapter has two portions: the first part in first person from her point of view, and the second part in third person from every other character's point of view. Due to this unique rewind technique and double-perspective narrative, the reader learns that first impressions are sometimes made in haste, and that assumptions may far from the truth.

Random note: I was born on Labor Day, but it is a floating holiday, so it only falls on Labor Day once every seven years. Last year, the paperback of Leap Day was released on my birthday. As Tucker on the TV series Flash Forward would say, "What are the odds?"

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

When Jeremy was just eight years old, his father passed away in an automobile accident. His family had been dreading this day almost all of his life, ever since a fortune-teller told him he would die at age forty. She was wrong: He died at age thirty-nine.

Five years later, one month before his thirteenth birthday, Jeremy gets a package in the mail that contains a locked, carved box and a note from his father. Fascinated by this gift, Jeremy and his lifelong best friend Lizzy are initially saddened to hear that the keys to the box were lost. Almost immediately, they become determined to find these keys and discover the meaning to life, something which the carving and the note both promise.

The search that follows is filled with ups and downs, tears and smiles, as Jeremy and Lizzie meet many strange and wonderful adults who attempt to help them unlock the box. Though Jeremy ultimately learns that some things are set up to happen in a certain way to aid him in his search, he embraces spontaneity a little bit as well. Throughout the story, he honors the memory of his father, as does his mother. She is still mourning the loss of her husband but is nevertheless a strong character who is a great means of support for her son. He is surprised when he realizes how much she needs him, too.

Think of Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass as I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak for the younger set. This Meaning of Life is a sweet, touching tale, and readers need only to turn the pages to discover it.

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Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall

Imagine coming upon a bag of forgotten things, then reliving memories for each and every item you touch. After being beaned on the head during a game of dodgeball, high school junior Tessa finds herself in what she thinks is heaven - but what looks a lot like the local mall.

Is she dead or just dreaming? She remembers being hit by the ball. She remembers falling down on the gym floor. She remembers being a "mall brat," which she compares to being an army brat, but without the moving around. Because both of her parents work at the mall, it's just as familiar to her as her own home.

Soon, Tessa meets an oddly interesting boy who leads her to a bag filled with things she's obtained from the shopping center over the years. The bag includes a baby shoe, a box of crayons, a pair of flip-flops, and a prom dress, among many other things. Tessa then relates a series of events, one for each item. She remembers scenes with her parents, her older brother, her friends, the girls she wanted to befriend, the boys she wanted to date.

Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall is a fast, compulsive read. The story flows smoothly. Though it is written as a verse novel, it does not rhyme and is not set to a certain meter. Tessa's memories are related in chronological order, making it easy for readers to quickly learn the story of her life.

This isn't a maudlin modern Our Town, but rather a charm bracelet come to life. Instead of this being a scrapbook of the best and happiest times of Tessa's life, it's an honest look at what she's been though. She's not proud of everything she's done, and she must learn to take responsibility for her actions. As her shame and secrets come to light, Tessa begins to realize that she can still shine -- and that (hopefully) she's got a lot of living to do.

Wendy Mass has also written two books in the Twice Upon a Time series, a fairy tale line published by Scholastic for younger readers. She has also written several non-fiction titles.

Read my exclusive interview with Wendy Mass!

Visit Wendy's official website.