Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves

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Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves

by E. Kristin Anderson (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Miranda Kenneally (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Sarah Ockler (Goodreads Author), Stephanie Pellegrin (Goodreads Author), Tera Lynn Childs (Goodreads Author), Beth Fantaskey (Goodreads Author), Dave Roman (Goodreads Author), Cynthia Leitich Smith , more…

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 186 ratings · 73 reviews

Dear Teen Me includes advice from over 70 YA authors (including Lauren Oliver, Ellen Hopkins, and Nancy Holder, to name a few) to their teenage selves. The letters cover a wide range of topics, including physical abuse, body issues, bullying, friendship, love, and enough insecurities to fill an auditorium. So pick a page, and find out which of your favorite authors had a r...more

Paperback, 192 pages

Published October 30th 2012 by Zest Books

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Nov 19, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, contemporary

We all wonder what high school would have been like if we knew then what we know now. Or at least I do. I would not have been so hard on myself, for one. But on the other hand, if you could change any part of your high school experience, would you risk losing where you ended up?

This novel is filled with high school anecdotes; from funny to heartbreaking, we get snippets of these authors lives that are honest and raw. It's such a unique and amazing experience to be able to learn more about so ma...more We all wonder what high school would have been like if we knew then what we know now. Or at least I do. I would not have been so hard on myself, for one. But on the other hand, if you could change any part of your high school experience, would you risk losing where you ended up?

This novel is filled with high school anecdotes; from funny to heartbreaking, we get snippets of these authors lives that are honest and raw. It's such a unique and amazing experience to be able to learn more about so many authors that I have come to know and adore. Some stories were, I'm sure, as difficult to read than it was to write. There are some that bring up really tough issues: eating disorders, suicide, rape, abuse, sexuality; while others are very sweet and heartwarming: first kisses, first loves, friendships, and, most of all, making memories. The format of these is very… diverting. It's a completely fun and refreshing book to read. Each letter is unique: We have some funny ones, some written in comic strips, some that are very profound where we glean at the author's soul. There are also Q&A sections where we learn even more author tidbits. And my personal favorite: every letter is signed along with a photo of the author in their teens. The hairdos themselves make this book worth checking out!

High school is a different experience for everyone, and no matter how hard, or how fantastic of a time you had, those are memories that stick with you. And in the end, this book shows that these memories build who you are, but they do not define you. They are what makes you you. None of the letters in this book showed regrets, only advice on how to get through it all so they could become the fabulous person they are. I loved that this, a work of non-fiction, could really get such a huge message out there. High school is not fiction, and we all survived.

There are a lot of great books out there that I wish teenagers would read so they could find strength, courage, and meaning from the horrors of high school, or life. This is definitely one of them. No matter if you're dealing with a "simple" heartbreak from a break-up, or a life altering problem, everyone can find a little bit of themselves in at least one of these letters. It's candid and authentic; you learn so much about these authors in these brief letters. No matter who you were, or who you are, I would recommend this book to you!

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An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Nov 12, 2012 Shelley (Bella) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, teen-nonfiction, recommend-to-everyone, compilations

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

What can I say about Dear Teen Me? Well, first off...where the hell was this book when I was a teen? Oh right! A few of the authors were going through their "things" at the very same time- and some weren't even born yet. ;) Nonetheless, I really could've used a book like this back then. I found it helpful even now. I think it's really important kids understand they are not alone- in any given situation. Someone else is goi...more I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

What can I say about Dear Teen Me? Well, first off...where the hell was this book when I was a teen? Oh right! A few of the authors were going through their "things" at the very same time- and some weren't even born yet. ;) Nonetheless, I really could've used a book like this back then. I found it helpful even now. I think it's really important kids understand they are not alone- in any given situation. Someone else is going through whatever it is you're going through- or has. You really can learn from other people's experiences and mistakes. You always have choices. And most importantly...YOU can always make a change.

