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Are you stressed? It seems like spring is the busiest time of the year. I just got done sailing (!!) to England with my husband and sons on the QE2. There were lots of people reading on that ship...something to do besides looking at water! Lots of water between here and Southampton, England. Then we spent the weekend in London where I spent some time looking at bookstores. We flew back to New York and then I zipped off to Los Angeles for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which is one of my favorite events. Whew! I know many of you are busy with spring sports, band concerts, school plays, last-minute college decisions and final exams. A great way to wind down is to read a great book. To help you with this, Teenreads.com has more new contests with opportunities for you to win some great books! 

We at Teenreads.com are THRILLED with the response we’ve been getting to our brand new Grab Bag of Books contest. Every month five readers will be awarded a Teenreads.com signature tote bag filled with some of the hottest books --- and may even include a sneak peak at titles that haven’t been released yet. This contest period’s winners will each receive a copy of GENIUS SQUAD by Catherine Jinks, PRINCESS BEN by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, SIXTEEN CANDLES by Tia Williams, SUITE SCARLETT by Maureen Johnson and revised editions of the first two installments in Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High series --- DOUBLE LOVE and SECRETS.

Jacqueline Woodson has written over 20 books for both children and young adults, including IF YOU COME SOFTLY, SHOW WAY, FEATHERS and the newly released AFTER TUPAC & D FOSTER. In this interview with Teenreads.com's Jonathan Stephens, Woodson explains why she chose to leave the narrator of her latest book nameless and describes which of her own personality traits have surfaced in her characters. She also reveals what she loves the most about writing stories, explains how her upbringing helped to shape her work ethic, and names the Tupac Shakur songs she finds most inspiring. 

AFTER TUPAC & D FOSTER by Jacqueline Woodson (Fiction)
The day D Foster enters Neeka and her best friend’s lives, the world opens up for them. D comes from a world vastly different from their safe Queens neighborhood, and through her, the girls see another side of life that includes loss, foster families and an amount of freedom that makes the girls envious. Although all of them are crazy about Tupac Shakur’s rap music, D is the one who truly understands the place where he’s coming from, and through knowing D, Tupac’s lyrics become more personal for all of them.

The girls are 13 when D’s mom swoops in to reclaim D --- and as magically as she appeared, she now disappears from their lives. Tupac is gone, too, after another shooting; this time fatal. As the narrator looks back, she sees lives suspended in time, and realizes that even all-too-brief connections can touch deeply.

-Click here to read an excerpt from AFTER TUPAC & D FOSTER.
-Click here to read our interview with Jacqueline Woodson.
-Click here to see Jacqueline Woodson's bio.

While the main character in Elizabeth Scott's debut novel, BLOOM, appears to have everything a teenage girl could possibly want, the protagonist in her latest work of fiction, PERFECT YOU, is painfully aware of how imperfect her life seems --- to both herself and those around her. In this interview with Teenreads.com's Alexis Burling, Scott delves into some of the most difficult aspects of teenage life captured in this book, from relationship woes and failing friendships to personal insecurities and dealing with unconventional parents. She also discusses her inspiration behind the story and how the finished product differed from the original idea, and sheds light on the sage advice offered by one of the novel's unlikely characters.

PERFECT YOU by Elizabeth Scott (Fiction)
Kate Brown's life can't get much worse. Her family is driving her crazy, and her best friend, Anna, has decided they aren't friends anymore.

And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, who Kate pretends she can't stand. But when he starts acting interested, she can't resist, even though Kate is sure she means nothing to him.

Kate thinks things will stop hurting if she keeps to herself and doesn't care about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not be perfect, good things can happen --- but only if she lets them.

-Click here to read an excerpt from PERFECT YOU.
-Click here to read our interview with Elizabeth Scott.
-Click here to read Elizabeth Scott's bio.
-Visit the author's official website, www.ElizabethWrites.com.

A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE by Siobhan Vivian (Fiction)
Ruby is turning 16…but the day doesn't turn out to be as sweet as it's supposed to be. Her long lost father shows up, and Ruby doesn't want to have anything to do with him. Instead, she wants to hang out with her friends --- loyal Beth, dangerous Katherine and gossipy Maria. They have plenty of advice for her --- about boys, about her dad, about how she should look and what she should be feeling. But really, Ruby doesn't know what to think or feel. Especially when a new boy comes into the picture…and Ruby discovers some of her friends aren't as truthful as they say.

-Click here to read an excerpt from A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE.
-Click here to read our interview with Siobhan Vivian.
-Click here to read Siobhan Vivian's bio.
-Click here to enter the LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE giveaway for your chance to win a copy of the book.

THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS by E. Lockhart (Fiction)
Frankie Landau-Banks learns firsthand about authority, disobedience, the old boys' club and herself in this "disreputable history," young adult author E. Lockhart's most accomplished and compelling novel in what is becoming an impressive body of work. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read an excerpt from THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS.

April’s roundup of New in Paperback titles includes FOREVER IN BLUE, the fourth and final installment in Ann Brashares’s bestselling series about four girls who acquire a pair of magical jeans that fits them all; SOLD, Patricia McCormick’s searing portrait of a teenager forced into prostitution after she leaves her home to look for a job to support her loved ones; EVIL GENIUS by Catherine Jinks, an engrossing thriller that explores the fine line between good and evil in a strange world where nothing is as it seems; and two fantastic works of fiction from Neil Gaiman --- one is a collection of short stories called M IS FOR MAGIC, and the other, INTERWORLD, is about a boy who one day gets lost in his own town and walks right out of his universe.

-Click here to read an excerpt from TWEAK.
-Click here to read an interview with Nic Sheff.
-Click here to read a review of BEAUTIFUL BOY by David Sheff.

SUNRISE OVER FALLUJAH by Walter Dean Myers (Fiction)
In his new novel, Walter Dean Myers looks at the Iraq War with the same power and searing insight he brought to the Vietnam War in FALLEN ANGELS. His cast of memorable characters, which includes a young recruit from Harlem who's questioning why he even enlisted, are supposed to help secure and stabilize Iraq and successfully interact with the Iraqi people. Reviewed by Amy Alessio.

THE FORTUNES OF INDIGO SKYE by Deb Caletti (Fiction)
Talk about an appreciative customer! When waitress Indigo Skye lays a little tough love on a gentleman she doesn't know, he shows his gratitude by giving her a two-and-a-half million dollar tip! Of course, Indigo knows that the money won't change her very nice life one single bit. Or will it? Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

THE SWAN KINGDOM by Zoë Marriott (Fantasy)
First-time novelist Zoë Marriott adeptly retells Hans Christian Andersen's "The Wild Swans" in her American debut, THE SWAN KINGDOM. With a compelling heroine and an equally enthralling villain, this novel will appeal to fantasy fans and fairy tale aficionados alike. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

INTO THE DARK: An Echo Falls Mystery by Peter Abrahams (Mystery)
This third installment in Peter Abrahams’s Echo Falls series finds 13-year-old Ingrid Levin-Hill in the middle of a number of family crises. Her Grampy is having trouble keeping up with his farm, her mother and father don’t seem to be getting along, and she finds a body on Grampy’s property with her maybe-more-than-friend Joey Strade. As Ingrid solves the mystery, many family secrets come out in this fast-paced adventure. Reviewed by Amy Alessio.

PRETTY FACE by Mary Hogan (Fiction)
Living in southern California, Hayley is constantly reminded that she doesn’t have a perfectly thin body. And as if she needs even more reminding, her mom nags her every day to lose weight. But when her parents ship her off to Italy for the summer, Hayley undergoes an internal makeover, finding her own beauty inside and out. Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman.

THE TRUTH ABOUT MY BAT MITZVAH by Nora Raleigh Baskin (Fiction)
For most young people, cultural and religious identity is clear-cut; they are what their parents are. But for children of interreligious or multicultural families, it can be a bit confusing, especially if the backgrounds of the parents are seemingly at odds. In THE TRUTH ABOUT MY BAT MITZVAH, Nora Raleigh Baskin explores the issue of identity through the story of 12-year-old Caroline. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

ALL ABOUT VEE by C. Leigh Purtill (Fiction)
Veronica May (“Big Vee”) has everything it takes to make it in Hollywood. Not only is she beautiful, she has great self-esteem and killer acting chops. So when her summer plans of community theater in Chester, Arizona, are dashed by Glengarry Glen Ross, her father and his girlfriend announce a wedding date only six months away, and the owner of the apothecary where she works sells out to Drug Rite, Vee decides it’s time to hit the road and head to LA. Reviewed by Carlie Webber.

THE PATRON SAINT OF BUTTERFLIES by Cecilia Galante (Fiction)
Honey and Agnes have lived their entire lives in a strict, secluded commune in Connecticut. Honey longs for freedom in the outside world, while Agnes strives for perfection and sainthood. When a life-threatening accident yanks them out into society, Honey and Agnes search deep for truth and meaning in their lives. Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman.

WAKE by Lisa McMann (Supernatural Fiction)
For 17-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. She can't tell anybody about what she does --- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She’s a participant! Reviewed by Carlie Webber.

