Happy New Year, Steampunk Style!

I'm still steampunking around after our rgz Circle of Stars feature Scott Westerfeld back in March. So here you go, rgz. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

How are you ringing in 2011?

rgz Circle of Stars: Nikki Grimes and A Girl Named Mister

I'm so excited to share the latest release from our own Circle of Stars, Nikki Grimes! She was last featured at readergirlz for her classic Bronx Masquerade.

Today we celebrate, A Girl Named Mister, a beautiful verse novel with a strong female protagonist. Here is the story of a fifteen year old girl, raised in the church, making choices she never expected. Within the main character Mary Rudine's journey is a book she reads which depicts the experiences of Mary from the New Testament. A Girl Named Mister shares the story of two teens facing unexpected pregnancies. The ancient story is a light of hope to the protagonist of today.

The weaving of the tales is handled deftly. One flows and mirrors the other like sun dappled rivers converging. None will be disappointed in Nikki's poetic language that lyrically depicts heartache, fear, and joy so vividly.

"Even through
my rayon-cotton blend
his touch
burned the world away."

Find A Girl Named Mister. Read these young women's thoughts, be moved, and then share this novel with another readergirl!



A Girl Named Mister
by Nikki Grimes
Zondervan, 2010

Circle of Stars

Here's a review of our featured authors since March, 2009! Catch the full issues archived at the rgz website. WOW! Rock on, rgz!

March 2009, Mary Pearson
April 2009, Ellen Hopkins
May 2009, Laura Resau
June 2009, Sara Zarr
July 2009, Cecil Castellucci
August 2009, Coe Booth
September 2009, Kristin Cashore
October 2009, Libba Bray
November 2009, Marlene Carvell
December 2009, Tamora Pierce
January 2010, E. Lockhart
February 2010, Sharon Draper
March 2010, Scott Westerfeld
April 2010, Deb Caletti
May 2010, Lisa Yee
June 2010, John Green
July 2010, Ally Carter
August 2010, Holly Cupala
September 2010, Laini Taylor

Circle of Stars Release: Beth Kephart

This note just in from our former A.I.R., Beth Kephart. Celebrate her new release! Woot!



Yesterday afternoon, the first copies of Dangerous Neighbors (Laura Geringer Books: Egmont USA), my twelfth book, made their way to my home. A story about twin sisters set against Centennial Philadelphia, this book was inspired both by my work on Flow: The Life and Times of Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River and by my ongoing love affair with what I’ve always called “my” city.

Dangerous Neighbors takes readers into the world of 1876 Philadelphia—onto the Centennial grounds, onto the ice of the Schuylkill River, up the slopes of Laurel Hill, beneath the chandelier of the Academy of Music, through Rittenhouse Square, and down Walnut Street. It takes readers to Cape May at the height of clamming season and into worlds—Shantytown, Operti’s opera house, and the Colosseum—that no longer exist.

Momentum has been building, and early reviewers have been kind. Kirkus offered these words: “... A tender, quiet work of historical fiction...exquisitely crafted...as lovely in its imagery as it is tragic.” Ed Goldberg, meanwhile, in his five-star review for YA Books Central, wrote: “... Dangerous Neighbors is about more than feeling the loss of a sister. It is about sisters, especially twin sisters, and how they are a part of each other. It is about the inevitable maturing and ultimate growing apart of siblings. It is about the world in 1876 and one parent’s fight for equality. It is about having someone to care for and how that spark of caring can change everything.”

A brief excerpt from the book can be found here, at my newly revamped and expanded blog: http://beth-kephart.blogspot.com/2010/07/dangerous-neighbors-reading.html

I look forward to sharing this book with you.

All my best,
Beth

Guest Blog: Cecil Castellucci

In July 2009, we featured The Plain Janes written by Cecil Castellucci - art by Jim Rugg - as our main pick at readergirlz. (Please check out the Art Saves project we did, which was inspired by The Plain Janes.) This month, the postergirlz selected Cecil Castellucci's novel Beige to be one of the books recommended alongside May's main pick, Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee. I recently caught up with Cecil and asked her to share with us what's new with her. Without any further ado, here's Cecil!

Hello readergirlz!

It's nice to be back to say hello! I've been getting ready to launch my new YA novel, Rose Sees Red (Scholastic, August 2010), and my first picture book, Grandma's Gloves (Candlewick Press, August 2010).

I hope you have been having a lot of fun with the fantastic Lisa Yee! Her book Absolutely, Maybe is a perfect Los Angeles book. I loved Maybe and her journey, her hair, her friends, her spirit, and her tacos!

I was so excited to be a read-alike because Beige is also a book about Los Angeles. Lisa and I clearly both love our city and I think that in both of our books, the city is one of the characters as well. Clearly Hollywood has a certain magic to it. And both Maybe and Beige feel totally hopeless and this city gives them a tiny light to go on. That's the great thing about Los Angeles, or any place that makes and gets you dreaming. Hope.

