A note on the final project - books for girls

For the final project in our Materials for Tweens course, we were asked to concentrate on a specific genre of books. Since I wanted to read materials I personally would enjoy, I decided to focus on books for girls. I am not always a fan of distinguishing between books for girls and books for boys, but the reality is that certain books immediately appeal to far more girls than boys, with little male crossover into this genre. There are far more girls willing to read a guy-centric book than there are guys are willing to pick up a girl-centric book.

I selected the specific final project items primarily because they either feature female lead characters or because they highlight some of the social, emotional, and physical issues that tween girls are facing. I recognize that there may be boys who have read or would like to read the books I review herein for my final project. I also recognize that some girls will find my selections completely uninteresting.

With that, I really hope you enjoy my selections for tween girls...

Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine

Imagine if someone told you to clean your room and you had to clean it from top to bottom, with not a speck of dust left. Imagine if your mom told you to go outside and play and you couldn’t come in until she said “Stop!” When Ella was born, she was given the gift of obedience. She tries to fight it. She tries to hide it. But until the curse is broken, Ella is doomed to be at the mercy of everyone’s orders for the rest of her life. What kid can't relate to the burden of being under their parents rules and dreaming of the day when they can do as they please?

Ella Enchanted takes place in medieval times, where ogres, fairies, and evil stepmothers are a rough reality. This could be considered a Cinderella tale with a twist – instead of resigning herself to a life of compliance, Ella runs away to find the fairy who originally bestowed the “gift.” Readers will be dying to find out if Ella eventually overcomes her lifelong burden.

Levine’s novel was also released as a movie in 2004 starring Anne Hathaway. Girls who loved Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries both in book and movie form would also enjoy Ella Enchanted, another excellent page-to-screen transformation. After reading Ella Enchanted, I will certainly be adding the film to my Netflix queue!

Levine, G.C. (1997). Ella Enchanted. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-06-440705-5.

So You Think You Can Dance (on Fox)

Having been a huge fan of this American Idol spin-off a few seasons back, it was fun to revisit the show with a tween perspective in mind. If the throngs of screaming girls in the audience are any indication, they are the target audience. So You Think You Can Dance shows that ordinary teens can be catapulted to stardom through hard work and dedication, and by avoiding dance floor injuries and the judge’s harsh critiques. The contestants are extreme cases of success, but I think it still proves to tweens that you can mold your own future. Aside from a few suggestive outfits and dance moves, So You Think You Can Dance is an excellent show the whole family can watch, and even place a few friendly wagers on, together.

(The image above shows Allison and Ivan two of my favorite dancers from Season 2.)

The Face on the Milk Carton, by Caroline B. Cooney

Imagine if you suddenly had reason to believe that the people you called Mom and Dad were not actually your parents. (And what teen hasn't thought that at least once?) That's exactly what happens when Jane Johnson comes face to face with her own picture on the back of a milk carton. Because Cooney's novel was published in 1990, today's readers will likely notice the characters' glaring lack of computers, media, and cell phones as Jane searches for answers. However, it remains a very clever and suspenseful storyline and Jane (who eagerly anticipates driver's training, daydreams about her future children, and constantly tries out more glamorous spellings of her name) will resonate with many female readers.

Cooney, C.B. (1990). The Face on the Milk Carton. New York: Bantam Doubleday. ISBN 0-440-22065-3.

Tripping Over the Lunch Lady and Other School Stories

Tripping Over the Lunch Lady is a hilarious compilation of short stories from popular young adult authors. Sarah Weeks (whose novel So B. It I am currently reading and will be reviewing here shortly) presents a clever solution to writer's block in Experts, Incorporated. Using the graphic novel style, author James Proimos and illustrator David Fremont retell Proimos' monotonous days as a grade school student living with his heavily accented Italian grandmother in The Grade School Zone. Readers will especially love the interviews and author photos that accompany each story, proving that the authors dealt with lunch ladies and dreaded assignments themselves once upon a time. This is a great collection for reluctant readers or for family read-alouds.

Mercado, N.E. (ed.). (2004). Tripping over the lunch lady and other school stories. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 0-8037-2873-5

Boy Meets Boy, by David Levithan

Boy Meets Boy focuses on gay tenth-grader Paul, who attends a very accepting California high school, where many students are open about their sexuality. Paul has openly dated many boys in his school but suddenly finds himself in a dead end relationship-wise. That is, until he meets the adorable, green-eyed Noah in the self-help section of his favorite bookstore...

My favorite sections of the novel involve Paul's coming out stories. At five years old, he announces to his mom, “I'm gay!" In response, his mother shouts across the house to Paul’s father, “Honey, Paul’s learned a new word!” Levithan also brings to life several colorful characters. We meet drag queen Infinite Darlene, who is both the Homecoming Queen and the star of the football team. We also see how Paul's best friend, Tony, battles his homophobic parents and a religion that does not accept homosexuals.

The tween literature landscape is already rife with a variety of races and backgrounds, characters with handicaps, kids with a variety of interests, and many different family structures. It is great to finally see so many characters with which LGBT teens can relate. Levithan’s novel provides kids with an excellent example of what an accepting school and community looks like and could provide much-needed hope for LGBT kids whose home and school lives are not so welcoming to their sexuality. Simply because the central characters are already well into high school, I would recommend this book mostly for seventh through ninth graders. I would also recommend Boy Meets Boy to straight and gay readers alike; yes, this book focuses primarily on homosexual characters, but it's not far off from any other tween novel that focuses on love and relationships.

Levithan, D. (2003). Boy Meets Boy. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-82400-6

Rotten School: The Teacher from Heck

Having been a huge fan of R.L. Stine's Fear Street books many years ago, I already considered the author a master of creative suspense. Although his Rotten School series elicits far more laughter than horror, Stine continues to entertain readers with his original and cleverly crafted stories. In The Teacher from Heck, the eighth installment in the series, student Bernie Bridges squares off against the meanest teacher EVER, Mr. Skruloose, after the sweet, old Mrs. Heinie just could not stand anymore of the rotten students. As Bernie schemes to outwit Mr. Skruloose and bring back Mrs. Heinie, hilarity ensues. Because of the short chapters, slapstick humor and overall content, I recommend this outrageous novel for students in grades 4-6.

Stein, R.L. (2006). Rotten school: The teacher from heck. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN:978-0-06-078821-6