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.

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

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.

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.

Read my interview with Gaby Triana.

Related Booklist: After Graduation