I wrote a couple of weeks ago about how I was getting queasy over the whole "boy books vs girl books" list making thing but by then I had already written my June column and aimed it directly at teen girls.. Specifically, I know a lot of girls are not so excited about SF, but I have to say that the Connie Willis D.A. is just an outstanding intro to the genre and perfect for those who have had little exposure to stories set in the future on space stations. I also wanted to introduce a thriller (The White Darkness) and a great historical novel (Booth's Daughter), thinking that girls who might be more enamored with romance would be reticient to seek them out and might miss them.
I do have some coming-of-age (Girl at Sea, Cures for Heartbreak, Beauty Shop for Rent) all of whom include a bit of romance here and there are great books to sink into. I've got a huge ass shock of family drama in The Girl I Wanted to Be and a big mystery/drama/political thriller in Crusader. So there's a good mix in all this and I do hope that I can spread the word on many of these books and persuade fans of one to consider the others.
I've also got an interview with Cecil Castellucci this go-round - a writer who impresses more and more with each new project. I actually included a brief review of Beige in my column as well but it has vanished. No worries - I'll be writing about Cecil in next month's column again as she fits in it so well. Plus I think the interview came out pretty good and I hope it keeps the Cecil love going around the blogosphere.
Finally, Tracking Trash is my Cool Read this month and if you aren't recommending this book (and the others in this great nonfic series) then you are missing something! It is heavily illustrated, exceedingly well written and has a riveting subject matter. GO READ THIS BOOK! Then work on using less plastic and saving the ocean. Get busy folks, make this your number one summer project!
June 11
2007
03:59 AM
As a girl who grew up reading SF, I think Connie Willis is the perfect "in" for those who didn't. (I'm always pushing Doomsday Book and Bellweather on people who "never" read SF.) Love her short story collections, too. (Firewatch, Impossible Things) And now she has a new book out, just in time for my summer reading!
I also recommend (for teens and up) Nancy Kress (Beggers in Spain) and (for pre-teens and up) Sylvia Louise Engdahl's classics (Enchantress from the Stars, The Far Side of Evil.) For the latter, look for the new versions updated by the author. My teenaged daughter is now a fan, too.