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Assistant Editor, Ariel Colletti from Simon and Schuster (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) wrote this article last year for Sprouts Magazine.  I thought you might like to read what Ariel had to say about love:

Nothing can compare to the feeling of falling in love. So when I read a book or manuscript, I search for the head-over-heels rush of falling in love with the characters. There is nothing else that can so swiftly elevate my reading experience from good to remarkable. Those are the books that stay with me, that burrow their way into my heart.

                This doesn’t happen as often as I wish it would. When I can tell that an author puts one of her own characters on a pedestal, I rarely feel the same way. The characters that become real to me, on the other hand, have as many flaws and problems as I do. And just as important as who the character is internally is how they react to situations they are presented with along their journey, and the choices they make—all of which can show us more about who they are, or who they have the potential to become.

                Saying Melina Marchetta is one of my favorite authors is like saying that the sky is blue on a gorgeous summer day; it happens to be true, but pales in comparison to the reality. Her writing is wonderfully unique for many reasons, from the extent to which her dialogue rings true to her smart plotting, but it is her characters that get stuck in my head for weeks, months, after I finish her books. She has a tendency to introduce characters at their lowest points, and then slowly redeem them. Their flaws make them real, and watching them grow from beginning to end makes them special to me. It isn’t just her main characters that stand out, either. Everyone in her books is three dimensional. As a reader, I am ultimately rewarded in so many ways: I identify with some characters; I understand, and appreciate, a new perspective; and I make a new group of friends, characters I will hold tight for quite some time. Like so many aspects of literature, this works because it mirrors life.

                Frances Hardinge does something similar in The Lost Conspiracy. Her main character Hathin is introduced to us as shy, plain . . . and unimportant. She sees herself this way, as does everyone else in her world, and the reader. Slowly through the course of the book, she is revealed to be something else entirely. And is there anything as special as watching someone come to realize their own potential?

                Some authors, on the other hand, provide us with characters who are easy to love from page one. After all, realistic characters aren’t born on the first page; when I open a book, they have already had experiences that have shaped them into who they are. And who they are can color every action they make, every word they speak, subtle though it may be. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate gives us a girl—Calpurnia—who is lively and charming, a real joy to read about, but who is particularly intriguing because of her ambition, made possible by the presence of her scientist grandfather. Theirs is a relationship explored throughout the novel, but the seeds have already been planted when the book begins; so while we do watch Calpurnia change as a character throughout, her unique drive stands out from the very start.

                There are a multitude of ways to develop believable characters that capture the heart, but the important thing is to make sure that they do. For readers like me, this is the fastest, most definite way to ensure I will fall in love with a story.

Ariel will be joining the Networking Dinner in NYC next week.

Talk Tomorrow,

Kathy

Amelia is in a pickle. Actually, she is up a tree. She's sitting there with Rhonda after an angry mob from Joe McCarthy Elementary chased them out of the hallways and into the streets.

What could Amelia have done that caused such a reaction?

Well, it all has to do with popularity...or unpopularity. When you run around with a bunch of kids who dress up as superheroes, have wonky hair, or wear PJs all the time, there are bound to be some bumps in the road to popularity. When Rhonda comes up with a plan to change their social status using a book called The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular, things get really hairy! Spouting advice such as, "Fate and genetics may have already decided that you will never be popular, but at least, with my help, you need no longer be UNpopular.", and "Makeovers are not about making you look good, they are about making you look trendy." TTGTNBU sends our kids for quite the loop. When Rhonda's efforts are spurned by Britney and her flunkies, Amelia can't take it anymore. Why do kids always seem to stand by and keep quiet when someone is being mean? Amelia opens her mouth this time, and boy oh boy does she open it wide!

Filled with smart humor as well as homages to cartoonists and comics of the past (love the Archie bit), Jimmy Gownley has penned another winner. With a universal theme of un/popularity, all kids regardless of clique can easily find someone to identify with. It could be Jenny Gray, who sealed her fate by simply wearing mismatched socks one day. It could be Britney who has something to overcompensate for after all. Perhaps Kyle who is pretty cool on his own. Or maybe Rhonda who desperately wants to be popular. Gownley simply gets kids and seems to be privy to their world. While there is the thread that adults enjoy as well, it never interferes with the story proper, and these books truly know their readers. Amelia Rules remains my favorite graphic novel series for kids!

Ginny is just going into 7th grade, and she has a plan. From getting a new dad to looking good in her school photo, her list runs the gambit.

Through a series of lists, letters, IMs, report cards, post-its, detention slips, brother-drawn comics, and overdue slips, readers get a real sense of what's going on in Ginny's life.

While the format is super-cute, Jennifer Holm (yes of Babymouse and others) tackles some meaty issues. Ginny's dad was killed by a drunk-driver, and now her older somewhat delinquent brother seems to be on the same path as the teen who killed their father. Ginny is also dealing with more typical middle school issues. Mary Catherine Kelly still has Ginny's sweater, and she stillhasn't spoken to Ginny since she got the prime part at their ballet school. Ginny is also on a quest to make her nose seems smaller, and is wondering what to do about the fact that Brian Bukvic keeps bugging her.

Ginny's got a great relationship with her mom and her Fairy Grandfather, which is evident through artifacts like long-distance phone bills (Grandpa is in Florida), and the notes that her mother leaves for her. Even though readers get a sense of family distance from the sheer volume of notes to each other, the author has managed to develop the character of the family itself so that the reader really can feel the love they all have for each other.

I am going to be recommending this to reluctant readers, and also to the students looking for a super fast, yet thoughtful read.

Andrew Smith, editor of the Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, thinks we should all know a bit more about hamburgers. See how meat-savvy you are below.  Just so you know, I failed.  I guess meat-ignorance comes with being a vegetarian! Answers at the end.

1. The first national hamburger chain was:
A. McDonald’s
B. Bob’s Big Boy
C. White Tower
D. White Castle
E. Wimpy (more…)

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