Why did I like Dear Teen Me? For several reasons. 1. It gives teens hope. 2. You get to see where people you love and admire came from- and OUT OF. 3. It's filled with excellent advice. 4. It can help you understand and relate to other teens. You might be able to help someone else out. Maybe even save a life. 5. It's a wonderfully format, laced with humor, fun graphics, quizzes and pictures of your favorite authors from their teens years. (We ALL had bad hair. I'm just sayin. ;)

This was a tear-jerker. From beginning to end. While none of the situations exactly mirrored mine, the feelings they provoked from the authors were much the same....INSECURITY. LOST. ALONE. SCARED. INTROVERTED. RIDICULED. UGLY. AN OUTCAST. A NOBODY. These are feelings most... if not all, kids feel at one time or another. Many throughout their young years. It does help to know others have been where you are and not only survived, but THRIVED.

Though there are SO many I could choose, here are a couple of quotes that really stood out to me:

"..as soon as you stop being quiet, as soon as you stop hiding, and hiding who you are, things will change." ~ Keeping Quiet, Mariko Tamaki

"Nevertheless, it's going to be awhile...Before you understand that you were there that day, you were one of the players, but the story wasn't about you at all."~ This Is Not Your Story,Saundra Mitchell

And my favorite:

"Please don't worry. You worry enough as it is. All these seemingly wrong turns are actually leading you in the right direction. All those things you want to achieve are just ahead of you, so don't you dare stop reaching for them. They're closer than you realize, and if you stop, if you give up and give in, then all that struggle will have been wasted." ~ 9 Things You Need To Know, Robin Benway

So... without getting into what I endured, and what I put myself through, here's what I would write in my own letter:

You were never really alone. You were and are talented... in many ways. YOU ARE LOVED. Don't let anyone or anything discourage you or stomp on your dreams...they are within your grasp- if you'd only reach out. Don't be afraid to ask for help. That one simple thing could've have changed your whole life. You are worthy; of love, friendship, success and happiness. You, and you alone, hold the key to your future. NEVER. GIVE. UP.

And lastly, to YOU, the reader: GO. RUN. GET. THIS. BOOK...for your teen, for a friend, for your neighbor's kid, for someone you know who might benefit, but would never ask for anything, for...yourself. Dear Teen Me is a MUST READ for EVERYONE! It can change lives, and I can't recommend it enough.(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Eileen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, owned, physical-book, tour-stop, short-stories, nonfiction

Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

Dear Teen Me is the first nonfiction books I've probably ever enjoyed. It's perfect for any teen out there who needs a little inspiration in their lives after they've been through some hard and difficult things. It was certainly really emotional to see these authors tell their younger selves to stay strong, to stay focused, and to stay themselves.

Dear Teen Me is a nonfiction novel and can be read by a wide number of people, ho...more Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

Dear Teen Me is the first nonfiction books I've probably ever enjoyed. It's perfect for any teen out there who needs a little inspiration in their lives after they've been through some hard and difficult things. It was certainly really emotional to see these authors tell their younger selves to stay strong, to stay focused, and to stay themselves.

Dear Teen Me is a nonfiction novel and can be read by a wide number of people, however I would definitely target this toward young adults, ranging from their very early teens to their early twenties, even. Getting to see an adult look at their life from an outside range is really interesting and insanely fascinating. It's also the most inspirational thing I've read in a long time. Not only is Dear Teen Me truthful and poignant, it will affect teens everywhere, with these authors' strong stories about insecurity, anorexia, boy troubles, and almost everything in between.

Something I have to admire about all of these authors who collaborated on Dear Teen Me is their level of professionalism and how much guts it must've taken to tell everybody about what haunted them through their teen years. Trust me, some of it wasn't pretty, and none of these authors grew up without a little struggle and hardship throughout their lives. It's almost refreshing to get a glimpse into these authors' lives and see that they're normal. None of them are perfect; none of them had a smooth sailing; all of them have something that will forever haunt them in the back of their brains. Even your favorite, perfect-in-your-eyes author has something beneath his or her skin that they are battling every day, and getting to read about these anecdotes written to shape the next generation was so inspiring and such an eye-opener.

