Losers (explores the nerdy life of Jewish outsider Jupiter Glazer, a cross between the two important characters of Phillip Roth: Alexander Portnoy and "Swede" Levov. More importantly, this reviewer concludes, it illustrates how "Judaism has gone mainstream.") (The Jewish Daily Forward)

- Judgeby.com (like a Hot-or-Not for book covers!)

- Really cool interview of Kelly Link (author of Pretty Monsters. I'm checking her out this weekend for sure.) (LA Times)

- Google suit settled (The agreement states that Google will pay the Authors Guild and five major publishers $125 million.) (Silicon Alley Insider)

- Librarian and Libraries get cooler and cooler (as they create space and programs to build community and provide services that are all totally free. I wonder if libraries will see a surge in activity as our impending economic doom becomes more of reality?) (Arizona Republic)

- Free Book Fridays (It's easy. Every Friday they give books away...and they just launched a teen site.)

- DK rocks! (Don't you agree? Soon their Crime Scene Detectives series will be a kids' show for television. Produced by Beyond Productions.) (Cynopsis)

- Amanda Craig recommends (some good and scary books for the Halloween Holiday.) (NY Times, reg. required)

- OMG! (The Jonas Brothers and Walter the Farting Dog...coming to the big screen?! Not to mention The Electric Kool Aid Test, but that's in a different category all together (Powell's)

- Librarian reviews 'Crank' (And assures us this book definitely doesn't glorify drug use.) (Wassau Daily Herrald)

- Oui! (YA book sales up in France.) (Bookseller)

Posted by alli

I Capture the Castle isn't a young adult book per se, at least not as we now generally define the genre. Those categories really didn't exist in 1948 when it was written. However, it certainly has all the makings of a great young adult story with the perfect teen-age protagonist. It doesn't have the savvy modern characters or the fast pace of the YA fiction we read today, but what it's lacking in those departments it makes up for in heart and soul. The drama in Cassandra's life is very similar to those in most contemporary YA novels. Dysfunctional family, class, first love and the sheer agony of growing up are the daily challenges she labors over in her journal. Her descriptions of brand-new feelings, thoughts and discoveries are as fresh and new as any modern day storyteller, and that's what makes it so timeless.

Cassandra grows from a playful young girl into a thoughtful, sensible woman over the course an eventful year. Very straight forward is the telling of her families' life in their beautiful but old and dilapidated rented castle in the English country-side. They are growing poorer by the hour to everybody's terror except the man of the house, Cassandra's father. Mortmain, the mad genius, is a seemingly washed-up author whose last great work of literature was published almost a decade ago at the time of Cassandra's memoir. A central theme in the novel is Mortmain's writer's block and his questionable sanity. This weighs on Cassandra as does her sister Rose's unhappiness with their station in life. At one point in I Capture the Castle, Cassandra compares Rose and herself to the Bennett sisters of Pride and Prejudice. And besides the obvious British-isms and the oh-so-proper language, it does read like a Jane Austen novel.

The other central plot is your typical love triangle, but it's more like a square with a triangle inside of it...let me explain. One day at the castle the landlords show up. The Cottons are a wildly rich American family who at first are simply obsessed with Mortmain's celebrity as a writer. Soon though they become intertwined and equally fascinated with the whole family and love triangles, squares, and ovals abound. It's really fun: Rose wants nothing more than to escape their eccentric desperate life so she talks herself into falling for Simon, the wealthy eldest Cotton son, but she never really loves him. While he worships her, she's really falling for Neil, Simon's brother. Simon and Rose get engaged. Stephen, (he's essentially the adopted-super-hot-stable-boy-turned-model/actor...) has always been in love with Cassandra and professes his love over and over to her. She never reciprocates. She can't. She's in love with Simon..... and on and on. There's much more to these relationships than I can describe here, and a few more triangles to boot, but the main thing is how Cassandra processes and navigates in completely new emotional territory.

I think what I love best in I Capture the Castle is Cassandra's voice. I first read it in college and when I picked it up to re-read, I could completely hear her sweet, enthusiastic voice as clear as a bell in the very first line. It had the exact same musical quality I remembered liking so much -- so endearing, so refreshing. She is an insanely likable narrator and tells a colorful and rich coming-of-age story. I'm not sure if this Dodie Smith novel is considered as much of a YA classic as her 101 Dalmatians is for children, but after re-reading it as such I think it should be.

