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I have been meaning to ready Megan Abbott for ages. I’ve only heard good things, in particular her latest books, so thought I’d begin with her brand new novel. Abbott’s last few novels have all been set in the world of teenage girls, a world she has been exploring because ‘Noir suits a 13-year-old girl’s mind’

Not only is The Fever a fantastic noir crime novel but it is a great exploration of the secrets and lies of teenage life and the hysteria that can so easily get whipped up now in a world of social media, Google and 24 hour news.

One morning in class Deenie’s best friend Lise is struck down by what seems to be a seizure, she is later rushed to hospital and put on life support. Nobody knows what caused the seizure. When other girls are struck down with similar symptoms confusion quickly turns to hysteria as parents and authorities scramble for answers. Are the recent student vaccinations to blame? Or is it environmental? And what steps are authorities taking to protect other children?

Abbott tells the story from one family’s point of view alternating between Tom, a teacher at the school, his son Eli, who is the object of a lot of girls’ affections and younger daughter Deenie, whose best friend Lise is the first girl struck down with this mysterious ailment. Each point of view is almost a different world giving not only a different perspective to the story but a different emotional intensity and sense of urgency.

The secrets and lies of teenage lives coupled with the paranoid and hysterical nature of parenting in the 21st century make for a truly feverish and wickedly noir-ish read.

Carol Midgely looks at The Lolita Effect, by M. Gigi Durham, in The Times: "Last Halloween, Gigi Durham opened her front door to find a five-year-old girl standing on the doorstep. The child was wearing a boob tube, gauze miniskirt, platform heels and glitter eye-shadow. “I’m a Bratz!” she declared. Durham was put more in mind of a child prostitute that she had once seen in Cambodia. There wasn’t that much to choose between the two girls’ outfits.

If you're a 'tween or teen and wondering why you're different from your friends, GirlForce just may have the answer.

Are you flirtatious, introverted, overly sensitive or stressed? Need a quick complexion fix or hair tip?

From body and mind type, to why you like certain foods and your BFF doesn't, this Girl's Guide to the Body and Soul is one of the most complete and eye-appealing books for the teenage girl to come along in quite some time.

Girl Force breaks down your type in three different sections. Are you Earth, Air or Fire? You'll be able to determine your skin type, exercise guidelines for your body type, how to avoid stress and even make better decisions when it comes to relationships. Even learn to dress for success!

I'm impressed by this book from Nikki Goldstein with its common sense information and beautiful illustrations. (Recommended by publisher for 'tweens, but I believe older girls would enjoy it)

Nikki Goldstein has worked as a beauty editor and writer for Marie Claire, Vogue, Elle, InStyle and Cosmopolitan. Motivated by her own experiences, she decided to share the positive impact of Ayuveda - and in doing so help millions of girls across the world to feel fantastic about themselves.

Nikki regularly blogs on her two websites - www.mygirlforce.com and www.gettoknowyourdaughter.com which give further information about the power of GirlForce, as well as fun quizzes, activities and forums.

Buy GirlForce on Amazon

Mary Cunningham is the author of the award-winning series, Cynthia's Attic - buy on Amazon or download on Fictionwise

Mary Cunningham Books

New teen short story, "Ghost Light"

Professor M. Gigi Durham's acclaimed study of the media sexualization of young girls will be available in a new paperback edition next week. The Lolita Effect includes a fascinating new introduction from the author in which he discusses the Miley Cyrus/Vanity Fair fiasco that occurred just as The Lolita Effect rolled off the presses and into bookstores.

M. Gigi Durham, author of The Lolita Effect, will be appear on the Dr. Phil show today! In a show called "Growing Up Too Fast," Dr. Phil talks with parents who say it’s difficult to raise their teen daughter in an oversexed, celebrity-obsessed, cosmetic surgery-seeking society. Check your local listings for the time and channel, or go online to find about more about today's provocative show and The Lolita Effect.

Professor M. Gigi Durham, author of The Lolita Effect, contributes a provocative essay on sex and pornography on college campuses in the current issue of The Chronicle Review.