Some of the stories were so powerful and so chilling, well some of them were just normal in my mind. While I have to give a lot of these authors credit, none of the stories jumped out to me so much that I had to stop and think, "Wow, that was so amazing." Taking a few examples, one author wrote about how her opinion of herself differed from everybody's around her, one author wrote about her abusive childhood and how her agent saved her, one wrote about his sexuality, and every story differed from author to author.

From insecurity, illnesses, personalities, crushes, and the people you grow up with, Dear Teen Me will explore almost every topic the average teen fantasizes and stresses about. Any teenager out there and any lover of something really touching will love Dear Teen Me.(less)

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Jan 03, 2013 Nuzaifa - Say It With Books ツ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: physical-book-owned, won-giveaway

"And yes, It does get better.Much better"

Anthologies are not something that I enjoy but I came across Dear Teen Me during Zest Books Blog Tour.There were a lot of positive reviews and I thought I'd give it a try.Dear Teen Me i a collection of letters from YA authors to their younger selves.I loved the format-mostly it consisted of letters but there were a few Q & A sections and some of it was narrated in the form of comic strips.Another feature that makes Dear Teen Me a cool read is the ph...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Jen Bigheart (I Read Banned Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

GIVEAWAY at jenbigheart.com

I am so thrilled to talk about this book and encourage everyone to read/buy/scrapbook. I have been reading the Dear Teen Me blog for....a long time. When word came out that it was being made into a book I was thrilled for the editors and contributors! The day I got the book in the mail I read all the way through. I cried, literally laughed out loud, blushed, and said the word "awe" a lot. I read a few stories to my husband and kids and eventually my 14-year-old read th...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Cindy Hudson rated it 4 of 5 stars

When you're in high school, it's easy to think that you and your friends are the only ones who have challenges and everyone else has it good. It's also easy to think of adults you admire as falling into the category of kids who had it good in high school. After all, if they have grown up to become successful, they must have known what they were doing all along, right?

Not so, according to the writers featured in a new anthology called Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves. Edit...more When you're in high school, it's easy to think that you and your friends are the only ones who have challenges and everyone else has it good. It's also easy to think of adults you admire as falling into the category of kids who had it good in high school. After all, if they have grown up to become successful, they must have known what they were doing all along, right?

Not so, according to the writers featured in a new anthology called Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves. Edited by E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally, Dear Teen Me features letters from 70 young adult authors, included Lauren Oliver, Ellen Hopkins, Joseph Brushac and Leila Sales.

Many of the authors included in the collection wrote letters to their younger selves, hoping to encourage them to get through some hard days ahead. There are also a few illustrated letters and general Q and A's, with questions such as "Who was your celebrity crush," and "What was your most embarrassing moment?"

Each author writes with candor, some about issues you may not expect, such as cutting, contemplating suicide, dealing with eating disorders and sexual orientation. There are also stories of authors who were shy, had unrequited crushes, experienced problems with family members, felt insecure, and more. Every story offers an insight not only about the author, but also about the common experience that many teens face on the way to find out about and becoming their true selves.

Dear Teen Me is a word of encouragement to any teen who may be experiencing difficult times and believes she is the only one going through problems like hers. It is also a great way to get insight about authors who write for teens. Each letter is accompanied by a short bio that includes books the author has written, so it can also be a great place to find new titles to read.

Learn more about the contributors, and get a link to each author's website, by checking out the Dear Teen Me website, where you can also find a few great trailers.

Publisher Zestbooks game me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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Nov 10, 2012 Book Whales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted @ Book Whales

First of all, I’m not really a non-fiction type of reader but this book became my first ever from the genre. I enjoyed it so much. I even brought this book to work which is a no no. I save people’s lives; the fact that I’m reading it during my shift is bad! But this book had completely taken my stress away. I’m in my early twenties; I’m not a teen any more. This book made me a bit nostalgic.

