This year’s theme is LEAP: Leadership, Education, Achievement, Progress. Preconferences begin on April 12, and conference programs run through April 15. Exhibits are also available on April 13 and 14. Online registration is open until March 22.

FORMAN, Gayle. Just One Day. Dutton. January 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780525425915.

Gr 9 Up—Allyson has been a simple, goody-two-shoes her whole life; being adventurous has always been the job of her best friend, Melanie, or Mel 2.0, as she likes to be called. By chance, Allyson receives a flyer for a performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. It takes one performance, one coin flipped her way by a boy going where the wind blows, and suddenly she’s blown in too many ways too quickly. Allyson suddenly becomes Lulu and is wrapped in a world of fluidity in a small span of time, only to have it suddenly ripped away. Having it ripped away, though, just seems to make her want it back even more.

Already a huge fan of If I Stay and its companion, Where She Went, I had extremely high expectations for Just One Day. It definitely didn’t disappoint me! I was immediately wrapped in a world of senses, feelings, and people. Just One Day is a story of love, friendship, independence, and discovery of oneself and the world. I loved falling in love with every word and feeling that Allyson felt, and I can only hope there will be more to her story.—Destiny B., age 15

Skilton, Sarah. Bruised. Amulet. March 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781419703874.

Gr 7-12—In Bruised, Imogen witnesses an armed robbery. Because she has a black belt in Taekwondo, Imogen feels that she should have done something to stop the robbery, instead of just hiding under a table. Throughout the book, she begins to get closer to Ricky, who was also hiding under a table.  In the end, she realizes that there was nothing she could have done.

I liked this book because it shows that while a person may say they would do something in a particular situation, no one truly knows how they would react beforehand. This story also shows us that no matter how strong you are, no one is invincible and in the end, there are some things that are completely out of one’s control.—Alexandra M., age 15

MORIARITY, Jaclyn. A Corner of White. Scholastic. April 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780545397360.

Gr 6-10—Madeleine is a girl of science, a girl of bright colors. But walking through the streets of Cambridge, England, she finds her corner of white wedged in a parking meter—a connection between our world and a Kingdom where seasons change in the course of a single day and her precious Colors can kidnap and even kill people. In this Kingdom (an unbelievable figment of imagination to Madeleine), young, handsome Elliot Baranski seeks his lost father. But there’s disorder in his land, much like the bleak life that Madeleine leads in her world. Together, they save each other from reality and imagination, loss and love, darkness and light.

I’ve always been captivated by the mysteries of color and light, just like Madeleine. Her interest in Isaac Newton’s discoveries and the way in which those observations are incorporated into helping Elliot survive the Color attacks are perfectly executed. It’s an excellent and consistent theme throughout the novel; even when the plot slowed down, the colors kept me reading. I also greatly appreciated the psychological connections between Madeleine and Elliot toward the end of the story, especially regarding the dangers of imagination. It had never crossed my mind that living in an imagined world, as Madeleine often did with Lord Byron and her father, could be detrimental to one’s sanity. Congratulations to the author—this is a very unique and much appreciated book.—Abrania M., age 16

Another take:

SEPETYS, Ruta. Out of the Easy. Philomel. February 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780399256929.

Gr 9 Up—Seventeen-year-old Josie desperately wants to leave New Orleans and the hustler lifestyle that it seems to have in store for her. But with a prostitute mother who cares only about herself, Josie must depend on herself to find the money to go to college. She faces many obstacles along the way—mostly because of her mother—including owing the local Mafia boss thousands of dollars. With only two small jobs, Josie’s hopes of escaping her debt and getting the money for college seem impossible.

This book combined many great storytelling aspects. Josie is a very relatable character; she loves reading, and she’s insecure about her identity. Both her social status and the fact that she doesn’t know her father cause significant problems. The unexpected twists are well intertwined, creating the complicated atmosphere that surrounds Josie’s life. Set in the French Quarter in the mid-1900s, Out of the Easy overflows with the customs and aura of New Orleans. It’s an interesting and enjoyable read.— Paris E., age 16

BRIAN, Kate. Shadowlands. Hyperion. January 2013. Tr. $17.99. ISBN 9781423164838.

Gr 9 Up—Rory Miller is the target of serial killer Steven Nell. After his attempt to kill her fails, the FBI sends Rory and her family to a safe home on Juniper Island,Vermont. Being hundreds of miles away from Massachusetts at a location supposedly unknown to Nell, Rory tries to feel safe again. She and her sister begin hanging out with a group of local teens, going to parties, and surfing on the beach. Still, unusual things are happening: people are found missing, the locals are acting strange, and Rory suspects that Nell has discovered her whereabouts. There’s a fine line between nightmares and reality in this captivating start to a new trilogy.

This book starts off making readers wonder if Rory will be able to successfully escape Nell—and that’s what drew me in. Nell’s lurking skills, Rory’s paranoia, and the behavior of Juniper Landing locals had me on edge the entire book. Questions constantly arose that had me thirsting for answers. Shadowlands isn’t a book you’ll want to put down, and its unexpected ending will have you wanting more.—Paris E. age 16

SULLIVAN, Laura L. Delusion. Harcourt. January 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780547688367.

Gr 7-12—Set in England during World War II, Delusion follows two flamboyant sisters as they leave behind their world of exciting (but fake) magic and travel to the safety of the boring, out-of-touch, rural town of Bittersweet. Phil, the more adventurous of the two, longs to help out the war effort in any way that she can, while Fee, the romantic, hopes to meet a charming, handsome young man who will sweep her off her feet. When Phil tries to create a Home Guard for Bittersweet, she stumbles upon the concealed Stour, which houses a college for male magicians. This thrusts the sisters into the world of actual magic as Phil continues to support the war effort and Fee finds the man of her dreams. However, they soon find out that the magicians have their own war to fight, one that will determine the fate of all people.

After reading the back cover of Delusion, I was very intrigued; the plot and the setting seemed really interesting. However, the novel didn’t live up to my expectations. At first, I found the characters to be annoying and unlikeable, although some of them did grow on me in time. The plot was all over the place, with too many conflicts, most of which were not fully developed. I did like the book despite its flaws, but I will not be remembering or recommending it.—Kayla T., 16

MEYER, Marissa. Scarlet. Feiwel & Friends. February 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN: 9780312642969.

