Gear up for Teen Read Week!!!

Do you know what next week is? (Hint: check out the subject line!) The American Library Association (ALA) designates October as Teen Read Month, but the week of October 15 - 21st is Teen Read Week. And I am TOTALLY psyched.

Why am I so psyched? Well, last year I decided to mark teen read week on my calendar and then celebrate it. It's the one week a year when I put other things aside (you know, like doing the dishes, answering emails, taking out the trash, reading "grown up books") and put all that extra time and energy into reading Young Adult Novels. I LOVE young adult novels and read part of a young adult novel for about 15 minutes every night before bed. At that rate, it takes me weeks to get through one novel. So I love giving myself the luxury of reading YA novels for several hours a day for a whole week.

This year, I'm kicking off teen read week with Private by Kate Brian, which is about a girl who wants to go to boarding school to get away from home, where things have been stressful since her Mom survived a traumatic accident. My thoughts so far? It feels like one of those "movie books" -- you know, a book that really would rather be a movie, where the author pays WAY too much attention to what the characters are wearing (wardrobe) and what gadgets they have (props). I personally prefer books that feel like books, but hey, maybe that's just me. I'll give a full review by the end of the week when I've finished the book.

In the meantime, I'm inviting all of YOU to celebrate Teen Read Week with me -- whether you're a teen, a pre-teen, or finished being a teen (like me!) I've already got some book reviews from girls, and I'll be posting teen book reviews all week long, so send your recommendations (or "unrecommendations) to blog@newmoon.org. Now, head to the library or the bookshelf, make yourself a pile of books, and step on the garbage to crush it way to the bottom of the bag so you don't have to worry about it until AFTER you're done celebrating.

Happy Reading!!