March: Hot Topics Roundup

Did you miss any of the conversations this month? Double check! It was all about Risk-Taking.

Risk-Taking:

For the Win: What's so Risky about YA?

For the Win with Cory Doctorow

Harmonic Feedback with Tara Kelly

Harmonic Feedback: What's the biggest risk you've taken for love?

The Julian Game with Adele Griffin

The Julian Game: Toxic friends

True Grit by Charles Portis

True Grit: What did you think of the actress?

March Playlist

March Community Service

True Grit: What do you think of star Hailee Steinfeld?

Our featured book this week is True Grit by Charles Portis.

The new movie (who's seen it) drew attention to this classic title, and some say star Hailee Steinfeld would have been the perfect Katniss in the Hunger Games films. (The honor went to Jennifer Lawrence last week.)

Did you guys see the movie? What did you think of Hailee as a kick-butt leading woman?

Risk Taking: Reaching Out

Our theme this month is Risk Taking, and this video, "The Seventeenth Minute," illustrates a reach-out risk that can change someone's fate. Made by high school filmmakers, it's currently touring festivals and is well worth the four minutes.

The Julian Game: Ever Had a Toxic "Friend"?

Our Featured Title is The Julian Game by Adele Griffin, and she gave us a fantastic post on risk-taking in writing on Monday. (Key quote: "Fear the risk, then risk it, anyway—and land that story with plenty of punch, no apologies, and no regrets.")

In The Julian Game, which packs plenty of punch, Raye is seduced into a revenge scheme by the queen bee of the school.

Have you ever had a friend who talked you into doing things you knew weren't right? How did you deal with it?

March Community Service Spotlight: SADD

This month's theme at readergirlz is Risk-Taking. Please note that there's a difference between stepping out of your comfort zone by taking a chance on love, trying a new hobby, or speaking in front of a crowd and engaging in risky behavior that may put your life or the lives of others in jeopardy. Take a moment. Take a beat. Think twice, and if something doesn't feel right, don't do it - and please help someone out if you think she or he is about to take an unhealthy risk.

March Community Service Spotlight

Originally, SADD was created to encourage teenagers to say "no" to drinking and driving. Now, they have widened their focus, becoming a peer-to-peer education, prevention, and activism organization dedicated to preventing destructive decisions related to (but not limited to) drug use, teen suicide, underage drinking, and underage drinking. SADD now stands for Students Against Destructive Decisions.

Read the SADD mission statement.

Get involved at http://www.SADD.org

March Playlist

This month's theme is Risk-Taking -- and here are this month's theme songs.

Let's Get Movin' Into Action by Tim Armstrong and Skye Sweetnam
Go For It by Girlfriend
Wide Open Spaces by The Dixie Chicks
A Praise Chorus by Jimmy Eat World
Declaration by David Cook
Fall In Love Tonight by The Whomping Willows
Dare You to Move by Switchfoot

If you can't see the music player above, click here.