April 26, 2006
Chix Lit
Literature for and by females, a little fluffy, chix culture focus, a focus on consumer, relationships are often superficial, a cute boy is usually the object of want. Often female characters are very competitive, somewhat mean, that live in and for "cliques." These cliques are populated by the wealthy and good-looking country club set. Parents are often absent.
Amazing Grace by Shull, Megan
Grace (aka = ACE) is a teenage tennis star who decides she is going to stop her hectic life. She dyes her hair red and heads off to her mom’s place in Alaska. Cute guy (of course), in the end she goes back to her tennis life. Definitely fun. Special appeals = 8, 9th grade. Not too edgy, kids can relate to the Super Athlete, gorgeous with everything but not a normal teenage life.
First Impression by Marilyn Sachs
Cute and fluffy, Alice is an overachieving kid who believes Mary is the tragic figure in Pride and Prejudice. Develops a friendship with a guy @school who is also reading the book. Girls may read it b/c of the recently released movie with Keira Knightley.
LBD by Grace Dent
Maybe a nice companion to Angus Thongs, slightly younger, takes the issues with parents a little more seriously than in some other Chix Lit. books
Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart
Chix for "Goth Kids."
Main character is Japanese and Jewish. She is a consumer and really into comic books and bean curd babies. Goes to Manhattan art school. Wishes she was a fly on the wall in the boy’s locker room and gets her wish. Somewhat descriptive about the locker room experience. Of course there is a cute guy. Does have issues of homosexuality, funny, might be good for books that are not about the popular kids.
Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman
Another Jane Austen - Great opening. Best Friend goes from fad to fad and she has just started acting like Jane Austen. Makes a deal to crash a boy's dance if her friend will STOP dressing like Jane Austen. All of the angst of having a crush on everyone - join the school play with all of the parts, tongue in cheek. Finding mysterious poems. Consumerism but can’t afford to indulge. Special Audience a little less edgy with just a little bit of discussion about mature issues.
Sweet 16 - Kate Brian
Chix Lit meets Charles Dickens. Main character trips at her 16 bday party and knocks herself out - has Christmas carol fantasies of the past, present, future. Pure Chix lit - those that are not 16.
Megan Meades Guide to the MacGowan Boys by Kat Brian
Parents are going out of town and Megan is going to go live with a family with 7 boys. Making a guide to "understanding boys" as she goes. Emails to her friend about what’s going on.
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen by Dyan Sheldon- very funny, middle school crowd. Also try: Bras And Broomsticks by Sarah Mlynowski & Rhymes with Witches by Lauren Myracle
A List by Zoey Dean
Felt like reading Vogue, lots of references to pop culture. Main character moves from LA to NY, fast-paced, easy to read. Anna is very smart, but she is very nasty to her dad. A good bet for the high school crowd. Very 90210
Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn = is it chix lit? Her mom is Mrs. Vogue = very much the anti-chix-lit heroine
Princess Lessons by Meg Cabot = Makes mention that she saw the movie about her life. Love that there is some self-referencing. Always one problem throughout the book. Her grandma ends up fixing up everything, Her best friend provides some more "substantial" backdrop. There is some mention of the concept of not talking about NOT having sex. Very worried about having sex in college - someday but maybe not today.
Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe
Great cover. Well written. Main character is Jasmine. Freakishly tall. Jaz is 17 or 18 and her new step mom is "Sherrie!" Jaz actually likes Sherrie - her dad is super-strict. Jaz and her cousin talk in "that is so Visa" and that is "so MasterCard" slang. Title is from a "bad kitty" - at the pool the cat digs his claws into Jaz’s stomach - runs into a tent and crashes a wedding. There is a strange mystery.
Wednesday, July 19; 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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