I wrote this piece in December 2007. It was published in the January 2008 issue of The Edge of the Forest, a children's literature monthly. Thanks to everyone who responded!

I often include imminent tasks on my to-do lists so I can check off items right away. It makes me happy. As soon as I send this article off to fabulous editor Kelly, I'll be able to scratch one more thing off of the list that's sitting beside my mousepad. Woo hoo!

Though I frequently make to-do lists, I rarely make New Year's Resolutions. Why? Because I don't see the first day in January as being the first day of MY new year - that's my birthday. What can I say? I'm literal and technical.

I do remember having to write down a New Year's Resolution in second grade. I considered my options, then wrote, "Read The Phantom Tollbooth every single day." I didn't read it every single day that year, but I have easily read that book a gazillion times.

Now, just because I prefer to make my new resolutions on my birthday rather than on January 1st doesn't mean I'm not curious as to the plans of others. (I'm curious about everything.) I asked my blog readers if they had any New Year's Resolutions related to books, and here's what they pledged.

( Read more... )

paranoidkitten asked for a list of YA books which focused on school life.

Elementary and middle school:
The Fourth Grade Wizards by Barthe DeClements
Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade in Fifth Grade by Barthe DeClements
Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You by Barthe DeClements
How Do You Lose Those Ninth-Grade Blues? by Barthe DeClements
Sixth Grade Secrets by Louis Sachar - Classic girls vs. boys story that also encourages honesty and inspires laughter.
The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary - Follow Ramona from age 4 to age 10.

Freshman year of high school:
The True Meaning of Cleavage by Mariah Fredericks - The separation of two best friends. Highly recommended.
Nothing but the Truth by Avi - This documentary novel chronicles the life of a ninth grade boy whose minor disturbance in class leads to a major media story.
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar - A fantastic story, a well-written book.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - School factors heavily into this incredibly memorable story.
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson - In this case, the freshman is the protagonist's younger sister, Hannah.
So Not the Drama by Paula Chase - Four friends navigate the high school hallways.

I highly recommend all of the titles on this freshman list, come to think of it.

Boarding school or day school:
The Ballet School Diaries by Alexandra Moss - This cute and fun series for kids is set at a ballet boarding school.
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta - An all-boys school goes co-ed.
Looking for Alaska by John Green - Set in a modern-day Alabama boarding school. Highly recommended.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart - Set in a modern-day school. A fresh take on secret societies, with a young girl thwarting some smirky boys. A great book.
The Poison Apples by Lily Archer - Three girls at boarding school bond over their family situations: each has recently acquired a stepmother. Though it uses the fairy tale metaphor, this book isn't a fantasy, nor is it magical realism. It is realistic fiction, and it is really good.
A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray - A historical fantasy trilogy set in a Victorian girls' boarding school. Highly recommended.
Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman - Two best friends consider Pride & Prejudice and get involved in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Modern-day. Recommended.
The Love series by Emily Franklin - Set in a modern-day New England boarding school. Love's dad becomes the principal.
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld - A few decades removed from modern-day.
The Gallagher Girls books by Ally Carter - Modern-day spy school for girls. Woot! First book: I'd Tell You I'd Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You. Second book: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy.

Classics:
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Good-Bye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton
Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

School is a supporting character:
Keeping You a Secret by Julie Anne Peters - The main characters start seeing each other before school. Literally.
Innocence by Jane Mendelsohn - Oh, the scenes in the lunchroom! I love this book so much.
Swollen by Melissa Lion - Your perceptions of your classmates may differ from the truth. From their truths. From your truths.
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan - I wish all schools were this open and accepting. I wish all people were this open and accepting.

Even more:

The Body of Evidence series by Christopher Golden and Rick Hautala - In the first book, Body Bags, protagonist Jenna Blake is just about to enter college. The first line of the first chapter: "It was a beautiful day to grow up."

Follow a girl through elementary school, middle school, and high school in the Alice McKinley books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. The series has over twenty titles. The Agony of Alice was the first book and is set in middle school. The author has since written prequels, making Starting With Alice (third grade) the earliest story on the timeline. The Grooming of Alice describes the summer between her eighth grade and ninth grade years. Alice Alone starts off her freshman year. Alice is currently in her junior year of high school. Learn more about this series.

Also refer to the categories of cheating and teacher relationships within my booklist called Tough Issues for Teens.

Melissa Walker's novel Violet on the Runway follows a tall, awkward girl as she teeters in uncomfortable shoes on the road to stardom. Violet tries to keep her head on straight as she transitions from a high school student in Chapel Hill to an international supermodel, but old friends, new friends, and the expectations of others often leave her confused and uncomfortable.

After reading the first two books in Melissa's series and talking to the author about her books, we discovered a mutual concern about teens' perception of their bodies and of themselves. With Melissa's background in journalism and interest in the modeling world and my tendency to ramble, we both had a lot to say.

In this day and age, we communicate with strangers everyday over the internet. In person or online, someone can get easily taken by modeling and acting scams, then be led into dangerous situations. How can a young person know that a talent scout or company is legit?

The only real way is to send your photos in to agents or to be scouted on the street. This happens a lot to the most successful girls, but it's something you can't control. An agent will see you and just "know" you are right. It has a lot to do with body type and not a lot to do with whether or not you're a beautiful girl.

