Kelly Jensen's Blog, page 63

This Week at Book Riot & Elsewhere

 

It’s been a couple of weeks (maybe more?) since I’ve had a chance to sit down and round-up writing from Book Riot. Lots of girl-focused book round-ups in honor of Women’s History Month last month, and I have to say, doing those very focused “3 on a YA Theme” posts helped inspire really reworking and reinvigorating that series. All of those pieces include both fiction and nonfiction:

 

YA books about girls in the Labor Movement.

 

YA books about girls who are athletes.

 

YA books about girls who love and make art.

 

Because by now you all know how much I love Franz Kafka, I pooled my love into a round-up of great bookish goods featuring Kafka. Prepare for some puns.

 

I got to interview Jessamyn Stanley, one of the inspirations in my own yoga practice, about yoga, reading, books, and her brand-new book Every Body Yoga.

 

Dandelions on the covers of YA books.

 

Elsewhere around the web…

 

I wrote a piece on To Write Love On Her Arms about how practicing yoga has taught me to meet myself where I am when it comes to my mental health. It’s a piece I’m wildly proud of and am going to keep returning to on tough days, both on and off the mat.

 

I did an interview with School Library Journal about Here We Are.

 

And I also did an interview with Justine Magazine.

 

Heidi Stevens at The Chicago Tribune wrote this tremendous piece about Here We Are and feminism for young people.

 

Thanks to The Globe and Mail for this amazing review.

 

I got to be part of The Nerdette podcast, which was one of the most fun things ever (& I did it immediately after riding the Centennial Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier…my first time on a ferris wheel!). It was neat to see they paired my interview up with Roxane Gay’s!

 

Romper called Here We Are a necessary book for better understanding intersectional feminism.

 

A lovely review from Jera Brown at Rebellious Magazine.

 

I’d normally not include a post like PW’s YA feminism round-up here, but I’m interested in the other books mentioned in my book’s company, so it’s definitely worth looking at!

 

And finally, InStyle calls Here We Are one of the 24 most empowering feminist books. Neat!

Scientology: Two Book Reviews

I’ve been fascinated with Scientology for a while now, for a number of reasons:

I grew up without religion, which makes almost every religion a source of interest for me as an outsider;
There’s a huge Scientology church right by the University of Texas campus where I went to grad school;
It’s an American-founded religion;
It’s based on the writings of a science fiction author;
It’s intensely secretive and scandal-laden in a pretty awful way;
It’s so new compared to most other religions, meaning we are essentially witnessing its adolescent years. Will it manage to find a way into the mainstream, fade into obscurity, or remain a curiosity for most Americans (and others around the world)?

Whenever a new nonfiction title on Scientology is published, I tend to pick it up. By far the best is Lawrence Wright’s Going Clear, which was made into a (much too short) HBO documentary of the same name a few years ago. It remains the standard for journalistic, accurate (and quite damning) information on Scientology, its founder L. Ron Hubbard, and its current leaders, namely David Miscavige.

The two books I read recently differ from Wright’s account because they are first-person. In Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, Leah Remini (of the tv show The King of Queens) writes about her time as an actress in Hollywood, growing up in the church, and eventually leaving it. In Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me, Ron Miscavige writes about his own time in the church and his decision to leave it, with a focus on his son, David.

Of the two, Remini’s account is better written and more illuminating. I listened to both of these on audio, and Remini narrates hers herself, adding a lot of personality (she has a pretty strong New York accent). She was a second generation Scientologist who got into the church as a child after her mother started attending. She believed in it wholeheartedly for many years, but slowly grew disillusioned after she started to notice things that were off or outright harmful, including particularly bizarre encounters at Tom Cruise’s house and at his wedding to Katie Holmes. Remini may be best known Scientology-wise as the person who filed the missing person report for Shelly Miscavige, David’s wife, who hasn’t been seen in public in almost a decade.

Remini’s first-person account adds more to the Hollywood dimension of Scientology, and we also get a good feel for Remini’s personality. She writes about her career as an actress and her personal life outside of Scientology as well: how she landed her first roles and eventually was cast in The King of Queens, her affair with a married man who eventually became her husband, her thoughts on motherhood. While this kind of stuff probably won’t be the reason most people pick up her book, they’re still pretty interesting thanks to Remini’s off-the-cuff style.

Ron Miscavige’s book is less successful. His writing style is drier and more repetitive, but his life also just isn’t terribly interesting up until the point when he begins to talk about Scientology. He’s not necessarily a boring person, but his adventures during his childhood, marriage, and raising a family are all pretty normal, and they’re not buoyed by particularly good writing. The Scientology bits are definitely more engaging, but mainly they just made me sad. Ron writes that he decided to write this book when he discovered David had hired people to follow him after he had been out of the church for many years, and when those private investigators saw what they thought was Ron having a heart attack, David told them not to interfere, “if he dies, he dies.” Awful, yes, but worth writing an expose on your son?

I didn’t find Ron’s stories about David as a kid particularly insightful or illuminating. At one point, he writes that David may be a sociopath but he isn’t sure; this is something a reader could have gathered from any first-person account with David Miscavige, and Ron hasn’t had a first-person encounter with his son in many years anyway. Despite Ron’s blood relation to the most powerful person in Scientology, there was remarkably little new information in his book, and he references third parties extensively. It made me wonder if it was really worth it for Ron to write an entire book about how his son is awful. By all accounts David Miscavige is a worm (understatement), but maybe we didn’t need to hear that from his father. Then again, I was the one who chose to read the book.

What I did find interesting about Ron’s account is that he still believes Scientology holds a lot of truth and goodness, he just thinks the leadership has twisted it into something awful. This is not a perspective you usually get from an ex-Scientologist.

On The Radar: April

 

 

 

“On The Radar” is a monthly series meant to highlight between 9 and 12 books per month to fit a budget of roughly $300 or less. These lists are curated from a larger spreadsheet I keep with a running list of titles hitting shelves and are meant to reflect not only the big books coming out from authors readers know and love, but it’s also meant to showcase some of the titles that have hit my radar through review copies, publicity blasts, or because they’re titles that might otherwise not be readily seen or picked up through those traditional avenues. It’s part science and part art.

This month, I’m cheating a tiny bit. I’ve pulled 11 titles, a few from well-known authors and/or popular series, and a few that are debut authors whose books are making a splash already. I could have picked more, but if I’m being honest, I haven’t heard a whole lot of buzz for many of the titles this month. It’s likely part of that is me, but looking through the stacks of titles that I receive, April is not necessarily the big push month. May might be a different story!

