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By: Lorie Ann Grover,
on 10/21/2010
As we get ready to change to our new format, I wanted to reflect on how we came to be, remember what we've done together, and just pause to appreciate our journey. I made this for all of you. Thank you for being a part of rgz. Thanks for the lemonade. :~)
Feel free to repost!
By: Little Willow,
on 10/4/2010
Last month, I posted an open invitation to the Hopewell Hotel, asking if anyone was interested in participating in a roundtable discussion of September's picks, Suite Scarlett and Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson. Before I knew it, I had a number of volunteers, ready and willing to talk about hotel life, New York City, Law & Order, and unicycling actors - not necessarily in that order.
(Psst....If you want to be a part of the October roundtable, where we'll discuss Lips Touch by Laini Taylor, please leave a comment below with your email address!)
Little Willow: Let's jump right in. What was your favorite part of Suite Scarlett?
Melissa Walker: Being introduced to the Martin family was sheer delight. I've never met characters whom I wanted to know in real life so quickly. I think my favorite parts were the intros to each of them -- I was so excited to hang out with them for a while!
Lindsay F: When Spencer punched Eric. Big brother to the rescue!
Marjolein: I loved that there was a big piece for theater,(I think Suite Scarlett itself would be a perfect story to turned into a play!) the long gone glory of the Hopewell and the mysterious Mrs.Amberson with her even more eccentric demands.
Little Willow: What was your favorite scene in Scarlett Fever?
SamanthaRowan: When Max muscles Dakota out of being Scarlett's lab partner. It's a good piece of foreshadowing and it reaches all of us on a deep level. We all remember the pressure of finding a lab partner or being picked for the dodge ball team.
Melissa Walker: I loved it when Scarlett met Lola for lunch and they finally talked openly about things with Chip. It felt so real and sisterly, especially for these two girls who love each other but don't always communicate well. Fantastic moment.
Lindsay F: When Scarlett pushed Max off his stool. ...I think I just may like violence in MJ's books.
Mariah: When Spencer got pelted with doughnuts!
Little Willow: Do you think Suite Scarlett warranted a sequel? Why or why not?
Micol Ostow: Definitely! Scarlett and her world are so colorful that I think there must be infinite sequels and stories to tell!
Mariah: Yes, because the characters could never stop giving wonderful stories and making messes of things!
SamanthaRowan: Yes. There were certainly enough story lines to follow. There's probably a logical sequel to Scarlett Fever too.
Melissa Walker: Yes, and I would very much like to follow the Martin siblings into middle age. Please, Maureen?
Lindsay F: I think Suite Scarlett was a good stand alone novel. However I think Scarlett will always be doing something worth writing about. I feel like Scarlett Fever was more of a cliff hanger than S.S.
Marjolein: Defininetly warrented a sequel, and I am still curious what is going to happen now that I finished reading Scarlett Fever.
Little Willow: Which of Scarlett's siblings did you like the most? Why?
Olivia Wood (elfarmy17): Oh, Spencer, definitely. He's the older brother I've always wanted. He has his own life, but he's okay with sharing parts of it with Scarlett. As she says (somewhere in a paragraph regarding Spencer's past gi
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Posted on 11/30/2009
Little Willow: Welcome to the Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen roundtable! We have some special folks joining us today. Please welcome back Alexia, one of our original postergirlz. Also say hello to Arielle and Suze. I have very lengthy, involved conversations about books with each of these ladies. Since both of them really enjoy the works of Tamora Pierce, I invited them to today's discussion.
Lorie Ann Grover: Welcome, Suze and Arielle! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. And welcome home, Alexia! Woot!
Little Willow: I love these roundtables, and I'm tickled pink to see so many people here. Thanks to all of you for joining us, and thanks to Google Docs for making it possible for readergirlz from around the world to take part in these book discussions.
Lorie Ann: Tamora Pierce is the Queen of Heroines for YA readers. It's a thrill she has the time to visit with us in December. Let's dive into her duology. Just have your crown and sword at the ready, rgz - Let's get started!
Suze: I've been reading Tamora Pierce's books since grade eight, I started with the Immortals quartet and then I covered the others in order. I read Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen shortly after each came out. I read them again in November after I heard readergirlz would be discussing them in December.
Alexia: I started reading them when I was in 6th grade. I walked into Brentano's (may you rest in peace) one day, and my favorite cashier lady recommended Tamora Pierce to me. I bought the first book in Song of the Lioness, read it that night and then forced my mother to go back the next day and buy the remaining books. All 15 or so of them. I've read all of the newer ones as they've been released, and I still reread them regularly whenever I have bad or stressful days. In fact, I have Trickster's Choice, Emperor's Mage (of the Immortal's Quartet) and Lioness Rampant (of the Song of the Lioness quartet) on my bookshelf in my dorm room. I'm not kidding.
Suze: See! Now that was smart. Like an idiot, I left all of my books in Canada and had to go get them from the library!
Alexia: I knew that I couldn't really function without at least a few of them, so when I was packing up some books to take with me, I threw in a few Pierce's, and I switch them out with other Pierce novels whenever I go home. They come in so much handy on bad days.
Dia: I've read several Tamora Pierce novels before the Trickster's Duet. I enjoyed the complexity of the Trickster's Duet.
Lorie Ann: I've read Tamora for years. Maybe my first ones were the Song of the Lioness? I just remember I had to pry them out of my daughters' hands for my turn.
Arielle: I started reading them in the 5th grade. I was going to Nerd Camp at Stanford and while buying my books for camp in the bookstore my mom came up and handed me Alanna the First Adventure thinking that I would like it. I did and since then have been reading them.