Posted by alli

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (Great review and I've heard the same sentiment-- it's most appropriate for an older young reader.) (SF Gate)

- Page to Screen (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the incredible YA book about two boys in Nazi Germany: one a concentration camp prisoner and the other, the son of the camp's director has been made into a film and will be released November 4th.) (Cynposis)

- Some interesting commentary on author David Almond (Part 1) (Here's Part 2. I looooved Skellig.) (Guys Lit Wire)

- Mitali Perkins asks ("Should authors describe a character's race?" Make sure to read the comments and responses. Great discussion.)

- More bad news on the reading front ("Study: Most fourth graders can't read at grade level") (SLJ)

- Getting ARCS and galleys (into the hands of kids. I love it. I wonder if they'll ever use kids to make publishing choices. Why not?) (Publishers Weekly)

- '35 going on 13' (Adults who like YA, and some follow up at the Christian Science Monitor. What I liked about Benedetti's piece at LJ, is that she juxtaposes her taste for YA with her singular desire to read adult literature when she was a teen. I bet that's true for a lot of us, even those of us who DON'T drive mini-vans.) (Library Journal) (Canada.com)

- More talk of the adult-novel-that's-good-for-young-adults (The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti and why can't it just be a good book for everyone? I think we should officially start a new category...Plus check out the Alex Awards.) (Galley Cat)

- Bible Illuminated (Same ol' story, new cool look and feel.) (Cool Hunting)

- Valerie Tripp (Author of over 50 American Girl books, interviewed.) (Washington Post, reg. required)

Posted by alli

Anita Liberty is not only an amazing author she is a performance artist, poet, screenwriter and film maker. Her latest, a semi-autobiographic YA novel called THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, (YEP, THAT WOULD BE ME) is about the trials and tribulations of high school -- what else, right? It includes all of the main ingredients too: a lot of making-out with undeserving boys, fights with friends, parents you love and hate, and French-exchange students. What's different is that Anita Liberty, who is not a comedian per say, manages to make all of her work totally hilarious!

THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE is playful and fun. Anita's journal moves along pretty quickly incorporating poetry, "charts" of her parents' performance ratings, and very helpful "advice from the author". A lot of Liberty's most simple writing is really insightful though and contrary to what sassy young Anita might like you to think, she's delightful.

We interviewed Anita Liberty about THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, among other things, and I'm so glad we did. She's an author to watch and if she doesn't make you laugh a little, I don't know what will. Also check her out here.

YPulse Books: You do all kinds of writing-related work. As an artist, is there an identity that you feel more passionately about or to which you feel more connected: comedian, performance artist, monologuist, YA author, screen-writer, film maker? Why?

Anita Liberty: Wow. When I agreed to be interviewed for the Ypulse Author Spotlight, I just assumed you were gonna ask me easy little questions and I wouldn't have to actually work very hard or spend much time crafting thoughtful answers. And then you go and, right off the bat, ask me a question that sends me into an indecisive tailspin, provoking a huge existential crisis to which I have responded by playing a lot of Text Twist and Wordscraper instead of sitting down to address your query. But I'm here now and I'm going to try to answer this as candidly as possible. Wait. One more game of Text Twist. Okay. I've never really loved the act of writing. It's stressful, slow-going and fills me with self-doubt. However, I love having written. I absolutely love that I'm the author of three books. I love having those books on my shelf. It makes me feel like I'm really doing something with my life.

On the other hand, being an author doesn't allow me to monitor and appreciate the reader's response (unless anyone wants to have me over to sit next to her while she reads so I can say, "D'ja like that part? What about that part? Isn't that funny? And clever? Do you have any chips?"). Performing my material does allow me to gauge the immediate response to my writing and that is very satisfying. I've always been a writer, expressed in some form or another, but I began the work that's closest to what I do now as live performance. That's how I grew the body of my work, how I honed my "character," how I staved off many a lonely Saturday night in my twenties. So. Have I answered your question? No, of course not. But I'm getting closer. I guess I'd have to say that, although I engage in it rarely these days, I feel most passionately about my identity as a writer who performs her own material. (Was that one of the choices?)

YPB: How much of THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE are actual entries from your high-school journal and how much did you recreate?