I have had moments of hopelessness and despair and it is terrible. I have always felt that anything that can get you dreaming again is a lifeline. The thing about hope is that all you need is a little bit of it. Just to get you to the next moment, and the next, until suddenly, instead of floating on an ocean of despair, you are standing on an island. And the sun is out. And there is a coconut to eat. And you can breathe and recollect.

I think books are good entry ways to finding hope. So get reading! And remember, hope is always there to love you. It's right there, even when you think it's not. Swears-y.

~ Cecil Castellucci

Homecoming RAVE: Tonight!!!!

Don't forget tonight: the rgz Circle of Stars is coming home!

6 pm PDT/9 pm EDT here at the readergirlz blog, join us and readergirlz featured author alumni, all at the same place for one wild and crazy rgz RAVE! Here are just a few of the all-star cast:

Coe Booth, Dia Calhoun, Janet Lee Carey, Cecil Castelucci, Justina Chen, Rachel Cohn, Holly Cupala, Liz Gallagher, Nikki Grimes, Lorie Ann Grover, Ellen Hopkins, Sarah Miller, Mary Pearson, Mitali Perkins, Dana Reinhardt, Laura Resau, Melissa Walker, Ellen Emerson White, Rita Williams-Garcia, Sara Zarr...

...and others from the young adult community who jump on in. It will be a Fan Fiesta!

Get ready for the rgz RAVE Homecoming!

The rgz Circle of Stars is coming home!

Join us Monday night for an unprecedented chat at the readergirlz blog, 6 pm PDT/9 pm EDT, with a huge list of readergirlz featured author alumni, all at the same place for one wild and crazy rgz RAVE! Here are just a few of the all-star cast:

Coe Booth, Dia Calhoun, Janet Lee Carey, Cecil Castelucci, Justina Chen, Rachel Cohn, Holly Cupala, Liz Gallagher, Nikki Grimes, Lorie Ann Grover, Ellen Hopkins, Sarah Miller, Mary Pearson, Mitali Perkins, Dana Reinhardt, Laura Resau, Melissa Walker, Ellen Emerson White, Rita Williams-Garcia, Sara Zarr...

...and others from the young adult community who jump on in. It will be a Fan Fiesta! Spread the word!

November 2009: rgz Newsflash!

rgz celebrates Native American Heritage Month!

After meeting with the staff of the American Indian Library Association at the Summer ALA Conference, rgz is now working hand in hand with If I Can Read I Can Do Anything, a national reading club for Native American youth. They are our new partners for TBD 2010! But more about that soon…

rgz RAVE: New Moon Frenzy



Are your toes curling for the premiere of New Moon? Will you still love the book better? Hit the rgz blog on November 21st to dish with TwilightMOMS and rgz. Be ready to express all your vampiric impressions. The frenzy starts at 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST at the readergirlz blog!

Join the fun for a chance to win a Twilight necklace from Gypsy Wings and other fantastic swag!

rgz welcomes Marlene Carvell in honor of Native American Heritage Month!

In November, we are pleased to welcome Marlene Carvell into the rgz Circle of Stars. We’ll be discussing her beautiful literary verse novel, Sweetgrass Basket. Please join us as we chat about related topics all month at the rgz blog. rgz LIVE! with Marlene will be held there on Tuesday, November 24th at 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST.

Gather the postergirlz recommended reads to accompany Sweetgrass Basket:

• Moccasin Thunder: American Indian Stories for Today, edited by Lori Marie Carlson



• Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith



• Who Will Tell My Brother? by Marlene Carvell



• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie



• Native Time: A Historical Time Line of Native America by Lee Francis

rgz RAVE Homecoming!

And then close out November with us as members of our Circle of Stars return to the rgz blog for our first rgz RAVE Homecoming! Chatter alongside former rgz features:

Coe Booth, Dia Calhoun, Janet Lee Carey, Cecil Castelucci, Justina Chen, Rachel Cohn, Holly Cupala, Liz Gallagher, Nikki Grimes, Lorie Ann Grover, Ellen Hopkins, Sarah Miller, Mary Pearson, Mitali Perkins, Dana Reinhardt, Laura Resau, Melissa Walker, Ellen Emerson White, Rita Williams-Garcia, Sara Zarr...

...and others from the young adult community who jump on in. It will be a Fan Fiesta! Here’s a time for you to drop some love to your fav YA author. The event will be at the rgz blog on November 30th, 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST.

Co-founders Dia Calhoun and Lorie Ann Grover will be making their way to New York City to accept the National Book Award’s Innovations in Reading Prize for rgz! If you are at the National Book Award Dinner, be sure to say hello!

rgz is returning to the Constant Contact newsletter service next month. Feel free to verify your receipt by signing up for the new format on the blog once it is available! As always, if you have any suggestions for our award winning online book community, contact us at divas@readergirlz.com.

Thanks for joining us as we read, reflect, and reach out!

Best in books,
the readergirlz divas~

Justina Chen, North of Beautiful
Melissa Walker, Lovestruck Summer
Holly Cupala, Tell Me A Secret (2010)
Lorie Ann Grover, Hold Me Tight
Dia Calhoun, Avielle of Rhia

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