Book descriptions come from Goodreads and reasons for putting on your radar are mine and mine alone! Titles are alphabetical, with pub dates beside them.

 

The Adjustment by Suzanne Young

Tatum Masterson never went through The Program. She never had her memory stripped, never had to fight to remain herself. But when Weston, her longtime boyfriend and love of her life, was taken by handlers, she hoped he’d remember her somehow—that their love would be strong enough.

It wasn’t.

Like all returners, Weston came back a blank canvas. The years he and Tatum spent together were forgotten, as well as the week when he mysteriously disappeared before The Program came for him.

Regardless of his memory loss, Tatum fights to get Weston to remember her. And just as they start to build a new love, they hear about the Adjustment—a new therapy that implants memories from a donor. Despite the risks, Tatum and Weston agree to go through the process. Tatum donates her memories from their time together.

But the problem with memories is that they are all a matter of perspective. So although Weston can now remember dating Tatum, his emotions don’t match the experiences. And this discrepancy is slowly starting to unravel him, worse than anything The Program could have done.

And as the truth of their life together becomes clear, Tatum will have to decide if she loves Weston enough to let him go, or to continue to live the lie they’d build together.

 

Why it should be on your radar: Suzanne Young’s “The Program” series continues to grow in popularity. It’ll be a sure bet for fans of the series, and I suspect we’ll be seeing more and more Young readers. Last week, on a trip to B&N, I saw a huge end cap display featuring the series. I think Young writes some of the most teen-friendly YA; her dialog and voice is so spot-on.

 

Alex and Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz

As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball.

Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.

 

Why it should be on your radar: With the ever-growing popularity of Hamilton, this is a no-brainer. But even beyond that, Melissa de la Cruz continues, too, to explode as a writer. She’s been in the YA world for a long time, but in the last couple of years, she’s been putting out more and more. I got not one, but two, finished copies of this title in my mail within a week and a handful of ARCs. This is a big-push title.

 

Bang by Barry Lyga

Sebastian Cody did something horrible, something no one–not even Sebastian himself–can forgive. At the age of four, he accidentally shot and killed his infant sister with his father’s gun.

Now, ten years later, Sebastian has lived with the guilt and horror for his entire life. With his best friend away for the summer, Sebastian has only a new friend–Aneesa–to distract him from his darkest thoughts. But even this relationship cannot blunt the pain of his past. Because Sebastian knows exactly how to rectify his childhood crime and sanctify his past.

It took a gun to get him into this.

Now he needs a gun to get out.

 

Why it should be on your radar: Barry Lyga writes books that appeal to teens, especially to those who like their books with action and adventure. This one comes with a side of sounding far more relevant to teen lives today than we’re likely comfortable with.

 

Defy The Stars by Claudia Gray

Noemi Vidal is a teen soldier from the planet Genesis, once a colony of Earth that’s now at war for its independence. The humans of Genesis have fought Earth’s robotic “mech” armies for decades with no end in sight.

After a surprise attack, Noemi finds herself stranded in space on an abandoned ship where she meets Abel, the most sophisticated mech prototype ever made. One who should be her enemy. But Abel’s programming forces him to obey Noemi as his commander, which means he has to help her save Genesis–even though her plan to win the war will kill him.

Together they embark on a daring voyage through the galaxy. Before long, Noemi begins to realize Abel may be more than a machine, and, for his part, Abel’s devotion to Noemi is no longer just a matter of programming.

 

Why it should be on your radar: Claudia Gray is taking on science fiction. Her name and reputation plus the need for more science fiction on YA shelves is reason enough. I’ve seen some good reviews for this one, and even though I don’t always pick up spec fic, this is one on my own radar to read.

 

Gem & Dixie by Sara Zarr

Gem has never known what it is to have security. She’s never known an adult she can truly rely on. But the one constant in her life has been Dixie. Gem grew up taking care of her sister when no one else could: not their mother, whose issues make it hard for her to keep food on the table; and definitely not their father, whose intermittent presence is the only thing worse than his frequent absence. Even as Gem and Dixie have grown apart, they’ve always had each other.

When their dad returns for the first time in years and tries to insert himself back into their lives, Gem finds herself with an unexpected opportunity: three days with Dixie, on their own in Seattle and beyond. But this short trip soon becomes something more, as Gem discovers that to save herself, she may have to sever the one bond she’s tried so hard to keep.

 

Why it should be on your radar: Perhaps the theme of this month’s “On the Radar” is “you know this author is a solid bet.” And I say the same for Sara Zarr and her newest book. This is a sister story, and while I didn’t think it’s her strongest, it’s a solid read and her long-time fans, as well as those seeking more solid contemporary YA, will find this a great read.

 

Legion by Julie Kagawa

Dragon hatchling Ember Hill was never prepared to find love at all–dragons do not suffer human emotions–let alone the love of a human and a former dragonslayer, at that. With ex-soldier Garret dying at her feet after sacrificing his freedom and his life to expose the deepest of betrayals, Ember knows only that nothing she was taught by dragon organization Talon is true. About humans, about rogue dragons, about herself and what she’s capable of doing and feeling.

In the face of great loss, Ember vows to stand with rogue dragon Riley against the dragon-slaying Order of St. George and her own twin brother Dante–the heir apparent to all of Talon, and the boy who will soon unleash the greatest threat and terror dragonkind has ever known.

Talon is poised to take over the world, and the abominations they have created will soon take to the skies, darkening the world with the promise of blood and death to those who refuse to yield.

 

Why it should be on your radar: Kagawa continues her “Talon” series with this fourth book. Again, the fanbase is there, and this fantasy series has been wildly popular since the beginning.

 

Mars One by Jonathan Maberry

Tristan has known that he and his family were going to be on the first mission to colonize Mars since he was twelve years old, and he has been training ever since. However, knowing that he would be leaving for Mars with no plan to return didn’t stop him from falling in love with Izzy.

But now, at sixteen, it’s time to leave Earth, and he’s forced to face what he must leave behind in exchange for an uncertain future. When the news hits that another ship is already headed to colonize Mars, and the NeoLuddite terrorist group begins threatening the Mars One project, the mission’s purpose is called into question. Is this all worth it?

 

Why it should be on your radar: Maberry is writing a book that’s not about zombies! More than that, though, and more than name recognition and genre hole-filling, this book already sold film rights and should be getting some big buzz in the coming months.