Gr 7 Up—Scarlet is the sequel to Cinder in the “Lunar Chronicles” series. The book follows the point of view of a 17-year-old girl, Scarlet, who works on a farm with her grandmother. When she discovers that her grandmother has been kidnapped, Scarlet is desperate for any leads that might help her find her. While searching for her grandmother, Scarlet meets an appealing yet untrustworthy street fighter named Wolf, who agrees to help her. In a way, the story serves to present the reader with a dystopian version of the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. Eventually, Scarlet’s story ties in with the story of the main protagonist, Cinder, and many questions are answered. However, just as the reader’s questions are answered, many new conflicts arise and the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, ready for the third book.

When I learned that there was a sequel to Cinder, I was excited to find out what would happen next in the series. You don’t have to read the first book to enjoy Scarlet, but some of the action that occurs in it might be confusing if you haven’t read the first volume of the trilogy. What I liked most about the book was Scarlet’s blossoming romance with the mysterious Wolf. Scarlet ended like Cinder, with a total cliff-hanger, which compels me to read the next book. It was interesting to see how the revelation of a certain secret had forever changed Cinder’s life and further developed the conflict concerning the fate of the Earth. I would recommend this to other young readers who enjoy a good dystopian novel with some fairy tale elements.—Courtney B., age 18

CREWE, Megan. The Lives We Lost. Hyperion. February 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781423146179.

Gr 7-12—A disastrous virus has befallen the world and 17-year-old Kaelyn has a vaccine that could restore civilization. As she and her friends make their way through Canada’s deserted, snowy provinces in search of a doctor that can replicate the vaccine, they encounter people who will stop at nothing to take the vaccine for themselves. After treading hundreds of miles, Kaelyn wonders if the risk she took dragging her friends through such awful circumstances was worth it.

The Lives We Lost will have you on the edge of your seat. Every person the group encounters is one that can either make them sick or burglarize and kill them. They hope that there are people who haven’t lost the kindness they may have possessed before the epidemic. Their highest anticipation is finding a doctor or scientist who is working on the cure, but with a thin line between who’s a friend and who’s a foe, their chances grow slim. This compelling novel is detailed enough to read without having read the first book of the trilogy, and it leaves out just enough to have you ready for last book in the series.—Paris E., age 16

Haven’t registered for ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) yet? There’s still time—visit the conference home page for details and more information on the 400-plus sessions that will be offered.

GRANT, Michael and Katherine Applegate. Eve & Adam. Feiwel and Friends. October 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780312583514.

Gr 7 Up—Evening’s (or E.V. as her friends call her) mom is Terra Spiker, the owner and founder of Spiker Biopharmaceuticals. When E.V. is in a car accident that temporarily lands her a wheelchair, her mom brings her to her research facility to heal—and to keep her entertained with the task of “creating the perfect boy”—a.k.a. Project 88715. Enter Solo, a coffee cart boy and orphan, who’s searching for answers about the intriguing project. He wants nothing to do with Spiker Biopharm, unless it means bringing down the whole corporation—that is, until he meets the boss’s daughter.

One of my favorite aspects of Eve & Adam is the twists! I expected a cheesy romance novel about “star-crossed lovers,” maybe, or two teens in love who run away to be together. Needless to say, that’s not the case here. This is much more than a budding relationship book; instead, it takes readers on a roller coaster ride that’s filled with secrets and action, and—yes—some romance. Discovering the fine line between what’s right and wrong is a big focus as the secrets are revealed—as is finding out what kind of person you are because of those secrets. Interesting and action-packed, this is a page-turner!—Destiny B., age 15

RHODES, Morgan. Falling Kingdoms. Razorbill. December 2012. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781595145840.

A long, long time ago, in the country of Limeros, Lucia was stolen from her cradle. She was snatched by two sisters, who lust for power and quickly destroy one another. Lucia winds up in the hands of the King of Blood, whose son begins to lust for her as she begins to come into her magical powers. Then, in the country of Palesia, a boy gets murdered, which sparks a war that destroys all but one country. In Auranos, the reader follows a girl who witnesses her betrothed killing a young boy from Palesia. This girl then travels to Palesia to find a magical cure for her sister. If you can’t keep all of these details straight, don’t worry, the story isn’t all that difficult.

I loved it from start to finish. The first 20 pages took me a week to read, but I finished the rest of it in a day. Don’t let its slow beginning discourage you—the story speeds up considerably. The author keeps you on your toes by making you try to find out who’s the enemy. I loved the constant backstabbing. Eventually, the reader realizes that there’s no enemy, just arrogant humans whose quarreling gets in the way of progress.—Kaleb B., age 14

HALBROOK, Kristin. Nobody But Us. HarperTeen. January 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 9780062121264.

Gr 9 Up—Nobody But Us is about a young couple on the run from their past in hopes of a better future. Fifteen-year-old Zoe is consistently abused by her father. Everyone in the small town knows that, but no one offers to help her. When Will arrives, he’s quickly attracted to her, and she’s instantly curious about his broken past and his bad-boy ways. Will soon turns 18, and the couple decides to run away to Las Vegas to start a new life together. As incidents with serious consequences occur along the way, the two find themselves doubting everything they once believed could happen.

This is a very captivating book that was hard to put down. Will and Zoe’s persistent love was inspiring. Their journey from their small North Dakota town to Las Vegas will have readers on the edge of their seats with anticipation. This book offers a brutally honest account of the struggle of young love and its hope for a better future, no matter what. I recommend it to anyone who’s interested in romance, multiple points of view, violence, and endings that’ll leave you speechless.—Jazmine W. age 15

Ellison, Kate. Notes from Ghost Town. Egmont USA. February 2013. Tr. $17.99. ISBN 9781606842645.

Gr 9 Up—Sixteen-year-old Olivia Tithe has become color blind and believes that she’s completely losing her mind—just like her mother. When her best friend, and first love, Lucas Stern, dies and returns as a ghost, she tries to unravel the mystery of his death. In order to save her mother and herself, Olivia must follow her heart to the truth, no matter how painful it may be.