"Last year," writes Durham, "the American Psychological Association convened a task force on the sexualization of young girls; the ensuing report documented the lasting harm done to girls by a culture in which they are constantly positioned as sexual objects. Worldwide, child pornography and child sex trafficking are burgeoning industries. Real-world sexual violence against women is almost epidemic."

This week's Time Magazine includes a feature article on "The Truth About Teens," noting that "girlhood sexiness seems to be everywhere: on TV shows and in movies, in advertising, in teen magazines and all over the Internet." The article includes comments from M. Gigi Durham, University of Iowa professor and author of The Lolita Effect: How the Media Sexualizes Young Girls and What We Can Do About it."

Just three weeks ago, I bravely faced the open road in a vehicle reading “Student Driver” and took my place as one of the courageous souls who travel the country upon the highways of America: drivers. Okay, so it isn’t all that incredible. But being able to drive is a part of life for many people, and it does teach some pretty important lessons.

For example, you’re cruising along on your way to the shore with the top down, the radio on, and your mom in the front seat (at least until you turn seventeen. New Jersey rule). You’re paying attention to everything you have to be paying attention to: the road, the signs that say “Rest Stop, ext.3”, the other cars around you. And you stop and think, What else does all this stuff mean? Unless, of course, you aren’t like me and are actually paying attention to the fact that traffic is backed up for 30 miles…

So, while you sit there, you realize that life is like a trip to the beach. (Or “down the shore” if you live nearby me… Again, another New Jersey thing. Like tomatoes.) Life can take you to the most beautiful, enjoyable place in the world, if you know how to get there. The first thing you have to do is pull out of your driveway. If you don’t get on the road, you’ll never get there! The same is true with your everyday life. Do you have a goal? A dream? Get on the road! Don’t just sit at home imagining what would happen if you took a chance. Pull out of your driveway and put the car in drive. (Figuratively, of course.)

The next thing you have to do is figure out how to get there. A good way to start is by planning ahead. Grab a MapQuest roadmap beforehand. It’s always good to figure out your best route first. Then, follow the road signs when you aren’t sure which way to go. Life has the same rules. Plan ahead before you leave. Take some time to analyze the best way of achieving your goal. Let’s say you wish to open the best bakery around. First, you might have to go to school to learn about owning and operating a business. Plan it out! Then, when you are unsure about something, others’ advice could help a whole lot, as long as you use your own judgment, as well.

So, you’ve made it to the highway! Hooray! You’re finally in the fast lane on your way to the beach! The most important thing to do here is watch the road and the other cars around you. It can get pretty dangerous in the fast lane, and you want to stay as safe as possible. Once again, you can apply this symbolically. (Either that, or I didn’t get enough sleep last night…) You always have to keep your eyes on the road. If you get distracted by a squirrel or a shiny antennae topper, you could easily get hurt. So, if you get distracted from your goal in any way, it could hurt your chances of achieving it. Also, if you have to pull over for something—anything—you need to get back on. Nothing of little importance should distract you from the big picture.

Ahh, success! You made it through the highway and are now cruising up to the parking lot right next to the sand and the waves. The sun is shining, the seagulls are screaming, and the little girl walking by is covered in chocolate ice cream. You made it! Now you can relax and enjoy the beautiful day. So, when you make it to your dream, your bakery is open, and you can sit back and enjoy your success, there is still one more thing you need to do. You need to say “thanks”. It doesn’t really matter who you say it to. You could say it to your professors at that college you worked so hard to get into, your parents for letting you bake cookies every day since you were three, or even your employees for doing such a great job every day. Just be grateful for achieving your goal!

So, the next time you sit in traffic, whether you’re in the driver’s seat, the passenger seat, or in the back squeezed between two little brothers fighting over the last French fry, take a minute to think about how you can apply everything around you to your own life. Just don’t think for too long, or you’ll miss your turn…

The “Purple Wig Theory” in the Shine Through program is all about appreciating and respecting yourself, no matter what. The entire program is created in order to teach ways to be yourself and not change who you are. But, of course, there are exceptions to the rule…

When you learn to Shine Through, you learn to focus on becoming the person you wish to become. This means trying your best to be your best, no matter what others think. The goal is to improve upon yourself in the best possible ways, and not to worry about how others perceive you.

