BOOK CLUB PANIC

[penmage]

I'm suddenly having a panic attack. My teen book club is meeting this weekend, and I haven't picked the next book for us to read, and suddenly I'm riddled with panic. I haven't read enough books. I don't own enough books! What do I pick?

You know and I know I've read a billion books, but suddenly I can't think of anything and everything I think about seems wrong. Getting a second opinion would help, I think.

Here's my criterion: the age group is 11-14, girls. They're all really strong readers. The book we pick should be high level, but free of any content parents might find objectionable, what with me being married to the rabbi and all that. No sex, no major profanity.

Our previous reads have been The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu and Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson.

I'd like to read with them something that they probably haven't already read, so I'd prefer a newer title--also because it will be easier for them to find copies of a book that's newer on the market.

PLEASE TO GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS.

Comments

[thumbelinablues.livejournal.com]

None of these are new titles (I am SO BEHIND) but Goddess of Yesterday, by Caroline B. Cooney if you want to keep with the Greek theme; Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner, ditto; The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood; Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby; and, if you don't mind waiting a week for it to come out, Janni Lee Simner's Bones of Faerie. Good luck!

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Hmm, Nobody's Princess is an interesting thought. I read Nobody's Prize for the Cybils and really liked it, but I haven't read Princess yet.

Prize had a little bit of sex in it--did Princess? I may have to do some quick reading. I also want to give them a choice, so I want to bring a few books and vote.

I am incredibly psyched for janni's Bones of Faerie, but I want to wait and pre-read anything I put out there to make sure it's clean enough for the parents in the community. Not that I think Bones isn't--I just need to preread so I don't get myself in a sticky situation. I also want to make sure that I hae enough for a real discussion with any title I bring in.

Bones is definitly a contender, but not for this month.

[goddessinsepia.livejournal.com]

How about The Book Thief by Markus Zusak?

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I thought about that, but I don't think it's quite right for this venue. It's one of the best books I'll ever read, but it's very heavy--and while I don't specifically need to keep the tone light (we did read Chains) I don't want to drag it down that far.

They also read a lot of Holocaust books in school, and I want to make the book club as un-academic as possible.

This reminds me though that I want to read Zusak's other book. He is just so good.

[thumbelinablues.livejournal.com]

Reminds me that I really must read The Book Thief...but mostly I want to say just how much I love your icon. So much. Can't stop staring....

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

Belle Prater's Boy, which is just plain one of the best YA books ever, for all that it's an older one.

For new ones, alas, I'm way behind the times. =( And in the wrong country to boot, different books out here.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

If this isn't disgusting, my Posse of Princesses? I've had a couple of people say they've taught it to sixth graders--it has plenty of romance, but no objectionable content.

If that's repulsive (and I apologize) Saffy's Angel by Hilary McKay? Durst's Out of the Wild? (As I recall, there wasn't anything older teen in it.)

[penmage.livejournal.com]

It's not disgusting :). I quite enjoyed Posse--I was thrilled to get a review copy for the Cybils, and I've since moved it downstairs into my lending library. I think my girls would really like it.

My only concern with it, unfortunately, is availability. I've been kind of hinting to some of the moms that it wouldn't be a terrible idea for them to lay down the cash and buy the books, but so far they only seem to be hitting up the library, which doesn't have a hugely massive selection.

I actually had some problems with the first book we read--some of the girls had trouble getting copies, and so they didn't read it in time. I'm kind of peeved that this has to be taken into consideration, but it does.

Into the Wild is a very interesting thought, though--that book might be perfect for the age group, and I know our library has several copies.

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

Ellen Raskin ;)

not new. but light/funny/interesting and no sex.

[esc-key.livejournal.com]

I dunno. Maybe read something silly or light? Switch it up?

[lnbw.livejournal.com]

Second the Ellen Raskin rec! The Westing Game is brilliant.

I think I suggested this last time, but A Wrinkle in Time? Also Howl's Moving Castle for more specficcy goodness?

It's actually ancient, but I find that very few people have read Cheaper by the Dozen, especially after the horrendous movies, but it's a really fun memoirish thing, free of objectionable content.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I loved Cheaper By the Dozen! Interesting thought. Do you think there's enough for a meaty discussion, though?

[aethereal-girl.livejournal.com]

The . . . I want to say funny, but it's not funny, exactly . . . the odd thing about Cheaper by the Dozen is that there are never actually a dozen children in it at the same time.

This becomes obvious when you count the children present in any given scene, which I didn't do as a child, but did when I reread it as an adult.

Apparently Mary died of diphtheria when she was six, before some of the younger children were born. The book doesn't discuss this, though, she's just . . . mysteriously never mentioned again.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins for heavy content, and "How to Ditch Your Fairy" by Justine Larbalestier for lighter.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Sigh. The problem with the position I'm in is that I have to censor myself because any books I pick comes from THE RABBI'S WIFE.

I'm concerned that some parents might find Hunger Games too violent. And How to Ditch Your Fairy has a very boyfriends-centric plot, which I'm afraid may not go over well.

Both good books and good choices. Unfortunately I think I need to rely on them more as books I lend to them from my lending library and less books that are our official Book Club read.

[grammargirl.livejournal.com]

Hmm, someone else already beat me to suggesting The Book Thief...