I only know few authors from Dear Teen Me, and I got to know new writers th...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Sel rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Bookcase to Heaven™ review.

*

For those who know me, I never ever ever read non-fiction. And all the way until three weeks ago, I had not the slightest inclination of ever breaking that rule.

But, you know, when I saw this book with all the familiar names of authors like Jess Rothenberg (The Catastrophic History of You and Me), Jessica Spotswood (Born Wicked) and Nancy Holder (who wrote so so many dear novels in the Once Upon a Time series), I suddenly had that impossible urge to know what insec...more

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Oct 31, 2012 NebraskaIcebergs rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves is for past and present teens who felt like they were in the darkest depths of a pit. It is also for anyone who grew up aspiring to become a published writer. In Dear Teen Me, you’ll find close to seventy letters written by published authors to their teen selves.

We all have our idols. For some it’s movie stars or athletes. For me, it’s authors. I devour every and all author biographies I can find. My favorite types of authors, of course, a...more Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves is for past and present teens who felt like they were in the darkest depths of a pit. It is also for anyone who grew up aspiring to become a published writer. In Dear Teen Me, you’ll find close to seventy letters written by published authors to their teen selves.

We all have our idols. For some it’s movie stars or athletes. For me, it’s authors. I devour every and all author biographies I can find. My favorite types of authors, of course, are those who write for children and young adults. For that reason, events like the Plum Creek Children’s Literacy Festival feel like heaven. And naturally when I received an email earlier this fall inviting me to participate in the Dear Teen Me virtual book tour, I instantly responded “Yes!” without even checking my calendar. Then as soon as my copy of Dear Teen Me arrived, I put aside other obligations and read the book’s almost two hundred pages in one evening. If young adult authors are your idols, you’ll love Dear Teen Me from Zest Books.

Edited by E. Kristen Anderson and Miranda Kenneally, Dear Teen Me began as a website where authors shared their experiences with teens so that “teens would know that they are not alone, and that they are cared for, and that there are adults who remember what it’s like to be a teen.” The two editors began posting letters on the site in 2010. Almost immediately, they began receiving notes from other authors who wanted to participate. Readers were appreciative, saying that the letters reflected their experiences. One year later, Anderson and Kenneally were invited by Zest Books to compile the web site’s letters in a book, which I am now reviewing for you.

My one disappointment is that most of the featured authors are unknown to me. Yet that didn’t stop me from savoring each letter. Even if the authors aren’t J.K. Rowling or Stephanie Meyers, they view the world through a writer’s eyes, using words to make sense of the world, communicate their thoughts, and gain the spotlight. And so I still felt elated to read Dear Teen Me, in the way others might feel dizzy over pop star gossip or heady over fantasy sports scores.

As for those of you don’t feel the least bit faint when reading about authors, well, the beauty of Dear Teen Me is its wealth of wisdom. The letters cover not only almost every kind of teen experience, they also offer a diverse range of perspectives. Do you remember how in Breakfast Club, five students from diverse walks of life become friends? The Brain, the Athlete, the Princess, the Criminal, and the Basket Case learn to see beyond their differences, and realize that they are more than labels. And the reality is that within every one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a princess, and a criminal, and a basket case. In the same way, by the time you finish reading all the letters in Dear Teen Me, you’ll feel as if you can relate to all those so-called strangers who grew up around you–and surround you still. We are not so alone in the world as we think, and editors E. Kristen Anderson and Miranda Kenneally have created a book that proves it.(less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Long story short, Dear Teen Me is one hundred percent relatable. If you are or ever were a teenager (I think that covers most everyone,) you will find something in this anthology that resonates with you. I was excited to read the book and be apart of the tour, of course, but I had this little thought in the back of my head that Dear Teen Me would be preachy and that all the letters would sound the same. Thankfully, I was wrong!