Honestly, the summary wasn’t particularly interesting to me, but I’m glad I gave the book a chance. The author has a knack for making readers want to come back for more. Olivia is one of those characters readers love to read about. She’s strong, passionate, and doesn’t take no for an answer, even when the odds are against her. The mystery is intriguing enough that readers will find themselves reading faster and faster to figure out what it is, but they’ll also want to slow down so they won’t finish the book too soon. Ellison did a wonderful job, and I applaud her.—Kathleen M. age 16

Take a look at the video and get inspired to do the same in your high school library.

MILLER, Ashley Edward and Zack Stentz. Colin Fischer. Razorbill, November 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781596145789.

During the American Library Association’s annual conference, in Anaheim, CA, last summer, I had lunch with two new YA authors: Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz. Although they’re new to the YA novel scene, these guys have a lot of writing credits under their belts, including the screenplays for the films X-Men and Thor. During the screenwriters strike in 2007, they took a character named Colin Fischer—who was created for a television show that never was produced—and turned his story into a novel for young adults. Colin has Asperger’s syndrome and exhibits all the strange personality traits that go along with it. After hearing the authors’ story of how they created this book, I was eager to read it and even cracked it open before I left California. By the end of the first chapter, Colin had captured my heart. When he begins high school, he’s dogged by Wayne Connelly, the same bully that he couldn’t shake in junior high. When a handgun turns up in the cafeteria, the principal is convinced that Wayne brought it to school. Putting his dislike of the bully behind him, Colin steps up to investigate the crime and absolve Wayne. The two boys are odd companions, but together they put together the puzzle and figure out how to build a friendship—a relationship that neither of them has had much experience with.

If you’re a fan of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Doubleday, 2003) and Francisco X. Stork’s Marcelo in the Real World (Scholastic, 2009), both of which feature young adults with Asperger’s, you’re going to fall in love with Colin Fischer. Colin is younger than the protagonists in those two books, but his quirkiness and unusual take on life is refreshing and hilarious. You may not want to deal with Colin day in and day out, but spending a few hours with him, his family, and his new friend make for a great read.—Elizabeth Kahn, librarian, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy, New Orleans, LA

TAKOUDES, Greg. When We Wuz Famous. Henry Holt, March 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780805094527.

Gr 9 Up—Francisco Vicioso grew up in Spanish Harlem, a neighborhood where he was well known for his above average grades and outstanding basketball skills. In the eyes of others, his life was perfect. He had a close group of friends who named themselves the Kaos Krew. What happens when Francisco is offered a full scholarship to an elite boarding school? Because he wants to better his future, he decides to take the offer. Not only is he leaving behind his family, but he’s also leaving behind his best friend, Vincent, and his girlfriend, Reignbow. While Vincent is back at home getting into trouble, Francisco is struggling to fit in with the affluent, white society at his new school. Francisco faces the stereotypes surrounding his background and questions regarding his gang affiliation. Francisco must make a decision of whether or not he will stick with his present or with his past. Unable to escape his past back home, Francisco makes a risky decision that eventually determines his fate.

Takoudes’s novel is an empowering one that depicts the harsh realities for those living in Spanish Harlem. While reading the novel, I felt as if I was Francisco, facing the struggle between the old and the new. As the story continued, I felt empathy toward all of the characters. This novel is one of the best I’ve read in a long time! It isn’t one of those clichéd realistic fiction novels that I’m accustomed to reading. With a pinch of romance, it shows the trials and troubles an average teenager would face today. This novel portrays nothing but the truth, which is what I love most about it.—Lauren T., age 16.

A Second Take …

BRODY, Jessica. Unremembered. Farrar, March 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780374379919.

Gr 7-12—Seraphina, a 16-year old girl who’s found near the wreckage of a plane, has no memories and no real identity. To add to that problem, she has amnesia, but she knows one thing—nothing is as it seems. While trying to regain her memories, Seraphina questions every clue and struggles to find out who she really is. But her biggest question is, Who is the alluring boy who claims that he knew her before the plane crash and says that they were in love? Seraphina struggles to understand and when he adds that there are people out there that are trying to find and hurt her, can she really trust him? And is he able to protect her from the people he claims have made her forget?

Unremembered is an intriguing and puzzling book that will sweep readers off their feet. During the majority of the book, I was trying to solve the mystery and figure out what would happen next. The author does an excellent job keeping readers captivated and wondering what’s going to happen next. There’s also a plot twist toward the end that I found very perplexing and interesting. Overall, this novel is fascinating and thrilling to read, and I’d definitely recommend it.—Kaylynn T., age 16

Words Are Delicious: Food Writing in the Classroom

I bet this was the only NCTE session in which each attendee was given an Oreo! Presenter April Brannon, from Cal State Fullerton, started off the session with a discussion of poems about food, featuring Pablo Neruda’s Ode to Tomatoes and Donald Hall’s Eating the Pig, and how these poems can be used to boost students’ reading and writing skills.  Both student-teacher and individual student work was showcased, including Eating the Chicken Nuggets, inspired by Hall’s aforementioned poem. With an Oreo in hand, each member of the audience was asked to contribute a simile, metaphor, alliterative phrase, personification, image, or hyperbole which Brannon then used to create an ode to the iconic cookie.  Brannon was followed by Elle Yarborough from Northern Essex (MA) Community College, who focused on developing literacy skills by investigating food. Attendees were asked to watch “The Soup Nazi” episodes from Seinfeld and read Molly O’Neill’s essay “The Soup Man of 55th Street” (from the New York Cookbook [Workman, 1992]), comparing the various ways in which Al Yeganeh, the real-life owner of the famous soup restaurant, was characterized on the popular sit-com. Yarborough also talked about how she uses road-food writers Jane and Michael Stern’s wonderful piece “The Lobster Roll Honor Roll” (from the August 1994 issue of Gourmet magazine) as an example of investigative food writing. The Sterns combine history, culture, and social norms in the retelling of their quest to find Maine’s best lobster roll. You might want to ask your students to select a local culinary favorite, research its origins and variations across the region, and even gather recipes to produce their own food writing. All of these activities can easily be converted to library programming for teens and tweens.