AL: I would say about 37 percent of the book is made up of actual entries from my high school journal. In my books, I always "enhance" the facts of my life and fill in the blanks in a way that (hopefully) drives a narrative and makes the truth that much more entertaining. However, some of the verbatim quotes and incidents are (to me) some of the funniest. For instance, a lot of the Monty stuff in the book is taken straight out of my journal. I actually wrote the words: "His penis was huge! But I haven't seen any others, so what do I know?" (Is the word "penis" allowed in this interview? 'Cause if it's not, I'm not sure I want to continue. The word "penis" should always be invited to the party.)

YPB: What did you learn from writing this book about Anita-the-teen that has informed or changed Anita the adult woman?

AL: I can't say that writing THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE necessarily informed or changed my perception of the adult Anita. What I can say is that it was interesting going back and writing about Anita's teenage years, figuring out who she was well before she ever met Mitchell (the ex-boyfriend who was the inspiration for my first book, HOW TO HEAL THE HURT BY HATING) and reliving the thrill of a first real romance and the agony of unrequited love. To be honest, writing about teenaged Anita sort of got my hormones going - I find myself Googling Zac Efron and Daniel Radcliffe a lot. Mmm. Tasty.

YPB: The narrative in CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE is that of your average scrappy, snarky, totally hilarious teen but the poems seem to me, to be the place where we really see Anita's most reflective and honest side. Was that intentional and/or do think it's more a function of the different genres?

AL: I don't know. I just don't. It wasn't intentional, but writing in a specific format or even just calling the piece a "poem" can give it more emotional heft and intensity than if the same piece were in prose-form. Sometimes I write a diary entry that wants to be a poem. However, I never write a poem that wants to be a diary entry. The poems do tend to be more impulsive and no-holds-barred and un-self-conscious.

YPB: Anita finally has sex -- loses her virginity to someone she loves and with whom she has a pretty healthy relationship. Intercourse for lack of more descriptive word, is a pretty hot topic in YA -- How did you arrive at the decision to write about this and why?

AL: You know why it's a "hot topic" in YA? 'Cause it's a HOT TOPIC in life. I've been thinking about this a lot. Especially given this year's presidential race and the disparity between the two candidates and their views on teenage pregnancy, birth control and a woman's right-to-choose. Sexual intercourse has become so politicized. And it's pretty much the most natural activity human beings can engage in, besides eating and pooping. I just don't understand it. I mean, I do, but I wish things were different. I'm a mother of a very young daughter. I don't want her to grow up. I don't want her to have sex. I don't want her to smoke or drive or drink or get hurt or be mean or dress slutty or see bad movies or be bored. But that's just irrational. She will grow up. She will have sex. She will try recreational drugs. She will fall in love and get hurt. At least once, I'm sure. But as long as I know that she's making clear and healthy decisions, that she's being safe and not putting herself into compromising positions, that she's with people who care about her and whom she cares about, then having sex is not going to send her on the road to ruin. In fact, I'd feel a lot more comfortable with my teenage daughter having safe and mutually-consenting sex with someone she cared about than her driving a car or being a passenger with an inexperienced driver. So there. And I decided to include my first experience with sex in the book 'cause it happened -- I had sex on my 17th birthday! (Oops. I think I changed it to my 18th birthday in the book. Sorry, Mom.)

YPB: Your other books were not necessarily written for young adults. How was writing for a teen audience different from your other writing experiences?

AL: I thought that writing for a teen audience was going to be a lot different than writing for an adult audience. I was wrong. I never compromised my voice or tried to "age down." Teenagers today are very sophisticated, in terms of their intellect and their worldview. There seemed to me to be no reason to edit myself. As long as I wrote about issues and situations that were specific to the teenage experience, I found that I could write in my own (adult) voice and it worked.

YPB: What's next for Anita Liberty? What are you currently working on?

AL: I'm currently in the process of developing a series of webisodes based on THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. I'm also trying to figure out another YA book to pitch. I'm continuing to develop half-hour pilots for television. I just moved out to Los Angeles, so I'm having a lot of lunch meetings. I'm trying to stop biting my nails. And I'm getting really good at Text Twist and WordScraper.

YPB: Thank you very much. I so enjoyed CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE and can't wait to hear about your next project.

