If you love discussing good books with other readers, please join the readergirlz! In addition to the monthly issues posted at the website, we also offer a discussion forum where teens and adults chat about books, writing, and ways to be active in their real-life communities.

This month, we've put Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher in the spotlight. Jay will be chatting at the readergirlz forum live on Thursday, July 24th. The chat will begin at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST and should last for about an hour.

To learn more about this month's book, please read this month's issue of readergirlz.

Bookmark www.readergirlz.com

Here is the complete readergirlz line-up, past, present, and future:

February 2007 - the premiere issue!
March 2007 - Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen Headley
April 2007 - On Pointe
May 2007 - The Phoenix Dance
June 2007 - Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey
July 2007 - Goy Crazy by Melissa Schorr
August 2007 - Ironside by Holly Black
September 2007 - Sold by Patricia McCormick
October 2007 - 31 Flavorite Authors
November 2007 - A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
December 2007 - Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller
January 2008 - Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
February 2008 - Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes
March 2008 - Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
April 2008 - Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
May 2008 - Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
June 2008 - Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson
July 2008 - Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
August 2008 - Violet in Private by Melissa Walker
readergirlz archive
readergirlz downloads

On behalf of the readergirlz and postergirlz, I invite you to join us at the readergirlz forum to discuss these and other fantastic books. We hope the issues inspire you to start your own book groups and to get active in your communities!

Summer's here, and it's bringing great books, great discussions, and great giveaways!

Join the Summer Sizzle party tonight, Friday, June 27th at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST at the readergirlz forum! We will have some very special guests in attendance that you won't want to miss - authors E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle!

We'll also be giving away copies of books such as The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, Avalon High: Coronation by Meg Cabot, and Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, this month's featured author. One lucky person will get an autographed set of four books: How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle, Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle, The Disreputable History of Frankie Laundau-Banks by E. Lockhart, and Spells & Sleeping Bags by Sarah Mlynowski.

Set your alarms for 6 PM PST/9 PM EST tonight and party with us at the forum:

http://groups.myspace.com/readergirlz
Learn more about readergirlz at http://www.readergirlz.com

I apologize in advance for not being at tonight's chat. I'll be on stage at the time. Have fun at the party!

I am a readergirl! Are you?
Read the new issue of readergirlz. This month, we're dancing and discussing Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Talk About It

Discuss this month's book and other great reads at the readergirlz forum.

Our roundtable discussion of Prom not only has special guests, but also a photo album!

Join our hour-long chat with Laurie Halse Anderson on Thursday, June 19th starting at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST at the readergirlz forum.

Recommended Reads

Considering this month's selection and this month's theme of Risk-Taking, the readergirlz divas and the postergirlz advisory council also recommend the following books:

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson
It's Not About the Accent by Caridad Ferrer
Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher
A Step From Heaven by An Na
She's So Money by Cherry Cheva

Recent Reads
Last month's featured book and author: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Next month's featured book and author: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Visit the readergirlz archive.

Related Posts
Meet the readergirlz divas and the postergirlz advisory council
Read the original readergirlz press release
View all of the readergirlz-tagged posts at Bildungsroman
My interview with Laurie Halse Anderson
My prom-themed booklist

Come dance with us through the pages of Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson, the readergirlz book selection for June. The postergirlz and readergirlz divas are honored to have a. fortis and TadMack, the two ladies from the Finding Wonderland book blog, join us for this roundtable.

Kick off your heels, pull up a chair, and discover what we thought of the book and of our real proms. Refreshments and real pictures will be served at the end of the discussion, so please keep reading!

Little Willow: Let's start with the obvious question: Who here has been to a real-life prom?

( Read the roundtable discussion )

readergirlz at prom

We have a photo album to share with you! Watch the readergirlz promenade through the decades.

( Click here to see the pictures! )

Related Posts and Additional Links

Discuss Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson at the readergirlz forum.

Read the June 2008 issue of readergirlz to learn more about the book and the author.

Check out my interview with Laurie Halse Anderson.

Read previous roundtable discussions at Bildungsroman.

Want to attend additional fictional proms? Print out my Prom booklist!