 

 

Royce Rolls by Margaret Stohl

Sixteen-year-old Bentley Royce seems to have it all: an actual Bentley, tuition to a fancy private school, lavish vacations, and everything else that comes along with being an LA starlet. But after five seasons on her family’s reality show, Rolling with the Royces, and a lifetime of dealing with her narcissistic sister, Porsche, media-obsessed mother, Mercedes, and somewhat clueless brother, Maybach, Bentley wants out. Luckily for her, without a hook for season six, cancellation is looming and freedom is nigh. With their lifestyle on the brink, however, Bentley’s family starts to crumble, and one thing becomes startlingly clear–without the show, there is no family. And since Bentley loves her family, she has to do the unthinkable–save the show. But when her future brother-in-law’s car goes over a cliff with both Bentley and her sister’s fianc inside-on the day of the big made-for-TV wedding, no less-things get real.

Really real. Like, not reality show real.

 

Why it should be on your radar: The answer could be Margaret Stohl, but the bigger answer for putting this one on the radar is it sounds funny. Like, funny on the side of ridiculous. Perhaps the kind of humor readers are really seeking right now. Likely the kind of book that would do well with readers who love the show UnReal.

 

 

Saint Death by Marcus Sedgwick

On the outskirts of Juarez, Arturo scrapes together a living working odd jobs and staying out of sight. But his friend Faustino is in trouble: he’s stolen money from the narcos to smuggle his girlfriend and her baby into the US, and needs Arturo’s help to get it back. To help his friend, Arturo must face the remorseless world of drug and human traffickers that surrounds him, and contend with a murky past.

Hovering over his story is the unsparing divinity Santa Muerte, Saint Death–and the relentless economic and social inequalities that haunt the border between Mexico and its rich northern neighbor.

 

Why it should be on your radar: The description of this one makes me a little leery, but with a name like Sedgwick attached, it’s going to get a lot of critical attention from the time it hits shelves through awards season. Likewise, books about border life are not as abundant as they should be and while Sedgwick as a Brit might not have the same on-the-ground knowledge others do, it’s likely he’s done enough work to tell a story worth that discussion.

 

 

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. If Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker, Reid. He’s a chubby Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him.

Right?

 

Why it should be on your radar: Albertalli’s debut, Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda got her on the radar of many readers. This book, I think, is quite a bit better. It features a well-written fat girl dealing with sexuality, relationships, and a complicated family. It’s diverse in the most realistic, teen manner, the dialog is funny, and it’s the kind of book you read and walk away feeling good.

 

 

 

What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K Arnold

When Nina Faye was fourteen, her mother told her there was no such thing as unconditional love. Nina believed her. Now Nina is sixteen. And she’ll do anything for the boy she loves, just to prove she’s worthy of him. But when he breaks up with her, Nina is lost. What is she if not a girlfriend? What is she made of?

Broken-hearted, Nina tries to figure out what the conditions of love are. She’s been volunteering at a high-kill animal shelter where she realizes that for dogs waiting to be adopted, love comes only to those with youth, symmetry, and quietness. She also ruminates on the strange, dark time her mother took her to Italy to see statues of saints who endured unspeakable torture because of their unquestioning devotion to the divine. Is this what love is?

 

Why it should be on your radar: Arnold’s Infandous was a wildly underrated YA a few years ago, and I have a feeling this book, which sounds like it will look at many of the things that Erica Lorraine Scheidt’s Uses For Boys, will generate a lot of discussion. I haven’t read it quite yet, but I know it’ll be a tightly written, feminist, literary romp that is unafraid to go dark and cut deep. In light of the other reads on this list, I knew I needed to include something very different, and this is the winner.

 

Fairy Tale Retellings of 2017

Fairy tale retellings are still going strong in YA, and I’ve not gotten tired of them yet (nor have my patrons). This year I’ve noticed more contemporary realistic stories without magic, more LGBTQ stories, more stories told from the villain’s point of view, and more mish-mashes of fairy tales, whether in a short story collection or a single story that involves multiple different fairy tales.

In order to keep this list under control, I’ve pretty narrowly defined “fairy tale retelling” to mean older stories where the exact provenance is unknown (with the exception of Hans Christian Andersen). These are stories that spring from cultural legends and traditional stories passed down over generations. Basically, you won’t find re-workings of stories like The Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland or Shakespeare here.

Beheld by Alex Flinn (January 10)

Kendra, a witch, meets James, another witch, in Salem, Massachusetts during the Salem Witch Trials, and he rescues her. This is the story of the three hundred years Kendra spends looking for James, while helping those around her find love. (WorldCat) | multiple fairy tales

Drawn Away by Holly Bennett (January 17)

One minute Jack’s in math class. The next, he’s on a dark, cobblestoned, empty street. Empty, that is, except for a skinny girl wrapped in a threadbare shawl. “Matches, mister?” she asks, and just like that, Jack’s life collides with one of Hans Christian Andersen’s grimmest tales. And just when he has almost convinced himself it was just a weird dream, it happens again. Suddenly, Jack’s ideas about what is “real” or “possible” no longer apply.

While he and his new girlfriend, Lucy, struggle to understand who or what the Match Girl is, they come to realize they must also find a way to keep Jack away from her. The Match Girl is not just a sad, lonely soul; she’s dangerous. And each time Jack is drawn into her gray, solitary world, she becomes stronger, more alive…and more attached to Jack. She wants to keep Jack for her very own, even if that means he will die. (Goodreads) | The Little Match Girl

The Wish Granter by C. J. Redwine (February 14)

In this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, follow the adventures of Ari, an illegitimate princess who, in an effort to escape her twin brother’s fate, trains to be a fighter so that she can defeat an evil wish granter. (WorldCat) | Rumpelstiltskin

Hunted by Meagan Spooner (March 14)

Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them.

So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance. (Goodreads) | Beauty and the Beast

Geekerella by Ashley Poston (April 4)

Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again? (Goodreads) | Cinderella

Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer (April 11)

Half sisters Isabelle and Aurora are polar opposites: Isabelle is the king’s headstrong illegitimate daughter, whose sight was tithed by faeries; Aurora, beautiful and sheltered, was tithed her sense of touch and her voice on the same day. Despite their differences, the sisters have always been extremely close. And then everything changes, with a single drop of Aurora’s blood–and a sleep so deep it cannot be broken.

As the faerie queen and her army of Vultures prepare to march, Isabelle must race to find a prince who can awaken her sister with the kiss of true love and seal their two kingdoms in an alliance against the queen. Isabelle crosses land and sea; unearthly, thorny vines rise up the palace walls; and whispers of revolt travel in the ashes on the wind. The kingdom falls to ruin under layers of snow. Meanwhile, Aurora wakes up in a strange and enchanted world, where a mysterious hunter may be the secret to her escape . . . or the reason for her to stay. (Goodreads) | Sleeping Beauty

My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen by David Clawson (May 2)

Chris Bellows is just trying to get through high school and survive being the only stepchild in the social-climbing Fontaine family, whose recently diminished fortune hasn’t dimmed their desire to mingle with Upper East Side society. Chris sometimes feels more like a maid than part of the family. But when Chris’s stepsister Kimberly begins dating golden boy J. J. Kennerly, heir to a political dynasty, everything changes. Because Chris and J. J. fall in love . . . with each other.

