Banned Books Week: Hey, You Can't Read That!

Throughout history the apple has come to signify the idea of forbidden fruit, the taboo . . . It is ironic that it appears on the cover of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Edward is, of course, the ultimate forbidden fruit - a vampire. To love a vampire is to put yourself in mortal danger every day. But today it means more than that, you see there are those who think you shouldn't be able to read Twilight. That the book itself should be forbidden.

Throughout history people have been challenging books and trying to say that one or another is bad for us and we shouldn't be able to read it. There is nothing more powerful than words and thoughts, which is exactly why we need to continue to fight for the freedom to read . . . as we read and open our minds to new thoughts, to new ways of living, to new ways of thinking, we allow ourselves to be open to change. If we never opened ourselves up we would still think the Earth is flat and the center of the universe. We might still condone slavery and women might not have the right to vote. The computer that you are reading this on, it exists because someone had a vision of a future with a technology beyond their wildest dreams and they worked to make it happen. What would a world without the freedom to read look like? Try reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury or 1984 by George Orwell. Thought police and book burners, not cool.

You don't have to like each and every book you read. In fact, there are many in your life that you will be offended by. When you come across a book like that, stop reading it. Or finish it and talk to someone about it. But don't say that no one should be allowed to read it because it personally offended you. That is what the freedom to read is about: You should the books that are right for you and allow others to choose the books that are right for them.

Visit VOYA.com for a list of the top 10 teen books challenged in 2009 and the reasons why. And remember to celebrate your freedom to read by reading.

His Bruises are Not His Own

They call him Bruiser, because he is big and distant and it seems like he could take on anyone. But the truth is something they could never imagine. His real name is Brewster. And if he allows himself to become close with others, he can take their pain. When his brother falls off of the roof, it is Brewster whose arm is broken. And when his mother develops cancer, she sends him to live with an uncle so he does not die what should be her death.

Bronte and Tennyson are twins whose family is falling apart. Soon Bronte begins dating Brewster. She knows that he can take away her physical pain, but she does not realize how far his power reaches. How much like a drug it can be.

What would life be like if you never had to feel pain again? And can you really feel joy if you never feel sorrow or anger or the hurt that comes with life? Can the three of them find a way to love each other and save Brewster from this terrible "gift"?

Told in alternating viewpoints, this is a great story. From the moment that you first see what Brewster looks like without a shirt on, you are routing for him. At the end I cried satisfied tears at a story well done and a journey into a life that I genuinely cared about. Read it today. you won't be sorry. And then ask yourself, if you could take away someone else's pain but had to feel it for yourself - would you?

Also recommended, Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Angels Falling Everywhere

Pink is the new black and fallen angels are the new vampires. What else is popular?

Adult authors writing for teens. James Patterson is doing it with the Maximum Ride series and The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. Neil Gaiman does it (Coraline).

Now - you can get both trends in one place with this handy two for one deal: The Madison Avery series by Kim Harrison. Kim Harrison is the popular adult author of the paranormal series starring Rachel Morgan, who happens to be a witch.

In Once Dead, Twice Shy teen Madison Avery has been struck dead. Well, kinda. She is in a kind of purgatory. Here she is helping Barnabas, the light reaper, try to fend off the dark reaper who is taking the souls of those making serious life altering decisions. Madison's new death is quite the challenge. (Early to Death, Early to Rise is book 2 in the Madison Avery series.)

For other series with fallen angels, try Fallen by Lauren Kate (Torment, book 2 in this series, comes out on September 28th) and Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (Crescendo, book 2 in this series, comes out on October 19th).

I Know What You Read This Summer

The Teen Summer Reading Club has come to an end (insert sad face here), but here is a look at what you all read and what you thought about it.

Amy S. (9th grade) read Fang by James Patterson and said "I want MORE!!!!!!!" (Exact number of exclamation points duplicated for authenticity's sake :) )

Megan H. (10th grade) read Red Palms by Cara Haycak and said it was "Child-ish and unrealistic". Ouch.

Lydia S. (9th grade) read Let it Snow: 3 Holiday Wishes and said it was "good but weird."

Katherine S. (7th grade) read The Lost Queen by Frewin Jones and said, "I loved it! I can't wait to read more!!"

Aulbri S. (11th grade) read Crank by Ellen Hopkins and says, "I thought the format was original. It's a series of shaped poems that make up a novel. It's depressing but needed."

Paige M. (8th grade) read When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead and said she "thought it was a really good book." (One of my faves :) )

Seth I. (8th grade) read the graphic novel Batman: Hong Kong by Dough Moenah and said, "Very good graphics. Well done." He also read The Quality of Mercy by Gilber Morris and said it was an "awesome Christian mystery."

Stephanie B. (9th grade) read Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr and said: "This is one of the best books I have ever read. A faerie that's considered a dark court hound falls in love with Devin a high court faerie and they help each save themselves."

Rayanna P. (1oth grade) read Dreamrider by Barry Jonsberg and said: "I like how they take a kid who is always getting picked on and beat up power. I like that he is using his power for good and not evil."

Evan H. (6th grade) read The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner and said, "The plot of this interested me, with all the fantasy."

Can You Hear the Whispers?

We've all that, at one time or another, that it would be cool to be able to hear
what others are thinking. You walk by a group of girls in the school hallway and wonder if they are talking about you. You wonder what the boy you like is really thinking. But what if you heard someone you love thinking that they would kill themselves if they had to . . . ?

Joy and Jessica are sisters, and they both can hear the "whispers" - brief thoughts from others. And while Joy thinks this talent is a gift, Jessica thinks it is a curse - and she will do anything to make it stop. Can Joy help her sister embrace her gift before she tries to destroy it, and perhaps herself? Read Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis.

Twilight: Eclipse Movie

So it seems like we can't really be at a place right now where we just don't mention the Twilight movie Eclipse. I did go see it. And I have decided that really, out of all the characters - I can't stand Bella. I'm sorry, but she is just mean and selfish to these two boys that she supposedly loves. Of the two boys I think the relationship with Edward is definitely less healthy - I mean, he sabotages her truck to control where she goes. That is just not cool. If you are in a relationship with a guy and he is acting like Edward - please do yourself a favor and run in the other direction. But I won't spend a lot of time rehashing what I thought about the movie, because this movie review says it so well:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-motion-captured/posts/the-m-c-review-the-twilight-saga-eclipse

And I can't say it enough - if you love Twilight, please give Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater a read. Seriously. Go now.

Miley Cyrus to Star in Wake by Lisa McMann

From the back cover . . .

She is floating. Not the falling dream again, she thinks. She is sick to death of the falling dream.

The scene changes immediately. Now Janie is outside. It’s dark. She’s alone, behind a shed, but she can hear muffled voices. She’s never been alone before, and she doesn’t know how people can have dreams that they are not in. She is curious. She watches nervously, hoping this isn’t somebody’s nightmare about to explode through the wall of the shed, or from behind the bushes…

Wake is the story of Janie, who is drawn into other people's dreams. It has just been announced that this series (which includes both Fade and Gone) is being made into a movie which will star Miley Cyrus (http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/06/17/miley-cyrus-wake/)