Inspiring Readers with the Newest Young Adult Literature Winners

How many booktalks can be squeezed into about an hour? A lot, as proved by presenters Jennifer Walsh (Forsyth Middle School, Ann Arbor, MI), Daria Plumb (Riverside Academy, Dundee, MI), and Jennifer Buehler (St Louis University, MO). This group, chaired by Teri Lesesne (Sam Houston University, TX), created a grid to keep track of the number of awards that 2011 titles have received during the past year, then they organized the titles according to the number of award lists they have each appeared on. It was no surprise to hear which two titles appeared on the most lists: Ruta Sepetys’s Between Shades and Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races each appeared on six awards lists. The presenters were able to race through 20 titles, halfway through the three award lists, before the closing bell rang. Their incredibly useful and informative list of awards and titles can be found on a handout on NCTE’s 2012 website.

Learning Lessons from YA War Literature

Session chair, author, and Brigham Young University English professor Chris Crowe gave an excellent overview of the types of YA literature that can be used in the classroom to help readers connect with those who have lived through a war. Jen Bryant, an award-winning novelist, poet, and biographer, spoke about war’s effects on society and the people “left behind,” and explained how she writes about those experiences. For example, in her verse novel, The Trial (Knopf, 2004), the growing fear and distrust among Americans of Germany as World War II approached became a major factor in the trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann,  who was accused of the murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr. In Bryant’s novel The Fortune of Carmen Navarro (Knopf, 2010), a high school dropout and a cadet from Valley Forge Military Academy and a long-standing military family stumble into a romance, as the war in Iraq plays out in background, which puts an additional strain on their relationship.

Author Dean Hughes embeds his readers directly into the battlefield in his war novels. In Hughes’s Soldier Boys (Antheneum, 2001), two young men—a German and an American—come to understand each other’s motives for fighting in World War II as they see their friends and colleagues die around them. Ricky Ward thinks that going to war will solve his problems with his violent father and dismissive girlfriend, but readers of Search and Destroy (Antheneum, 2005) discover that the Vietnam War is scarier and more complicated than anything Ricky has left at home. Visit the NCTE 2012 session site for an excellent bibliography of YA war literature and more from the authors.

Igniting the 21st-Century Spark with Big Ideas and Technology

If you’ve been thinking about using technology and books to connect with classroom teachers and teens, look no further. This NCTE session featured three dynamic presenters who have incorporated technology into their literature lessons to enhance writing and comprehension skills. Catherine Reeves, a University of Wyoming grad student, shared Hyperstudio presentations that she created to teach Sylvia Plath’s confessional poetry. Reeves’s student not only had to master the technology, they nad to research images from the 1950s to use in their own presentations. And that’s not all: they also had to write their own confessional poems and create a Hyperstudio presentation to support it. At Montana’s Arlee High School, kids in English teacher Anna Baldwin’s multicultural literature class created a YouTube video entitled “Perma Red: From Our Vision,” which includes students’ photographs, along with selected music, and text excerpts from Debra Magpie Earling’s Perma Red. Baldwin also created a teacher’s guide for the video project as part of her entry for the PBS Teacher Innovator awards, which recognize innovative preK-12 classroom educators, media specialists, technology coordinators and homeschool educators who use digital media to enhance student learning. . The final presenter, Tiffany Rehbein, an English teacher from East High School in Cheyenne, WY, described the process she uses to help students create book trailers, which are shown on the school’s TV station. The kids’ videos not only showcase students’ works—they also encourage their classmates to read. Rehbein’s book-trailer resource guide and checklist can be found on the NCTE session hand-out site. This session was chaired by Beverly Ann Chin, Director of the English Teaching Program at the University of Montana at Missoula.

Literature Lover’s Lament: Learning to Love Nonfiction: Connecting Real-World Texts to the Common Core Standards

Even though it meant racing directly from the airport to the MGM Grand Conference Center, this session was not to be missed. Featuring the powerhouse trio of UCLA’s Carol Yago, UC-Irvine’s Carol Olson, and Carleton College’s Deborah Applebaum, the audience was treated to a terrific overview of what the Common Core standards really mean to English teachers and their classroom materials. While there was discussion of the use of cognitive toolkits and the Reading Framework for the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress, which librarians certainly need to be aware of, much of the talk focused on encouraging educators to go beyond the tried-and-true literature they currently use, and to try out some of the excellent nonfiction resources that are now available. For instance, if you’re teaching the classic Grapes of Wrath, why not add some outstanding nonfiction titles to your lessons, such as The Worst Hard Time (Mariner, 2006), The Dust Bowl Through the Lens (Walker, 2009), and the free verse Out of the Dust (Scholastic, 1999)? And if you’re looking for articles to spice up a literature unit, check out Lapham’s Quarterly, a magazine of history and ideas that’s overseen by Harper’s editor emeritus, Lewis Lapham. The theme of embracing nonfiction was certainly evident throughout the conference, and publishers in the exhibit hall evidently have heard the call as well.

English Teachers Igniting Literacy for Incarcerated Students: Inspiring Writing in the Inside to Connect to the Outside

This very compelling session, chaired by the University of San Francisco’s Peter Williamson, featured speakers Sean Neil and Constance Walker, who both teach at Woodside Learning Center, Juvenile Hall, in San Francisco, and Carleton’s Applebaum. Since we know that literacy can help end recidivism (which currently hovers at 86 percent for juveniles), reading and writing can be some of the most powerful tools that you can give incarcerated kids. Neil and Walker described the programs they’ve offered to their teens, with the full support of the Juvenile Hall Library, which is run by the San Francisco Public Library. A project that involved writing letters to ancestors on reflective mylar was mounted at the Alcatraz Prison Museum, and a blog created by students, Songs of the Caged Birds: Caged Bodies, Free Minds, provides an ongoing outlet for their writings. Key readings in class, offered so that teens can understand the prison system better, are The Real Costs of Prison (PM Press, 2008), Are Prisons Obsolete? (Open Media, 2003), and The Politics of Injustice (Sage, 2003).

Applebaum works with adults at the Minnesota Correctional Facility, a high security prison in Stillwater, MN. As a teaching volunteer, she has been able to introduce and nurture creative writing skills in her students, many of whom are serving life sentences. Using liberatory pedagogy, which is a pedagogy of liberation centered around the principles for social change and transformation through education based on consciousness raising and engagement with oppressive forces, Applebaum has seen her students’ intelligence and creativity surface in many ways. From the Inside Out: Letters to Young Men and Other Writing (Creative Space, 2009) is one result of the classes. This anthology features letters, short stories, and poems from incarcerated authors from her facility.

