Kid Culture | Tween Books
Four outstanding books not to miss
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Monday, October 26, 2009
MIRACLE WIMP, by Erik P. Kraft, Little, Brown
Young readers, paperback $7.99; ages 12 and up.
Tom Mayo, otherwise known as Miracle Wimp, is just trying to get
through his days in high school. He wonders about simple things: Is
it OK that your two new friends are the two guys who sat next to
you in first period on the first day of school? He wonders about
serious things: Making fun of a kid with special needs makes you no
different from the kids who pick on you and gave you that stupid
nickname.
Tom's first-person account of life in high school is funny,
hilarious, sarcastic and realistic.
VIOLA IN REEL LIFE, by Adriana Trigiani,
HarperTeen, $16; ages 12 and up.
Viola turns on her video camera and narrates, "I'm marooned.
Abandoned. Left to rot in boarding school." When Viola and her
video diaries move from Brooklyn to Indiana, she believes her life
is over. With her camera in her hand, Viola wears yellow flats,
makes friends, gets involved, falls for a boy, enters a contest and
shakes up her world.
THE ETERNAL KISS: 13 VAMPIRE TALES OF BLOOD AND DESIRE, edited
by Trisha Telep, paperback $9.95; ages 12 and up.
I find short stories very satisfying. Instead of reading a chapter
and forcing yourself to put the book down, you have already read an
entire story. Then next time you pick up the book, you get to read
another entire story. Thirteen well-written tales, 13 very exciting
authors. Are you a sucker for romance, the handsome dark prince,
the eternal kiss? This book is for you.
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, by Kami Garcia and
Margaret Stohl, Little, Brown Young Readers, $17.99; ages 12 and
up.
Ethan Wate has lived in Gatlin all his life and he can't wait to
get out. Lena Duchannes is the new girl. In a small town like this,
everyone knows everything about you especially when you look out of
place and you live in the town's haunted house with your uncle who
is the town crazy. But the instant Ethan sees Lena, he knows she is
the girl of his dreams-only these dreams are the kind that jolt you
awake at night.
See more of Sandi's stories here.
Kid Culture | Tween Books
By Max Elliot Anderson on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
It's so important to draw attention to reading, and attract reluctant readers to it,especially boys. In fact, I've recently completed a feature magazine article on this subject that came out in October, "Help for Struggling, Reluctant Readers." I grew up as a reluctant reader, in spite of the fact that my father published over 70 books. Now I write action-adventures & mysteries, especially for tween boys, that avid boy readers and girls enjoy just as much. My blog, Books for Boys http://booksandboys.blogspot.com is dedicated to drawing attention to the importance of reading. Keep up your good work. Max Elliot Anderson Rockford, IL