Posted by alli

National Book Awards for Young People finalists (Nice selection. Among them:
Laurie Halse Anderson, Chains, Judy Blundell, What I Saw and How I Lied and E. Lockhart, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.) (Publishers Weekly)

- Vive le Bilioburro indeed! (The story of the "people's librarian" of Columbia.) (New York Times, reg. required)

- Have tea with JK Rowling (Enter an essay contest and win an invite to a tea party in Scotland with the author. Of course this is all to celebrate the December 4th launch of The Tale of Beetle Bard.) (The Scotsman)

- You may have missed the broadcast (but check out the transcript and comments to Monday's OnPoint discussion which asked: "Are you raising a pre-teen or teen daughter in the era of Gossip Girl? Is she reading and watching all this stuff? Is it harmless fantasy? Innoculation? Or setting girls up for trouble?") (WBUR/NPR)

- Top Ten Teen Choices (from YALSA)

- Cybils nominees are up (I saw some of my faves. I'm more than a little excited!)

- The comic book biz (doing well? That's a ray of sunshine through the otherwise dismal reports on the publishing industry.) (CNN Money)

- Balancing act with books (to encourage reading among teens requires both classics and contemporary titles.) (Chicago Tribune)

- Angry parent won't return Bunny Suicide book (to the local library) (Seattlepi.com)

- Random House and First Book (will give away 300K books nationally to schools, libraries and literacy organizations.) (Literacy News)

- Tim McGraw (throws his hat into the children's book celeb author ring with My Little Girl.) (KansasCity.com)

- 'Iron Man Visits Your Library' contest (Tell your fave K-8 student to write an essay about your favorite superhero and win your library a visit.) (SLJ)

Posted by alli

A really colorful collection in my mailbox this month-- Wow. I've been browsing some insightful non-fiction, learned a new word or two, and am considering finishing the Twilight Series. (I kinda have to, don't I?) I also feel like there might be an Alice in Wonderland revolution emerging.

Check out what's new and upcoming:

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass (Three strangers meet under unusual circumstances at a camp ground where they hope to witness a solar eclipse. Their lives are changed forever.)

First Kids, The True Stories of All the President's Children by Noah McCollough (A unique perspective especially in this election season. I like the layout and the smattering of unique and interesting factoids.)

Does This Book Make Me Look Fat edited by Melissa Walsh (Stories by your fave YA authors on our culture's obsession with physical appearance--our bodies, for better or worse.)

Diary of a Chav by Grace Dent ("Chav: (n.) A British insult for white working class people fixated on street fashion and hip-hop culture of America." Interesting new addition to my mental collection of YA books on class.)

Encyclopedia of the End by Deborah Noyes (Interesting information and discussion about the great taboo subject-- death. Complete with some disgusting details as well as some more serious and meaningful cultural traditions ponder. I like this book. It's not unnecessarily dark or creepy. It just offers some insight and history into something we all, um, live with.)

Shinobi Life by Shoko Conami (This manga title offers some good action and romance: A time traveling body-guard and a phony princess? Of course, chaos insues.)

The Twilight Companion Lois H. Gersh (Lots of important information sure to get you all fired up about Bella and Edward again, just in time for the movie and right as you're probably starting to miss the ole' gang.)

The Night Children by Kit Reed (An entire community of children, lost and abandoned, live in one of the largest malls in the country. They are utterly invisible until Jule accidentally discovers them and is inadvertently dragged into their underground politics. Looks creepy.)

Fix by Leslie Margolis (Nope not about drugs...Two sisters experience trials and tribulations before and after their rhinoplasty procedures.)

Boys are Dogs by Leslie Margolis (New school, new friends, new boyfriend of mom's, new dog--and a new appreciation for the opposite sex, I think.)

Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll adapted by Kyle Baker (This is a Classics Illustrated from Papercutz. Fun, easy way to engage with this classic. The art is fairly straightforward, traditional Alice, but a little looser, more modern.)

The Looking Glass Wars and Seeing Red (Voulmes one and two in the trilogy) by Frank Beddor (I received a beautiful package of media from Frank Beddor to accompany this series. Gorgeous imagery and an intense take on the favorite children's tale, Beddor takes the fantasy of Wonderland and turns it on it's ear. I like the idea of bringing reality back into a story that is, by default, surreal.)

The Undersea Adventure of Captain Eli by Jay Piscopo (An awesome child superhero -- seems like this would be great for my third graders that are ALWAYS looking for "appropriate" graphic novels and comics...they don't phrase it like that. )

Posted by alli

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