A CURSE DARK AS GOLD by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Fiction)
There are whispers all around the town of Shearing that Stirwaters mill is cursed. Charlotte Miller doesn't know the half of it. That is, until her father dies and she and her younger sister Rosie are forced to take over Stirwaters. Fortunately (or unfortunately, as the case may be), their Uncle Wheeler soon arrives to take charge. Reviewed by Sarah Hannah Gómez.

OWNING IT: Stories About Teens with Disabilities edited by Donald R. Gallo (Fiction/Short Stories)
Whether their disabilities are physical or psychological, the subjects of these powerful short stories --- written by 10 outstanding young adult authors, including Chris Crutcher, Gail Giles and David Lubar --- meet every day with wit, intelligence and courage. Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle.

The following reviews are courtesy of the graphic novel review website for teens No Flying No Tights:

BLACK METAL, Volume 1 written by Rick Spears and illustrated by Chuck BB
Nowadays, when most graphic novels for teens seem to revolve around everyone being remarkably heroic, there doesn't appear to be much out there for the non-heroic. The weirdoes. The troubled. What is there for the metal heads to read? BLACK METAL, that's what. Reviewed by Eva Volin.

FEVER, Volume 1 by Hee Jung Park
High school student Hyung-in has never been the same since her friend committed suicide. Fed up with the restrictive classroom environment of her prestigious school and the expectations of her family, she just wants out. But when she meets an orphan and a strange country-boy on the bus, she begins an unexpected journey into the unknown. Reviewed by Robin Brenner.

MUSHISHI, Volumes 2 and 3 by Yuki Urushibara
A wandering mushishi, Ginko is drawn to villages affected by mushi, invisible supernatural creatures who cause illnesses, blight crops and snatch people away from their loved ones. Part doctor, part investigator, Ginko sends the mushi back to their celestial realms...if he can figure out why they arrived in the first place. Reviewed by Alison Kotin and Robin Brenner.

The Lost Books

INFIDEL: The Lost Books #2 by Ted Dekker (Fiction)
Celebrated as a hero, Johnis's world is shattered when he learns that his mother may not be dead as presumed but could be living as a slave to the Horde. Throwing caution to the wind, he rushes to her rescue. But this is precisely what the Horde has planned. Now he will face a choice between Silvie, whom he is quickly falling for, and his sworn duty to protect the Forest Dwellers. Reviewed by Michele Howe.


Christy and Todd: The College Years

AS YOU WISH: Christy and Todd: The College Years, Book Two by Robin Jones Gunn (Fiction)
Christy is finally back in the country after finishing her year abroad. Her junior year at Rancho Corona University is everything she's hoped for --- sharing a dorm with her best friend and seeing Todd every day. But then the painful breakup of her friends' marriage causes Christy to pull back and seriously evaluate her deepening relationship with Todd. Reviewed by Jennifer Crosby.

I PROMISE: Christy and Todd: The College Years, Book Three by Robin Jones Gunn (Fiction)
Christy and Todd are engaged at last! But now the wedding work begins. Todd's breezy view of life clashes with Christy's meticulous planning. The issues of when and where to get married seem obvious --- until everyone's expectations are compared. Reviewed by Jennifer Crosby.

BEAUTIFUL BOY: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Meth Addiction by David Sheff (Memoir)
BEAUTIFUL BOY is an amazingly honest and exquisitely written account of a family’s torturous journey through addiction. It raises questions that reflect the fears of every parent: Where does one’s responsibility to a loved one end? How --- and when --- should a parent know whether his or her child is substance abusing? And how does a family recover from the wounds afflicted by addiction and get on with their lives? Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

-Click here to read an excerpt from BEAUTIFUL BOY.

THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW by Elizabeth Noble (Fiction)
When Barbara realizes time is running out, she writes letters to her four daughters, aware that they'll be facing the trials and triumphs of life without her at their side. But how can she leave them when they still have so much growing up to do? By drawing on the wisdom in Barbara's letters, the girls might just find a way to cope with their loss. Reviewed by Kathy Weissman.

-Click here to read an excerpt from THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW.

THE BLUE STAR by Tony Earley (Fiction)
In this tender and engrossing sequel to the bestseller JIM THE BOY, Jim Glass is now a high school senior whose love for a classmate is impossible and complicated, while around him the country prepares to launch into World War II. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

Poll:

How often do you go to the library?

More than once a week
Once a week
A few times a month
Once a month
Every couple of months
A few times a year
Once a year or less
I never go to the library.


At the library what do you borrow most often? (Check as many as apply.)

Books
Graphic Novels/Manga
Audiobooks
eBooks
DVDs and videos
CDs
Magazines and Periodicals
Other
I do not go to libraries.

-Click here to answer this month's poll.


Question:

What was the last book (name up to three) that you borrowed from the library?

-Click here to answer this month's question.