I admired Jordan Sonnenblick before I even knew his books. Like me, he put in a number of years teaching in the public schools of Houston through Teach For America. Plus he’s a funny, unassuming guy who is unstinting when … Read more

I just finished listening to Chris Crutcher’s Deadline, and doing so was both a pleasure (I’ve loved Chris Crutcher since listening to his fabulous Whale Talk) and a chance to think about the relationship between realism and diversity … Read more

I’ve wanted to read The Freak Observer ever since I first heard about it (even before it won the prestigious Morris award). I mean, who wouldn’t want to read a book “about death, life, astrophysics, and finding beauty in … Read more

Now that I’m done reading a scholarly book (or more) a day for my PhD exams, I get to read for fun again! Last week I listened to Nicola Keegan’s Swimming in several galloping gulps. This book has amazing voice … Read more

Hey, today I’m over at Sarah Laurence’s blog talking about What Can’t Wait, writing, and my nerdiness. Sarah also reviews What Can’t Wait today. Stop by and show some love in the comment section!

Silvina Ocampo is a master storyteller every bit as talented and important as more widely recognized Latin American short story writers like Borges. The most commented-on feature of her stories is their “cruelty,” by which people generally mean the frequency … Read more

A couple of words before the review.

I love reviewing books, but my feelings are more complicated now that I am a “real” author with a novel. For the first time, I can’t help thinking about what it’s like to … Read more

Nothing like waking up and finding a big heap of love in your mailbox. That was me today, getting news that the fantastic YA lit website, Finding Wonderland, had posted this feature review on What Can’t Wait. Please paint … Read more

Here’s the last of my three-part resource blast for those of you looking to make (and follow through on) resolutions for the new year. Today’s post is a grab bag of rare non-fiction, self-help-y titles that have actually stuck with … Read more