TRW Tribute: Lisa Schroeder 4:45

Lisa Schroeder

TRW Tribute: Janet Lee Carey 4:30

"Books are truthful mirrors. Teens who turn to books get a clearer vision of their lives. Thanks, YALSA, for turning teens toward good literature!"

Janet Lee Carey

TRW Tribute: Gaby Triana 4:15

"You! Slowly, move away from that TiVo...now pick up that novel and let your brain indulge..."

Gaby Triana

TRW Tribute: Brent Hartinger 4:00

"Books are like potato chips: they're made of potatoes, sliced thinly, then deep fried in oil and lightly sprinkled with...no, wait, that's not right. Books are like potato chips because you can't read just one! There we go, that's right."

Brent Hartinger

TRW Tribute: Beth Kephart 3:45

Something happens to me when I read a good book. The same thing, I imagine, that happens to you. My senses get jumbled, so that I start hearing with my eyes. My heart flips to the outside of my skin. Silence takes on a pleasant, gauzy weight, and I forget who I am, and I forget where I am, and I forget whatever seemed so tedious and troublesome, pre-book. When I’m reading, I take the quietest, shallowest, most precautionary breaths. I shadow the characters and stand on their landscapes. I wait in the wind for their resurrections.



Beth Kephart

TRW Tribute: Kirby Larson 3:30

"I hear from teen readers nearly every day who are passionate and articulate about what they read. As far as I'm concerned, it's not 'Teens Read?' It's 'Teens Read!'"

Kirby Larson

TRW Tribute: Christopher Golden 3:15

"I write smart, courageous, formidable females because that's the way I see them, and that's the way I want young girls to see themselves."

Christopher Golden

TRW Tribute: Carolyn Mackler 3:00

"Top Three Reasons Why I Love My Job

1. I get to make things up all day.
2. I'm repaying major karmic debt - YA novels saved me during my teen years.
3. I get so many notes from teen girls saying, "I used to hate reading, but I devoured your novel and now I'm a total bookworm." How cool is that?"

Carolyn Mackler

TRW Tribute: Stephanie Kuehnart 2:45

Stephanie Kuehnart

TRW Tribute: E. Lockhart 2:30

"If you have a book, you are never alone."

E. Lockhart

TRW Tribute: Nina Malkin 2:15

IF YOU'RE READING THIS BLARGH, you're reading. Ergo, you enjoy reading and don't need me to give you a reason to do so. But I will anyway, because readergirlz is doing this tribute to the Young Adult Library Services Association's Teen Read Week (18 October - 24 October). They've asked bloggers (do blarghers count?) to shout out YALSA's awesome event and reading in general.

So here's a reason to read — maybe for you it's reason #645,293. Or it might just be reason #1. The more you read, the better you'll write. Promise. So whether you want to write for a (tee-hee!) career, bang out a kick-ass term paper/essay test answer, or simply compose a text message that will make someone go "whoa!" — read. Become a critical reader, a writer-reader — let your reading inform your work.

Yeah, it's a trick. Reading is like taking a writing class, only a really fun one, and you gain the benefits practically by osmosis. Reading will help you perfect POV, dialogue, plotting, pacing — basically, all that stuff that makes a good piece of writing. Plus you'll probably learn a new word or two, and you can't know too many of those babies!

So have fun on YALSA Teen Read Week (that's 10/18 - 10/24...which isn't even a whole week but we'll give 'em a pass on that) and pay homage to those readergirlz too. For more writing tips from me, check out the FREAQS page at ninamalkin.com. And, if you haven't done so already, I strongly suggest that you prepare to SWOON...

Nina Malkin

TRW Tribute: Deb Caletti 2:00

"Who says teens don't read? Judging by the letters I get, the numerous teens discussing books on the web, and teen involvement in libraries and book groups, teens are devoted, involved readers. Book love goes deep - at any age."

Deb Caletti

TRW Tribute: Holly Cupala 1:45

Holly Cupala

TRW Tribute: John Green 1:30

"Just as teenagers must come of age as people, they also must come of age as readers. Teen Read Week puts a spotlight on this transition and reminds us all of the importance of getting good books to teenagers."

