May: Special clothes or jewelry that make a difference

Sophie's new white dress and coconut jewelry make her feel like a different person. Do you have any special clothes or jewelry that make you feel different somehow?

Little Willow's Book Bag

This Week's Picks
The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde
The Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde
Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter (coming out in June)

For Your Younger Siblings
Amy Hodgepodge #2: Happy Birthday to Me by Kim Wayans and Kevin Knotts, illustrated by Soo Jeong
Amy Hodgepodge #3: Lost and Found by Kim Wayans and Kevin Knotts, illustrated by Soo Jeong
Miss Popularity Goes Camping by Francesco Sedita
From the Life Of Willa Havisham: Forget Me Not by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
The Baby-Sitters Club #111: Stacey and the Secret Friend by Ann M. Martin
The Baby-Sitters Club #120: Mary Anne and the Playground Fight by Ann M. Martin
Sweet Dreams of the Wild: Poems for Bedtime by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illustrated by Aileen Leijten

This Month's Spotlighted Title
Red Glass by Laura Resau

Help Stamp Out Hunger

35 million Americans don't have enough food to eat. Today, May 9th, you can Help Stamp Out Hunger by donating food to the 17th annual nationwide food drive. Simply fill bags with non-perishable food items and leave them next to your mailbox, and your letter carrier will carry them off.

From the official Help Stamp Out Hunger press release:

Nation's Largest One-Day Food Drive Helps The Increasing Number of Americans Struggling with Hunger

CAMDEN, NJ (April 13, 2009) — On Saturday, May 9, Campbell Soup Company will join forces with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) to Stamp Out Hunger!(TM) across America in order to provide assistance to the one in eight Americans who struggle with hunger.

The Stamp Out Hunger! effort is the nation's largest single-day food drive, having collected more than 909 million pounds of food since its inception in 1993. Last year, letter carriers across the country collected a record total of more than 73.1 million pounds of food, but with hunger impacting many Americans – including working families, children and the elderly – help is needed now more than ever before.

To help Stamp Out Hunger! this year, simply leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, like canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal, next to your mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on May 9. Food items should be in non-breakable containers, such as boxes and cans. The nation's 230,000 letter carriers will be collecting donations from homes across the country and delivering them to food bank members of Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network) and other hunger relief organizations in more than 10,000 local communities.

"In these difficult economic times, hunger is an issue that must be addressed in every community across our country," said William H. Young, NALC president. "We see it daily out on our routes. That's why now more than ever before we need everybody’s help to make a real difference."

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 36 million Americans live in food insecure households, and approximately one in every three of these Americans is a child. Additionally, a recent survey of Feeding America food bank members reported a 30 percent increase in requests for emergency food assistance. The reasons cited for this dramatic increase in demand included rising cost of food, increasing unemployment and underemployment, the cost of fuel and the burden of mortgage or rent costs.

Food banks are also notoriously empty during summer months, having exhausted the supply of donations received from food drives conducted during the holidays that are then distributed during spring. Summer donations are even more critical since many children in need no longer have the benefit of their school lunch program.

Read the entire press release.

For more information about the food drive, visit http://www.helpstampouthunger.com and http://www.stampouthunger.info/

Click here to locate your nearby post office and make sure it is participating in the food drive.

Sarah Dessen Celebration

Over at The Sarah Dessen Diarist, the lovely Adele has put together an astonishing thirty days of posts(!) from authors, bloggers, and readergirlz in the month leading up to Sarah Dessen's birthday on June 6th.

Check out this super cute movie put together by our own readergirlz diva Melissa Walker, who grew up in Chapel Hill along with Ms. Dessen herself:



Stay tuned for blogs from an amazing list of authors and bloggers, plus divas Justina Chen Headley and Holly Cupala, and a special post from the readergirlz later in the month!

