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By Lizzie Skurnick. OK, so it's from July. But I only just heard of
it.
A few interesting reviews, so far.
"Launched from her regular feature column Fines Lines for Jezebel.com,
this spastically composed, frequently hilarious omnibus of meditations
on favorite YA novels dwells mostly among the old-school titles from
the late '60s to the early '80s much beloved by now grown-up ladies.
This was the era, notes the bibliomaniacal Skurnick in her brief
introduction, when books for young girls moved from being wholesome
and entertaining (e.g., The Secret Garden and the Nancy Drew series)
to dealing with real-life, painful issues affecting adolescence as
depicted by Beverly Cleary, Lois Duncan, Judy Blume, Madeleine L'Engle
and Norma Klein. Skurnick groups her eruptive essays around themes,
for example, books that feature a particularly memorable, fun or
challenging narrator (e.g., Louise Fitzhugh's Harriet the Spy); girls
on the verge, such as Blume's Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret or
danger girls such as Duncan's Daughters of Eve; novels that deal with
dying protagonists and other tragedies like child abuse (Willo Davis
Roberts's Don't Hurt Laurie!); and, unavoidably, heroines gifted with
a paranormal penchant, among other categories. Skurnick is
particularly effective at spotlighting an undervalued classic (e.g.,
Joan Aiken's The Wolves of Willoughby Chase) and offers titles
featuring troubled boys as well. Her suggestions will prove
superhelpful (not to mention wildly entertaining) for educators,
librarians and parents."
Lenona. |
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