What about Mysterious Benedict Society or The Name of This Book is Secret? They're both puzzle-y and fun, and completely clean as far as I can remember (though TNOTBIS has a couple characters who are gay in a totally background, non-sexual way).

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Oh, good thought! I was thinking vaguely about MBS a little while ago, but I forgot about it. Hmm. I need to dig up my copy. I'm not actually sure where it is at the moment...

I have a confession to make: I've never actually read TNOTBIS. It's in my pile of books I really want to read, but you know how it goes. I'm not sure I'll have time to read it before this meetup, but maybe for next time. I was actually just looking at my shelf and wondering if it would be an appropriate read.

[gimmelgirl.livejournal.com]

It's not new - old - but I loved Anne McCaffrey's Harper Hall Trilogy, starting with Dragonsong, when I was that age.

A few more thoughts....

[gimmelgirl.livejournal.com]

Also, Inkspell is phenomenal, especially if you love books themselves.
Have you thought about the Libba Bray books?
Ooh! The Last Unicorn?
Is Anne of Green Gables too far off base for what they like?
Just thinking what I loved when I was a tween....

[janni.livejournal.com]

I just read and loved Neil Shusterman's Antsy Does Time--very funny, and not usually my sort of thing at all, but a good read. (I think it's okay content wise, but probably worth pre-reading as well--the main character does have quite a bit of attitude, though of course that's much of the fun. :-))

Are they too young for the Dreamhunter books? (Which are lovely but also not quick reads?)

Or there are Anne McCaffrey's Harper Hall books, if you want to start working on making sure they know girls can do anything. :-)

[janni.livejournal.com]

What about Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword? A less dogmatic girls can do anything book. :-) (I don't think there's sex in it, though there may or may not be in Hero and the Crown.)

[vass]

I'm not sure whether it's too young or not (the cover says ages 10+, but I just gave it to my niece for her 7th birthday for her parents to read aloud) but Patricia C Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles? I'm pretty sure they're not objectionable, and they have strong female characters and are fun.

[akamarykate.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this is too young, or too "schooly" in terms of the historical content, but one book that springs to mind is The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963. It's funny through most of it, and there's lots of nonschool stuff to talk about with the family relationships--I guess my one caveat would be that it's told from the POV of a boy, and if you want to get them reading about more empowered female protagonists, this might not be the book. But my gifted 4th graders always loved it as a readaloud (not as part of the curriculum, just for fun).

[(Anonymous)]

How about . . . Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer :-)

Or: A Drowned Maiden's Hair? I loved that!

Cheers,
Laini

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Oh, I loved Drowned Maiden's Hair! Good thought. I think I have a copy of it floating around somewhere. Hmmm.

Gee, I'd love to read Blackbringer with them. I'll have to read it first, though... :D

[fox1013.livejournal.com]

How would these girls react to The Unnameables?

Alternately, it's older, but would Sorcery and Cecelia work for them? How about The Young Unicorns?

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Possibly The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson? I think there's a lot to discuss in it, though it isn't a flawless book. At least it's fairly new. There was an accurate review of it on Tor.com recently.

Actually, I would highly recommend The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages. It isn't new, but the sequel, White Sands, Red Menace is.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Oh, very good call on Green Glass Sea. I actually just got a copy of it from Paperbackswap--I love that book so much. A friend at Penguin gave me a copy of the second, but I haven't read it yet. I had forgotten about this one.

I love The Explosionist (we even shortlisted it for the Cybils!) but I think it's too complex for these girls--a few more years, and they'll be perfect for it, but I think it would confuse them now, and I think IRLYNS would horrify their moms, and not in the good way.

Are you going to be at the reading tonight?

[tabbyclaw.livejournal.com]

I want to suggest So You Want To Be a Wizard because I always want to suggest So You Want To Be a Wizard to anyone and everyone.

[theoneschampion.livejournal.com]

Tabbyclaw, that was going to be one of my suggestions!!! Diane Duane is an amazing writer, and she deals with some pretty heavy subjects. But I wasn't sure about the magic thing.

I do see what you're saying about newer stuff, though I have the feeling that most of those girls have probably not read The Hobbit.

Meh. What did I read when I was that age?

[ladyluna.livejournal.com]

Didn't go through this, but what about Gaiman's new book? Graveyard, something like that. I just finished it and can't remember the name

[furies.livejournal.com]

when i was that age i was all about island of the blue dolphins and julie of the wolves and other such wilderness survival-tales. (i was also reading sense and sensibility for the first time, but you know.)

i also think the true meaning of smekday was one of the best books i read all year, and the key to the golden firebird is my favorite maureen johnson.

i'm a little short on newer stuff that isn't from a boy narrator or doesn't have a boy-girl focus AND isn't about some tragedy (i have pretty hilarious YA tastes), but i will keep thinking on this.

oh! what about wednesday wars? it's about a boy, yes, but also shakespeare, and it's really witty and fun.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I LOVE Smekday like crazy, and I'm definitely going to bust it out one of these days. My only concern is that I'm not sure there's enough to discuss? Aside from the "OMG, didn't you love it when _________" bits, I mean.

I love Wednesday Wars too, like pie and cheesecake, but it might be a little to young for my girls. Unfortunately. Because it's one of my top ten favorite books of all time.

You have good taste in books. You get to stay.