Shelf Discovery: The Teen Classics We Never Stopped Reading
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 Gardenand 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'sHarriet the Spy); girls on the verge, such as Blume'sAre You There, God? It's Me, Margaretor danger girls such as Duncan'sDaughters of Eve; novels that deal with dying protagonists and other tragedies like child abuse (Willo Davis Roberts'sDon'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'sThe 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.(Aug.)Copyright &copy; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.