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December
22, 2000
Dear
Reader,
Wondering where we've been these last few weeks? You'll understand
when you click your way to Teenreads.com. We've been super
busy giving the website a whole new look. Check it out and
tell us what you think! We've also been busy looking through
the piles of books we reviewed this year to narrow them down
to just ten --- the Top
10 books of the year 2000. If you're looking for something
to read while school is out for the holidays, this list is
the place to start.
If
the magic of the holidays --- elves, flying reindeer, nasty
green furry creatures living on mountaintops --- brings out
your whimsical side, you'll want to check out this week's
review of NIGHT FLYING,
about a family where all of the women can fly, and our in-depth
profile of the author Donna
Jo Napoli, whose rewritings of fairy tales are truly magical.
If
hardcore reality is more your style, read our reviews of COUNTERFEIT
SON, about the son of a serial killer, and the books
of Bruce Brooks,
who has captured many serious teen issues, including eating
disorders, illness and death, race, abuse, and family problems,
in books like THE MOVES
MAKE THE MAN and VANISHING.
Read
on for more about these books, the
Top 10 of 2000, and this week's other new reviews, features,
and author profiles!
Tick,
tock . . .
No, that's not the sound of the clock counting the final minutes
of the year 2000. It's counting down until the deadline for
entering three fabulous contests on Teenreads.com!
WIN
signed
copies of books from R.L. Stine's new series!
WIN
Teen Ink,
a new collection of writing by teens!
WIN
the new American
Heritage Dictionary, a $60 value!
Features
Donna
Jo Napoli
Donna Jo Napoli writes deep, magical novels based on classic
fairy tales. Her books offer unusual perspecitves on ordinarily
familiar stories, uncovering layers of emotion and history
that she feels are at the heart of the tales. Read our interview
with the author and find out more about her passion for researching
and writing the stories of Beauty and the Beast, the Illiad,
Rapunzel, the Frog Prince, and many others.
Then
check out our reviews of three of Napoli's novels: BEAST
is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast from the point of view
of the Beast, a Persian prince. In SIRENA,
based on the Ancient Greek story of the Sirens, a young mermaid
must decide whether to use her magical powers to save herself
or the man she loves. ZEL
tells the story of Rapunzel, exploring the reasons for her
mother's cruel treatment of her daughter.
NIGHT
FLYING by Rita
Murphy
*One of the Teenreads.com Top 10 Books of 2000*
All of the women in Georgia Hansen's family share a magical
secret: they can fly. To keep the secret under wraps, Grandmother
Hansen has laid down strict rules that Georgia hates to follow.
Can Georgia find a way to be free of the burdens of the family
secret without losing the magical gift that is her heritage?
Bruce
Brooks
"Teenage people usually know and understand a great deal more
of the truth in any situation than the adults around them
can assess." His respect for teens, combined with his moving
stories and true-to-life characters, has won him many awards
and many fans.
MIDNIGHT
HOUR ENCORES is the story of a young cellist who sets
out to find the hippie mom who abandoned her as a baby.
ASYLUM
FOR NIGHTFACE is about a boy trying to puruse his
unique spiritual beliefs in spite of his parents' lack of
understanding and respect --- and later, their attempts to
pursuade him to join their bizzare religous cult
In
VANISHING,
a young woman refuses to eat in order to punish her uncaring
parents, is hospitalized, and learns important life-and-death
lessons from her hospital roommate who is dying of a terminal
illness.
THE
MOVES MAKE THE MAN explores the friendship between
Jerome Foxworthy, the only African-American student in school,
and Bix Rivers, a strange white boy with troubles at home
that he reveals to Jerome little by little, as they play basketball
together in a secret court in the middle of the woods.
TOP
10 BOOKS OF 2000
Teenreads.com's editors pick the best teen books of the year.
Do you agree with our choices?
Reviews
COUNTERFEIT
SON by Elaine Marie Alphin
Cameron Miller is the son of a serial killer. He bought his
own safety by helping his father bury the boys he killed.
To escape his horrific background, he uses his father's files
to learn every detail about the life of one of the victims,
and then convinces the boy's parents that he is actually their
long-lost son. But when one of his father's old friends turns
up and starts threatening him and his new-found family, will
he keep up the dangerous charade?
THE
TRANSFORMATION by Mette Newth
In this story, set in 15th century Greenland, a young Inuit
shaman named Navarana rescues an Irish monk named Brendan,
the last survivor of a group of Christians that traveled to
Greenland to convert the Inuits but were destroyed by the
harsh weather. As Navarana and Brendan struggle to understand
each other despite their huge cultural differences, Navarana
is chosen by the tribe to search for the sun, which has not
brought light or warmth to their land for three seasons. Brendan
accompanies her on the journey, and they learn to overcome
their differences by pursuing the dream they share.
CLOSE
TO A KILLER by Marsha Qualey
In this quirky and thrilling mystery, Barrie lives with her
mom, who runs a hair salon called "Killer Looks" --- because
all of the women who work there are convicted murderers. When
several of the salon's customers are murdered, Barrie's mom
and her friends are suspected. Barrie believes they are innocent
and is trying to find the real killer --- when it starts to
look like she's about to be the next victim.
ANGEL:
SHAKEDOWN by Don DeBrandt
Angel is hired to protect the Serpentenes, a rich community
of demons, from the Quakes. Cordelia is attracted by the Serpentenes'
affluent and luxurious lifestyle --- and by the high pay they
offer. But Angel and Cordelia are about to discover that beneath
the Serpentenes' suave image lies a world of darkness and
danger
Still
Going Strong
DREAMLAND
by Sarah Dessen
Caitlin steps into a world of excitement when she gets together
with the dreadlocked, aloof, sexy Rogerson. But when Rogerson
becomes abusive, Caitlin finds out that it's not easy to protect
yourself when you don't know who you really are.
TEEN
INK compiled by Stephanie Meyer and John Meyer
Sick of reading books about teens written by adults who just
don't get it? Then check out this collection of teen writing,
where teens get to speak for themselves.
ANGELS:
The Inside Scoop on the Stars of Charlie's Angels by Nancy
Krulik
A triple bio of Charlie's three new Angels.
Recently
Reviewed
LOVE
AND OTHER FOUR-LETTER WORDS by Carolyn Mackler
THE
STAIRCASE by Ann Rinaldi
That's
it for now --- you'll hear from us again next year. Happy
Holidays from everyone at Teenreads.com!
---Emily
Mathieu for Teenreads.com
talkback@Teenreads.com
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