Watch for two articles to appear in the March 2013 issue of English Journal on writing and the incarcerated—“Traveling in the Dark: The Promise and Pedagogy of Writing in Prison” (Applebaum), and “Songs of the Caged Birds: Literacy and Learning with Incarcerated Youth” (Williamson, Mercurio, Walker).

Fae-Tal Attraction: The Timeless International Appeal of Faerie Folk in Young Adult Literature

Young adult fantasies about faerie folk are more popular than ever, and as this panel proved, no two faeries are exactly alike! Authors Janni Lee Simner, Aprilynne Pike, Janette Rallison, and R. J. Anderson captivated the audience with their discussion of the origin of their faerie mythos, the rabid fans that attend FaerieCon (“Do not go dressed up as Tinkerbell!” warned Pike), and the ongoing interest in faerie titles for teen readers. All of the panelists cited An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, & Other Supernatural Creatures (Pantheon, 1978) as the go-to reference for all things faerie. A sampling of contemporary faerie novels can be found in the NCTE 2012 program listings.

Each CSLP member state that chooses to participate in the 2013 Teen Video Challenge will organize and carry out their own competition to select their state winner. The winning video from each participating state will be named one of the CSLP 2013 Teen Videos to promote summer reading nationwide.

A prize of $275 will be awarded to the creators of the winning state video, and their public library will receive prizes worth $125 from CSLP and Upstart, a supplier of library promotional materials and reading incentives. Winners will be announced by CSLP in spring 2013. For full details about the contest and to find out how to enter your state’s competition, visit www.cslpreads.org.

CSLP is a grassroots consortium of member states working together to provide children, teens, and families with summer reading programs and promotional materials for public libraries.

How did you get the idea for the Teen Technology Project?

Two years ago, I took time off from teaching because I didn’t feel I was having the impact I wanted in the classroom. I didn’t want to become a cranky teacher, but I didn’t have the energy to “change the system” so I took a break. I started my own business, but I’ve always been trying to think of ways that I can return to working with teenagers.

In my business, Your Event Without Borders, a live video-streaming technology service provider, I often get contacted by nonprofit organizations or causes that would like to use my services to spread their message but can’t afford to pay me. I’m currently working with some of these groups, but cannot afford to work with them all for free.

In June, I attended a 24-hour virtual retreat for businesses, and while meditating on all the pieces of my business and my passions, the idea struck me: What if I combined my business with working with teens outside of the traditional education system?

I realized that the nonprofits that had been contacting me would be great clients for teens to work with. The teens could get valuable experiences, and the nonprofits could get much-needed help.

From there, the vision continues to grow, but a key idea in the project is that the teenagers will control decisions, so I’m holding back on my own vision so that the teens have room to create their own.

How have teens reacted to the project?

The first group I spoke to had specifically come at lunchtime to talk to me about the project. Their own interests included filmmaking, online broadcasting, Web design, gaming, and photography. They quickly “got it” and started asking questions about the idea and the scope. One of them is already doing some YouTube broadcasting and appreciated the idea of having a more professional platform to work with. They were also excited about the idea of having better equipment and software and a place to work from. This group is busy spreading the word now, and I’ll be meeting with them later this month.

The second group I spoke to was a senior art class with about 20 students. Their reactions ranged from not listening to me at all, to not being interested in the idea, to asking me questions and writing down my information so they can contact me when they have some artwork ready for the project. Some of these students also saw the possibility of doing contract work for the nonprofits or other clients and spreading their artwork beyond their parents and classroom.

The costs of starting up the Teen Technology Project are clearly outlined in your Indiegogo document. I noticed that you’ve included costs for studio time. Have you considered partnering with the local Kootenay libraries for space and Internet access to reduce costs?

This is a decision that will be up to the teens once we have a group of interested “business teens” ready to start making these decisions. The plan is to go with these teens and view different options ranging from spaces like the library up to monthly rental space. With the money raised, one of their decisions will be about whether the best investment is in a free low-cost or high-cost studio space. I want them to have ownership over this decision.

One major factor with the library space would be making sure it had a fast enough and stable enough Internet to run some of the live broadcasting software we may be using, as well as the ability of the teens to personalize the space with their own posters and artwork.

I think figuring out these types of pros and cons will be a great first challenge for the teens.

The Kootenay Association of Science and Technology (KAST) provided you with some important connections and guidance. Can you talk a bit about that organization and its Growing Learning Opportunities with Science (GLOWS) program?

I’m currently meeting with KAST to figure out the different ways we can work together to spread the idea of the project and benefit everyone involved. With some of the money already raised, the Teen Technology Project sponsored the L.V. Rogers Secondary School team in the November 10 GLOWS robotics competition.  Normally, I would like the involved teenagers to make decisions like this, but it was too great of an opportunity to start making an immediate impact and spread the word.

I also attended a KAST workshop recently and met some of the speakers at that event who I’m planning on bringing into the project as guest speakers to talk with teens. We’re also discussing getting some of the teens to attend a KAST grant-writing workshop so they can learn how to write grants and start looking for some alternative funding for the project.

According to 2008 data from Statistics Canada, self-employment and service jobs are higher in the Kootenay area than in other provinces of British Columbia. Do you think those factors will encourage young adults in the area to be more entrepreneurial?

This is a great question and to be honest I’m not sure, but I’m hoping to find out. From my time teaching in the area, most of the kids I worked with were planning on following a traditional educational arc: graduate from high school and attend college or university, or get a full-time job. I wasn’t exposed to a large group of entrepreneurial teens. However, I was teaching math and science, which generally put me in contact with kids that are probably more inclined to head down the college/university route.

If there isn’t an entrepreneurial trend in the area already, one of my big hopes is that the Teen Technology Project will start to create that inclination in the area. One of the big questions the project is asking in my head is, What would happen if teens were exposed to the entrepreneurial spirit at a young age? I’m really looking forward to answering that question and seeing what happens.

Thinking of your former work as a high school teacher and your current business, Your Event Without Borders, how do you think simulcasts can be built into the education system to benefit students and teachers?

