When readergirlz asked me to select three titles "for the girl who has read every book in the library" (aka overlooked treasures) for my readergirlz bookmark, (1) I immediately knew I would include The Alison Rules by Catherine Clark. I read the book when it was first released in 2004 and have praised it ever since. I've spoken about it during ( Read more... )

At first glance, one might think Claire has it all. She's a high school cheerleader with a devoted best friend, a sought-after boyfriend, and a group of elite buddies ( Read more... )

The following article was cross-posted at the GuysLitWire blog.

As Simple as Snow is a complex, haunting mystery written by Gregory Galloway. Since its publication in 2005, I have recommended it to a countless number of friends, customers, and literary groups. I've mentioned it many times here at the Bildungsroman blog, included it in one round of ( Read more... )

Walk down the hallway of Valley Regional High on a weekday and you will undoubtedly be surrounded by both teenagers and noise. Students will pass you on the left and on the right. Pieces of conversation will drift by you, exclamations of joy and disappointment punctuating conversations about tests, teachers, parents, and relationships ( Read more... )

I read As Simple as Snow shortly after its release, then wrote a review which began, "This story will be haunting me for a long, long time." It is true. As I edit this post years after writing that review, I think about how the opening of the book has stayed with me all this time. I dare you to read the first paragraph of the book and stop. You can ( Read more... )

Like the Red Panda is alternately a dark comedy and just plain dark - in a memorable, outstanding way. Haunting and thoughtful, this story will stay with you long after you turn the last page ( Read more... )

What Happens Here by Tara Altebrando is a coming-of-age novel you won't soon forget ( Read more... )

In the spunky, stubborn Zibby Payne, author Alison Bell has created an outstanding character who sticks to her guns and trusts her instincts. Were they contemporaries, Ramona Quimby and Zibby Payne would be friends. Zibby is extremely loyal and very aware of the power of words. She's unafraid to say how she feels, and she also apologizes if she ( Read more... )

What do A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban and Notes on a Near-Life Experience by Olivia Birdsall have in common? Both use quirky vignettes with quirky titles to effectively tell a story. While Crooked offers cookies, organ music, and striped toe socks, Notes includes pepperoni, prom, and a person from Peru ( Read more... )

Just Like That explores the story of a teenage girl named Hanna. After breaking up with her boyfriend, she thinks she'll have a quiet moment to herself, sitting near the frozen-over lake late at night. She sees a slightly older couple, who urge her to come with them to be safe. She stays put. They warn her about the thin ice and depart. Shortly ( Read more... )