Jackie: I discovered Tamora Pierce when I first started working in libraries - I kept shelving them and was totally intimidated by the sheer number of books she had written. I knew that most of them were interconnected, but I couldn't easily figure out what order I was supposed to read them in, so I didn't read them for a long time. Finally, the children's librarian there told me to read Alanna the First Adventure and I was HOOKED. I read every book she had published at that point, about 18 books, I think, within three weeks. It was a total binge.
Shelf Elf: These two are my very first Tamora Pierce experiences. Working as a kids' bookseller, I sold a whole lot of Tamora's books, and I've always meant to start reading her novels. Now I finally did!
HipWriterMama: I can't believe I haven't read Tamora Pierce's books until now. Love her strong heroines!
Little Willow: If you are a regu
Posted on 11/2/2009
Posted on 9/4/2009
Posted on 7/10/2009
One of the recommended reads in this month's issue of readergirlz is the non-fic pick Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith. Many thanks to postergirl Miss Erin for bringing this cool, do-it-yourself book to our attention.
Wreck This Journal is exactly what the title implies: a journal you tear up, draw in, decorate, and create! I think The Plain Janes would be all over this book. Check out the awesome intro page as well as the Flickr group. Way to wreck a rec!
Want to win a free copy of Keri Smith's next book, How to Be an Explorer of the World? Click here to leave a comment with your email address at the readergirlz blog. One winner will be selected at random on Tuesday, July 14th and notified via email that day.
Note: Entrants must be residents of the U.S. or Canada and have a valid email address.
Posted on 7/2/2009
Posted on 6/1/2009
Posted on 5/6/2009
I think I might be a little confused when it comes to what the idea of family is. I have blood family and friend family. I have Washington family and Michigan family - and family in between. I have online family and real life family. I have so many different circles of family that surely I must be mistaken, as how can one person be that lucky? Ultimately, family to me are those who nourishes my body, mind and soul. Family are those who comfort me, who I turn to, who I trust. Family are those who help make my life balanced, thoughtful, honest, and fun. I don't need church or state or my neighbor down the block to tell me who makes up my family - my heart knows all on its own.
- Jackie Parker
Follow the series of family posts.
Posted on 5/1/2009
Posted on 4/30/2009
Red Glass by Laura Resau, our May selection for readergirlz, takes readers on a journey with Sophie, a teenage girl scared of change but full of sisterly love for a little boy her family took in after a tragedy. Pablo is only five years old - and the only survivor of a group that crossed the Mexican border in search of a better life in the United States of America. A year later, when they discover Pablo has living relatives still in Mexico, Sophie, her great-aunt Dika, Dika's boyfriend and his son, Angel, accompany Pablo back to his hometown. It's a trip that will change all of their lives - and their families - forever.
Lorie Ann Grover: I was so happy to find Red Glass as I was reading works with Latina content and those authored by Latinas. The book's 3 starred reviews made me jump to find a copy. I love the content it is bringing to our group, from a girl finding her freedom from fear to life in a small Mexican city. However, the individual, vivid characters are what ring so powerfully to me.
Little Willow: Anyone want to share their background or nationality? Are there any immigration stories in your immediate family?
Lorie Ann: I know my German grandfather left Germany right before WWII. The other side of my family came from Switzerland.
Shelf Elf: On my mom's side, we've been in Canada for a bunch of generations, but originally from Britain. My dad came here on his own from Belfast in his twenties.
Holly Cupala: My side of the family has been in the U.S. for generations (originally from Wales), but my husband's parents immigrated from India in the 70's. Their story is fascinating to me.
Little Willow: Who were your favorite characters in Red Glass?
Lorie Ann: Dika and Nola. Weren't these ladies such great examples of loving your body shape and being comfortable in the world?
Little Willow: Indeed they were. I admired Nola's strength and determination. I liked Sophie as the narrator because she was seeing everything with open eyes and she had such an open heart. I felt for her whenever she spoke of her fears and worries.
Shelf Elf: I admired Dika a lot, the way she continued to love life and see reasons for joy even after having lived through war. I agree that Sophie had such a good heart. She'd be a great friend.
Holly: I think Dika, but I felt so close to Sophie, seeing the world through her eyes. Pablo reminded me of someone I know. It's hard to choose one.
Little Willow: What was your favorite scene?
Lorie Ann: I think the graveyard scene will linger in my mind most. There's such resolution and beauty. I find rather than whole scenes I carry striking images: light streaming through red glass, Dika's abundant folds, Nola as a rag pile, the white dress, underwater jewels, mirrored sunglasses. Also, what struck me, were the sensory details of man. There's an acceptance of dirt under nails, urine, mustiness, and sweat. Laura embraces what most consider unattractive as simply aspects of a rich life.
Shelf Elf: I agree, Lorie Ann. So much of this novel stayed with me long after I finished. For me, one of the most memorable scenes was the description of one of the "Midnight Parties" in Sophie's backyard when her family came together to help the immigrants who needed food and a safe place to rest. This scene revealed so much of this family's strength and integrity and love. I loved the fact that Sophie kept the broken eggshell to remind herself that it hadn't all just been a dream.
Little Willow: What did you think about Sophie's aunt Dika?
Lorie Ann: I absolutely love Dika. I need her in my life!
Shelf Elf: I think Dika is such a complex character, so full of lightness but she is also vulnerable. She seems wise. Someone I'd like to listen to.
Holly: Yes! She is the kind of influence I think everyone could benefit from - loving and wise.