This technology could have a huge impact on the education system. Schools and students in British Columbia are spread out in a number of small communities, and sometimes it can be hard to provide content specialists in all of these areas. Currently, kids are learning some of these subject areas via recorded online classes and reading materials, but the technology I use in my business would change the way this looks.

You could set up a teacher and classroom in one location, and then stream that video feed live to other locations where students could join those classes and learn in real time. You could set up live discussion groups in different areas so teens in more isolated areas would have a peer group to discuss topics with. You could afford to bring in bigger name speakers for teacher professional development and pay for those speakers by broadcasting that event to multiple schools. Library programs could bring in authors that normally wouldn’t come to a small area, by broadcasting that author’s talk to multiple locations and increase the audience.

My mind goes in a million different directions with the possibilities of this technology for education, and I think with the right implementation, it could make a great difference in B.C—though I think we have to be careful with its use, too, so we don’t turn all teaching experiences into students staring into a non-interactive computer screen.

MITCHELL, J. Barton. Midnight City. St. Martin’s Griffin. October 2012. Tr $17.99 ISBN 9781250009074.

Gr 7-12—Midnight City starts with a crash as Holt, the main character, is trapped under a bus by a gang from Midnight City. He then escapes to find his friend Max, who we find out is a dog, waiting in the forest. We later learn he is trying to capture an outlaw named Mira to raise some money, and he promptly does. He then finds himself in a huge battle between different factions of the Assembly, a group of alien robots trying to kill all humans with the Tone. Later in his travels, he finds Zoey, a little girl immune to the Tone. Once Holt, Mira and Zoey get to Midnight City, they find out that Mira is an outlaw because of a false charge against her. The three of them finally have a huge battle with the Blue and Whites which Zoey wins by using her special power over machines. Later they discover that the only way to overcome these obstacles is to destroy the main spire where all of these aliens originate from.

I enjoyed this book because of the constant action. I also like the reluctant love bounty hunter Holt feels for Mira: a textbook example of a good love story because of the tension. I also enjoyed the mystery within a mystery surrounding Zoey. This book is a real page turner because of the politics created by the founders of Midnight City and the strange currency of points within it. The author leaves a hanging ending when a new faction of aliens appears near the spire—expect a sequel. Recommended to all of those insane people out there who don’t want a happy ending and just want to see it all burn.—Kaleb B., age 14

ROECKER, Lisa and Laura Roecker. The Liar Society: The Lies that Bind. Sourcebooks. November 2012. pap. $9.99. ISBN 9781402270246.

Gr 8 Up—Liar Society takes place in an elite prep school where things are not as they seem to be. After her best friend Grace’s death, Kate is determined to bring the murderer to justice. This is easier said than done since the killers are part of the Brotherhood, a secret society within the school that controls the entire community. Throughout the story Kate works with the Sisterhood in an attempt to merge the two societies but inadvertently destroys the Brotherhood’s power.

I liked the book because it kept you guessing about the loyalties of the characters until the very end. Also, it made me think about whether or not the influence of secret societies is happening in real life without our knowledge. For example, many of the U.S. presidents were members of secret societies like the Masons and the Skull and Bones Society at Yale. Were some of the presidents’ political decisions influenced by their involvement in these societies?—Alexandra M., age 14

SCHREIBER, Joe. Perry’s Killer Playlist. HMH. November 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780547601175.

Gr 7-12—Perry Stormaire’s life has finally returned to normal. In fact, it’s better than normal—he has been accepted to Columbia, has a very good looking girlfriend, and his band is going on a European tour with the possibility of a record deal. Then in Italy, Gobi shows up. She is the Lithuanian exchange student that Perry’s family took in last year, the one who forced them to drive around New York until she had crossed all of the names off of her hit list. Gobi has a new list of people to kill, and Perry soon finds himself sucked into her murderous adventures. As Perry soon discovers several shocking secrets that change everything, his world gets turned upside down.

Perry’s Killer Playlist is an action-packed novel that moves very quickly. It is full of interesting characters who lead secret lives. However, while the novel has lots of adventure and humor, it lacks the ability to create a strong connection between the reader and the characters. Also, at times, it can be difficult to follow the action. Still, it is fun and is recommended for readers who are looking for a quick read.— Kayla T., age 15

F., Christiane. Zoo Station: The Story of Christiane F. Zest Books. January 2013. pap. $14,99. ISBN 9781936976225.

Gr 9 Up—Zoo Station: The Story of Christiane F. is an autobiography of a teenage girl who is struggling with addiction. At a young age Christiane began acting out. She went where she shouldn’t have gone; she broke all the laws she could. Around the age of 11, Christiane associated herself with the wrong people, and she began to smoke pot. Christiane lied about her age and got into clubs where she met people even deeper into the drug world. Eventually, she got involved with heroin, something she swore to herself she would never do. The memoir tells the story of her struggle with the drug, and all she did to get the money to pay for drugs, whether she sold other people’s things, or herself.

Zoo Station tells an amazing story. It seemed a little boring when I first picked it up, but as soon as I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. Her story is so intriguing, and all the more so for being true. Pictures in the middle of the book helped place faces with the names, making it even better. Though definitely not for the younger crowd because of its constant emphasis on drug use, high school students who like reading about the topic will definitely enjoy this memoir.—Sarah A., age 15

In recognition that programming is an essential part of service delivery in all types of libraries, school, public, academic, and special libraries are all eligible; the program/series must have been for a public audience. The nominated cultural/thematic program should be one that features the humanities, sciences, arts, creative arts, community and civic engagement programs, and should have engaged the community in planning, sponsorship and/or active participation, addressed an identified community need, and have had a measurable impact. Please contact the ALA Public Programs Office, publicprograms@ala.org or 800-545-2433 x5045, with questions.

DAMICO, Gina. Scorch. Graphia. September 2012. pap. $8.99. ISBN 9780547624570.

Gr 7 Up—Scorch picks up right where Croak, the first book in this trilogy, ends. Lex is in deep trouble. She has found out that her former associate Zara has the ability to Cull her power to Damn souls. Zara even goes so far as to use this power to kill criminals. While the Juniors and Uncle Mort search for Zara, we find out that everything in the town of Croak isn’t what it seems. Then Zara demands that Lex find what is truly hers. The reader is taken on a wild ride of passion and desperation as everything gets turned upside down for Lex. Nothing in town is the same anymore. New people are introduced and old friends are lost as you read this exciting book.