 

Cover Stories: Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

Lisa Yee's latest novel, Absolutely Maybe, came out in February. It's full of friendship and family and pink hair. In short, I loved it. Lisa shared her Cover Story on my blog, and now I'm sharing it with readergirlz! Here's Lisa:

"It's weird, but I didn't have anything in mind at all for the cover. I used to be a Creative Director and my job was coming up with concepts and working with the art and copy departments to see them through. I think that once I became an author it was nice to be able to let go of that. Plus, I have total faith in my editors, Arthur Levine and Cheryl Klein, and Elizabeth Parasi, my art director.

"I knew the cover would be a photograph, but beyond that I didn't know what to expect. I was asked about what the main characters looked like:
'Does she look like Kelli Osbourne?'
'Well, the goth-y part of Maybe does, but Maybe's more petite and her hair is pink . . . and blue . . . and green.'
'Does Hollywood [the romantic interest] look like Napoleon Dynamite?'
'He's the same height, but better looking in a geek-chic way.'
That sort of thing.

MW Note: Here are some of the covers they tried out. (Alea, notice that the last one is a Lookalike for Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell!) You can see these, and read more about the book, on Lisa's site!



"Here's the first cover, that was later nixed. The name also changed because of the movie 'Definitely Maybe.' I loved the kids here, and thought it was cool that Ted, Maybe's best friend, is with her. It was adorable, only it looked more like a middle grade book cover. Because I also write MG, it was important that it be clear this book is YA. So it went back to get redesigned. However, the iconic feel of the final cover ultimately trumps this one.

"The Hollywood star in the background was a stock photo. Several models were considered and I saw some of their head shots. The model selected really captured the look I was going for. She was brought into the studio and her hair was dyed pink. For the shoot she was wearing a black Led Zeppelin t-shirt and the logo was photoshopped out. Here's the cover in comp phase before the final photoshopping and tweaking.

"Once the final design was approved, the model was brought back in for a second photo shoot. I thought that was so cool. That they really wanted to get it right and went to that much work and expense for the cover.

"In the end, I just love it so much. And if you get a chance to see it in person, it's even better. The lettering is raised and so is the question mark in the middle of the star. Perfection!"

I think it's really eye-catching too, and I thought about the cover while on my trip to LA last week! Maybe deserves a star on the Walk of Fame. What do you guys think of this cover vs. the others? I say they chose the best one (though I like seeing Ted!).

Online Auction for Bridget Zinn

Several of the divas has been touched by longterm illness, including cancer. Now, Librarian, Young Adult writer, and kidlitosphere friend Bridget Zinn is battling a difficult and expensive form.

Many wonderful people in the kidlit community have come together to create an online auction fundraiser at bridgetzinnauction.wordpress.com.

Looking for an advance, signed copy of Laini Taylor's next novel, Faeries of Dreamdark: Silksinger? Signed copies of Jennifer Holm and Matt Holm's Babymouse: The Musical, Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee, Don't Die Dragonfly by Linda Joy Singleton, or Far From You by Lisa Schroeder? A book launch consultation from Mitali Perkins, or a manuscript critique from Cynthia Lord? A signed first edition of Stephenie Meyer's Eclipse?

The auction goes until May 31st. All proceeds go toward treatment expenses. Read Bridget's blog and leave her a comment of support here.

 

A new Realm in YA

There's a new girl in town, about to take the graphic novel industry by storm. Readergirlz, check out Realm Lovejoy, author, illustrator, and videogame artist, including for the very cool "Portal" game.

Realm just launched her brand new, shiny website (with the help of our own designista, Little Willow) and blog. Read all about CLAN (hint: three teen clones who have the same body but nothing else in common...) and see her cool art!



 

May: postergirlz recommended reads

Thanks to our postergirlz for these recommended reads to accompany Laura Resau's Red Glass! What have you read? What will you pick up?

Fiction

Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa by Micol Ostow
Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle
Estrella's Quinceañera by Malin Alegria
Sofi Mendoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico by Malin Alegria

Non-Fiction
Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States edited by Lori Marie Carlson

Justina is a Hometown Hero!