Little Willow: Sophie and the book at large definitely benefited from Dika's presence, her history, and her boldness. Dika is a refugee from the Bosnian war. Has any war touched your family or yourself, personally?
Lorie Ann: My husband served in the army in our early marriage. I thank and support our soldiers and family who serve for our freedom.
Little Willow: My grandfather served in World War II as well. Sadly, he passed away a decade before I was born. I wish I had had the chance to know him, and apparently, I have some things in common with him. Just last year, I learned that a special day in my life (not the year, obviously, but the month and day) matches one of his service milestones, and that made me smile.
Shelf Elf: Both of my grandfathers were active in the Second World War. One was a pilot and the other built aircraft engines. My grandmother lost her first husband in that war. Thankfully, my family has not been directly affected by war since then.
Holly: My grandfathers were both too young for WWI and too old for WWII, but my dad served in Vietnam. My brother and sister's father (they are technically my half-siblings) was killed as a pilot when my mom was really young, just 22 with two little kids. I'm proud of my mom for her strength and faith and compassion through what must have been incredibly difficult circumstances (love you, Mom and Dad!).
Little Willow: Pablo is not related to Sophie by blood, but she quickly becomes his surrogate big sister. I have two close friends I call my brother and sister-in-law. Do you have any surrogate siblings?
Lorie Ann: The rgz team members are sisters!
Shelf Elf: Here, here!
Little Willow: (breaking into song) Sis-ters! Sis-ters!
Holly: Yes! I love that. My friends, definitely. Being a transplant, it's been important to me to grow a family around me.
Shelf Elf: Since I was a kid, I always wanted a "bosom friend," ever since I read Anne of Green Gables. After a lot of years of waiting and wondering, I found that friend. She is as close as a sister to me.
Little Willow: That's wonderful, Shelf Elf. Anne and Diana's friendship was so strong. In Red Glass, Sophie becomes extremely close to Pablo and starts to call him "Principito," or Little Prince. Do you have any nicknames for your siblings or other loved ones? Do they have any for you?
Lorie Ann: My brothers never gave me a nickname! Although my dad called me Dumplin' Spinner. No explanation. I didn't name my brothers either. I do call my daughters Bean and Bologna.
Shelf Elf: Same here, Lorie Ann - no nicknames from my sister, but my dad was a crazy nicknamer. I was "Lizard," for Elizabeth, my middle name.
Little Willow: I have a zillion nicknames - some from my family, some from my friends, some obvious, some silly.
Holly: I have accumulated nicknames, too! Many of them silly or personal or just plain weird.
Little Willow: Sophie feels out of place when they first arrive in Pablo's country, as he must have felt when he arrived in hers. Have you ever been to a friend's family reunion or family gathering? Were you uncomfortable, or did you immediately feel like one of the family?
Lorie Ann: Yes! [I felt] totally out of place at my husband's family reunion. Eek! The key is to ask people about their stories. You'll find you are soon woven into the fabric.
Shelf Elf: I'm pretty good at settling in with a group of strangers. I find that I'm sometimes less inhibited with people I barely know than I can be with family.
Holly: Being a somewhat shy person, I always feel a little out of place in any large gathing, whether it's my family or someone else's! It's gotten easier as I get older, but there's always an element of terror for me. I love Lorie Ann's advice!
Little Willow: I have never been outside of the country. Have you ever traveled far from home or immersed yourself in another culture?
Lorie Ann: Yes! I lived my first year of married life in South Korea, fifteen minutes south of the DMZ. Later I gave birth to our first daughter in Puerto Rico and lived there a year. They were very different experiences!
Shelf Elf: I'm mostly a homebody, but I have done a little traveling - Europe, US, parts of Canada - just nowhere very exotic. I guess one of the most unusual travel experiences I've had was when I was a little kid, we took a train way up north in Ontario to a town called Mooseonee, with a mostly Native Canadian (Cree) population. It was so remote. I remember being amazed by this completely different community, and how isolated it was. I was kind of stunned that my parents would choose the place for a vacation. But I sure remember it. The only way you could get there was by train or plane.
Holly: I would really love to live in another country someday. Husband and I have talked about it. India, Greece, Australia, England...
Little Willow: Let's talk about the origin of the title, the symbolism of the red glass . . .
Lorie Ann: I love the hope, forgiveness, light, future, and past that Laura blew into the red glass. I really related to Sophie feeling there was a piece of an object in her innermost self, whether twisted metal, light, or even hummingbirds. Angel's search for his mother's jewels corresponded perfectly with Sophie's search for her true spirit. And it's Sophie that uncovers them. "The red sheres were bursting with light. There was something magical about this, finding jewels in the darkness." The examples of beauty beside or within darkness were rich and full. "And yes, there were bones beneath our feet. Land mines and ashes of homes. But around us were crickets and fruit trees and flowers and sunshine and warmth." Brilliant!
Shelf Elf: Laura created such a memorable metaphor with the red glass. I thought that the glass suggested the idea that often the things in life that keep us going, that inspire us and help us remember true beauty are so fragile.
Little Willow: Sophia, like me, is easily worried. I wouldn't say that I fear things like she does, though. How do you work through your fears?
Lorie Ann: I could relate to Sophie and her fears. My mind seems to travel on similar paths, and I have to work to redirect fears. Ultimately it is my theology that puts them to rest.
Shelf Elf: Oh, yes. I'm one of those worrying types. If something can go wrong, chances are I will have imagined it. I've found that putting myself out there and trying to do the things I find scary really helps me to realize that almost all of the time, everything works out fine in the end. Surrounding yourself with calm folk is another good strategy.