Gina Damico is a fabulous author. I personally enjoyed this book because she put all of the things I love into it, including comedy, romance, action, drama, and a very interesting plot twist. If you haven’t read Croak, I highly recommend you do or you’ll be lost when you read this one. It’s a book that I’d read over and over again. I really can’t wait for the next title in the “Croak” series. I would love to see what she has in store for her fans.—Fred T., age 14

ZEVIN, Gabrielle. Because it is My Blood.  Farrar, Straus and Giroux. September 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780374380748.

Gr 9 Up—In Because It Is My Blood, the sequel to All These Things I’ve Done, readers once again follow Anya Balanchine through her life. Having just been released from Liberty Children’s Facility, Anya’s life has gotten a whole lot more difficult—and all she wants to do is get out of it. But when debts need to be paid, conspiracies are formed, and Anya has no choice but to be in it. It doesn’t help that Anya is on the wrong side of the law—again. It seems as if the world is against her. Fortunately, Mr. Kiplin, Anya’s trusted lawyer, is able to send her to a location where Anya can be safe—Mexico. Here, the chocolate is not illegal. In fact, Anya stays with some friends of the family and learns how chocolate is made—even helping out. But Anya cannot avoid her problems forever. When the time comes, Anya returns and faces things she had never imagined she’d be dealing with.

When I first received Because It Is My Blood, I was absolutely thrilled. Having read the first book, I believed that this book would not disappoint. I must admit that this book had sat on my desk for a few days before I even opened it. But after I read the first few chapters, I couldn’t put the book down! It seemed that with every turn, the most unexpected thing happened. The ending, to my dismay, seemed as if it just stopped—as was in the first book—but from this ending, I can expect that there would be another book. Overall, Because It Is My Blood is a story that I would most definitely recommend. It was touching and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.—Kaylynn T., age 16

COHN, Rachel. Beta. Hyperion. October 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781423157199.

Gr 9 Up—Beta takes place in a technologically advanced society, on an island that’s designed for the elite. The story follows Elysia, a soulless clone that’s been created strictly for the pleasure of the humans. The thing is, Elysia is only a beta, so there still may be some quirks in her functions and features. As Elysia discovers more and more glitches in her personality, she tries to hide them because she’s scared that she’ll be reprogrammed.

I liked how this book showed how the idea of perfection could get out of hand, going so far as to eliminate those who aren’t perfect. Also, I liked the way in which the main character was portrayed. It reminded me of something Ray Bradbury might have written with a theme about how technology affects humanity. Overall, this is a quick read, and I’d recommend it.—Alexandra M., age 14

BJORKMAN, Lauren. Miss Fortune Cookie. Holt. November 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780805089516.

Gr 8 Up—Erin, a high school senior, has a secret that only one of her two best friends knows—she’s the brains behind the popular advice blog Miss Fortune Cookie. Mei, one of Erin’s best friends, is torn between what her mom wants for her and what she wants for herself. Her traditional Chinese mother wants her to attend Harvard, while she wants to attend Stanford. Desperately in need of help, Mei turns to Miss Fortune Cookie for advice. What happens when Mei acts on Erin’s advice? Not knowing that it would happen, Erin attempts to undo the mess she accidentally creates. Erin was always the one who gave the advice. What happens when she’s the one that’s in need of it? In the process, Erin embarks on an adventure that leads to minor felonies and her very first romance.

Miss Fortune Cookie is an engaging novel that many teens will relate to—and the pinch of romance adds to the story’s effectiveness. This novel was an easy read, and its pacing is perfect—not too fast and not too slow. Plus, I loved that every chapter opens with a new fortune cookie. If you love proverbs or words of wisdom, then you’ll love Lauren Bjorkman’s Miss Fortune Cookie.—Lauren T., age 16

Like many of you, several of our teachers started the new school year wanting to broaden the way they instruct their students. Here are a couple of examples of teachers who have successfully flipped their classrooms or used online techniques to give their students feedback.

The flipped classroom concept is simple: instruct students when they’re not in the classroom and use face-to-face class time to support them and give them resources. One of my talented social studies teachers is doing just that. She has created instructional and informational videos that her students read and view when they’re out of class. She and I have worked together, experimenting with different ways to get information to kids. We’ve tried using Vimeo, the new Educator channel on Youtube, Schooltube, and screencasts straight from her MacBook—and she provides her outside-the-classroom students with links, assigned readings, and instructional videos so that time in the classroom can be used to support students doing homework or assessment projects. The results have been fabulous! She’s seen her students engaged and interested and parents have been extremely positive, too.

For quite some time now, our English teachers have been having their students submit work through Google Docs. Several teachers use it to give their kids feedback (thanks to a great blog post by Amy Mayer). We use a combination of Google Docs, Jing, and Screener to give students feedback on their assignments. Here’s how it works: students submit their work to Google Docs, and then their teachers read and assess it online and record their evaluations on a screencast. Teachers then post a link to the screencast on the Google document so that kids can review their comments. If you have SMARTBoard software, this process is even easier with SMART Recorder.

Don’t forget, as librarians we have opportunities to use these techniques, too. In fact, much of our instruction can take place outside the classroom. Consider making videos to show your students how to use databases, create citations, evaluate websites, and avoid plagiarism. You can post these videos to your website so kids can access the information whenever they need it. Even if you’ve already presented this information in the classroom, students will still find this additional reinforcement extremely helpful.

Make sure to post your work in a visible location and link it widely. Consider using new tools such as Mentormob and the new Google Course Builder to post your pathfinders and videos. Online instruction can play an increasingly vital role in your teaching. Consider trying one of these techniques today!

DOCTOROW, Cory. Homeland. Tor Teen. February 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780765333698.

Gr 8 Up—Homeland is the sequel to Doctorow’s 2010 title Little Brother.  It is about Marcus Yallow, who was involved in a technological rebellion years previously, and is now given a flash-drive with tons of government secrets on it.  He was instructed by his colleague Masha to leak the information on to the Internet if she got captured.  This is exactly what happens, and Marcus must leak the information without being tracked down.  He isn’t sure that he wants to dump all of the information without looking through it first, but people are beginning to follow him around to keep him in check.

