March 2010: rgz Newsflash!

Dear friends,

Would you believe readergirlz is three years old? It’s been a great infancy and toddlerhood. A rundown:

• We’ve featured dozens of incredible authors and given readers a unique window into their work;
• We’ve cheered many of these same authors on as they won national awards;
• We’ve helped deliver 30,000 books to teen readers through Operation Teen Book Drop; and
• We’ve won praise and support from the James Patterson Foundation as well as the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize.

We’d love to have a huge piece of cake with each of you, but frosting doesn’t download easily. Maybe by next year, though…

Until then, here’s the icing on our proverbial cake lately:

Our featured author, Scott Westerfeld

We loved Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras.

His latest, Leviathan, might even be more amazing.

It’s set on the eve of World War I—but in a world just a bit different from ours, full of steam-driven iron weapons fighting modified animals. It’s told in the viewpoints of a prince and a commoner who happens to fly planes like nobody’s business—as long as no one learns her true identity. And there are dozens of incredible black-and-white illustrations by Keith Thompson that make this book a work of art.

Learn more about the book at our site, and be sure to chat with us March 17 at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Pacific.

Welcoming new team members

You know Elizabeth Scott as our author in residence. She’ll be doing even more for us by acting as the Author Liaison Diva, helping us connect with more of the best and most important authors working in young adult literature today. Even better, her latest book—The Unwritten Rule—will be out March 16. Learn why people are calling it “brilliant, touching, and true.”

Kat Ogden has stepped up as our Web Producer. She’ll be editing rgz TV of featured authors (check out her amazing production company).

Bethany Hegedus, author of Between Us Baxters, is our new Austin Host, keeping us connected with literary goings-on in Texas. Learn more about Bethany.






Postergirlz recommended reads

The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkowski
Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel
The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them by Jillian Venters


Community Service

Are you interested in world politics, or conflict resolution? Do you love debating? If so, you should check out Model UN.


Operation Teen Book Drop

It’s coming on April 15, Support Teen Literature Day. We’re bringing 10,000 books to Native Teens, and more than 100 YA authors around the nation will be leaving their books for surprised readers to find.

Wanna Rock the Drop? Find out how at the official Operation TBD page.

We have a new email, readergirlzdivas AT gmail DOT com!

the readergirlz divas~

Dia Calhoun, Avielle of Rhia
Justina Chen, North of Beautiful
Holly Cupala, Tell Me A Secret (June 2010)
Liz Gallagher, The Opposite of Invisible
Lorie Ann Grover, Hold Me Tight
Elizabeth Scott, The Unwritten Rule
Melissa Walker, Lovestruck Summer



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