Already a hero to us, our very own co-founding diva, Justina Chen Headley, is a Hometown Hero on TV!

She talks about readergirlz, community service tied to her novels, and the need for story to KING 5's Joyce Taylor right here! See divas Lorie Ann, Dia, and Holly in action (missing Melissa!) as we deliver books to Seattle Children's Hospital.

Hooray for our very own hero, Justina!



 

Family: Jackie Parker

I think I might be a little confused when it comes to what the idea of family is. I have blood family and friend family. I have Washington family and Michigan family - and family in between. I have online family and real life family. I have so many different circles of family that surely I must be mistaken, as how can one person be that lucky? Ultimately, family to me are those who nourishes my body, mind and soul. Family are those who comfort me, who I turn to, who I trust. Family are those who help make my life balanced, thoughtful, honest, and fun. I don't need church or state or my neighbor down the block to tell me who makes up my family - my heart knows all on its own.

- Jackie Parker

Follow the series of family posts.

Read this month's book pick, Red Glass by Laura Resau, then discuss the theme of family all month long here at the readergirlz blog.

Cheers for Girls Write Now!

An awesome organization, Girls Write Now, is spotlighted on NBC Nightly News:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

We salute you, GWN!

rgz wins an Innovations in Reading Prize from the National Book Foundation!

Celebrate with us, rgz! We just won an Innovations in Reading Prize from the National Book Foundation! Many thanks to rgz scout and YA author Mitali Perkins for pointing us to the opportunity. And we are indebted to former YALSA president and librarian Judy Nelson and librarian postergirl Jackie Parker for writing awesome letters of recommendation.

Let the party begin, ladies! The divas are meeting tomorrow and talking about how we might bring more awesome literacy events to rgz! Thank you National Book Foundation!

~Lorie Ann

National Book Foundation Announces Winners of its First

Innovations in Reading Prize:

Winners Include a Teacher, a Best-selling Author's Website,

a Reading Program in a Correctional Facility,

a Public Library System, and an Online Community for Teens

New York, NY, May 5, 2009 - The Board of the National Book Foundation has awarded its first Innovations in Reading Prizes to one individual and four organizations who are demonstrating passion, creativity, dedication, and leadership in the service of creating and sustaining a lifelong love of reading. The winners include: a teacher; an online resource created by best-selling author James Patterson and literary consultant Judy Freeman that helps identify books for kids; a program that allows inmates to read to their children via CDs that are mailed home bi-monthly; an online book community for teens girls that uses social networking; and a Dewey-less public library. The winners hail from Elroy Arizona, Gilbert, Arizona; Santa Fe, New Mexico; New York, NY; and Tacoma, Washington. Each winner will receive $2,500.00 and a framed certificate.

Leslie Shipman, Director of Programs for the National Book Foundation states, “The Innovations in Reading Prize is the National Book Foundation’s program to discover, promote, and, we hope, help replicate the innovative efforts of individuals and organizations who are sharing their passion for books and reading at the grassroots level, both in their communities and online. The enthusiasm and creativity shown by these five is remarkable. We hope other organizations across the country will be able to take these ideas and put them into practice in their own communities.” Innovations in Reading is supported by a grant from the Ford Foundation.

The Winners are:

Robert Wilder: Robert Wilder is both an elementary and high-school teacher in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the only individual to receive the prize. His creativity, commitment, and passion for sharing his love of books with his students are exceptional. He is a powerful example of the impact a single, devoted teacher can have on the lives of his students. “Books are my gesture toward a better life for anyone willing to turn some pages,” Bob says. “Like many teachers and writers, I find myriad ways to get good books into other people's hands, whether it's a kindergartner struggling over his first sentence, a high-school student trying to find her voice in the wilderness of adolescence, or an intellectually starved friend at a dinner party.”