A wide array of topics are covered, everything from hair and makeup,...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Ashley (Firestarbooks) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, must-review, own

First off I like to say how the idea of such a book is just fantastic. I would definitely recommend to all YA to read it, especially for those who like to read Chicken Soup books. It really remind people that authors are people. I know all these authors are all well-known and if you are a book lover like me, you kind of worship them on this high pedestal of epic awesomeness. But this book really made me brought these authors down to levels where I can connect with them. It made me realize that t...more

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Nov 12, 2012 FloeticFlo rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is just the bestest thing ever. It was inspired by a blog that became so popular that it led to a book. I really enjoyed reading this one for several reasons. First, since it's not a straight, chronological story, I just hopped around reading letters here and there that caught my eye. I kept saying to myself, "Okay, just one more and then I'll stop..." but then I'd thumb through and find another one. Secondly, it's more than just letters: there are pictures of bad hair and cartoons and...more

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May 08, 2013 Hollowspine rated it 2 of 5 stars

I reserved this book from the library thinking it would be interesting to read authors letters to themselves as teenagers, I thought perhaps it might give me some insight into teenage lives, but I found most of the letters...a bit dull. If I had looked more closely at the contents before reserving the book I would have realized that I had not read a single one of the contributing authors.

I thought that I read enough teen lit that there would be at least a couple whom I would recognize, but sadly...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Traci (The Reading Geek) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading the Dear Teen Me anthology. I actually visited the website a few times last year so I was really excited when I first heard that the letters would be compiled into a book.

There is such a variety of letters included in this book. Some letters are even in the form of drawings. Some are funny while others are quite heartbreaking. However there is at least one letter that you can really find yourself connecting with because these are stories of growing up. These are real st...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Jenna Does Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

DEAR TEEN ME is a book that I would recommend as required reading for all teens entering high school. That’s right teachers, librarians, principals, school boards – make note: All students should read DEAR TEEN ME during their freshman year of high school. A note to teens: That is not to say this book in any way resembles a text book. It does not. In fact, I believe that you will find that reading entries about your favorite authors when they were teens will be just about the coolest things you...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Cathy/The Crazy Bookworm rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Dear Teen Me is the book that keeps on giving. It gives you hope, inspiration, happiness and encouragement. Hours of content that will just fill you with so much emotion.

Authors like Ellen Hopkins, Lauren Oliver, Carrie Jones and so many more share their embarrassing moments, their deepest secrets, the triumphs and their failures. They bare it all to us, for one reason, to tell you that you are not alone. To show you that you are in wonderful company. You have a band of brothers. To know that s...more Dear Teen Me is the book that keeps on giving. It gives you hope, inspiration, happiness and encouragement. Hours of content that will just fill you with so much emotion.

Authors like Ellen Hopkins, Lauren Oliver, Carrie Jones and so many more share their embarrassing moments, their deepest secrets, the triumphs and their failures. They bare it all to us, for one reason, to tell you that you are not alone. To show you that you are in wonderful company. You have a band of brothers. To know that some of your idols might have gone through the exact same thing as you, will provide you with so much comfort.

Miranda Kenneally and E. Kristin Anderson were inspired to put together this collection after a twitter conversation involving Hanson(yes, that absolutely amazing 90's boy band). I could instantly relate. To say I was obsessed with Hanson would be a big understatement! My bedroom walls were hidden behind dozen of posters, and my love for Taylor still sparks inside my heart. I was a proud fan of Hanson, if loving Hanson was wrong, I didn't want to be right! My mother bought me a Hanson T-Shirt. Yes, she was granted Mother Of The Year award for that one! I loved this T-shirt and wore it pretty much every day. It was 1998 and my brother was taking me to see Strike (AKA All I wanna do) in theatres. Yes, I wore my Hanson T-shirt. From the minute I walked into the theatre, I was taunted by not one, not two but a group of girls. They pointed, they laughed, they shouted "Hanson sucks". I just ignored it. It was to my horror when we walked into our Cinema for the movie, and the same girls were seeing the same movie. They shouted during the previews how stupid I was, and how Hanson is so "gay". My brother had finally had enough, stood up and gave these girls a taste of their own. Yes, there were profanities, but he too earned Brother of the Year award for that! However, I never wore that Hanson shirt out of my house again.