With the help of a new friend, Coco Chanel Jones, Chris learns to be comfortable in his own skin, let himself fall in love and be loved, and discovers that maybe he was wrong about his step-family all along. All it takes is one fairy godmother dressed as Diana Ross to change the course of his life. (Goodreads) | Cinderella

The Seafarer’s Kiss by Julia Ember (May 4)

Having long-wondered what lives beyond the ice shelf, nineteen-year-old mermaid Ersel learns of the life she wants when she rescues and befriends Ragna, a shield-maiden stranded on the mermen’s glacier. But when Ersel’s childhood friend and suitor catches them together, he gives Ersel a choice: say goodbye to Ragna or face justice at the hands of the glacier’s brutal king.

Determined to forge a different fate, Ersel seeks help from Loki. But such deals are never as one expects, and the outcome sees her exiled from the only home and protection she’s known. To save herself from perishing in the barren, underwater wasteland and be reunited with the human she’s come to love, Ersel must try to outsmart the God of Lies. (Goodreads) | The Little Mermaid

It Started With Goodbye by Christina June (May 9)

Sixteen-year-old Tatum Elsea is bracing for the worst summer of her life. After being falsely accused of a crime, she’s stuck under stepmother-imposed house arrest and her BFF’s gone ghost. Tatum fills her newfound free time with community service by day and working at her covert graphic design business at night (which includes trading emails with a cute cello-playing client). When Tatum discovers she’s not the only one in the house keeping secrets, she finds she has the chance to make amends with her family and friends. Equipped with a new perspective, and assisted by her feisty step-abuela-slash-fairy-godmother, Tatum is ready to start fresh and maybe even get her happy ending along the way. (Goodreads) | Cinderella

Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy edited by Ameriie (July 11)

In this unique YA anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors team up with thirteen influential BookTubers to reimagine fairy tales from the oft-misunderstood villains’ points of view. These fractured, unconventional spins on classics like “Medusa,” Sherlock Holmes, and “Jack and the Beanstalk” provide a behind-the-curtain look at villains’ acts of vengeance, defiance, and rage–and the pain, heartbreak, and sorrow that spurned them on. No fairy tale will ever seem quite the same again! (Goodreads) | multiple fairy tales

Venturess by Betsy Cornwell (August 1)

Young inventor Nicolette Lampton is living her own fairy tale happy ending. She’s free of her horrible step-family, running a successful business, and is uninterested in marrying the handsome prince, Fin. Instead, she, Fin, and their friend Caro venture to the lush land of Faerie, where they seek to put an end to the bloody war their kingdom is waging. Mechanical armies and dark magic await them as they uncover devastating secrets about the past and fight for a real, lasting happily-ever-after for two troubled countries—and for themselves. (Goodreads) | Cinderella

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust (September 5)

A feminist reimagining of the Snow White fairy tale, which follows both of the central female characters from the original story: the princess and her stepmother. (Goodreads) | Snow White

Piper by Jay Asher, Jessica Freeburg, and Jeff Stokely (October 31)

Long ago, in a small village in the middle of a deep, dark forest, there lived a lonely, deaf girl named Maggie. Shunned by her village because of her disability, her only comfort comes from her vivid imagination. Maggie has a gift for inventing stories and dreams of one day finding her fairy-tale love.

When Maggie meets the mysterious Piper, it seems that all her wishes are coming true. Spellbound, Maggie falls hard for him and plunges headfirst into his magical world. But as she grows closer to the Piper, Maggie discovers that he has a dark side. The boy of Maggie’s dreams might just turn out to be her worst nightmare. (Goodreads) | The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao (October 10)

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng’s majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins–sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute. (Goodreads) | Snow White

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning (October)

Pitched as the never-before-told origin story of the sea witch from Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” told in the vein of Wicked – from the villainess’s point of view. (Goodreads) | The Little Mermaid

The Midnight Dance by Nikki Katz (October 17)

Penny is a dancer at the Grande Teatro, a finishing school where she and 11 other young women are training to become the finest ballerinas in Italy. Tucked deep into the woods, the school is overseen by the mysterious and handsome young Master who keeps the girls ensconced in the estate and in the only life Penny has ever known.

When new memories appear, showing a life very different from the one she thought she’d been leading, Penny begins to question the Grand Teatro and the motivations of the Master. With the sweet kitchen boy, Cricket, at her side, Penny vows to escape the confines of her school and the strict rules that dictate every step she takes. But at every turn, the Master finds a way to stop her, and Penny must find a way to escape the school and uncover the secrets of her past before it’s too late. (Goodreads) | The Twelve Dancing Princesses

The Emerald Circus by Jane Yolen (November)

A young woman trapped in Never Never Land leads a strike due to the unfair labor practices of the Lost Boys. A young girl is blown away from Kansas and returns as a sophisticated woman with unusual gymnastic abilities. While forging an extraordinary sword, a talented apprentice falters and is left to the mercies of Merlin. Poor Alice’s nemesis has fearsome jaws and claws, but it also lacks essential qualities—like a sense of humor. Enter the Emerald Circus and be astonished by the transformations of your favorite tales. (Goodreads) | multiple fairy tales

Bonus 2018 Title:

Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge by Lisa Jensen (March 2018)

They say Château Beaumont is cursed. But servant-girl Lucie can’t believe such foolishness about handsome Jean-Loup Henri Christian LeNoir, Chevalier de Beaumont, master of the estate. The chevalier’s cruelty is soon revealed, however, and Lucie vows to see him suffer. A wisewoman grants her wish, with a spell that transforms Jean-Loup into monstrous-looking Beast, reflecting the monster he is inside.

But Beast is nothing like the chevalier. Jean-Loup would never patiently tend his roses; Jean-Loup would never attempt poetry; Jean-Loup would never express remorse for the wrong done to Lucie. Gradually, Lucie realizes that Beast is an entirely different creature from the handsome chevalier, with a heart more human than Jean-Loup’s ever was. Lucie dares to hope that noble Beast has permanently replaced the cruel Jean-Loup — until an innocent beauty arrives at Beast’s château with the power to break the spell. (Goodreads) | Beauty and the Beast

“The Girl” In The Title

No one denies that “The Girl” or “A Girl” or “The Girls” in book titles are a thing and have been a thing for a while. But what hasn’t been done, at least not that I’ve seen, is a big list of those particular titles.

