This particular books to read list features forthcoming young adult and juvenile titles. If I read and review an advanced copy, I link the title to my review. At the close of every month, I move that month's remaining titles from this list to my backlist of books to read.

May 2008
Airhead by Meg Cabot (read)
Alive and Well in Prague, New York by Daphne Grab
Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman
Death By Bikini by Linda Gerber
The Debutante by Kathryn Williams
Ever by Gail Carson Levine
Fact of Life #31 by Denise Vega (read, review to come)
Geek Magnet by Kieran Scott (read, review to come)
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Hershey Herself by Cecilia Galante
How I Found the Perfect Dress by Maryrose Wood (sequel to Why I Let My Hair Grow Out)
How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle
How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt (read, review to come)
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse by Thomas E. Sniegoski
A Likely Story by David Van Etten (Chris Van Etten, David Ozanich, and David Levithan)
Love in the Corner Pocket by Marlene Perez (read)
Madapple by Christina Meldrum (read)
Maggie Bean Stays Afloat by Tricia Rayburn
Mind the Gap: A Novel of the Hidden Cities by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
Moon & Sun: Ruby Key by Holly Lisle
Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs (read, review and interview to come)
Penelope by Megan Shull
Picture Perfect by Catherine Clark
Pretty Little Liars #4: Unbelievable by Sara Shepard
Princess Ben by Catherine Murdock
Savvy by Ingrid Law
Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed. by Patrick McDonnell
Shift by Jennifer Bradbury (read, interview to come)
Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
Take Me There by Susane Colasanti (read, interview to come)
The Temptress Four by Gaby Triana
Twice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
What Happens Here by Tara Altebrando

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Scholastic's Candy Apple imprint is well-named. It's a sweet line of books which address the ups and downs of middle school life as the protagonists deal with parents, best friends, tryouts, afterschool activities, homework, popularity, first crushes - all that fun stuff, all contemporary fiction, all G-rated. (Hurrah for clean reads!) This imprint is for readers ages 8 to 13.

If a title is bold, I've read it.

The Accidental Cheerleader by Mimi McCoy (January 2007)
The Boy Next Door by Laura Dower (January 2007)
Miss Popularity by Francesco Sedita (May 2007)
How to be a Girly Girl in Just Ten Days by Lisa Papademetriou (July 2007)
Drama Queen by Lara Bergen (September 2007)
The Babysitting Wars by Mimi McCoy (November 2007)
Totally Crushed by Eliza Willard (January 2008)
I've Got a Secret by Lara Bergen (March 2008)
Callie for President by Robin Wasserman (May 2008)
Making Waves by Randi Reisfeld and H.B. Gilmour (June 2008)
The Sister Switch by Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens (July 2008)
Accidentally Fabulous by Lisa Papademetriou (August 2008)

Visit the Candy Apple website.

Welcome to the Hopewell Hotel. We offer clean suites, delicious food (sometimes burnt), free entertainment (that the owners don't know about), and service with a smile.

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson has family values. Rather, it values family: The Hopewell has been passed down through the Martin family for generations. The current owners are struggling to keep it going, and their children readily pitch in to help. Well, "readily" is relative - no pun intended. There's Spencer, the oldest at nineteen, an actor skilled at comedy and pratfalls; Lola, a recent high school graduate whose rich boyfriend can give her everything she wants - except that which matters most; Scarlett, the Suite's sweet protagonist; and Marlene, the youngest, who has no problem saying what she likes and what she doesn't. On his or her fifteenth birthday, each Martin gets a suite to care for. The book begins with Scarlett turning fifteen, getting assigned the Empire Suite, and finding out just how tight things are getting in the hotel. "We'll get by," her father says. "We always do."

And they do. I really enjoyed the family dynamic in this book. Spencer and Scarlett are close, as are Marlene and Lola. They all get along, but Scarlett's bond with her brother is stronger than that with either of her sisters. Thus, a large part of Scarlett's story also belongs to Spencer. He put a culinary scholarship on hold to pursue his acting, and his parents gave him a year to become a working actor or buckle down for school. With that year almost up, Spencer is anxious for something to come his way that pays him (to make his parents happy) and challenges him (to make him happy), so he's thrilled to when he gets the opportunity to be in a production of Hamlet. Spencer has such a good heart. You'll want him to succeed, and you'll wish he was your older brother too.