If I could tell my Teen Self something now, it would be to go out and wear that shirt proudly! If you love something or have a passion for something, don't be afraid to express it. And 14 years later, you still love Hanson!

I know, I got a bit sidetracked there but my point is this; Dear Teen Me was a book that I desperately needed back when I was a teen. To know that I was not the only one for many situations. Now that it is out here for the next generation of teens, you need to read this. It needs to be on the school library shelves. This book is here for you. Please do not give up the opportunity to read it. This is a must read for everyone. Whether you are a teenager now, or you once were. I cannot express enough how much this book affected me. It was truly a pleasure to read!(less)

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Sep 02, 2012 Paul Hankins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-retrospective-nostalgia, epistolary-novel, friends-in-the-business, mr-hankins-says-don-t-miss, september-2012-reads, young-adult-anthologies, young-adult-edgy, young-adult-inspiring, young-adult-issue-don-t-miss, young-adult-loss-and-grief-healing, young-adult-memorable-writing, young-adult-social-issues, young-adult-tender-touching, young-adult-writers-readers-connect

A powerful collection of letters written by some of today's most successful young adult authors to their teen-aged selves.

Among the letters and doodles found in the book are: Tom Angleberger, Cheryl Rainfield, Ellen Hopkins, Geoff Herbach, Ilsa J. Bick, and Riley Carney (hey--wait a minute--Riley just stopped being a teen, but what she has to offer is a universal struggle for many gifted and talented students today. I'm glad she's here).

Carrie Jones and Mike Jung are in the collection as are S...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc, amazon-vine, young-adult

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

This book is a collection letters written by popular young adult authors to themselves as teens to tell them that essentially, life does get better. Well, in some cases, it does get way worse than better, but eventually, things do look up. There are all kinds of confessions involved here, some of my favorite authors have dealt with illness, abuse and more adversaries that make my life look like a fairy tale. Most have been threatened by bullies, a lot have had family members d...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Gretchen Hohmeyer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, reviewed, on-amazon

You may notice that this book has no rating. Certainly it will have to have one on Amazon, Goodreads and the like because they demand it, but Dear Teen Me is, to me, a book that transcends ratings.

What is a rating, anyways? It is a mark of sometimes good technical storytelling, other times it is because of a person’s simple like or dislike of a book. With Dear Teen Me, the former aspect especially holds no place.

Dear Teen Me is not a story. It is a conglomeration of personal, nonfiction stories...more You may notice that this book has no rating. Certainly it will have to have one on Amazon, Goodreads and the like because they demand it, but Dear Teen Me is, to me, a book that transcends ratings.

What is a rating, anyways? It is a mark of sometimes good technical storytelling, other times it is because of a person’s simple like or dislike of a book. With Dear Teen Me, the former aspect especially holds no place.

Dear Teen Me is not a story. It is a conglomeration of personal, nonfiction stories about the teen years of dozens of YA authors. The concepts of “good technical storytelling” do not apply. The content is just not that kind.

I don’t know what I thought when I requested an ARC of this book. Whatever it was, I only know that the book exceeded my expectations. I was certainly expecting a great deal of “Were you an outsider in high school, because it’s okay to be weird!” and I got that, but not one of these stories was cheesy. Not one was a cliché of an adult trying to empower a teenager. The topics that these authors went over ranged from self-harm and eating disorders to coming out and dealing with abusive parents—and everything in between. Yes, every story had a happy ending and a moral, but you never felt like you were being told. All of the letters—though in some more than others—I felt as if I was intruding on someone’s most personal journal entry, and the that raw emotion on display was not for my eyes.

Dear Teen Me was not a book that I may have picked up of my own volition, simply because I am tired of books where “former teens” share their inspiring stories and tell you how to learn from them. I don’t want to hear inspirational “rah rah” stories meant to make me feel better about myself because it’s okay to be a broody teenager. The authors who contributed here seemed to understand that. No one is lecturing. No one is pretending that wounds leave no scars. No one is shying away from topics sometimes adults and teens alike are afraid of discussing. No one is censoring a thing.

