Ten Books You Should Read Again Now That You're All Grown Up

Nothing standing out in the best seller list for you these days? Does the Hot & New section at the bookstore look kind of dull?

Then I suggest you step in your own Tardis and revisit your teen favorites from long—or in my case, long, long ago.


1. Forever by Judy Blume

Holy crap! A book with sex scenes. I remember being totally blown away by Michael and Kathy's relationship and was devastated with Kathy's choice. Now, of course I'm digging the ending like a grave yard worker on a double shift.


2. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Guy Montag's world scared the bee-Jesus out of me and was completely depressing. I recently discovered it makes a great companion to a pumpkin spice latte.

3. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

A perfectly creepy read ruined by homework questions like: Who was your favorite character and why? This time around I found reading without a looming book report was so much more enjoyable. For the record, my favorite character was Simon because he seemed like good boyfriend material. I didn't write that, but that's the truth.

4. The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank

This book felt mysterious and sacred when I read it as a teenager. But now that I have children, I wasn't surprised my focus went from Anne to her parents, especially her father who ends up being the only survivor. How he must have felt reading her words, knowing he'd never hear her voice again.

5. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Yes, we're all still a bunch of phonies. Poor Holden. I totally get him now.

6. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Plucky orphan + red hair + nemesis that grows into love interest = epic read

7. Nancy Drew by a bunch of writers who went by the name of Carolyn Keene

Any book from the original series. I can't say enough about a girl who wears white gloves and knows how to change a tire on her blue convertible. And don't forget the wonderful sweets by Hannah.

8. Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan

Lois breaks all the rules for YA. Both parents are alive, the protagonist already has a great boyfriend and none of her friends are into 80's music or fashion designers. She creates tension the old fashioned way, by throwing the main character into a completely unnatural situation and watching her squirm. It's a psychological thriller at its best!

This is the cover I remember staying up late with too scared to sleep.

9. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

No explanation is needed. Just go read it again. Then watch the movie because of Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze.

10. The Mixed Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

Two precocious runaways secretly living in the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Sign me up! Great book to read aloud to your kids, too.


What are some of your old time favorites?

No Faking Allowed

The elusive YA voice—when done right it's effortless to read (Judy Blume). But done poorly it's as awkward and ineffective as parents trying to use slang to talk to their teens.

You can't fake voice in YA.

It's essential to keep you MC's voice contemporary yet timeless.

FOREVER, by Judy Blume, was published in 1975 but Kathy and Michael still sound and act like teens today.

I hit pay dirt the other day when I found my diary from high school. I remember being a fairly happy, well adjusted teen, but holy sweet fancy molasses!

Imagine my surprise when I read my sixteen year old self begin each entry with I hate ___. The blank was usually filled in with one of the following: hair, clothes, parents, school, my nose!, and basically life.

At sixteen I was convinced everything in the above list would be solved by having a boyfriend. I also drew a lot of whales...like a lot. Weird. I don't remember them being that important to me.

Some parts of the diary are hilarious. Take my word for word account of my secret crush actually asking me out. I transcribed it exactly, including all the exclamation marks and poor grammar.

I was at my locker getting ready to leave for Halifax, thinking I had to hurry because my mom would be there to pick me up soon, when I heard someone behind me say hi. I turned around and it was HIM!

“Hi.”

“Hi!!!!!!”

“Why all the books?”

“Oh, I'm leaving early today....um with my mom.” Oh my God, I can't believe he knew where my locker was. I hope my hair looks okay.

“Are you doing anything Saturday night?”

Oh my God! He's asking me out!! I wonder if we'll go see a movie, I wonder if he'll pay, I wonder if we'll go out for supper, I wonder if I'm if I'm taking too long to answer.

“Oh yeah,” I say. “I am. I have to babysit at nine.”

“Oh gosh, that's too bad.”

STUPID BABYSITTING!!!! Wait! We have Wednesday off.

“Um...we have no school on Wednesday, there's an in-service.”

“Oh, I didn't know that. Want to do something Tuesday night?”

Oh no, my first date, my first kiss, my first boy I bring home to mom and dad. I can't put myself and (name has been removed to protect the innocent) through all that agony. Save yourself while you can!!!

“Yeah, sure,” I say.

“Okay, talk to you Monday.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

Not exactly riveting dialogue, but that's exactly how I wrote it, so I'm sure it's close to the real thing.

As I continued to read my diary, I found some parts upsetting. I was so selfish and cruel in my opinions. I wanted to reach into the pages and give my teen self a shake and say, “Snap out of it!” like Cher in Moonstruck.

But that's the reality of being a teenager. I'd forgotten how even the most inconsequential event (he didn't even look at me during History class!!!!) was earth shattering.

When I was young, I felt everything to the tenth degree. I was spontaneous and irrational. Logic and patience were rarely practised. I made my choices based on emotions embedded in insecurity...which sucks to live through, but makes great diary reading.

Find your YA voice by remembering how it FELT to be a teenager. Look at your yearbook. Go to the perfume counter and try and find the scent you used to wear (Ruffles by Oscar de la Renta.). Listen to the song that was on the radio when you broke up with your first boyfriend—that's where you'll find your voice.

Writing YA isn't about using the right slang, it's about remembering what it was like to be young.

Cheers!

Next Monday I'll be blogging the latest episode of Once Upon A Time.