Little Willow: Feel the fear and do it anyway! Courage comes when you face a fear, stare it down, and push through it.
Holly: I try to think about where the fear is coming from, and if there is truth in it and if what I know and believe is stronger than the fear. It seems like I revisit fears in life, but every time it's a little different, and I learn a little bit more about how to respond to it.
Lorie Ann: "Your heart in my heart" - Does this ring true for you? Absolutely [for me]. I feel I carry my family, present and deceased. I carry my friends. Even my pets. My heart has many pockets. :~)
Shelf Elf: I love that sentiment. To me, it's one of the best things we can aspire to as human beings, to care so deeply about other people and creatures that they become a part of who you are always.
Holly: Beautiful. I hope it resonates with other readers, too.
Little Willow: Does anyone else have a special relationship with the book The Little Prince?
Lorie Ann: It brings my grandfather to mind who first showed me his copy. It seemed magical to me!
Holly: The first time I read it was out loud to my husband. I look forward one day to reading it to our little one!
Little Willow: Enjoy each and every book you read together, Holly. Closing thoughts on Red Glass? Lorie Ann?
Lorie Ann: Kudos and thanks to Laura for being brave and sharing a culture not specifically her own, and then to doing so with such beauty, honor, and care!
To learn more about Red Glass, read the May 2009 issue of readergirlz. We hope that the website and this roundtable will encourage you to pick up the book and give it a read. We invite you to the readergirlz blog, where other readers and the author herself will be discussing the book's plot, themes, and characters all month long!
Posted on 4/28/2009
When I was thinking about our "hope" theme this month, for some reason, those lines from that famous Emily Dickinson poem kept coming to mind: Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul.* I love that whole poem because it captures so much of what hope is for me. Hope can be fragile and impermanent, but it is often stronger than it looks. Sometimes it appears when you need it most, and when you’ve almost forgotten what it is, like a bird in the springtime. What makes me hopeful? Poetry. Lucky pennies. Random acts of kindness.
- Shelf Elf
* Read Emily Dickinson's poem in its entirety.
Follow my series of hope posts.
Posted on 4/6/2009
Are you ready for Operation Teen Book Drop? Help spur reading on a national scale! All you have to do is leave a YA book in a public place on Thursday, April 16th.
For all of details, dates, and bookplates, go to TBD headquarters at the readergirlz website.
Click here to tell readergirlz what book you're going to drop and where you're going to drop it!
Posted on 4/1/2009
Posted on 3/31/2009
The readergirlz divas were so pleased Ellen Hopkins could join us in honor of Operation Teen Book Drop 2009, and in the month of April, National Poetry Month! The verse novel Impulse is a weighty, heart-wrenching read. Join us as we chat about this raw work and our take-aways.
Posted on 3/18/2009
Mary E. Pearson, author of The Adoration of Jenna Fox, will be chatting live at the readergirlz blog - http://readergirlz.blogspot.com - tomorrow, Thursday, March 19th. The event will begin at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST and last for about an hour.
Read the March issue of readergirlz.
Check out our roundtable discussion of The Adoration of Jenna Fox.
Bookmark www.readergirlz.com
Follow the readergirlz on . . .
~ MySpace
~ Facebook
~ Blogspot
~ Twitter
Posted on 3/17/2009
For more information contact:
Sara Easterly, Publicist for readergirlz
Sara Easterly & Friends
206-632-8588
READING STIMULUS PLAN FOR HOSPITALIZED TEEN PATIENTS
LAUNCHES JUST IN TIME FOR “SUPPORT TEEN LIT DAY” APRIL 16
Despite economic downturn, generous publishers have donated
thousands of young-adult books for readergirlz, Guys Lit Wire, and YALSA
to deliver to teens in
March 17, 2009 (Seattle, Wash.) – Teen patients in pediatric hospitals across the United States will receive 8,000 young-adult novels, audiobooks, and graphic novels next week as readergirlz, Guys Lit Wire, and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) celebrate the third annual Support Teen Lit Day on April 16.
In its second year, “Operation TBD” (short for Teen Book Drop), puts free books donated by 18 book publishers into the hands of many teens most in need of escape, inspiration and a sense of personal accomplishment. Books with exceptional characters and fabulous stories can provide just that for teens and their families dealing with difficult, long-term hospital stays.
At a time when philanthropic giving is down, readergirlz co-founders have been inspired by overwhelming industry support for Operation TBD. “readergirlz is always looking for innovative ways to connect teens with literature, “ said Dia Calhoun, co-founder of readergirlz and acclaimed young-adult author. “We’re honored that publishers have supported this goal by giving so liberally this year.”
Operation TBD also aims to encourage all teens to choose reading for pleasure as a leisure activity, over other entertainment options. Inciting the broader teen community to participate in Operation TBD in its drive to spur reading on a national scale, readergirlz has launched a trailer on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/readergirlz) inviting teens and YA authors to leave a book in a public place on April 16. When visiting www.readergirlz.com, participants can download bookplates to insert into the books they’ll leave behind, which explain the surprise to the recipient and tell them to read and enjoy.
“This event is such a special one because it not only raises awareness about teen literature, but it also truly helps those teens most in need. Teens facing illnesses will be able to find an age- appropriate new book to read while in the hospital — teen books matter and not just any old book will do,” said Sarah Cornish Debraski, YALSA president. “Our thanks to the publishers, readergirlz, and Guys Lit Wire. It’s wonderful to unite with these organizations to forward this cause.”
