Tonight, Tuesday, November 24th at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST, author Marlene Carvell will be chatting live at the readergirlz blog - http://readergirlz.blogspot.com Join us as we discuss her novel Sweetgrass Basket, this month's featured title at readergirlz.

Learn more about the author and her books at http://www.readergirlz.com within the November 2009 issue. Also read our roundtable discussion of Sweetgrass Basket and check out my review of the book.

Don't forget to join us next Monday, November 30th at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST for our first rgz RAVE Homecoming. Over two dozen authors whose works have been featured at readergirlz will be chatting live with readers.

Each chat will last for an hour.

Beth Kephart, our first author-in-residence at readergirlz, has been posting monthly blogs in which she discusses the art (and the joys, and the frustrations) of writing, along with writing prompts and related contests. Here is Beth's third prompt:

"In this readergirlz challenge, the premise is simple: Find a photograph of yourself as a young child on the verge of some new knowledge or turning point. Write a paragraph about that photograph/that moment in present tense, as if you are experiencing that moment for the first time. Then write about that photograph/that moment in past tense, with the gift of retrospection. Ask yourself what you gain from working in the present tense, and what is gained by reflection; include your thoughts on this with your submission."

Send your entry to kephartblog AT comcast DOT net by Wednesday, November 25th, 2009. The author of the winning paragraph will receive a signed copy of Kephart's novel Nothing but Ghosts, a novel about a young girl who, in learning to live past her mother's unexpected passing, involves herself in decoding the mystery that envelops the recluse down the road. The past and the present collide in Ghosts.

rgz LIVE!

We will have not one, not two, but three live events at the readergirlz blog this month.

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On Saturday, November 21st, beginning at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST, we'll be talking about New Moon. Feel free to talk about the book versus the movie and anything else about the Twilight Saga, and tell us if you're on Team Edward or Team Jacob. We'll be joined by the TwilightMOMS. Join the fun for a chance to win a Twilight necklace from Gypsy Wings and other fantastic swag!



This month's featured author, Marlene Carvell, will be chatting live on Tuesday, November 24th, beginning at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST. Log on at that time to talk about Sweetgrass Basket directly with the author herself as well as other readers.



Finally, on Monday, November 30th, we'll be throwing our first rgz RAVE Homecoming to chat with former rgz featured authors Coe Booth, Dia Calhoun, Janet Lee Carey, Cecil Castellucci, Justina Chen, Rachel Cohn, Holly Cupala, Liz Gallagher, Nikki Grimes, Lorie Ann Grover, Ellen Hopkins, Sarah Miller, Mary Pearson, Mitali Perkins, Dana Reinhardt, Laura Resau, Melissa Walker, Ellen Emerson White, Rita Williams-Garcia, Sara Zarr, and more. This chat, like the others, will begin at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST.

Each chat will last for an hour.

To learn more about readergirlz and this month's featured book, Sweetgrass Basket by Marlene Carvell, go to http://www.readergirlz.com and check out the November 2009 issue. Also read our roundtable discussion of Sweetgrass Basket and my review of the book.

Reprinting from the November issue of readergirlz and the readergirlz blog:

In Marlene Carvell's Sweetgrass Basket, Mattie and Sarah long for family. The two sisters would probably agree with Alex Haley, who said, "In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future."

Link with your family on Saturday, November 21st for National Family Volunteer Day. Volunteering as a family is the perfect way to spend quality time with your loved ones while doing meaningful work in your community.

Visit http://www.serve.gov for a searchable database of volunteering opportunities near you and encourage the whole fam to get out and make a difference!

Read the latest issue of readergirlz.
Visit the readergirlz website and blog.

Related Posts at Bildungsroman:
Book Review: Sweetgrass Basket by Marlene Carvell
Roundtable Discussion: Sweetgrass Basket by Marlene Carvell

For more information contact: divas@readergirlz.com

READERGIRLZ HONORED IN NEW YORK CITY
The leading teen online book community is awarded by the National Book Foundation.

November 17, 2009 (Seattle, Wash.) – readergirlz (rgz) proudly accepts an Innovations in Reading Prize from the National Book Foundation at an awards luncheon today in Manhattan. Co-founders Dia Calhoun and Lorie Ann Grover will accept the honor on behalf of the nonprofit organization.

Chosen for developing innovative means of creating and sustaining a lifelong love of reading, readergirlz will use the prize money to continue inventive and engaging literacy projects.