My reaction to Homeland was one of awe.  I loved its predecessor and it more than lived up to the standards that Little Brother set.  It showed me that even the most insignificant person can do anything with the power of technology in their hands.  I have even begun to learn how to use some of the technology that was mentioned in the book.  Cory Doctorow has created a masterpiece, and I look forward to whatever he writes next.—Seth S. age 15

FROST, Mark. The Paladin Prophecy. Random House. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780375870453.

Gr 8 Up—The Paladin Prophecy is about a boy who learns that he is different from the other children at his school. Through the book he gets glasses that allow him to see the “Never was” and gets a guardian angel. Most importantly, he finds out that he has been chemically engineered to be hyper-intelligent and have telekinetic powers, basically making him a god. He finds in the end that his dad is the missing curator of the best school that you’ve never heard of.

The Paladin Prophecy is a similar book to I am Number Four because in both books the characters have their futures thrust upon them without their knowing.  In The Paladin Prophecy, Will learns there is an organization trying to destroy him for a not yet known reason just like in I am Number Four.  Will is the person we all secretly hope we are. I liked the constant action and how the awesome guardian angel, Dave, is portrayed. I was disappointed in how there was no initial conflict between Will and another character, Elsie. They also weren’t together enough in the book.  The end needs beefing up in detail.  The book was too religious for me.  Dave needs to be called something other than a guardian angel, maybe a case worker.  The story was too hormonal—I know that teens have raging hormones, but I don’t think that teens want to face this ugly truth.  Also, the “rules of life” need to be revised so that all the listed rules are in the back of the book. I recommend this to readers who are bored and looking for something more interesting in their life.—Kaleb B., age 14

LEVITHAN, David. Every Day. Knopf. August 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780307931887.

Gr 11 Up—A is someone with a special ability; every day A wakes up in someone else’s body. Normally, A goes through the motions of the person’s normal life without making any drastic changes—he’s not trying to take over his or her life, he’s trying to live his own. When A wakes up in Justin’s body one day, and meets Justin’s  girlfriend Rhiannon, things begin to change for A. Suddenly, A’s mind is littered with thoughts of Rhiannon, all while trying to avoid people discovering who—or what, rather—A is.

Starting Every Day by David Levithan, I had no idea I would become so invested in the characters. Levithan gives A layer upon layer of personality—making readers feel like even though A has no true physical body, he or she is a real person. I was drawn into the idea of being in love with someone whom you would never really see. Alongside the theme of love and its problems, Every Day touches on the topic of discovering who you are, and what you believe is right or wrong. I couldn’t put it down, and when I finished it, I immediately wanted more.—Destiny B. age 15

Miri lives a fairly simple life in Mount Eskel and is excited to be going to Asland. You grew up in Utah, and have lived there most of your life. Did Miri inherit some of that “young girl in the big city” feeling from you?

Miri and I share a lot of traits, but I never felt geographically isolated as she was. The Salt Lake Valley, where I grew up, is home to a million people. But like most people, I do have experience in personal isolation. I certainly have felt lonely, weird, different, unlovable. It wasn’t hard for me to imagine Miri’s situation.

I live near the mountains in Colorado, and had to laugh when Miri notes, “Poor Asland, with no mountains.” Does Utah’s Wasatch Range welcome you home each time you return from a trip?

I am completely dependent on the mountains for directions. Whenever I go to a flat place, I wonder how the locals find their way or know where’s the north? You’re right, whenever I come home, I feel like the first welcome I get is from the mountains. There they are, where they’re supposed to be, so big and gorgeous and immovable.

Miri is a truth seeker, and at first, her naïveté leads her to trust some people with questionable motives. Yet her ongoing education in the Queen’s Castle slowly reveals how truth can be manipulated.

I think elections provide an excellent opportunity to study how facts can be fluid, stories told from different perspectives, narrators unreliable. I don’t think anyone in Miri’s world or ours is making choices motive-free, and it’s tough to uncover all the facts and the pure motives behind actions. But I think what resonates most with Miri is “the best solutions don’t come through force” and “truth is when your gut and your mind agree.”

The painting in Master Filippus’s classroom, which brought to mind Vermeer’s famous “The Milkmaid,” makes quite an impact on Miri.

How astute of you! I was indeed inspired by “The Milkmaid,” although the painting in the story is a bit different. Our girl is looking up, out the window, and there’s a moon. Using the painting was an opportunity to check Miri’s progress through the story–how her reaction to the unchanging painting revealed her own opinions and internal battles. I love how art reflects us back at ourselves.

How do American kids react to your exploration of monarchy, and revolution? Do you think they recognize their own country’s history?

As I wrote Palace of Stone, I was aware that kids in the U.S. would have already studied the American Revolution and be predisposed to think well of the idea of revolution. The revolutionaries would naturally be in the right! But then again, kids in the U.S. also tend to have a fascination with royalty and a longing to know or be a prince or princess. I suspected they might be as torn between the two as Miri is. I’ll be curious to hear if readers in the U.S. react differently to the story than readers in other places, like the U.K., France, or Russia, where revolution and monarchy are discussed very differently in history class.

Last year’s winner was Lynda Welborn Freas, director of family services at Anythink Libraries, Thornton, CO. Freas received the award for her innovative approach to providing children’s services throughout her career, particularly recognizing the integration of Family Place Libraries™ at Anythink’s seven locations, the redesign of the children’s summer reading program, and for spearheading the addition of Nature Explore outdoor gardens which bring community members together with children in an environment in which they can build, play, and connect with nature in a new way.

Inspired by the blog of the same name, these heartfelt letters offer advice to today’s teens and cover issues they frequently face, such as losing a friend, diversity, poverty, crushes, and eating disorders. A mix of funny and heartbreaking letters, notes, and graphic entries, the Dear Teen Me anthology shows readers of all ages that they’re not alone.

For a chance to win an advance copy of Dear Teen Me, all you have to do is email publicity@zestbooks.net with your preferred mailing address and let the publisher know what you’d tell your teen self if you could! Five people will be chosen at random from entries received by midnight on September 28, and will be notified via email by October 1. All entrants will be added to the Zest Books e-newsletter so you’ll never miss what’s new.

Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves, edited by E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally is available October 30 from all national wholesalers.