James Patterson’s ReadKiddoRead: ReadKiddoRead.com is a hassle-free online resource that helps parents, teachers, adults, and librarians identify books that kids will love. When Patterson found out that his son Jack did not share his passion for books, He took it upon himself to fix the situation by choosing books he knew his son would love. He even started writing books for kids to get Jack interested. The author's motivation led him to create ReadKiddoRead.com. “There are millions of kids who have never read a book they’ve liked. There are also thousands of children’s books out there. This site lists the ones they won’t be able to resist,” Patterson says. Children’s literature consultant Judy Freeman also works on the site, writing a bulk of the reviews. Even though the original target audience was to be grownups, kids are using the site as well. “We’re ecstatic over winning this recognition,” says Patterson. “The site is working. And with the National Book Foundation on our side, I hope many more adults will be inspired to take their kids’ reading habits into their own hands.”

Fathers Bridging the Miles: Fathers Bridging the Miles is a program of Read to Me International, a Hawaii-based non-profit devoted to children's literacy. The program provides children of incarcerated fathers in the Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, with a unique and meaningful way to develop a love of reading by recording inmates reading children’s books onto CDs. The recorded reading and a copy of the book are mailed to their children bimonthly. This program works on many levels. Incarcerated men maintain a strong bond with their children through books, as well as improve their reading skills. Their children are able to hear their fathers read stories to them, despite the miles between them. According to Pat Mizuno, the Program Director, “It is amazing to see the relationships between fathers and their children bloom over books and reading. The children enjoy getting the books in the mail and love listening to their fathers’ voices. We know our program is having an impact when we meet former program participants after being paroled and they are still reading to their children!”

Maricopa County Library District: Maricopa County Library District of Gilbert, Arizona, dropped the Dewey system two years ago to make their library more user-friendly. Based on customers' surveys, Maricopa decided that organizing the library into “neighborhoods,” the way bookstores are organized, was a better way to meet customers’ needs, and as a result, circulation has doubled. Maricopa has received national attention as well, from the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and NPR, that has opened a serious discussion about how libraries can best serve the needs of the reading public. “The library is customer centric,” states Harry R. Courtright, the Director. “The Innovation in Reading Prize for the Dewey-less approach to organizing libraries may inspire other libraries to also try new ways to get people to read.”

readergirlz: readergirlz is an online book community for teen girls that is designed to make reading hip, compelling, and fun, as well as to promote teen literacy and leadership. Their mission is to get teens to read, reflect, and reach out. Using social networking sites, YouTube, and other online resources, teens are able to chat with their favorite Young Adult authors. readegirlz is led by five Young Adult authors: Dia Calhoun, Holly Cupala, Lorie Ann Grover, Justina Chen Headley, and Melissa Walker. When told that readergirlz was one of five winners, Dia Calhoun, author and co-founder, stated, “With this amazing and generous Innovations in Reading Prize, readergirlz can continue to find new ways to connect teens with the best authors in young adult literature, making reading hip and appealing using the latest technology.”

# # #

The Mission of the National Book Foundation is to celebrate the best of American literature, to expand its audience, and to enhance the cultural value of good writing in America.

About the National Book Awards

The nation’s most prestigious literary prize, the National Book Awards has a stellar record of identifying and rewarding quality writing. In 1950, William Carlos Williams was the first winner in Poetry, the following year William Faulkner was honored, and so on through the years. Many previous Winners of a National Book Award are now firmly established in the canon of American literature. On November 18th, the National Book Awards will be presented in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature.

Lovestruck Summer Release Day Contest!

Today's the day that my new release, Lovestruck Summer, officially hits stores. There's a week of Cover Stories and giveaways going on at melissacwalker.com, so come on over!

There's also this month-long contest that I'm co-hosing with Susane Colasanti, whose Waiting for You is released May 14th. Watch the video, and then go to my blog and Susane's blog to enter to win books and makeup and musical things!



Thanks for celebrating with me, readergirlz!

May: What have you overcome?