"readergirlz is perpetually creating innovative, fun, and impactful ways to connect teens to the best YA novels and authors. What people may not realize is that readergirlz is run completely by volunteers and has been almost entirely self-funded by the divas. So thanks to the Innovations in Reading Prize, we can now pay for our day-to-day operational costs -- but also kick off a new, exciting literacy program we've been brainstorming for the coming year," says co-founder Justina Chen.

About readergirlz
readergirlz is the foremost online book community for teen girls, led by five critically acclaimed YA authors - Dia Calhoun (Avielle of Rhia), Holly Cupala (Tell Me a Secret) Lorie Ann Grover (Hold Me Tight), Justina Chen (North of Beautiful), and Melissa Walker (Lovestruck Summer). readergirlz is the recipient of a 2007 James Patterson PageTurner Award and the 2009 Innovations in Reading Prize from the National Book Foundation.

To promote teen literacy and leadership in girls, readergirlz features a different YA novel and corresponding community service project every month. For more information about readergirlz, please visit http://www.readergirlz.com and http://readergirlz.blogspot.com or contact divas@readergirlz.com

© 2009 readergirlz

Read the announcement from National Book.

In response to the questions Cynthia Leitich Smith posed in her recent post, cross-posted at the readergirlz blog and here at Bildungsroman:

[D]o you believe that dating the book really matters? Does it bother you to read a book written for a contemporary audience that has a few tie-ins that seem a couple of years old? Or do you just assume that the story is a near history, set a couple of years ago, and go ahead with reading the story? Why or why not?

If a year is ever stated outright, or a specific historical event, then I'll know right when I am, just as I'll know right where I am if the characters are said to be in a specific town, state, or country. Otherwise, I'll figure it out from the narration and the dialogue. Books are different from film, TV, or stage productions, where the viewer typically can take one look at the fashion and, coupled with other environmental clues, know the setting of the piece. Books don't always tell you what the characters are wearing, or what posters are on the walls of their rooms, or what music is playing in the background; readers must interpret the words with their eyes, fingertips, or ears and their minds and imaginations, while viewers use the same or different senses in different ways, having more stimuli and a more instantaneous recognition of certain things.

I know that people often don't give kids enough credit for knowing things, be they related to academia or to pop culture. I heard it enough growing up: "You can't possibly know that," or, "That was before you were born," and every variation in-between, ranging from surprise to downright condescension when I would quote, sing, mention, or otherwise reference something.

Pop culture - the bits of trivia, gossip, and fact that populate the day-to-day in our society - are so much a part of just that, the day-to-day, that all ages pick up these trivia bits nearly by osmosis. There are the lesser-known facts, of course, but the shows, books, movies, and other forms of entertainment, politics, and history that are general public knowledge touch us all in some way.

- and this is true for all societies, all groups of people. Haven't you read a book or seen a movie that is set somewhere other than your mother country and, even if is contemporary, mentions something or someone offhand that clearly everyone in that story understands while you are left scratching your head, wondering what/who/how that is? :)

I don't mind so-called "dated" books. The story is set when and where it is set. That doesn't make the characters or their trials, failures, and triumphs any more or less important. It can change the impact on the reader, certainly, if that reader doesn't "get" it, but if that reader wanted to, I'm pretty sure that she or he could learn more about that era, town, state, society, etc in an effort to "get" it!

My favorite retelling of Peter Pan, Straight on 'til Morning by Christopher Golden, is firmly set in the summer of 1981. This horror novel was written for adults and published in 2001. Readers who were teenagers in 1981 "get" it because they remember that year, that summer, and can thus slip into the shoes of the main characters easily because they have already worn those shoes. (They are nice and comfy, aren't they, when they are already broken in like that?) However, modern teens can relate as well, because of the universal themes and relationships between characters: the unrequited crush; the bonds forged between brothers and between close friends, especially during after a life-changing event; the summer between middle school and high school; and so on.

When a book references a Top 20 hit or right-now story/gossip/whatnot every few pages, that bothers me, because what's popular and "hot" when the book is in its first draft will change by the time it is published. That just-missed dating can be worse, in a way, than a few years/a decade removed. A perfect example would be a YA title which shall remain nameless that referenced a celebrity marriage which, by the time the book was published, had dissolved. Even if you, like me, do not care a whit about celebrity gossip, you must admit that it is, to some extent, unescapable when it's plastered all over the covers of magazines that line the aisles in the grocery store.

The same goes for most popular media: If you have any sort of TV, radio, computer, or other form of entertainment or communicative device, you have a certain level of awareness about current films, TV shows, songs, political happenings, and celebrities, for better or worse. You may not have seen that movie or show or musician or used that product or eaten that food, but you may have heard of it, so you know something, albeit vague, about it: it's a horror movie, he's a rapper, she's on a popular TV sitcom, they are baseball players, that's a new brand of shampoo.