Participating book publishers who have donated books or audiobooks include Abrams Books, Bloomsbury/Walker Books, Candlewick Press, Full Cast Audio, Hachette Book Group, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Hyperion, Milkweed, Mirrorstone Books, Orca Book Publishers, Peachtree Books, Perseus Book Group/Running Press, Random House, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Soft Skull Press & Red Rattle Books, TOKYOPOP and Tor/Forge/Starscape/Tor Teen.
“Putting the right book into the hands of a teen can turn that teen into a reader for life, “ said Suzanne Murphy, VP and Group Publisher, Scholastic Trade Book Publishing. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to help Operation TBD show teens firsthand just how much fun reading can be.”
Pediatric hospitals that have signed up to receive books include Phoenix Children's Hospital (Phoenix, Ariz.), Rady's Children's Hospital (
“Our teen patients here at Seattle Children’s loved the books donated through the Operation Teen Book Drop last year,” said Kim Korte, Child Life Manager, Seattle Children’s Hospital. “Books are a wonderful avenue for our patients to be distracted from the pain and stress of hospitalization. We are always in need of books and greatly appreciate the generosity of the publishers who donated.”
Everyone who participates in Operation TBD is invited to celebrate at the TBD Post-Op Party on April 16 at 6 p.m. Pacific Time on the readergirlz blog: http://readergirlz.blogspot.com
About Support Teen Literature Day
For the third consecutive year, Support Teen Literature Day will be celebrated April 16, 2009 in conjunction with
About the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos, and audiobooks for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, visit http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390, or email, [email protected].
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 (A Light That Never Goes Out) Lorie Ann Grover (Hold Me Tight), Justina Chen Headley (North of Beautiful), and Melissa Walker (the Violet series). readergirlz is the recipient of a 2007 James Patterson PageTurner Award.
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 [email protected].
About Guys Lit Wire
Guys Lit Wire - http://guyslitwire.blogspot.com - brings literary news and reviews to the attention of teenage boys and the people who care about them. Working to combat the perception that teen boys aren’t as well read as teen girls, the organization seeks out literature uniquely targeted toward teen male readers in hopes of bringing attention of good books to guys who might have missed them.
(c) 2009 readergirlz
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http://www.readergirlz.com/tbd.html
Previous post about Operation TBD 2009
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Posted on 1/31/2009
Our February selection for readergirlz is No Laughter Here by Rita Williams-Garcia, the story of two young women, one of whom is forever scarred - physically and emotionally - by a coming-of-age ceremony. Two readergirlz divas and two members of the postergirlz lit council gathered together to talk about stories, ceremonies, secrets, and culture.
Lorie Ann Grover: No Laughter Here was brought to the divas' attention by rgz SALON member Sharon Levin. She issued a challenge: "This is the kind of book that should be featured at rgz!" We instantly got our hands on a copy and agreed. The protagonist is younger than we usually feature, but we believe the writing is exquisite, and the topic must be brought to light and discussed. Kudos to Rita for her contribution and publisher Amistad, HarperCollins for giving it voice!
Shelf Elf: I think this is such a good pick for readergirlz because it's a book that begs to be talked about. It touches so many themes that can connect to girls' lives, no matter where they come from: growing up, following your parents' wishes, being strong and supporting your friends, forming your own opinions and taking action. It certainly inspired me to find out more about FGM (Female Genital Mutilation), and to think about the place of rite of passage rituals in society.
Holly Cupala: I think this book reflects what readergirlz is all about: gutsy girls in life and lit. I hope girls will pick this one up and be inspired.
Little Willow: What would you do if your friend had a drastic personality change?
Shelf Elf: Worry and then try to get to the bottom of it.
Little Willow: I would do the same. I think I'm a pretty good sense of character and mood, and I always check in with people when I sense something's wrong with them.
Holly: I could relate to Akilah's approach - trying to engage her friend and bumbling through it a little bit, worrying and being frustrated, but in the end showing her true friendship. I would hope to just skip to the true friendship part, though!
Lorie Ann: Definitely confront them with gentleness and concern.
Little Willow: Definitely. I never pry - if they want to talk, they'll talk - I just let the person (or people) know that I'm there if they need an ear or a shoulder. If your friend clearly had a secret that was weighing heavily on his or her shoulders, would you try to find out what it was? Would you respect his or her privacy?
Lorie Ann: I'd make sure my friend knew I was available to share the load but not pry beyond that. I loved how Akilah sat on the bench quietly next to Victoria.
Holly: I agree, there's a fine line between supporting your friends and respecting their privacy. I think it would depend on the existing relationship. First I would worry a lot, like Shelf Elf! But then I would let the friend know I would be there to support her and am willing to listen. If it was someone I was very close to, I would dig deeper.
Shelf Elf: I would try to find out what was on her mind, because I'd feel like I was not supporting her if I didn't at least ask if she needed help or needed to talk. Talking to someone who cares about me has always made a difference whenever I've faced a problem in my life, so I'd want to be able to offer that to her, as an option. In the end, I would respect her privacy because I believe that there isn't just one way to deal with something and what might work for me (sharing my worries) wouldn't necessarily work for my friend.
Little Willow: How do you feel about what was done to Victoria in No Laughter Here? Would you do such a thing if it was your family, your culture, your tradition?
Lorie Ann: It breaks my heart. Even knowing it is a cultural act does not soften my reaction to it. I just can't accept it. No, I would not participate if I had any power.