Laura says:

The main characters of Red Glass have to overcome past traumas or fears on order to connect with each other. For example, Sophie has to get over her fears in order to become close to Angel and ultimately, to help him. Have you had any fears that you feel proud of overcoming? How has your life changed now that you can deal with the fears? Do you have more fears that you hope to overcome one day?

Beth Kephart's Undercover Contest

Beth Kephart, whose book Undercover was a Postergirlz Suggested Read in March, is having a contest!

From now until May 10th, you can leave a comment at her blog with a link to a poem you've posted at your blog. Beth will be "assembling fragments of those poems for a future post, and I'll be asking a special person to choose a favorite."

Read about the contest here!

Check out Little Willow's review of Undercover here and her interview with Beth here.

Thanks to Little Willow for the link!

 

Family Ties

Last month, I published a series of posts about hope - what it meant to different people, and what made them hopeful.

Now, throughout May, we'll be discussing Family, this month's theme at readergirlz. I'll ask various authors and friends:

What does "family" mean to you?
Who do you consider to be the members of your family?

I will be posting their answers at both my blog, Bildungsroman, and the readergirlz blog. Stay tuned!

Rgz Street Team: Miss Erin reviews North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

The rgz Street Team is a group of teens who bring YA reviews to our blog, led by Postergirl Miss Erin. Find out more.

Today, Miss Erin reviews North of Beautiful by our own Diva Justina Chen Headley!

Trying to describe all that this book is about is difficult... it encompasses so much. It's about a girl named Terra and the birthmark on her face that has made her life so ugly. It's about a girl longing to be free, and wishing for someone to give her permission to be so. It's about relationships - the one you have with yourself, and the ones you have with others. It's about what the word "beauty" really means . . . and how that's not such a simple term to define.

Justina Chen Headley has crafted a truly stellar novel in North of Beautiful. She managed meticulously the delicate balance of mixing dark with light in her story. Her talent for weaving various themes and imagery throughout a book is brilliant. It's a story that overwhelms you with truth; both characters and story ring with a painful, sweet honesty. The book made me cry...

To read the rest of Miss Erin's review, click here.

May: Have you ever taken a trip that changed your life?

Laura says:

Sophie's trip to Mexico and Guatemala makes her see herself - and her life - differently. Have you ever taken a trip that changed you or your life somehow?

Is there a trip you want to take someday? How do you think it might change you?

Little Willow's Book Bag

This Week's Picks
Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamako and Steve Rolston (graphic novel)
30 Days to Finding and Keeping Sassy Sidekicks and BFFs: A Friendship Field Guide by Clea Hantman (non-fiction)
Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz

For Your Younger Siblings
Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Lulu Atlantis and the Quest for True Blue Love by Patricia Martin
Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully by Julianne Moore, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

This Month's Spotlighted Title
Red Glass by Laura Resau

Yay for the Blatant Bibliophiles!

Ruth Fleet, media specialist extraordinaire over at Creekview High School in Canton, GA sent us this photo of her awesome Blatant Bibliophiles Book Club, plus the following note:


"Our Blatant Bibliophile Book Club participated in Operation Teen Book Drop by collecting books to help create a new library for teens and children at the Family Violence Center in Canton, Georgia. Our students and teachers collected over 500 books during the two weeks before Teen Literature Day. This drive was inspired by one of our students, a non-member, Meghan (left), who is a volunteer at the center. Another non-member, Falyn (right, with Josh), donated over 200 of the books!

I’m attaching pictures of some of our teens, including Paul (left) who donated 69 books, and Marlize (right) who donated 50 books. We even had donations from readergirlz diva Melissa Walker! Thanks, divas, for inspiring us to help teens and their families in need."

We are cheering you on, Ms. Fleet and the fantastic students and community members who donated to this great cause. You guys all RULE!

Tuesday: Lovestruck Summer Releases!!!

The divas are DANCING! Because we have a release of one of our very own! Melissa Walker's Lovestruck Summer hits the stores officially on Tuesday, May 5th!