Meanwhile, while all of Scarlett's friends are off having summer adventures, Scarlett works at home. The Empire Suite is occupied by an aging actress named Mrs. Amberson who has money to spare and opinions to share. This woman is a true character. You never know what she's going to do next. Instead of bossing her new assistant around with barking commands and snapping fingers, she becomes an odd sort of confidante for the girl, and her eccentric ways become endearing.

Before long, Scarlett finds her summer schedule pretty full. In addition to dealing with Mrs. Amberson's antics and helping out with Spencer's show, she's also crushing on Spencer's scene partner Eric. She tries to re-connect with each of her sisters. Marlene's coddled for a reason - something I won't reveal here - and sophisticated Lola's apparent happiness may be more of an act than her family knows.

Maureen Johnson's sixth novel - and Scholastic debut - is not to be missed. Johnson's trademark wit is here ("Before, liking Eric was like a mirror - it was just a shiny thing, and it only went one way") as is her ability to capture simple truths. There are many truths to be told here about families, first loves, careers, living in New York City, and simply growing up.

It's refreshing to read a story with a well-adjusted leading character who actually acts her age and likes her family. Watching Scarlett takes in everything around her is a real treat. She's content to be in the middle of her family, in the middle of her teen years, but she's also realizing how many wonderful possibilities are out there for her and for the ones she loves. You know that whatever she does now or when she grows up, she'll do it well.

Check into the Hopewell today. I hope - I know - you'll enjoy your stay.

Read the first chapter now.

The author is currently working on the sequel.

Thanks to KT Literary for the link and the compliment.

Author Spotlight: To read my reviews of all of Maureen's novels, please step right this way.

Author Interview: To discover Maureen's thoughts on book covers, jellyfish, and more, please read this interview.

I love A Little Friendly Advice. I've given the book to teens who also loved it, so it's not odd at all to hear someone come into my store and declare, "I heart ALFA." I enjoyed the book for a million different reasons: the writing, the storytelling, the characters, everything that spun together like cotton candy to make for a sweet, memorable book. Even the cover is fantastic - and it's also true to the story, but more about that later.

I also enjoy the storyteller. Whether we're talking about literature or food, little things or big coincidences, Siobhan Vivian never fails to crack me up. It is my absolute pleasure to present An Interview with -

Wait. Okay, first of all, for people out there who have difficulties pronouncing Siobhan, I'm going to sound it out: Shove-on.

Now we can move on. (But no pushing!)

Which came first, the title or the main plotline?

The title came first . . . though it was not originally A Little Friendly Advice.

I had been strolling through the big Diane Arbus exhibition at LACMA on Easter Sunday 2003. I remember the day exactly, because the museum was totally empty and I could get up close to all the pictures.

One photo in particular caught my eye, and I stared for at least 20 minutes. It was of a tough-looking girl wearing a jean jacket covered in little buttons. I couldn’t exactly make out what was written on them, but one looked to say something like Lost Daddy's Love...

The story exploded into my head right then and there. I ran outside and scribbled a rough plot down on my museum map, and Lost Daddy's Love became the working title.

( Read more... )

Many, many thanks to Siobhan for the conversation, the laughter, and the pins. You rock, lady!

Read my review of A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian.

Read the ALFA roundtable discussion between Angela, Alexia, and Little Willow.

Drop by her website and LiveJournal. Siobhan is also a member of The Longstockings.

Let me give you A Little Friendly Advice: Read Siobhan Vivian's debut novel. Now.

Realistic from the get-go and written in present tense, the rhythmic and funny narrative will grab readers right away. It all starts when four people come to celebrate with a birthday girl - one of whom was not invited.

The book begins on Ruby's Sweet Sixteen, when the birthday girl hanging out in her humble house with her mom, waiting for her friends to arrive. She has ziti, a whale-shaped ice-cream cake, and a foil party crown.