In honor of a trend I am hoping goes away because it offers no insight to a story. While it’s not the authorial intent when such a title is selected (and note, often, especially in YA, authors don’t choose their titles), such a bland word makes girls’ stories all blend together to the point they’re indistinguishable. To the point the individuality of female characters are denied, sometimes, entirely.

It’s time to make a list.

Here are the parameters: the titles need to include “the girl” or “a girl” or “girls” in some capacity. I pulled the titles from Goodreads YA book lists starting with this year’s 2017 titles and working back to 2014, when the trend really began picking up steam. I’ve left out book titles where “girl” is an extension in a subtitle, so, Gabi, A Girl in Pieces doesn’t count because we know exactly who the girl in question is.

And I’m putting them in a straight list by title and without author. Without descriptions, how many of books call out to you? How many would you race to pick up if you knew nothing about them? How many would you pick up without an author name attached? How many would confuse you to no end?

It’s my hope that by seeing how abundant this is, it also becomes clear how and why it’s a problematic trend and one that many of us are eager to see go away. In isolation and by individual titles, there’s not really anything worth noting. But just reading down this list of titles, well, it’s hard not to have a long pause.

Girls are objects.

Enjoy!

 

2017:

A Map for Wrecked Girls
A Psalm for Lost Girls
Brave New Girl
Girl Out of Water
The November Girl
Lost Girls
The Gallery of Unfinished Girls
Fat Girl on a Plane
The Girl With The Red Balloon
Girls Made of Snow and Glass
Who’s That Girl?
Nowhere Girls
Girl On The Verge
Just Another Girl
Just A Girl
The Hollow Girl
The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die
Beautiful Broken Girls
A Short History of the Girl Next Door
Dead Little Mean Girl
What Girls Are Made Of
Lucky Girl
Such A Good Girl
Neighborhood Girls
Factory Girl
Rosie Girl
The Football Girl
The Hanging Girl
Girls Can’t Hit
The Girl Between
Things A Bright Girl Can Do

 

 

2016:

Girl Against The Universe
The Girl From Everywhere
The Girl Who Fell
Dead Girls Society
If I Was Your Girl
I’m Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl
The Last Boy and Girl In The World
Girl Last Seen
Genesis Girl
Girl in Pieces
Shattered Girls
Girl in the Blue Coat
Beware That Girl
Girl Mans Up
American Girls
The Marked Girl
Nice Girls Endure
Any Other Girl
Scar Girl
Good Girls Don’t Lie
The Girl I Used To Be
Girls Like Me
The Girl In The Picture
Girl About Town
The Girl in a Coma
Girls In The Moon
Local Girl Swept Away
Tragedy Girl
Songs About A Girl
The Art of Picking Up Girls

 

 

2015:

Vanishing Girls
The Girl at Midnight
Jesse’s Girl
Slasher Girls & Monster Boys
Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls
Conspiracy Girl
A School for Unusual Girls
The Good Girls
Weird Girl and What’s His Name
Honey Girl
Othergirl
The Girl at the Center of the World
Material Girls
Girl of Shadow
The Lost Girls
A Girl’s Story
The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall
Girl Online On Tour
Those Girls
About A Girl
Gypsy Girl
Red Girl, Blue Boy
The Guy, The Girl, The Artist, and His Ex
Girl Online
Strange Girl
Boarding School Girls
A Girl Undone
Burn Girl
The Hired Girl
Girl At The Bottom of the Sea
Girl On A Plane
Hollowgirl

 

 

2014

The Girl From The Well
The Almost Girl
The Girl With The Windup Heart
A Girl Called Fearless
The Girl Who Never Was
Girl In Reverse
Mafia Girl
Push Girl
The Vanishing Girl
Girl Nevermore
Dead Girls Walking
Two Girls Staring At The Ceiling
Girl Defective
Girls Like Us
Lost Girl Found
Girl On A Wire
Running Girl

 

Young Readers’ Editions of Novels

Young readers’ editions (usually for teens or tweens) of adult nonfiction titles are pretty common, and run the gamut from mediocre knock-offs to standouts that improve on the originals. What haven’t been particularly common are young readers’ editions of novels – until now, perhaps? In my collection management duties, I’ve come across three recently that may signal a trend. What do you think – are these worthwhile, or are they simply failed attempts to extend the life of bestsellers that are now fading in popularity?

The Da Vinci Code (the Young Adult Adaptation) by Dan Brown

Y’all, I still really love this book. I never got into any of his other novels featuring Robert Langdon, but I’ve re-read this one a few times and I think it holds up. It’s a fun thriller, a superb page-turner, and I’m always befuddled by people who trash it for featuring a conspiracy plotline that is obviously untrue. It’s a novel, not a treatise on religion.

That said, is a teen adaptation really necessary? There’s no content in the original unsuitable for teens (a bit of sex, but it’s glossed over; no explicit violence; not much swearing that I can recall, if any). There are other things that could be done to make the story more appealing (vs. suitable) for teen readers, such as somehow making a teen the protagonist, but I don’t think that would necessarily add anything, and this book was so huge I think teens would want to read the original anyway. The language certainly doesn’t need to be dumbed down any – not to say that it’s dumb already, that’s just never a good way to reach teenagers generally.

The publisher marketing says this new edition “includes over twenty color photos showing important locations, landmarks, and artwork, taking readers from Paris to London and beyond,” which may help teen readers better contextualize the action of the story, particularly if they’re unfamiliar with some of the locations or artwork mentioned. But this sort of thing is helpful for adult readers too. Our five copies have circulated 16 times since they were added in November 2016.

Cradle and All by James Patterson

At first this appeared to be simply a reissue of the book for the YA market with no changes, much like Tor did with Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series a few years ago. It’s published under James Patterson’s youth imprint, Jimmy Patterson, and includes an excerpt from one of the first YA titles from that line, Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, which makes me think the reissue is mainly a marketing tool for the Jimmy Patterson line of YA books. The book was originally published in 1980 under the title Virgin, but renamed Cradle and All in 2000, still published for the adult market. The teen edition has a new cover, but the publisher marketing is the same as for the 2000 edition. The new cover doesn’t even state that it’s a young readers edition anywhere.