Holly: To be honest, I didn't want to read the book at first because I knew all the questions it would raise: how can we deeply understand another culture? Is there a universal line that shouldn't be crossed? Who am I to judge? All of that went out the window as Victoria's story was revealed. And I felt sick to my stomach. Angry. Heartbroken. I wonder that a mother could make that choice - there is almost nothing I wouldn't do to protect my child.
Shelf Elf: I find it really hard to think about what happened to Victoria without focusing entirely on how it was traumatic for her. I know that this ceremony is a part of her culture, and I think it is important to remember that as an outsider to that tradition, it might be easier to take a firm stance against the practice of female circumcision, because I am not tied up in what my community and family might believe is important. Answering from my heart, I regard this ritual as brutal, and the idea of it completely horrifies me. It disturbs me that any girl would be forced to go through this at an age when she is not given any power to choose for herself. I just wanted to reach into the story and take hold of Victoria's hand.
Little Willow: Was it difficult or uncomfortable for you to read this book or to discuss it now?
Lorie Ann: The book was only uncomfortable in that it raised my anger about FGM. I didn't find I was embarrassed to speak of it, but I was emboldened to shout.
Shelf Elf: This book made me want to talk about FGM with other people, because I think it is so difficult to try to work out your opinion on such a complicated issue without getting other points of view. It was challenging, that's for sure, because it made me angry and then made me question whether cultural sensitivity is possible in all situations.
Holly: Exactly! While reading the book, I looked up as much as I could about FGM and am glad to have a chance to discuss it with other readers.
Little Willow: How can we heighten awareness of certain practices some may think outdated or strange while respecting cultures that feel such things necessary, or wonderful, or holy?
Lorie Ann: I think it's very difficult to draw the line of demarcation between ritual and suppression. Obviously, we must do so at certain points, cannibalism for an example. Finding the motive behind the act can be a help. As well as searching for damage to individuals who don't have a choice.
Shelf Elf: I think that it comes down to getting information out there, in a way that is as non-judgmental and respectful as possible. How can people decide what is right for them, for their families and communities, unless girls and women who have undergone FGM share their experiences and perspectives. I think it's their voices that need to be heard, because they can speak with a deep understanding of their own cultures.
Holly: Respect and sensitivity is key, especially in challenging ideology.When researching the subject, I was amazed to discover its prevalence in so many cultures and religions. What is it about women's bodies that inspires so much fear, that it would result in rituals of mutilation? Ms. Williams-Garcia challenges the practice with such courage and grace.
Little Willow: I always say I respect the rights of others to do or say whatever they like as long as they don't hurt themselves or anyone else. I freely admit that I worry about people or groups that do things that could kill themselves or others - especially kids - anything that puts lives in danger makes me really worried. With traditions and beliefs, where do you draw the line?
Lorie Ann: I really think the line has to be drawn at harm to self or others who don't have a voice.
Holly: I agree, absolutely.
Shelf Elf: This is such a complicated question. How do we measure what is most important: a girl's right to make choices about her sexual freedom versus a culture's long-held traditions? Also, what happens to girls who do not undergo this ritual? What place do they take in their society? In my view, it's an issue of fundamental rights for children - to be protected from harm, physical and emotional.
Little Willow: Do you feel as though you belong to a certain culture? Do you wish you knew more about your heritage, or other cultures?
Holly: I don't realize how much my culture shows until I contrast it with others - which, being part of a mixed-race/culture couple, is often! I always find it fascinating how people around the globe can share values but have entirely different ways of living them out in practice.
Lorie Ann: I don't have a strong sense of culture as a Caucasian U.S. citizen. Although, I do identify with southern culture a bit. It would be nice to grab hold of and experience my Swiss and German background. But it would feel contrived for me to do so in some ways.
Shelf Elf: It's practically a joke the way Canadians are always trying to define and describe Canadian culture. I can't say that I do feel like I belong to one particular culture. I have a strong, loving family, with traditions that we value, but I don't feel that they're tied much to a certain culture. Someday I'd like to know more about my family tree, my grandparents and great-grandparents. I've always been envious of people who have a stronger sense of their histories and of the cultures of their ancestors.
Little Willow: Akilah and Victoria value the meanings of their names, and so do I. I love my name, and I cherish the ownership of my name. You see, I go by a derivative of the first name I was given at birth. I was quite tiny when I selected my nickname and its spelling. What does your name mean? Do you consider that meaning often, or at all? Do you think your name suits you?
Lorie Ann: I guess not as I had to go look it up again: Laurel Grace Keeper of the Trees. I hope that it suits me somewhat. Books are made from trees. :~)
Little Willow: My online username is tree-based!
Holly: I'm a tree, too! My middle name means precious, beautiful, light. I almost changed my name when I moved because I think identities are so tied up in names, and I was ready to change mine. In the end, though, I am who I am. I worked a job for a little while where I had to have a unique first name. There was already a Holly, so I had to choose something else - a variation of my middle name. So there are still some people who call me Lane.
Shelf Elf: I'm named after a county in Ireland, since my dad was born there. I haven't visited County Kerry, but it sure is gorgeous and green in all the pictures I've seen and someday I'd love to go. I like that my name ties me to my father's past. The name Kerry means "the dark one," which has always cracked me up, like I'm Darth Vader's long lost cousin or something. I can't say there's much dark about me - in appearance or temperament.
Little Willow: Now I'm tempted to sing the Star Wars theme song. Did any of you undergo any coming-of-age ceremonies? Sweet Sixteen, bat mitzvah - anybody? I didn't, but I did have great birthday parties when I turned three and ten.
Holly: Not that I recall - though sixteen was a tumultuous age. I felt like I changed a lot that year.