I do love when stories feel timeless, but it's rare that a tale is completely such, without any reference to song, fashion, or history that places it in a specific era. I love The Creek by Jennifer L. Holm for its timeless feel - and for many other reasons. I could name other titles, but perhaps I'll save those for another post at another time.

What do you think? Feel free to repost these questions and links at your own blog, and share your thoughts on the topics.

Lorie Ann Grover posted her thoughts at her blog.

And now, a guest post from Cynthia Leitich Smith:

As the author of one of this month's suggested reads, Rain Is Not My Indian Name, I thought I'd discuss a question I struggled with in writing the novel: how should I weigh the need to convey a contemporary setting with the risk of dating the book too quickly?

Because so many images of Native people in books are historical, I wove a few pop culture references - mostly related to science fiction - into Rain's narrative to give the book a fairly "now" feeling. However, I selected and framed these tidbits carefully.

For example, I planted into Rain's character that she is a lover of science fiction -- recent and classic. That way, she would be as likely to mention "The X-Files" if we were to assume the story is set in the year 2001 as she would be to mention "The X-Files" if we were to assume the story is set in, say, the year 2010. This particularly holds true because the sci-fi fan base as a whole tends to have strong memories and long-standing loyalties.

Likewise, I refer to the "Bat Out Of Hell" albums by the band Meatloaf, a favorite of Rain's brother Fynn, as "vintage." So, from the first time the reader sees the reference, she knows that this is not meant as a time marker to indicate when the story is set but rather a "historic" reference.

(It did, however, require some conversation with my editor to establish that albums of both the 1970s and the 1980s would be considered vintage to today's teen readers; and on a personal level, we were both amused to find that a bit distressing).

In this way, there is a general early 21st century feel to the story.

Do you think that making Rain a science fiction fan was an effective way for me to weave in pop culture tie-ins without dating the book too quickly? Why or why not?

Also, do you believe that dating the book really matters? Does it bother you to read a book written for a contemporary audience that has a few tie-ins that seem a couple of years old? Or do you just assume that the story is a near history, set a couple of years ago, and go ahead with reading the story? Why or why not?

- Cynthia Leitich Smith

* Note: Cynthia's short story entitled "A Real Live Blond Cherokee and His Equally Annoyed Soul Mate" appears in Moccasin Thunder: American Indian Stories for Today, edited by Lori Marie Carlson, which is another of this month's recommended reads at readergirlz.

Check out the November 2009 issue of readergirlz.

Read my responses to the questions Cynthia posed in this post.

Welcome to November

"In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, it is an honor to spotlight Marlene Carvell's novel Sweetgrass Basket at readergirlz. In beautiful free verse, Marlene sensitively relays the struggles of two girls clinging to their Mohawk heritage in the midst of forced assimilation. This is a book that should be read and treasured." - Lorie Ann Grover, rgz co-founder

To learn more about the author and her stories, check out the November 2009 issue of readergirlz as well as our roundtable discussion of Sweetgrass Basket and my review of the book. Once your curiosity is piqued, I hope you will get the book from your local library or bookstore so that you can join the discussions with other readers at the readergirlz blog! We'll be talking about the book all month long, and we always welcome new readers to our book group. Keep reading this post to learn more about how our group works!

Download this month's bookmark.

Download our fall books poster.

Join the readergirlz

readergirlz is an online book group that's open to everyone - the only requirement is a love of reading! Every month, we discuss a different book, ranging from historical fiction to contemporary fiction, from fantasy to comedy to drama to comedy. All of our spotlighted books celebrate gutsy girls, and we hope they inspire readers to become active not only in book groups but also in their communities. Every issue of readergirlz features additional information about the books we're discussing, exclusive author interviews, playlists, outreach programs related to the book of the month, and other recommended reads.

Want to know which other books and authors we've featured? Browse through our archive.

postergirlz picks
Recommended by postergirlz, the readergirlz advisory council, in celebration of Native American Heritage Month:

Fiction
Moccasin Thunder: American Indian Stories for Today, an anthology edited by Lori Marie Carlson
Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Who Will Tell My Brother? by Marlene Carvell
The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Non-Fiction
Native Time: A Historical Time Line of Native America by Lee Francis

rgz LIVE!

We will have not one, not two, but three live events at the readergirlz blog this month.