Looking for some great books for teen boys? Check out GuysLitWire, a new collaborative book blog. In an effort to keep content fresh, timely, and varied, we update the blog every weekday, with different bloggers posting each day at http://guyslitwire.blogspot.com/ I'll be posting regularly on the last day of the month in addition to other random posts.

Be a Part of GLW

Colleen from Chasing Ray is in charge of the project. If you or anyone you know (parents, ask your sons; librarians and booksellers, ask your patrons; teachers, ask your students) would like to participate in the GLW blog, please email colleen(at)chasingray(dot)com or leave a message at her blog.

Related Readers

As regular readers of the Bildungsroman blog know, I'm actively involved in readergirlz. I run their website and head up the postergirlz advisory council. Guys Lit Wire and readergirlz are not directly connected, but they do support each other, and each project actively encourages BOTH genders to read and participate in book discussions.

The Birth of GuysLitWire

How did this all come about? First, Sara Lewis Holmes went to the store to get a book for her son. She also had a conversation with her husband about books for boys, partially inspired by Colleen's post at Chasing Ray. Then Sara posted about it some more. aquafortis came up with the name GuysLitWire and created a design for the blog. After Colleen posted about it again, things started moving forward - and here we are now.

Email colleen(at)chasingray(dot)com now to be a part of GuysLitWire.

I am a readergirl! Are you?
Read the new issue of readergirlz. This month, readergirlz are discussing Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale and honoring Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Talk About It

Discuss this month's book and other great reads at the readergirlz forum.

Check out our roundtable discussion of Book of a Thousand Days.

Join our hour-long chat with author Shannon Hale on Thursday, May 22nd at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST at the readergirlz forum.

Recommended Reads

Considering this month's selection and this month's theme, the readergirlz divas and the postergirlz advisory council also recommend the following books:

Fiction:
Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins
Good Enough by Paula Yoo
Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth
Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Non-Fiction:
Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

Recent Reads
Last month's featured book and author: Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
Next month's featured book and author: Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson
Visit the readergirlz archive.

Related Posts
Meet the readergirlz divas and the postergirlz advisory council
Read the original readergirlz press release
View all of the readergirlz-tagged posts at Bildungsroman
My interview with Shannon Hale

What would you do if you were locked up with your friend in a tower for seven years? Five people - one bookseller, one librarian, one huge Shannon Hale fan, and two published authors - gathered to chat about Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, the readergirlz book selection for May 2008. Luckily, we all brought our keys and our escape plans.

Miss Erin: Before we start, everyone should know that I am one of THE biggest Shannon Hale fans you can possibly find. I would say biggest, but I think the girls at the Little Red Reading Hood forum would protest. Over there, we all pretty much tie for that position. I just thought that everyone should know that Shannon is my hero, and the most wonderful person I've ever met. Now that we've got that clear, let the conversation commence!

Lorie Ann Grover: I'm so glad Shannon was free to participate, Miss Erin. I did hear you hit the floor when you received the news.

Little Willow: Whenever I shelve Shannon Hale's books, I think of Erin because I know how much she enjoys them. Were any of you familiar with the folktale upon which Book of a Thousand Days was based?

( Read more... )

Discuss Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale at the readergirlz forum.

Learn more about the book and its author in the May 2008 issue of readergirlz.

Check out previous roundtable discussions at Bildungsroman.

Feel free to read my interview with Shannon Hale.

Please feel free to repost this at your blog.

YALSA and readergirlz are partners in Operation Teen Book Drop (TBD). To celebrate April 17th, 2008, Support Teen Literature Day, we've organized a massive, coordinated release of 10,000 publisher-donated YA books into the top pediatric hospitals across the country!

We invite you to celebrate Support Teen Lit Day with us. Donate one of your own books to your community, then join our amazing online book bash, The TBD Post-Op Party, the night of April 17th.

Donate a Book

First, download and print the appropriate readergirlz/YALSA/TBD bookplate. Paste it into the book you plan to donate.



If you are an author, download this plate.
If you are a reader, download this plate.

Blog about Operation TBD and place the I Rock the Drop icon on your site. Get the icon at http://www.readergirlz.com/tbd.html - Simply cut and paste the code we've provided into your blog or at your site, and the result will look like this!