Lorie Ann: No, I had no coming-of-age ceremonies. Although, I felt it happened when my father left our family.
Shelf Elf: Nope. I did get a beautiful gift on my sixteenth birthday, but there wasn't really ceremony involved.
Little Willow: I ate rice with cream of mushroom soup on my sixteenth birthday. That was my lunch today, too. Have any of you read Rita's other novels, Every Time a Rainbow Dies or Like Sisters on the Home Front?
Lorie Ann: No, I haven't, but I can't wait to read them!
Holly: I look forward to reading them.
Shelf Elf: I haven't - but now they're all on my list!
Little Willow: Closing thoughts?
Lorie Ann: Many thanks to Rita for presenting this important work in such a powerful way!
To learn more about this book, read the February 2009 issue of readergirlz.
To discuss this book in depth with other readers and the author herself, please visit the readergirlz forum.
Approximately 138 million women around the world have undergone FGM. Every year, another 2 million girls are at risk of the practice. Visit FORWARD (The Foundation for Women's Health, Research and Development) to find out ways you can help.
Posted on 1/14/2009
Author Jennifer Donnelly will be chatting live at the readergirlz forum tomorrow, Thursday, January 15th, starting at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST. The chat will last for about an hour.
Not only that, but Jennifer's been posting regularly at the readergirlz forum since the year began. You'll see many discussion threads devoted to her novel A Northern Light, which is the readergirlz book pick for the month of January.
Read the January issue of readergirlz to learn more about Jennifer Donnelly and A Northern Light!
Join us at the forum to discuss A Northern Light and many other great books.
Check out our roundtable discussion of A Northern Light.
Bookmark www.readergirlz.com
Posted on 12/16/2008
Meg Cabot will be chatting live at the readergirlz forum on Thursday, December 18th, starting at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST. The chat will last for about an hour.
* Bookmark www.readergirlz.com
* Learn more about Meg Cabot and her book How to Be Popular in the December 2008 issue of readergirlz
* Listen in as the readergirlz and postergirlz discuss popularity
Posted on 11/2/2008
As regular readers of this blog know, I am actively involved in readergirlz, a literacy and outreach program that is both an online book group and a community service organization. I regularly update the readergirlz website, which spotlights a new book, author, and theme every month. I also head up the postergirlz, our fantastic teen lit advisory committee.
I post the best of what I've read every week at the readergirlz MySpace - and now I'll be posting my book bag at the brand-new readergirlz blogspot as well! Look for it there every weekend, beginning today.
This week, I enjoyed Long May She Reign by Ellen Emerson White, our spotlighted title for November. My other picks include:
Picture Book for All Ages
Uncle Bobby's Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen
Yellowbelly and Plum Go to School by Nathan Hale
For Your Younger Sister
How to Be a Girly Girl in Just Ten Days by Lisa Papademetriou
I will continue to post my monthly best of booklists at the Bildungsroman blog and website. (Psst . . . I just posted my Best Books of October 2008 list!)
If you want to see what's in my weekly book bag, you're going to have to visit the readergirlz blogspot - so why not add that to your blog reader right now? :)
Posted on 11/1/2008
Posted on 10/1/2008
In 2006, the young adult novel Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan quickly became a bestseller. Right away, it won the hearts of readers, then won literary praise and honors, including the first-ever Cybils Award for YA Fiction. Jackie and I (Little Willow) served on the Cybils YA panel that inaugural year, and will do so again this year. Now that Nick & Norah has been selected to be the book of the month at readergirlz, it has given us another excuse to talk about this fast-paced story. (Come back next week to find out what each of us thought about the movie.) We had fun collaborating on this piece. We hope you'll enjoy the ride. Time to turn up the Playlist. Are you more like Nick or more like Norah? Have you read any other books by Cohn or Levithan? Little Willow: Oh, I would love to see what she would write for a graphic novel! Have you seen David's contribution in the anthology First Kiss (Then Tell)? It just takes some time Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride Everything, everything will be just fine Everything, everything will be all right, all right If you had to create a playlist that captured the feeling and events of 2008 so far, would you know what to put on it? Name one of the songs you'd use. - "Wow and Flutter" by April Smith because there has been a lot of personal change for me this year, and I think there's something in Smith's lyrics that reflects all those changes. Plus, it's just totally fun to listen to. Little Willow: I like making playlists. I made one for Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, in fact. For my personal 2008 playlist, I might select "Too Much To Live For" by Lucy Woodward. Little Willow: I like both covers. I think the first one is more gender-neutral and suited to the punk-rock blurred-night fast-happenings feel of the book. However, I love purple and I love cityscapes, so I really like the look of the paperback cover. The movie cover is cute, too. I wish that the flyers and posters had the proper name beside the proper person! Michael's name is beside Kat, and Kat's name is beside Michael. Speaking of which... Little Willow: I saw a screening towards the end of September. I knew in advance some of the things that had been changed - the trailers and casting gave some of that way - but I don't want to spoil anything for you. Would you like to talk about the movie after you've seen it and compare it to the book?
Little Willow: Nick, maybe. Like Nick, I write songs (but my music is unlike his) and I'm against drinking or doing anything that would harm my body or alter my awareness. Like Norah, I want to have full control over my life and my decisions.
Jackie: You know, I've been thinking about this question for awhile now, and I don't know the answer. I think maybe Nick, just because he seemed more awkward and unsure of himself, which is definitely something I can identify with.
Have you ever taken an impulsive trip to or through a big city?
