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From a mom...

For this interview I asked my mom some questions that came to me. It's important to know what our mom's have to say.

You have a 12 year old daughter who loves the books like The Clique. The A-list is like that, except the girls are older and behave worse. Do you have a problem with her reading those?
It really depends on the child.

Do you keep tabs on what your 12 year old reads?
Kind of.

You wouldn’t Allow Ashley to read Forever until 8th grade. Why was this choice made? Will it be the same with the younger one?
Forever was a big deal when I was that age. In today’s culture it really is probably not as shocking as it was for me and my peers. I would probably allow my younger daughter to read it sooner. I guess I’m mellowing with age…

Do you think books are to blame for an increase in the sexuality among teens?
No. I do feel though that books often show sex in a fairytale sort of manner.

Should Middle School libraries be allowed to have copies of The A-list, Gossip Girl, and Forever?
As I haven’t read these books it is hard to say. It would be great though to have books that keep young girls attention without sex having to be such a big part of them.

Do you think teens should be allowed to take sex ed with out parental consent?
Um, probably. I think parents should be notified and allowed to review the curriculum that will be taught. Knowledge is what allows us all to make wise choices.

In Oregon you can get birth control with out parental consent at a young age. Is this good or bad in your opinion?
It is so hard to make things black and white. I just hope that my own daughters will always be able to come to me.

Are you ever shocked to hear of things going on in your daughter’s middle school that are sexual?
Not necessarily shocked, but often saddened.

At what point is the sexual content to high for a book to be Young Adult?
I think the insinuation is enough without needing to be graphic.

If Ashley’s friend was considering becoming sexually active but couldn’t talk to their mom would you help them out?
I would be willing to help them with general facts.

Any Last thoughts?
I think often the fascination with sex is because it is seen as something forbidden. Anyone making the choice to be sexually active needs to be mature enough to understand what all the consequences of this may be.

Forever

Judy Blume is a fantastic writer. Forever is one of my favorites.

So many novels make sex sound so fantastic. The first time is perfect, la-de-da. In reality it can be confusing, painful and messy. Forever captures that through out. I also like how she adds some humor to its seriousness. Ralph anyone? :)

I read Forever in 8th grade. Would I reccommend it then? Probably not. I was a very mature 8th grader. Not one of those sit on the bed laughing like a lunatic types. I knew more than I should and that sometimes got me into sticky situations. Forever was still an eye opener for me. if you are thinking of having sex you should definatly read it.

Wedesday Wishlist

Here are the books on my wishlist this week :)

~Fallen Hearts by V.C. Andrews~
As Logan's bride, she would savor now the love she had sought for so long. And free from her father's clutches, she would live again in her backwoods town, a respected teacher and cherished wife. But after a wedding trip to Boston's Farthinggale Manor and a lavish, elegant party, Heaven and Logan are persuaded to stay...lured by Tony Tatterton's guile to live amidst the Tatterton wealth and privilege. Then the ghosts of Heaven's past rise up once more, writhing around her fragile happiness...threatening her precious love with scandal and jealousy, sinister passions and dangerous dreams!

~Web of dreams by V.C. Andrews~
With nowhere to go, no one to help her, Leigh fled into the arms of Luke Casteel! Leigh Van Voreen had to escape from Boston's Farthinggale Manor. The foul secret she harbored within her seemed to darken her life forever. Jillian, her mother, would not believe her...and Tony Tatterton, her stepfather, had betrayed her most cruelly.

Gates of Paradise (Casteel Series #4) by V. C. Andrews

Stunned by tragedy, desperate and alone, Heaven's daughter clung to the frailest of dreams!

Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell

Riley Rose, atheist and bad girl, has been tricked into attending Spirit Ranch, a Christian camp. There she meets Dylan Kier, alumni camper and recent paraplegic, who arrives with a chip on his shoulder and a determination to perfect all of his bad habits. United in their personal suffering and in their irritation at their fellow campers, they turn the camp inside out as they question the meaning of belief systems, test their faith in each other, and ultimately settle a debate of the heart.

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Gossip Girl and the A list

Have you noticed how sex is such a large aspect in Gossip Girl and The A-List? Whats so great about it?