Shortly after receiving an old Polaroid camera from her mom, Ruby tests out her gift, capturing her mom in a little white square. The guests start to arrive, and Ruby takes a picture of each one. Her friends are very distinguishable, both in looks and in personality. First is Beth, petite, exuberant, the best friend ever. Next comes maudlin Katherine, who is far more Beth's friend than Ruby's, and two years ahead of the other girls in school. In bounces sassy Maria, thus completing the guest list.

Then the last person Ruby ever expected to walk through the door does exactly that. She takes the opportunity to run out of the door, her friends close behind her. His presence pushes the story forward, as his long-term absence has huge part of her past.

Along comes someone else, someone new. His name is Charlie, and he's a sweet, easygoing boy who likes to make buttons and conversation. Like a picture from Ruby's camera, Charlie will instantly capture the hearts of readers, but it will take a while for their relationship to develop - and he'll patiently wait.

There are plenty of laughs to be had and tears to be shed, sometimes simultaneously, as Ruby re-evaluates her friendships and her parents' divorce. Looking through her new-old camera becomes a way for her to both hide and seek. Stubborn to a fault, Ruby is caught between a rock and a hard place partially because she's put herself there, and she knows it.

Siobhan Vivian delivers her Advice free of clichés. Forgiveness is rarely easy, and friendships aren't always balanced or happy. This book offers subtle metaphors, realistic meanderings and dialogue, and believable events. It also has handmade scarves, Girl Scout badges, a treehouse, and hidden smiles. You'd be wise to consider Vivian's truthful Advice.

I highly recommend this book to teens and adults, and have placed it on my list of Best Books of 2008 (So Far).

Read my interview with the author.

Read the ALFA roundtable discussion between Angela, Alexia, and Little Willow.

Visit Siobhan's website and LiveJournal.

Every time I get a Scholastic book, I feel like a kid again. In elementary school, I declared Scholastic to be my favorite publisher because it gave me The Baby-Sitters Club. Now I'm an adult, and I still love Scholastic. Its various imprints include:

Candy Apple - Cute, quick reads for ages 8 to 12, mostly appealing to girls. Here's the Candy Apple line-up so far.

Graphix - The person who hired Raina Telgemeier to illustrate The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels should get a raise - and so should Raina - for introducing the stories to a whole new generation!

Klutz - I remember when Klutz books first started to come out. I was given the juggling book and squares. (They weren't round.) Now there are a countless number of crafty and creative do-it-yourself books and kits. Aren't the gift certificates cool? Also check out the Build-a-Book Literacy Event.

Point - In the nineties, you gave me horror titles by the likes of Richie Tankersley Cusick, Caroline B. Cooney, R.L. Stine, and Diane Hoh. You also gave me Missing Since Monday by Ann M. Martin. Now you give me Suite Scarlett by the fantabulous Maureen Johnson. THANK YOU!

PUSH - Praise to David Levithan. Lots and lots of praise.

Scholastic Reference - Informative for all and attractive to kids.

... as well as Arthur A. Levine Books, The Chicken House, Scholastic en Español, and more!

Thanks to Milly Marie for prompting this post.

I grew up on a steady diet of classics and contemporary stories. I'd polish off a book from the 1800s, then pick up the Scholastic Book Order form and dream of writing my own book series.

In the 1980s, the series I read and enjoyed the most was The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin. At the library, I checked BSC books as well as Ann's stand-alone novels, along with beloved dusty classics, more favorite series, and non-fiction. I bought Martin's books from the library book sale whenever they were available and affordable, and I collected most of the new books as they were released. (This is thanks to my mother, who let me know that it was okay for us to spend a few dollars a month on books.)

When all is said and done, I own most (but not all) of the BSC books. I'm missing about twenty of the regular titles in the series and about twenty-five of the sub-series. I have read most of her non-series works as well.

Here's a bibliography of Ann M. Martin's works, with the proper chronology supplied by Wikipedia, and with titles/series I've read in bold print.