This month's featured author, Marlene Carvell, will be chatting live on Tuesday, November 24th, beginning at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST. Log on at that time to talk about Sweetgrass Basket directly with the author herself as well as other readers.

<

On Saturday, November 21st, beginning at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST, we'll be talking about New Moon. Feel free to talk about the book versus the movie and anything else about the Twilight Saga, and tell us if you're on Team Edward or Team Jacob. We'll be joined by the TwilightMOMS. Join the fun for a chance to win a Twilight necklace from Gypsy Wings and other fantastic swag!

<

Finally, on Monday, November 30th, we'll be throwing our first rgz RAVE Homecoming to chat with former rgz featured authors Coe Booth, Dia Calhoun, Janet Lee Carey, Cecil Castellucci, Justina Chen, Rachel Cohn, Holly Cupala, Liz Gallagher, Nikki Grimes, Lorie Ann Grover, Ellen Hopkins, Sarah Miller, Mary Pearson, Mitali Perkins, Dana Reinhardt, Laura Resau, Melissa Walker, Ellen Emerson White, Rita Williams-Garcia, Sara Zarr, and more. This chat, like the others, will begin at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST.

Each chat will last for an hour.

Author-in-Residence

Our first Author-in-Residence at rgz, Beth Kephart, will be popping into the blog, chats, and posting blog entries on the writing life throughout her visit. We are honored to have her among us.

Learn more about Beth Kephart and our author-in-residence position.

Read, Reflect and Reach Out

In Marlene Carvell's Sweetgrass Basket, Mattie and Sarah long for family. The two sisters would probably agree with Alex Haley, who said, "In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future."

Link with your family on Saturday, November 21st for National Family Volunteer Day. Volunteering as a family is the perfect way to spend quality time with your loved ones while doing meaningful work in your community.

Visit http://www.serve.gov for a searchable database of volunteering opportunities near you and encourage the whole fam to get out and make a difference!

Recent readergirlz Reads
Last month's featured book: The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Next month's featured books: Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce

Visit the readergirlz archive.

readergirlz on the web

Bookmark our main stomping grounds:
http://readergirlz.blogspot.com
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You may also follow and friend us on:
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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

Beth Kephart, our first author-in-residence at readergirlz, has been posting monthly blogs in which she discusses the art (and the joys, and the frustrations) of writing, along with writing prompts and related contests. Here is Beth's third prompt:

"In this readergirlz challenge, the premise is simple: Find a photograph of yourself as a young child on the verge of some new knowledge or turning point. Write a paragraph about that photograph/that moment in present tense, as if you are experiencing that moment for the first time. Then write about that photograph/that moment in past tense, with the gift of retrospection. Ask yourself what you gain from working in the present tense, and what is gained by reflection; include your thoughts on this with your submission."

Send your entry to kephartblog AT comcast DOT net by November 25th, 2009. The author of the winning paragraph will receive a signed copy of Nothing but Ghosts, a novel about a young girl who, in learning to live past her mother's unexpected passing, involves herself in decoding the mystery that envelops the recluse down the road. The past and the present collide in Ghosts.

readergirlz Mission Statement:

To champion teen literacy and corresponding social service.

Launched in March 2007, in celebration of Women's National History Month, readergirlz (http://www.readergirlz.com) is the foremost online book community for teen girls, led by five critically acclaimed YA authors - Dia Calhoun (Avielle of Rhia), Holly Cupala (Tell Me a Secret), Lorie Ann Grover (Hold Me Tight), Justina Chen (North of Beautiful), and Melissa Walker (Lovestruck Summer). readergirlz is the recipient of a 2007 James Patterson PageTurner Award, and the 2009 National Book Foundation's Innovations in Reading Prize.

To promote teen literacy and leadership in girls, readergirlz features a different YA novel and corresponding community service project every month. Twice a year, they hold special literacy projects, including Operation Teen Book Drop, which has donated 20,000 new YA books to hospitalized teens.

Our mission is to champion teen literacy and corresponding social service. Does that mean we are teaching teens to read? It could! Who knows what our next special project will unveil.

Generally though, we use the term "literacy" in a broader sense. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has created a definition for literacy: "the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society."

You might also ask if the social service is performed by rgz as a nonprofit organization or by teens. We answer, both! This is a community where we encourage each other to read, reflect, and reach out. You'll find everyone giving back in some capacity.

Read the readergirlz manifesta.

Learn more at http://www.readergirlz.com

This month's book club pick: The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
November 2009 pick: Sweetgrass Basket by Marlene Carvell
December 2009 picks: Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
View the archive of readergirlz selections.