The focus of virginity is so large it takes away from the rest of the book. I love both of these series but I still think it's rediculous. My opinion of a character will not change based on thier status of virginity.

I know that many people have sex in hgh school but shouldn't there be a different focus? Books like Forever that are all about sex should be left to do into the gritty details about sex. Series about other things could mention it everyonce in a while but must we continually talk about it?

Atleast Gossip Girl preaches safe sex. In I like it like that Nate buys condoms. The A-list has pregnancy scares.

weekly mail call

Late I know. But I'm headed to Cali Friday so I needed to post this :)

I had a GREAT week :)

The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty

A young girl tries to make sense of an unruly world spinning around her. Growing up with a single mother who is chronically out of work and dating a married man, 10-year old Evelyn Bucknow learns early how to fend for herself.

~Dark Angel by V.C. Andrews~

At last, Heaven would find the happiness she longed for...free from the scorn and contempt of her past!

What Kind of Love? by Sheila Cole

In a flash, Valerie's world comes tumbling down. Talented pretty and popular. She was enjoying life and planing her future. She and Peter, the love of her life, were sharing their dreams. Now she and Peter share a problem...

The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus

Based on the real-life experiences, the inside story on the real lives of the rich and privileged from the women who know all the secrets - the nannies.

~Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat ~

As a side note I am looking for some of this series and would be willing to do trades.

~Normal Girl~

Zeta or Omega? by Kate Harmon
High school is already a distant memory for incoming Lattimer University freshmen Jenna, Roni, and Lora- Leigh. Jenna can't wait to meet cute college boys, Roni can't wait to get away from home, and Lora- Leigh . . . well, Lora-Leigh couldn't care less. She's going to LU and participating in sorority recruitment only to appease her mom. Sorority girls are pretty, rich, and snotty, and Lora-Leigh doesn't want to be one of those girls. So she's shocked to find herself actually connecting with the sisters of Zeta Zeta Tau. And her new friend Jenna can relate. She came to recruitment only because her roommate begged her to, but now she can't decide which sorority to join; she likes them all! Roni, on the other hand, knows which sorority she should join, but she came to LU to reinvent herself. As recruitment progresses and the girls prepare to make big decisions, they'll need to heed the best advice there is: follow your heart. Now where will it lead?

Ripped at the Seams by Nancy Krulik

Sami Granger is fresh off the bus from the Midwest when some crazy person in the bus terminal warns her that life in New York City won't be what she always dreamed of. But Sami's determined to make it in an industry that is notoriously hard to break in to. Nothing she ever learned in her small town can prepare her for her first job working for a hot-shot designer: He steals her designs!

Kim by Beatrice Sparks

I am so scared.I feel like I'm silently screaming for help and no one pays any attention of tries to hear me.I can't control anything anymore. It's all out to get me!

It's All About Us by Shelley Adina

Tall, blonde Lissa Mansfield is used to being one of the "in" crowd--but being accepted by the popular girls at posh SpencerAcademy boarding school in San Francisco is turning out to be harder than she thought. And then there's her New-York-loudmouth roommate, Gillian Chang, who's not just happy to be a Christian herself--she's determined to out Lissa, too! If Lissa can just keep her faith under wraps long enough to hook Callum McCloud, the hottest guy in school, she'll be golden.

Must Monday :)

Here are the books I'm attempting to be patient about...

Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti buy it this May

At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents' unexpected separation, a fight with her best friend, and a shocking disappointment in her relationship with Derek—test Marisa's ability to maintain her new outlook. Only the anonymous DJ, whose underground podcasts have the school's ear, seems to understand what Marisa is going through. But she has no idea who he is—or does she?

Totally Fabulous by Michelle Radford Buy it this June

Teen sex Month

Wow two themed months in a row. What a shocker. I have noticed lately how many book for teens involve Sex as a main aspect. I'm not going to put a definition of sex on her because if your parents havn't had THE TALK with you yet you probably shouldn't be reading these books anyways. I have also seen how much teen pregnancy is going on so we will talk about that. Here are some things to expect...
~Interviews
~Forever
~Gossip Girl
~The A-List
~Annie's Baby
~A breif focus on Rape