John Green

TRW Tribute: Sarah MacLean 1:15

There are some pretty awesome things about being an author...holding your first REAL book in your hands...seeing your name in print...meeting your fabulous editor for the first time...discovering that, yes, indeed, you can write a second book...getting invited to speak at gatherings that include more than your family...all this is super duper cool.

But now, as I look down at a manuscript in desperate need of attention, typeset pages screaming to be edited and an ARC of my second baby, NINE RULES TO BREAK WHEN ROMANCING A RAKE, and I'm reminded of the very best thing about writing...readers.

I'm very very lucky to have started writing YA...and I've met some FANTASTIC other authors as part of the 2009 Debutantes and the incredibly close-knit group of YA authors in NYC, but I've also met passionate book bloggers and teen readers who make me seriously happy. They send me emails about my books, they leave insightful comments on my blog, they open my eyes to hundreds of books and authors and things that I never would have come to on my own, they tweet me little 140 character nuggets of encouragement and leave me Facebook goodies that mean WAY MORE than they could ever really know...and more than all that, they remind me why teen reads are so awesome.

Because the teen read world is a vibrant, wonderful community...a group of people who aren't afraid to love books--and to shout it from their blogs. The response and encouragement and support and excitement that radiates off of the community is more than I could ever have imagined...I'm so very proud to be a part of it. And, I hope it will keep me around for a long long time to come.

So thanks to YALSA for helping to build this amazing group...and Happy Teen Read Week!

Sarah MacLean

TRW Tribute: Dia Calhoun 1:00

"What could be more perfect than YALSA's Teen Read Week for the darkening days of October? Teens can turn up the lights, ignore the gloom outside, and curl up with a stack of books by authors who write just for them."

Dia Calhoun

TRW Tribute: LL Word 12:45

I love young adult literature. I’ve always got at least one YA novel on the go (currently, The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker, and about to start Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins). Traditionally, I’ve celebrated this week by procrastinating all “non-essential” tasks and replacing them with time devoted to reading YA novels. Since I’m still trying to smooth out my life after the move, however, there aren’t many things that feel “nonessential” these days! Still, I couldn’t just let this week pass by unmarked.

Below, in no particular order) are ten of my favorite YA novels (not my top ten, as this list is by no means complete!)

1. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle – A timeless science fiction novel about siblings traveling through time and space to find their father.
2. The Realm of Possibility by David Leviathan – A novel in verse that captures dozens of authentic teen voices.
3. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanan – A beautiful coming-of-age novel about seeing beyond assumptions.
4. Stargirl by Jerri Spinelli – A reflection on how one out-of-place girl can change the way others see the world forever.
5. I Know It’s Over by CK Kelly Martin – The best novel I’ve ever read addressing teen pregnancy, hands down.
6. M or F? by Lisa Papademetriou and Chris Tebbetts – A fun retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac in the Internet age–with a queer twist.
7. The Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld – A great sci-fi adventure read, and an even better commentary on our image-obsessed culture.
8. The His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman – Beautiful characterization, a fascinating world, and probing questions about science and religion.
9. Luna by Julie Anne Peters – A compassionate portrayal of a transgendered teen’s struggle, as seen through the eyes of her sister.
10. Please Don’t Kill the Freshman by Zoe Trope – Zoe’s published diary detailing her 9th and 10th grade years–beautiful, crisp writing from a real teen girl.

Will you be celebrating Teen Read Week?

LL Word

TRW Tribute: KL Going 12:30

"Inspiring teens to read is one of the most important things we can do for the future. What teens imagine, they will create."

KL Going

TRW Tribute: Melissa Walker 12:15

"Every week should be teen read week, of course. I myself like to hop into at least two book worlds each week. It's not that I don't like my own life, it's just that other people's are fascinating too. Especially book peoples, be they just like me or magical or historical or hilarious or brooding or confused or enlightened. A reading week is a week of around-the-world-and-out-of-it travel!"

Melissa Walker

TRW Tribute: Mitali Perkins 12:00

"Stories can make any place on the planet feel like home."

Mitali Perkins