Between friends, family, and adjusting to life in a small town, Astrid Jones, a New York City transplant, has a lot on her plate. Her one constant is her ritual of sending love towards airplane passengers flying over her backyard—love she doesn’t have to worry about being returned. Devon Sorvari’s portrayal of Astrid as monotone, self-deprecating, and unemotional makes Astrid a hard character to empathize with. Also, the characters of several high school girls are poorly differentiated, making parts of the story difficult to follow. However, Sorvari’s portrayal of Astrid’s immediate family provides depth and aids the listener’s understanding of her character. This performance may take a bit longer to become invested in, but it’s worth the listen. C.C. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
Even people who have fans can be fans, and below, 8 young adult authors talk about the time their love for a writer, an actor, or a boy-band hottie boiled over into the writing of a fan letter. Prepare for adorable:
Welcome to another edition of YAs That Get it Right, which is all about YAs that truly nail an element of the teen experience. In honor of Pride Month, today is all about LGBTQIAP+ YA, brought to you by those who know it best. A few of these were pulled from earlier posts to make […]
Andrew Smith writes some of the richest, realest fiction on the YA shelves, even when he’s writing about nightmarish alternate worlds and grasshopper plagues. In February’s genre-bending Grasshopper Jungle, a delicate love triangle between a sexually confused boy and his girlfriend and male best friend plays out against the backdrop of a terrifying man-eating bug apocalypse. […]
Despite the questioning nature of the name “A.S. King,” the author’s evocative, unique, magical-realism-inflected works are often the answer—whether you’re looking for a thoughtfully written work with multiple perspectives (Please Ignore Vera Dietz), or a stellar LGBT addition to your YA shelves (Ask the Passengers). And now, King is back with Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future, about a girl who develops the […]
As a child of the 80s and 90s, I’m hard-pressed to remember a time when reality TV didn’t rule the airwaves. It’s become such a basic cultural facet, whether it’s served up competition-style or you’re just watching a bunch of strangers claw each other’s eyes out (metaphorically, of course…mostly), that it’s amazing to think there […]