Talk About It

At the readergirlz MySpace group forum (http://groups.myspace.com/readergirlz) look for the threads entitled TBD rgz! and TBD Authors! Post a reply in the thread that applies to you, and participate in other TBD threads as they are posted in the forum.

Drop a Book on April 17th

Leave one copy of your novel, with a TBD bookplate pasted inside, in a teen gathering spot in your community. Place it where the book will be found, taken, and read. (i.e. a coffee shop, the park, your school, a bus stop.) Imagine the fun someone will have when they find your donation! This is the same day all 10,000 publisher-donated books will be dropped in pediatric hospitals across the country, and it is the same day authors and readergirlz worldwide will release their own books into their communities just as you have.

Join the TBD Post Op Party on April 17th

We invite all readergirlz and authors to join our online two-hour book party hosted at the readergirlz MySpace group forum on April 17th, Support Teen Literature Day, from 6 PM - 8 PM Pacific / 9 PM - 11 PM Eastern. The chat will be in a thread titled TBD Post Op Party. The readergirlz divas will be giving away books and prizes, and chatting with teens and authors from around the world.

Operation TBD has special meaning to the readergirlz divas. After researching pediatric oncology wards for her novel GIRL OVERBOARD, Justina Chen Headley spent a year purchasing autographed YA novels to donate to her local Children's Hospital, specifically because most hospitals do not have comfort objects for teens. Lorie Ann Grover (ON POINTE) and Dia Calhoun (AVIELLE OF RHIA) personally know the healing power of stories during hospital stays, since they both live with chronic illness. Mitali Perkins (WHITE HOUSE RULES) has recently joined the team and is eager to support a readergirlz/YALSA special project.

We all know that books give hope. Together, let's show our love of teen lit and ROCK THE DROP.

Read, reflect, and reach out!

~ Dia Calhoun, Lorie Ann Grover, Justina Chen Headley, and Mitali Perkins (readergirlz divas / authors)

TBD Recommended Reads

The postergirlz advisory council recommend a variety of titles for teens dealing with health issues. Their list of picks is split into two sections: Under Redefining Normal, the book characters are facing similar trials themselves or their friends or family have health concerns. Escape Reads are for all teens who need a moment to journey to another place and refuel their own energy and hope. The readergirlz divas and postergirlz hope that many find comfort and encouragement through these works of literature.

YALSA librarians selected books all about teens whose lives are affected by illness and injury, either their own or a loved one's. Some of these books are realistic fiction, some nonfiction, some historical fiction, some science fiction and fantasy. By reading these books, ill and injured teens, or those with sick family members or friends, will know that they are not alone in their battles against disease.

Download the list of books recommended by the postergirlz

Download the list of books recommended by YALSA

Download, print, and share the TBD bookmarks



Official Press Release

For more information contact:
Sara Easterly, Publicist for readergirlz
Sara Easterly & Friends
sara@saraeasterly.com
206-632-8588

RECORD NUMBERS OF YOUNG-ADULT BOOKS WILL BE DONATED TO TEEN PATIENTS THURSDAY AS PART OF READERGIRLZ AND YALSA LITERACY PROGRAM
“Operation TBD” puts 10,000 books into North America’s top pediatric hospitals in celebration of Support Teen Literature Day on April 17

( Read more... )

Download the press release (DOC or PDF)

For more on this and other literacy and activism projects, plus recommendations of remarkable books for teens and adults, please visit www.readergirlz.com

Trying to think of a place to drop books? Here are some ideas!

( Read more... )

Please feel free to repost this at your blog.

Each @ symbol represents the recommendation of one postergirl. A title followed by @@@@ was recommended by four postergirlz.

Classic Picks from Postergirlz (Published Pre-1930)
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett @@@@
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen @@@@
Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery @@@
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald @@@
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott @@@
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte @@@
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett @@
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll @@
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas @@
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit @@
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne @
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter @
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy @
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens @
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor @
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathon Swift @
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte @
Call of the Wild by Jack London @
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo @

Many postergirlz also enjoy the works of Shakespeare.

Modern Classics (Post-1930 But Pre-1980)
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster @@
The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge @
Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis @
The Chosen by Chaim Potok @
The Promise by Chaim Potok @
My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok @

Additional Resources
Jen has posted her own favorite classics booklist.