It has an ensemble cast of characters, two of whom are teenagers (not a requirement for a YA novel, but a general rule). The main investigator and the first person POV character, however, is an adult. A couple of the Goodreads reviews indicate this edition has a few changes from the adult edition, such as this one which states “It was a much quicker read than the ‘adult’ version” and this one which states “tweeting and social media play a part in this story now.” But since the publisher blurb is identical to the adult edition, it’s hard to really tell what changes have been made – just updates to make it more contemporary, or more significant changes to make it more appealing to teens? Our 11 copies have circulated 23 times so far since they were added in November 2016.

Orphan Train Girl by Christina Baker Kline

Out May 2, this is a young readers’ edition of Kline’s bestselling Orphan Train. This is the first of the young readers’ editions of adult novels I’ve seen that actually changes the title, rather than just appending “young readers’ edition” or something similar to it. Thankfully, the publisher marketing explicitly addresses the ways in which this edition differs from the adult edition: “Adapted and condensed for a young audience, Orphan Train Girl includes an author’s note and archival photos from the orphan train era.” So it’s basically shorter and has a couple extras. The cover uses the same basic design as the adult edition, which makes sense, since it features a young girl.

I actually think this may be well-suited to a young readers’ edition since a teenage (or perhaps pre-teen) girl is one of the two main characters in the original, and the relationship between her and the 91-year-old woman she meets while forced to do community service is the central plotline (and the novel explores the older woman’s childhood as well). So shifting the focus to the young girl’s thoughts and feelings may indeed breathe new life into this novel for younger readers. HarperCollins is publishing this version for the middle grade market, ages 8-12.

 

 

 

Piper Perish by Kayla Cagan: A Slice of Life of a Young Artist (Giveaway!)

After last week’s non-stop fun, let’s take this week to recalibrate.

I’ve found myself slowing down in my reading. I was going at a really fast speed for the first couple of months of the year, but as soon as March hit, it’s almost like everything in my life decided to grind to a halt. I’ve picked up some light reading, the kind of self-help/self-comfort stuff that’s primarily list-based, with no narrative structure, that’s given me the freedom to bounce around. And while that’s been nice, I do miss sinking into a book and hope when this month of travel and talking — which I’ve loved! — comes to an end, I can curl up with a pile of novels.

That said, one of the more recent titles I’ve finished is Kayla Cagan’s debut Piper Perish. It’s not really the kind of book worthy of an in-depth review here. That’s not because it’s not good or that it’s bad. It’s a slice-of-life story, set over the course of a school year, about a girl who learns how to navigate shifting friendships, shifting romances, and the possibility of leaving home in Houston, Texas, for the dream life she’s always wanted in New York City.

The book is set up diary-style, so everything that we know comes straight from Piper’s perspective. For many readers, this can be jarring in the sense that Piper does and says things that are mean and hurtful; to her, though, they aren’t. They’re her reality and because the book’s purpose is to give us her view from the inside, it’s going to be that way. There are times, for example, where the budget challenges her family faces come off as non-issues to her, and that things like getting a summer job to help save for college are things she thinks are silly. But, and I speak from experience as well as from the experiences I know of others, this tends to be a perfect example of life as a 17-year-old who is ready to get out of town.

Perhaps one of the places in the book where Piper’s voice has been a challenge for many readers (if it’s not obvious, I’ve read many reader reviews of this one with fascination!) is where it comes to her sister. Her sister, who was away in her first year of college, finds herself pregnant and having to move back home. There is a lot of sibling rivalry between them, as there had been for years. But with the change in family situation and her sister’s need to live at home has a drastic effect on Piper’s future. Money is one of the challenges. The other is that Piper dislikes — HATES — her sister’s boyfriend and as the book progresses, it becomes clear why that’s the case.

My only concern about the book is its length, as I think it might be a turnoff to some readers, even though this is a story they will be familiar with and that might resonate with them. Being on that cusp of freedom and feeling the ropes that hold you back is something many teens at that 16, 17, 18 feel. I do think, though, the readers who pick this up despite the length will find, like I did, that it’s a quick read, in part because of the format. Piper writes her diary in fun, non-linear ways that allow the reader to really understand how her artistic brain works.

Piper Perish is an excellent read to hand to fans of Susan Juby’s The Truth Commission, as well as readers who cannot get enough of Amy Spalding — the humor in Cagan’s debut is on par with both of those authors and so is the way that art is treated as an important, imperative part of many teen lives. Cagan includes a bisexual character who plays a big role in the story, and it’s also fair in depicting a variety of races and ethnicities among Piper’s friends and classmates in an arts school in Houston.

If you’re curious, you can read an excerpt of the book here to get a sense of the tone and humor.

 

 

I’ve got a copy of the book available for one lucky US reader who’d like one. In addition to the book, this giveaway is complete with a fun tote bag and bookmark. To enter, fill out the form below, and I’ll pick a winner on or around April 3.

 

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Girls Can Be Anything: Guest Post from Megan McCafferty for #HereWeAre

 

Today’s guest post for “About The Girls”/#HereWeAre is from one of my long-time favorite authors, from wayyy back into my own teen hood: Megan McCafferty!

 

 

Megan McCafferty has written about adolescence for two decades. The author of of ten novels, she’s best known for the Jessica Darling series. She’s currently adapting SLOPPY FIRSTS into a stage play that will debut in spring 2018.

 

 

 

____________________

I was a 10-year-old Junior Girl Scout in 1983. It was my second year with the organization and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stick around for a third. At my young age I was already wary of any group that required conformity, especially the form of an actual uniform. And I hated knocking on strangers’ doors to sell Thin Mints and Samoas. What was the point of sticking with Scouts when my sash would always have more blank space than badges?

I liked our Troop Leader though. Mrs. Henderson was the divorced-and-remarried mom of Kim Hartmann, my only friend with a different last name from her parents. I liked Mrs. Henderson mostly because she bought Kim a copy of FOREVER… and let her daughter read it even after she discovered it was all about sexy sexy sex.

Still, I was pretty determined to de-enlist from the Scouts when Mrs. Henderson made an exciting announcement at our weekly meeting.

“Troop 10 is participating in a show! On stage! In front of an audience!”

I loved being in shows! On stage! In front of an audience!

The theme of the show was “Singing and Dancing Through the Decades” and each Troop was randomly assigned a specific time period to celebrate in skit, song and dance. I wasn’t much of a dancer, but I was one hell of a singer/actress double threat. No 10-year-old Annie wannabe could out-vibrato me.  For a blissful ten seconds, I imagined myself at center stage… I was the 30s in a red dress and curly wig singing “Tomorrow.” I was the 40s in a swingy skirt and army cap harmonizing all three Andrews sisters’ parts in “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” I was the 1950s in a Pink Ladies jacket, belting Rizzo’s tour de force “There Are Worse Things I Can Do.” Nevermind that my historical references were mostly anachronistic and all from movie musicals. For the first time since I put on my Junior green beret, I was excited to be a Scout.