And why would they? They’re writing these for themselves. For their mistakes. For their pain. They just happen to be gracious enough to allow them to be read by others.(less)

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Mar 27, 2013 Noninuna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

So how much did i love this book? i'm crazy over it. contemplating over a year whether to buy it or not. In the end, yes, i did buy the book & it was awesome!
Some letters are like self-expose & a whole lot sounds like a bunch of adult, looking back & unloading their inner regret in life.
We do look back in the past, thinking & wondering what mistake or decision that we made that lead us to ourselves today. some bad, some pretty good. For wishing that we did not do some things is u...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Amanda (Born Bookish) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I want to start off by saying that I’m not a big non-fiction reader so the fact that I finished this book is a big deal! This is actually the first anthology I’ve ever read from start to finish. YAY!

Dear Teen Me is a collection of YA authors letters to their teen selves. These letters are lighthearted, funny, sad, hopeful. Some deal with serious issues like bullying, eating disorders, suicide, self-harm, and homosexuality. They are letters that every teen can relate to and hopefully find strengt...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Jodie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

The idea of writing a letter to your teen self is a wonderful idea. If only I could've done this and learned from the very letter that I addressed to myself... So many times you come across teens that "know" everything. Wait, I think that's all teens! And truth is, I probably wouldn't have even listened to myself. Reading Dear Teen Me brought up a very wide range of emotions. I found letters that I could cope with, letters containing mad humor, and letters with deep and heartfelt thoughts and su...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Alma Ramos-McDermott rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love the premise of this anthology. Well known, and not so well known, Young Adult authors write letters (including some comic strips) to their teen selves with photographs from their younger days. In their writings they remember loves won and lost, bully troubles, weight struggles, suicidal thoughts, fears of coming out, physical, mental and emotional abuse, as well as other hurts and indignities suffered by their teen selves.

Read the rest of my review at: http://shouldireaditornot.wordpress ...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to contribute to this anthology. I can't wait to read the other essays and am so grateful to be part of it!

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Oct 22, 2012 Erica rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was such a neat book to read. I can easily say this is my favorite anthology I've ever read. I loved reading all the different letters. I laughed, I cried, and sat there thinking "awwww" to some of them. This is one of those books I want to shove into the hands of some teens I know who are struggling, so they can see that things do get better and how some of the things that seem like the biggest deal in the world end up not being so or may even have a positive effect in the future. The page...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Carolyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Current and popular authors of fiction for young adults contributed letters written to themselves by looking back and giving advise to the struggling young people they once were. Some letters were amusing and others startling sad. One author had an eating disorder in her youth, another struggled with his realization that he is gay, and yet another was the unnoticed reader in the corner of the library. No matter what the issue, each leeter clearly meant much to the author who wrote it. I cannot i...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved getting to know each other more personally that I ever would. As the reader, you get into the depths of who the author was and who they became. Some struggled harder than others.

Reading each story is unique and totally different style of writing. I didn't read all of the authors stories only the ones I knew. I did skim a few authors I have not heard of and made a mental note to be sure to check those authors out.

Dear Teen Me is raw, real stories of the past coming to life in front of th...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Celine I Blog, You Read rated it 4 of 5 stars

Everyone needs to read this book! Buy it for the teen in your life, even if you’re not a teen I advise on buying this book for yourself and sharing it with friends. This will be the book that I will always recommend to teens, parents and teachers. When I read about the concept I thought it was interesting but when I received my advance copy I could not put it down. I forgot what it was like to be a teen and all the memories came flooding back. All the issues that my younger mind went through but...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, arc

Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.