Series
The Baby-Sitters Club, which included:
- The Baby-Sitters Club Super Specials
- The Baby-Sitters Club Mysteries
- The Baby-Sitters Club Super Mysteries
- The Baby-Sitters Club one-shots (Secret Santa, Chain Letter, etc)
- The Baby-Sitters Club: Friends Forever
(Sadly, I have not read nor do I own ANY of the Friends Forever series.)

The Baby-Sitters Club Little Sister
(Italicized because I only read a few of these books. Karen was a decent character, but this series was too young for me, and I greatly preferred the BSC.)

California Diaries
(Italicized because I have only read a handful of this series. I wouldn't mind reading more. The California Diaries were definitely different - edgier than the BSC - which I liked, and I found it ironic that her series with two Sunshines was the series that finally showed that life wasn't always happy, as those books didn't always have happy endings. I also like the covers, especially Sunny, Diary Three. There are only 15 California Diaries. I really ought to own these too.)

The Kids in Ms. Colman's Class

Main Street
(This is her newest series. It has three titles so far, and at least two more are due in 2008.)

Short Sequences
P.S. Longer Letter Later (co-author: Paula Danziger)
Snail Mail No More (co-author: Paula Danziger)

The Doll People (co-author: Laura Godwin)
The Meanest Doll in the World (co-author: Laura Godwin)

Stand-Alone Novels
Bummer Summer
Inside Out
Stage Fright
Me and Katie (the Pest)
With You and Without You
Missing Since Monday
Just a Summer Romance
Slam Book
Ten Kids, No Pets
Yours Turly, Shirley
Ma and Pa Dracula
Eleven Kids, One Summer
Rachel Parker, Kindergarten Show-off
Leo the Magnificat
Belle Teal
A Corner of the Universe
Here Today
A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray
On Christmas Eve

Tidbits

Many authors contributed to the BSC series. Ghostwriters included Suzanne Weyn, Peter Lerangis, Nola Thacker, Ellen Miles, Jan Carr, Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner. Editors included David Levithan.

Four books of the original BSC books have been made into adorable graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier, and I absolutely adore what she's done. Not only do the graphic novels stay true to the original storylines and text, but they stay true to the characters, who look as they have always been described. Even Dawn's ear piercings are correct!

Check out my other posts related to the BSC.

Watch The Baby-Sitters Special Christmas on YouTube.

Books. Intelligent humor. The Westing Game. The Great Gatsby. Freedom of speech. Cary Grant. Shiny objects. These are a few of Maureen Johnson's favorite things.

I share these interests. I also share Maureen's books with friends and customers on days that end in Y. When I had the opportunity to interview her, I took it. I ran with it. I jumped at the chance.

Then I stopped running and jumping, walked back home, wrapped my questions up into an oddly-shaped package, stuck a bow on top, and presented it to Maureen.

You've known since you were little that you wanted to be a writer. What was your first completed manuscript/novel as an adult?

Well, I wrote two books for practice. One was for a friend. The other lives in a drawer. They aren't for publication. They really were just exercises for me to try things out. I put myself through a kind of self-imposed writing boot camp when I graduated college, writing four to ten hours a day, usually when I was supposed to be doing something else. Like work.

( Read more... )

Many thanks to Maureen Johnson for talking with me.

This interview has been approved by Free Monkey.

Related Posts:
Author Spotlight: Maureen Johnson
The Bermudez Triangle: Too Cool for School?
Book Review: Girl at Sea
Book Review: Suite Scarlett
Free Monkey World Tour: Girl Meets Monkey
Free Monkey World Tour: Take Your Monkey to Work Day

Today's WBBT Schedule
Lisa Ann Sandell at Interactive Reader
Christopher Barzak at Chasing Ray
Julie Halpern at The Ya Ya Yas
Micol Ostow at Shaken & Stirred
Rick Yancey at Hip Writer Mama
Jane Yolen at Fuse Number 8
Shannon Hale at Bookshelves of Doom
Maureen Johnson at Bildungsroman
David Lubar at Writing & Ruminating
Sherman Alexie at Finding Wonderland