As a summer romance in the HarperTeen "Beach Reads" category, here's Melissa's synopsis from her blog:

Lovestruck Summer is the story of 18-year-old Quinn, an indie-rock girl spending the summer in Austin on a coveted music internship. While she hopes to find the perfect hipster boyfriend, she unexpectedly falls in love with a college cowboy who makes her challenge her own stereotypes, expand her musical tastes, and ultimately open up her world.

Watch for Melissa to load cool contest info on Tuesday. Then get ready for summer romance, rgz! Congratulations, Melissa!

Poetry Friday: Red Glass

In honor of Latina Book Month and rgz guest author, Laura Resau, I wrote this for Poetry Friday.

Red Glass

Latina Month fires
piercing light through pure red glass,
to emblazon souls.

Catch the full roundup with the wonderful Maya Ganesan at Allegro.

Welcome, Laura Resau!

We are thrilled to welcome Laura Resau to readergirlz. Her novel, Red Glass, is our May pick! Check out the our interview with Laura, book party ideas themed around Red Glass, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack Laura's chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.

Here's a little about the book: One night Sophie's family is called to a hospital, where five-year-old Pablo is recovering from dehydration. He was the sole survivor of a group of Mexican immigrants crossing the border. Sophie's family takes him in and comes to love him. A year later, Sophie must take a road trip with an unlikely group of people to Pablo's hometown in Mexico. Full of fears at first, she ends up opening herself to adventure and growing closer to Angel -- a boy her age with a secret. When Sophie dares to travel alone into Guatemala to save Angel, she explores whether love is worth the risk of loss.

And the buzz...

"Rich, poetic language . . . a captivating read." - School Library Journal starred review

"A vibrant, large-hearted story." - Publishers Weekly starred review

International Reading Association Young Adult Book Award Winner

Americas Award Winner

Cybils Award Finalist 2007

We are psyched! Join us all month right here on the blog for discussions and mark your calendars a LIVE chat on Wednesday, May 20th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.

Happy May, readergirlz!

May: rgz Newsflash

Welcome to readergirlz in May! We are ready to salsa into Latina Book Month!

**********

We Rocked the Drop!

Many, many thanks for everyone’s participation in Operation Teen Book Drop (TBD ’09). Over 8,000 books were dropped, readers across the country left YA books in their communities, and we partied it up at our blog! We heart Support Teen Literature Day! Here’s one more round of applause for YALSA, GuysLitWire and our publishers:

Abrams Books, Bloomsbury/Walker Books, Candlewick Press, Full Cast Audio, Hachette Book Group, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Hyperion, Milkweed, Mirrorstone Books, Orca Book Publishers, Peachtree Books, Perseus Book Group/Running Press, Random House, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Soft Skull Press & Red Rattle Books, TOKYOPOP and Tor/Forge/Starscape/Tor Teen.

**********

Welcome Laura Resau to rgz!

In May, we’ll celebrate Latina Book Month with author Laura Resau and discuss her critically acclaimed novel, Red Glass. The starred review from Publishers Weekly stated, “The prose captivates from the first chapter ... a vibrant, large-hearted story."

**********

Check out the postergirlz recommended reads!

The postergirlz have selected these works to accompany Red Glass:

* Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa by Micol Ostow
* Estrella's Quinceanera by Malin Alegria
* Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa
* Sofi Mendoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico by Malin Alegria
* The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle
* The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
* Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States

**********

Prepare for our summer rgz reads!

* Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
* The Plain Janes and Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
* Kendra by Coe Booth

**********

Here’s to a sizzling month of reading. Contact us at divas@readergirlz.com.


~the readergirlz divas~

Lorie Ann Grover, On Pointe
Dia Calhoun, Avielle of Rhia
Holly Cupala, A Light That Never Goes Out (2010)
Justina Chen Headley, North of Beautiful
Melissa Walker, Violet Series


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