Little Willow: I can't say that I have. I don't have an impulsive bone in my body! This book let me travel through a night in New York, somewhere I've never been. (Someday, Broadway! You're gonna hear from me!)
Jackie: OOO. One of the BEST road trips I've had was with my best friend in high school and college. We just got in the car and drove east. No destination. No reservations. No expectations. Some camping gear and maps. I think I have more crazy memories from that one trip than many other trips combined. We started in Grand Rapids, MI and ended up in Boston, but didn't really spend any time there before we had to come back. We also hit Albany, Toronto, Niagra Falls, and Quebec (which was very disarming). Not in that order, though. All in one week. It was fantastic. I should plan LESS, now that I reminded about how impulsive that was.
What was your favorite part of the book?
Jackie: Well, I've thought a lot about Borscht since reading the novel. Haven't broken down and had it yet. I blame my childhood horror of beets.
Little Willow: I have never had borscht, though I like beets. I bought a can of shoestring beets today, in fact.
Jackie: I'm less afraid of beets these days. Especially the non-red ones I see at the farmer's markets.
Little Willow: Seriously, though, my favorite moments include . . .
Jackie: My most vivid memory of the book is of the ice machine scene, but overall my FAVORITE is simply the sense of how amazing, unexpected, and life-altering one night can be. I think it is actually the contemplative moments near the end that really capture that. It was so well done.
Jackie: I've read their other collaboration, Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List (which didn't quite live up to the admittedly high bar of N&N). I've also read Cohn's Cupcake and You Know Where to Find Me. I've been meaning to read more Levithan for ages, but haven't managed to get around to it, so I've only read the modern classic that is Boy Meets Boy. I know that I'd love them all, but, well, time. Sigh.
Little Willow: I know that you have a huge stack of books to read, Jac, but I hope that you'll add more books by these authors to the top of that pile. If you liked Cupcake, then you simply must read Shrimp and Gingerbread, the other two books in the CC trilogy by Rachel Cohn. I've read all of their individual novels plus their two collaborative novels. Rachel's books feel real. David's writing has this amazing poetic quality, and he tends to employ very thoughtful narrators. Levithan has also contributed to or edited a number of anthologies.
Jackie: I really want to read Wide Awake and Marley's Ghost, but I just haven't picked them up. I want to see Cohn do a graphic novel. Of course now that MINX is gone (boo! hiss! you didn't give the line enough time DC!), that seems less likely.
Jackie: No. I tend to avoid things with Kiss actually in the title. Also, not a huge anthology or short story reader. I'm always disappointed I can't spend more time with the characters I love so quickly in short stories, so I avoid the inevitable pain.
Little Willow: Tell is fun, and it has a lot of authors you know and love . . . Nudge, nudge.
Do you have any personal anthems?
Little Willow: Since I'm the music-obsessed person who put forth that question, let me tell you how I define personal anthems: favorite songs that capture something that happened to me or something important about me. One of my personal anthems is "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World, which conveys my optimism and patience:
Jackie: When I drove across country, alone, to move to a new city where I knew no one, I had most of my friends and family create mixed CDs for me to listen to on the way out. I found my personal anthem for that period of my life in the first mixed CD I listened to. It's "Extraordinary Machine" by Fiona Apple:
If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me, or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine
I'm seeing some similarities between your song and mine, LW.
Jackie: Oh, that's a tough one. I don't know if I can only pick one... So... I won't. Here are two:
- Ingrid Michaelson. Not one song. All of them. Every last one of them means something to me this year.
Apparently, I've got something for singer/songwriter chicks from NYC. Huh. I wonder what that says. At least that part matches the book some... *grin*
N&N is definitely for older teens. Have you seen or heard any opposition to the book? Does it make you cautious when recommending it?
Jackie: I honestly haven't had any personal, real life, objections to the book, but I've heard a lot of complaining online about the language. Since I swore a lot when I was N&N's age, I can't say that I'm really one to critizice on that front. It isn't a book I'd give to just anyone though. I'd really have to have a feel for them. This is, of course, if the book was ever on the shelf, which it hasn't been since the movie trailor started to play.
Little Willow: I don't swear. I'm not kidding when I say that I live a G-rated life. N&N is no less than PG-13. Due to language and certain situations and scenes, I tend it give N&N to people over, say, 15 years of age. I haven't had any customers respond negatively to it after reading it. I've had some good chats with readers about this book. In fact, I now know of at least four different teens that have become Levithan followers. We passed around How They Met earlier this year and discussed that as well.
How do you feel about the new cover for the paperback? It's a lot different from the original?
Jackie: I'm pretty "meh" about it. I think way fewer guys will pick it up now with that heart on it. And that's a shame.
Do you plan on seeing the movie? How do you think the movie will compare to the book?
Jackie: I'm so there. I'm braced for significant change, but I'm hoping since it's been some time since I've read the book that it will simply be true to the SPIRIT of the novel. That'll probably be good enough for me. What I fear is that all the best parts are in the preview, and that there's nothing else to see...
Jackie: Yep.
(Little Willow grins.)
Tune in next week for our reactions to the film version of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Prepare yourself for spoilers, applause, and other stuff.
Nick & Norah featured in the October 2008 issue of readergirlz
The Cybils 2006 YA Nominations
The Cybils 2006 YA Finalists
The Cybils 2006 YA Hall of Fame
Interactive Reader Book Review: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Bildungsroman Book Review: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Bildungsroman Book Playlists
Bildungsroman Book Roundtables
Bildungsroman Interview with Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Posted on 9/2/2008
Posted on 9/1/2008