If you get a business card from someone who says they're scouting you, check out their agency online and make sure they're legit. Above all, if they ask for any money up front, it's a scam. If an agent thinks you have modeling potential, they will cover the cost of your first photos.

May I add: If you are a minor, DO NOT GO TO ANY RANDOM STUDIO OR ADDRESS WITHOUT YOUR PARENT OR GUARDIAN. Be safe, not sorry.

Also, no matter how old or young you are, please do not trust strangers on networking websites who send you messages to the tune of, "Hey, cutie, I like your profile pic. I can make you a famous model. Come to 123 Main Street and I'll take your picture." NO. Do NOT GO. Also don't give those people your personal information - your name, age, additional pictures - NO. This is NOT SAFE.

(Little Willow steps off of her soapbox, sits back down, and resumes the interview.)

( Keep reading to find out what a survey of 10,000 teen girls revealed about self-perception and their presumptions of societal expectations; how Melissa felt about herself when she was a teenager; and, of course, more about the Violet books! )

Closing Notes

The first person to email Melissa Walker at melissacwalker2@gmail.com and mention this interview will win a free copy of Violet By Design and a Juicy Tube from Lancome.

Thank to Melissa for responding so honestly. I hope that, someday, the general population re-adjusts their beauty scale and realizes what true beauty is, not to mention valuing good health above fads and ideals which are impossible to obtain.</b>

Visit Melissa's website.

Read the Love Your Body ELLEgirl piece and share it with the teens in your life.

Christopher Golden and Maureen Johnson have at least two things in common:

One: I will read anything and everything they write. Their novels, their blogs, their shopping lists... If either ever chooses to write greeting cards, I will read those too.

Two: Each author has a varied backlist, allowing me to recommend their books to an audience just as varied. Like greeting cards, there's something for every occasion.

While the majority of Golden's books are in the horror/fantasy genre, Maureen tends to live in the land of realistic fiction. Her dramatic stories get me right in the heart. Her novels which are infused with elements of comedy make me laugh out loud.

Shiny Objects

Here's a rundown of Maureen Johnson's novels in order of publication:

The Key to the Golden Firebird

Three sisters deal with the loss of their father in vastly different ways. I recommend this book alongside The Alison Rules by Catherine Clark, The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen, and The Pursuit of Happiness by Tara Altebrando. They make for a well-written quartet of books about grieving. It just so happens that the titles all start with the same word.

The Bermudez Triangle

Nina, Avery, and Mel have been best friends for so long that nothing could ever change that. Right? Their close ties are tested when two of them start dating each other and senior year rears its ugly head.

This book has one of my favorite supporting characters: the instantly likable Parker. I think he would be friends with Xander from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charlie from A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian. In fact, I wish he were my friend.

The Bermudez Triangle: Too Cool for School? details what happened when this book was challenged at a school in 2007.

13 Little Blue Envelopes

Ginny is sent on a journey through Europe via letters from her aunt. Since Aunt Peg recently passed away, this is Ginny's chance to see how she lived and connect with her friends. She is instructed to open the envelopes one by one, which makes for an interesting scavenger hunt which includes airmail, famous sights, and foreign money. Oh, and washing machines, department stores, and braids.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes What a Girl Wants. Mention that movie in my presence and I will tell you about no less than three things, one of which is this book, which I read while traveling myself, though not to Europe.

Devilish

Warning: While reading this book, you may have a craving for cupcakes, but do not, repeat, do not accept cupcakes from strangers. Even if they are seemingly harmless new transfer students. This modern-day spin on Faust takes place at an all-girls prep school. Can we say dark comedy?

Girl at Sea

Clio was planning on spending her seventeenth summer at an art supply store, working alongside hip, artsy folks who would appreciate her unique style, and hanging out at home with her mom and her cat. Then the phone rang, and she ended up on a ship in Italy with her father and his co-workers.

This book is fabulous, and Clio may very well be my favorite of Maureen's protagonists. Read my full-length review of the book.

Suite Scarlett

Scarlett's story begins on her fifteenth birthday, and the most important gift she receives is a key to a suite. You see, she and her family live in a hotel that's been passed down through the generations, and her parents assign each kid a suite to care for on his or her fifteenth birthday. Scarlett gets more than she bargained for in Mrs. Amberson, the aging actress who occupies the Empire Suite. Mrs. Amberson has money to spare and plenty of opinions to share.

This book has burnt food, fresh bagels, unicyclists, Hamlet, a former actress, and shiny things. What more could you want? It also speaks volumes of truth about family ties.

Read my full-length review of the book.

Suite Scarlett will be available in May 2008.

Fan Movies

The creative team of Starlight Productions and Stun Gun, Inc. have made not one but two short films based on Maureen's blog entries. Maureen was very touched.

Random Thoughts

What I admire about Maureen - in addition to her impressive storytelling ability and her witty sense of humor, of course - is her sense of integrity. She has been honest throughout this whole endeavor. She has garnered the support of readers and authors around the world because she's earned it.

Read my interview with Maureen and The Bermudez Triangle: Too Cool for School?

Visit Maureen's blog and website.

Maureen will be blogging at http://www.insideadog.com.au - the YA site for the Centre for Youth Literature of the State Library of Victoria, Australia - from January 21st, 2008 until February 15th, 2008.