Dear Teen Christina,

Life sucks right now, and, I'm not going to lie to you. High school is awful, but at least middle school is over, and, so far, that exists as the nadir of your life, and I hope that does not change (it hasn't yet). Also, in junior year, you'll make a friend, a real one, the kind of friend you'll still talk to when you're unspeakably old (aka 25). Also, teen self, you should know that your fantasies of showing up at your ten year reuni...more Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.

Dear Teen Christina,

Life sucks right now, and, I'm not going to lie to you. High school is awful, but at least middle school is over, and, so far, that exists as the nadir of your life, and I hope that does not change (it hasn't yet). Also, in junior year, you'll make a friend, a real one, the kind of friend you'll still talk to when you're unspeakably old (aka 25). Also, teen self, you should know that your fantasies of showing up at your ten year reunion incredibly hot and successful and falling in instalove with [insert one of the innumerable boys you crush on during high school] will not be coming true. Also, instalove is awful. Even in your daydreams, I expect better quality material, okay? Just know, young self, that it will get better.

There's a lot more that I could tell my teen self, because there's a lot that I've learned, even just to the extent of realizing how much I don't know. None of these authors had quite the same experience that I did, but a comment here and an embarrassing moment there spoke to me, just as others would to anyone who picks it up.

Robin Benway wrote one of my favorite letters in the anthology. Her second point begins, "High school stops mattering the second you graduate from it." This is both the truest and least accurate statement in here, I feel, and sort of sums everything up. All of these stories are people coming to terms with their middle school, high school or college experiences. In some stories, you can still feel the vitriol or the sadness, emotions still very close to the surface. These moments have a profound impact on your formation as a person. However, once I graduated from high school, I hardly looked back, and I barely remember a lot of it. The late nights frantically trying to produce a two-week science experiment in three days (you won't get a good grade on that one, self, but you weren't going to anyway) really just won't matter. And, if you don't want to, you won't ever have to see those people again.

At Decatur Book Festival, the moderator of a panel I attended made an observation that no authors of young adult fiction were popular in high school. Well, Dear Teen Me shows that this is not true. In fact, I'd say there's a pretty decent representation of different social cliques in here, although, unsurprisingly, the nerds do predominate. There are some cheerleaders, though, and at least one jock. I liked that, and getting a window into other people's high school experiences has a cathartic feeling to it, because no one had it easy. Growing up hurts.

Dear Teen Me is a brief volume, composed of short snippets, generally two to four pages long. About half of the authors go for silly self-mockery, giving an entertaining account of their teen awkwardness and playing for laughs. Most of the rest focus on a specific issue that will haunt their years, something dark and painful: eating disorders, self-harm, rape, abuse, grief over the loss of a loved one. The honesty of these stories and the bravery of the authors for putting that out there is incredible. A couple stories, sadly, didn't really say anything at all. These I did not approve of.

I whipped through Dear Teen Me in a single evening. For teenagers struggling with feeling at home in their own skin (aka all teenagers) or for those of us who still have some things from our teen years we need to get over, Dear Teen Me is a powerful read to help us feel just a little bit less alone. Also, you can see what all of the authors looked like in high school (in fact, Sean Beaudoin's letter will be all about his emo, artsy photograph), which I love. (less)

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Oct 06, 2012 Kimberly Russell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: wish-lists, net-galley, non-fiction

I love Dear Teen Me so much, and not just because they let me do an entry for them a couple of months ago. http://dearteenme.com/?p=3851

I think the premise is genius and I love that I get a little insight into my favorite authors. I am so happy I won this from Zest Books*! Thank you!

I really could have used this book as a teen. Seriously. There isn’t a single issue that I can think of that wasn’t address in this compilation of letters. Any issue a teen will be confronted with was spoken about. I...more

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About E. Kristin Anderson

E. Kristin Anderson grew up in Westbrook, Maine and is a graduate of Connecticut College. She has a fancy diploma that says “B.A. in Classics,” which makes her sound smart but has not helped her get any jobs in Ancient Rome. Once upon a time she worked for The New Yorker magazine, but she decided being a grown up just wasn’t for her. Currently living in Austin, Texas, Ms. Anderson is an assistant...more

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