This excitement lasted for about five seconds, when Mrs. Henderson informed us that Troop 10 would present the E.R.A. era.

The what what?

“The Equal Rights Amendment era.”

I had no idea what this was. And if I didn’t know, none of us did.

Mrs. Henderson devoted the rest of the meeting trying to convince us of the great entertainment value to be mined from second-wave feminism of the early 1970s. And the more we heard about inequality, Congress and constitutional amendments, the less enthusiastic we all were. Mrs. Henderson, however, remained optimistic.

“One of you will be the first female President of the United States!”

“In the show?” I asked.

I knew a juicy part when I heard it.

“In the show! And in real life!”

Mrs. Henderson lost me again.

A few years earlier, my beloved first grade teacher Mrs. Mohr had introduced me to the book GIRLS CAN BE ANYTHING by Norma Klein.* In it, six-year-old kindergartner Marina pushes back against her boysplaining best friend Adam. He says she can’t be a doctor (she can be a nurse!) or a pilot (she can be a stewardess!) or President of the United States (she can be his wife!). Marina isn’t having any of this sexist nonsense. If other countries elected Golda Maier and Margaret Thatcher, why couldn’t the United States elect Marina? I loved the book but was disappointed by the realization that it was probably already too late for Marina and for me. I did the math: I’d turn 35 years old just in time for the 2008 election. Surely the first female President would be elected before then.

Mrs. Henderson needed me on her side. If I didn’t muster any enthusiasm for the ERA era, no girl in the Troop would.

“Why are we making big deal about girls being able to do all the same stuff as boys?” I asked her. “This E.R.A. stuff should have been settled a million years ago already.”

“You’re right, but it’s not.” Mrs. Henderson said. “And until it is? We keep making a big deal.”

Mrs. Henderson’s vision was simple, maybe even inspired by Klein’s book. All girls in Troop 10 would dress up as just a few of the many jobs women could do as well as men. We had a doctor and a pilot, as well as a construction worker, a teacher, a scientist and a mother. We held a special vote to determine who would be Troop 10’s First Female President of the United States.

I won the election in a landslide.

On show day, I dressed in a wool blazer and pleated skirt. The outfit was itchy and uncomfortable but commanded respect. I wore it that one time and never again. I marched in circles holding a poster saying “VOTE FOR MEGAN FOR PRESIDENT AND VOTE FOR ERA.” It wasn’t as glamorous as the razzle-dazzle song-and-dance numbers in my head, but I was proud to be chosen by my peers to represent the most powerful person in the world. I couldn’t help but wonder about the girl out there somewhere who would eventually grow up to be the real first female President of the United States.

I still wonder about that girl.

And until we know who she is, I guess we all need to keep making a big deal.

 

 

*Norma Klein deserves her own post. She wrote groundbreaking YA books throughout the 70s and 80s featuring fiercely feminist teenage girls who had lots and lots of sex with–and sometimes without–consequences. She died at 50 in 1989, a premature end that perhaps explains why she isn’t worshipped on the same scale as her kick-ass contemporary, The Goddess Judy Blume. All of Klein’s books are out of print.

Monthly Giving: International Refugee Assistance Project

This month, in the wake of the Muslim Ban 2.0, I decided to give to the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). IRAP “organizes law students and lawyers to develop and enforce a set of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons.” Along with the ACLU, CAIR, and other organizations, IRAP has been “on the front lines of the fight against the discriminatory executive order” and continues to fight it in its new iteration. They also make available a valuable document, Know Your Rights, for those affected by either of these travel bans. If you haven’t yet made a charitable contribution this month and can afford to do so, I urge you to consider IRAP.

For reading material about refugees, first head over to Kelly’s post from late 2015 featuring middle grade and YA fiction about refugees. Because Kelly did such an excellent and thorough job in that post, the book list here will be a bit shorter and highlight nonfiction, picture books, and new middle grade/YA fiction. Links lead to Goodreads and synopses are from WorldCat.

Nonfiction

The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey by Louise Borden

In 1940, Hans and Margret Rey fled their Paris home as the German army advanced. They began their harrowing journey on bicycles, pedaling to Southern France with children’s book manuscripts, including what would become the international sensation “Curious George,” among their few possessions. This is their dramatic story.

Children of War: Voices of Iraqi Refugees by Deborah Ellis

Provides interviews with twenty-three young Iraqi children who have moved away from their homeland and tells of their fears, challenges, and struggles to rebuild their lives in foreign lands as refugees of war.

Adrift at Sea: A Vietnamese Boy’s Story of Survival by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch with Tuan Ho, art by Brian Deines

Tuan and his family survive bullets, a broken motor, and a leaking boat in the long days they spend at sea after fleeing Vietnam. A true story as told to the author by Tuan Ho. Includes family photographs and a historical note about the Vietnamese refugee crisis.

Next Round: A Young Athlete’s Journey to Gold by John Spray

Arthur Biyarslanov’s journey to competitive boxing has been full of obstacles. As a young Muslim refugee, he fled with his family from Chechnya and eventually landed in Toronto where he became the “Chechen Wolf,” a school-aged soccer star. A broken leg interrupted his soccer career and he took up boxing, only to find that it was his greatest love. Now a gold medal winner at the 2015 Pan Am Games, the talented boxer will be on a quest for the ultimate gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town by Warren St. John

Shares the inspirational story of a youth soccer team comprised of refugees from around the world who, under the guidance of a formidable female coach, helped to transform their Georgia community.

Picture Books

My Beautiful Birds by Suzanne Del Rizzo

Behind Sami, the Syrian skyline is full of smoke. The boy follows his family and all his neighbors in a long line, as they trudge through the sands and hills to escape the bombs that have destroyed their homes. But all Sami can think of is his pet pigeons–will they escape too?

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey by Margriet Ruurs, artwork by Nizar Ali Badr

A girl called Rama describes how life changed as conditions got worse in her small town in Syria, and how she and her family finally escaped, undergoing many hardships along the way.

The Journey by Francesca Sanna

What is it like to have to leave everything behind and travel many miles to somewhere unfamiliar and strange? A mother and her two children set out on such a journey; one filled with fear of the unknown, but also great hope. Based on her interactions with people forced to seek a new home, and told from the perspective of a young child, Francesca Sanna has created a beautiful and sensitive book that is full of significance for our time.

Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Eight-year-old Garang, orphaned by a civil war in Sudan, finds the inner strength to help lead other boys as they trek thousands of miles seeking safety in Ethiopia, then Kenya, and finally in the United States.

Middle Grade Fiction

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Two refugee brothers from Mongolia are determined to fit in with their Liverpool schoolmates, but bring so much of Mongolia to Bootle that their new friend and guide, Julie, is hard-pressed to know truth from fantasy as she recollects a wonderful friendship that was abruptly ended when Chingis and his family were forced to return to Mongolia.

The Only Road by Alexandra Diaz

Twelve-year-old Jaime makes the treacherous journey from his home in Guatemala to his older brother in New Mexico after his cousin is murdered by a drug cartel.

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

Subhi’s contained world as a refugee in an Australian permanent detention center rapidly expands when Jimmie arrives on the other side of the fence and asks him to read her late mother’s stories to her.

Young Adult Fiction

The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah (May 9)

Michael’s parents are leaders of a new anti-immigrant political party called Aussie Values which is trying to halt the flood of refugees from the Middle East; Mina fled Afghanistan with her family ten years ago, and just wants to concentrate on fitting in and getting into college–but the mutual attraction they feel demands that they come to terms with their family’s concerns and decide where they stand in the ugly anti-Muslim politics of the time.

City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

Sixteen-year-old Tina and two friends leave Kenya and slip into the Congo, from where she and her mother fled years before, seeking revenge for her mother’s murder but uncovering startling secrets.

Lost Girl Found by Leah Bassoff and Laura DeLuca

For Poni, life in her small village in southern Sudan is simple and complicated at the same time. But then the war comes and there is only one thing for Poni to do. Run. Run for her life. Driven by the sheer will to survive and the hope that she can somehow make it to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, Poni sets out on a long, dusty trek across the east African countryside with thousands of refugees.

Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba by Margarita Engle

Escaping from Nazi Germany to Cuba in 1939, a young Jewish refugee dreams of finding his parents again, befriends a local girl with painful secrets of her own, and discovers that the Nazi darkness is never far away.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

As World War II draws to a close, refugees try to escape the war’s final dangers, only to find themselves aboard a ship with a target on its hull.

Hold Tight, Don’t Let Go by Laura Rose Wagner

Magdalie’s entire life changes in an instant. One minute, she’s an ordinary fifteen-year-old schoolgirl who lives with her aunt and cousin, Nadine, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The next minute – after the earthquake hits – her aunt, her home, and her plans for school are all gone.

Out of the Dragon’s Mouth by Joyce Burns Zeiss

After the fall of South Vietnam, fourteen-year-old Mai is forced to flee to a refugee camp on an island off the coast of Malaysia, where she must navigate numerous hardships while waiting to be sponsored for entry into America.

“I Push That Voice Down”: Lilliam Rivera on Body Image & Appearance for Latinas #HereWeAre

 

Welcome to the week-long celebration of feminism! This series, which began its life as “About The Girls,” has expanded this year to highlight broader issues of feminism and social justice. Guest writers are sharing their insights into their own life and writing experiences with feminism.

Today, we welcome Lilliam Rivera, author of the recently-released YA title The Education of Margot Sanchez, to talk about clothing, the Latina body, and more.

 

Lilliam Rivera is an award-winning writer and author of The Education of Margot Sanchez, a contemporary young adult novel available now from Simon & Schuster. Recently named a “2017 Face to Watch” by the Los Angeles Times, Lilliam’s work has appeared in Tin House, Los Angeles Times, and Latina, to name a few. She lives in Los Angeles with her family where she’s completing her second novel.

 

 

____________________

 

“They say I’m a beast.

And feast on it. When all along

I thought that’s what a woman was.”

“Loose Woman” by Sandra Cisneros

 

Mami tells me to cover up. The oversized t-shirt I wear reaches just above my knees. It’s early Saturday morning and I’m ready to sink in to some Saturday morning cartoons but apparently that’s not going to be the case.

“Put something decent on,” she says.

I glance over to the kitchen. My younger brother sits at our kitchen table, loudly slurping the milk from his bowl of cereal. He wears a t-shirt and boxers, his regular pajamas. I look down at what I’m wearing. We’re dressed fairly similar. I can’t find a difference.

“But I’m not going anywhere right now,” I say. “I’m having breakfast.”

Mami shakes her head.

I reluctantly go to my bedroom and put on jogging pants and a bra. The message my mother was sending was clear: My body is meant to be hidden. Exposing my legs and not wearing bra, even to my own family, was considered wrong. Even in an innocent shirt, I was projecting some sort of sexual overture. I’m twelve years old.

Mami is a very soft-spoken person. She rarely yells. When she tells me to do something I usually do as she says. At that time, I didn’t have the words to form a valid argument on why I should be allowed to relax in my home like my brother. Instead I was left with this deep feeling that somehow my body was dangerous and dirty.

According to a study conducted by Brandon L. Velez, Irma D. Campos, and Bonnie Moradi in regards to the relations of sexual objectification and racist discrimination with Latina’s body image, “greater internalization may lead women to self objectify by focusing on how their body appears to others rather than on how it feels or what it can do.” The study continues to state, “Self-objectification manifests behaviorally as body surveillance, or habitual monitoring of one’s appearance.”

Throughout my teenage years, I wore oversized clothing that never showed off my curves. There are very few pictures of me as a teenager. Constant voices in my head told me that I was ugly. My parents never said those words to me. Still, the subtle signs from my mother helped contribute to this low self-esteem. I struggled to understand why my body needed to be policed, why it was so important to wear a certain outfit, to cover up my growing chest, for my body to be controlled by my parents.

It would take many years, and therapy, to finally overcome this distorted view of myself. I know I look good and I love to dress up accentuating what I like about myself. But even as I sit to type those words there is a slight strangeness that creeps in, reminding me that I need to cover up. I push that voice down.

My daughter is twelve years old. I try to teach her to have a better understanding of her body and to cultivate a more positive body image. It’s not an easy task. She still suffers from the many ailments that I did. We live in Los Angeles where celebrities are worshipped. She notices how certain classmates are “popular” and why she isn’t. Television and movies continue to perpetuate the same aspirational messages that thin and white is the only beauty allowed. But unlike my upbringing, I try not to shy away from the uncomfortable conversations that my mother would never allow us to have. I don’t blame my mother for this. This low self-esteem spiral was passed down from her mother and so on. I just hope to stop the cycle.

 

Research:

“Relations of Sexual Objectification and Racist Discrimination with Latina Women’s Body Image and Mental Health”

Brandon L. Velez, Irma D. Campos, Bonnie Moradi

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/cc66...