Say you’re a superhero who needs a secret identity. (Let’s make this fun…) You have always wanted to become a math teacher. Your super-friends don’t exactly agree with this idea. (They all are becoming journalists at local newspapers…) But, because they are your true super-friends, you realize they are still alright with your decision!

So, you choose a math teacher as your secret identity. But, of course, you need to go to college first. You have already learned how to Shine Through, so now what? Let’s say that, along with the ability to fly, talk to animals, and shoot heat beams from your eyeballs, you have the power of super-procrastination! (Ta-da!) In order to get to college, you have to learn to refrain from procrastination.

But, wait! The Shine Through program teaches to never change who you are! That may be true, but by improving upon your school skills, you are changing yourself for the better. You aren’t doing it because someone told you to, but because you wanted to. See the difference?

Now, Ms. Superhero, you have mastered the ability to accept the fact that you are different from your super-friends, to learn to like yourself the way you are, and to improve upon yourself to become the person you wish to be! See how easy that is?

I have my own example of improving upon yourself for the better. Last month, I was in my high school production of “West Side Story” as Maria. So, to play the part, I decided to dye my hair a lot darker. This seems pretty shocking from the creator of the Purple Wig Theory, huh?

Well, I decided that, by dying my hair, it helped me to become the character and improve upon my acting skills. Because drama is so important to me, it was worth it! I didn’t change who I was inside, but I improved upon myself as an actor. Still see the difference?

So, the next time you have an opportunity, improve upon yourself! It could be as simple as straightening up your sock drawer, studying an extra hour for your next Spanish test, or choosing to eat more fruit every day. Try it! And never lose sight of that person you wish to become.

M. Gigi Durham, University of Iowa Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication, will appear on the nationally syndicated Fox Morning Show with Mike and Juliet on Thursday, May 22. Professor Durham is the author of a new book, The Lolita Effect: The Media Sexualization of Young Girls and What We Can Do About It, that offers insight, information, and instruction on combating the early sexualization of young girls. Tomorrow's show includes a report on Moms taking their very young daughters to Spas for facials and massages and pampering.

M. Gigi Durham, author of The Lolita Effect: The Media Sexualization of Young Girls and What We Can Do About It, talks to Katharine Miezkowski of Salon.com about the "many ways that young girls' sexuality is shaped and exploited by a marketplace where younger is better and the line between child porn and art gets ever blurrier." In a wide-ranging interview (podcast is available on Salon), Professor Durham comments on the marketing of grown-up sexuality to little girls, the Miley Cyrus fiasco, and ways parents can open up the conversation with their daughters about images of girlhood sexuality.

Have you ever attempted to search through your entire back yard for a single four-leaf clover? Did you tear out every last flower in your grandmother's precious garden and every blade of grass in your father's precious lawn in a desperate attempt to find luck? Okay, maybe you haven't. I haven't done that either. (Except for those couple of times....last week...)
We all search for luck, whether it's by searching for four-leaf clover (and getting grounded for it), finding a penny on the sidewalk, or chasing a rainbow to it's end. (Or, of course catching Lucky the leprechaun before he uses his marshmallow powers to disappear.) But can't we bring about our own luck?
It's always fun to believe in luck - and, who knows? Maybe you really can get lucky-but you shouldn't rely completely on it. Maybe the reason you aren't getting lucky is because you aren't being proactive. Maybe, if you go after your dreams, the luck will come to you. It's worth a try.
For your next science test, feel free to wear your lucky underwear, but be sure to study well ahead of time. Your underwear can only do so much when it comes to acing that test. Trust me.
If you have a great idea, don't just dream about it or simply wish on a star for it. (That only works for Gepetto-and I'm sure you don't want a fairy breaking into your house and bringing your puppet to life. That would be creepy.)
Instead of waiting for your dream to come true, make it come true. Go after it! Keep a positive attitute and try your best. Lucky the leprechaun won't be able to resist you!

This episode of Just One More Book! is part of our showcase coverage of the International Reading Association’s 52nd annual conference.

Mark speaks with author/illustrator Mo Willems about his writing process and ability to write interactive books, Knuffle Bunny Too, and doctoring real life for his books.

Participate in the conversation by leaving a comment on this interview, or send an email to [email protected].