I've been lucky enough to get to know some of the writers for kids and teens who I admire most in the world. Here are some snapshots from different events. I've mentioned one book title per person. Sorry that I'm in all the pictures—I'd photoshop myself out if I knew how! Names are listed from left to right. Be sure to scroll all the way down.
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Lisa Yee and me. Lisa is the author of the touching and really funny MILLICENT MIN, GIRL GENIUS.
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John Green and me. I'm a big fan and it was very fun to hang out with him. (My dad always argues that "very fun" is incorrect grammar but hey, he refuses to turn on a computer so he'll never see this! But I digress!) My favorite book of John's is THE ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES.
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Me and Shannon Hale. If you love fantasy (don't we all?) start with THE GOOSE GIRL and you won't go wrong.
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Me and the amazing and gracious Sonya Sones. I love all her novels-in-verse, but if I had to pick one, I'd say start with ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES. It's just great. And a lot funnier than the title would have you believe.
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Me and Pam Muñoz Ryan after we gave a presentation together. ESPERANZA RISING is beautiful and inspiring.
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Wendy Corsi Staub and me, after 12 years (!) of trying to meet in person. Wendy C.S. created the YA series THE LOOP in the mid-nineties, and I wrote one of the books in the series. It was my first gig, and if you look really hard, you just might find a copy. Wendy writes a ton of books, but her latest YA books are a series called LILY DALE about a real-life paranormal town. Captivating!
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Me and Gail Carson Levine, author of the wonderful ELLA ENCHANTED and many other great fairy tale retellings.
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Carolyn Mackler, author of THE EARTH, MY BUTT, AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS (who by the way is 8 months pregnant here but now has a beautiful baby boy!), me, Rachel Vail, whose next book is IF WE KISS, and the sweetest most supportive person ever and an icon to us all—Judy Blume. Do I need to say what she has written? :o)
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The amazing Kirsten Miller who wrote one of my top three favorite books of the year—KIKI STRIKE: INSIDE THE SHADOW CITY. Stop what you're doing and read it now. Seriously.
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Me and Lauren Tarshis, my kindred spirit and author of one of my other top 3 faves, the beautiful EMMA JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE.
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Me and Nora Baskin, whose IN THE COMPANY OF CRAZIES is a really brave and insightful book. Plus it has a lollypop on the cover.
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Todd Strasser and me. I am in awe of this guy! Plus, he kept me laughing during a 2-hour book signing in the hot sun. Check out the incredible, YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE.
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Robin Friedman, fellow Jersey Girl and author of the truly funny THE GIRLFRIEND PROJECT, me, and Maryrose Wood, whose book WHY I LET MY HAIR GROW OUT is a the perfect mix of real life, romance, and magic.
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Laura Ruby, me. Laura wrote the funny and scary LILY'S GHOSTS which I loved, and many others I can't wait to read.
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Me and the talented Melissa Kantor, author of CONFESSIONS OF A NOT IT GIRL.
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E. Lockhard, whose latest is the hilarious DRAMARAMA (try saying that 5 times fast!), me, the prolific David Lubar of DUNK fame, and KL Going—whose latest is SAINT IGGY—and who wows me with every new book.
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Me, Sarah Beth Durst, whose first book INTO THE WILD is an amazing modern fairy tale adventure, and I can't wait to read Maureen Johnson's 13 LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPES which I've heard great things about.
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Carolyn MacCullough, who wrote STEALING HENRY and other truly lovely books, and moi.
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Blake Nelson who wrote ROCKSTAR SUPERSTAR and whose books tend to get made into movies. Lucky dog!
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Libba Bray, who wrote the amazing GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY, me, and Rachel Cohn, author of GINGERBREAD, and to whom I wrote my first fan letter because she is just that cool!
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Me with Rachel Cohn and David Levithan at the debut of their brilliant new teen novel, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.
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Meg Cabot and me. She's the one in the tiara. :o) My fave book of hers is ALL AMERICAN GIRL.
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The inimitable Andrew Clements, who wrote THINGS NOT SEEN, me, and the lovely Dr. Kathryn Schneider who is the creator of the Schneider Family Book Award through the American Library Association.
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Me and Mariah Fredericks whose latest is the page-turner, CRUNCH TIME. She also wrote my fave chick lit book—FATAL DISTRACTION.
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Me and Megan McCafferty who wrote the hysterical Jessica Darling series, beginning with SLOPPY FIRSTS.
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Julie Anne Peters, me, David Levithan. Julie wrote LUNA which I could NOT put down, and David's latest is THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY, the greatest "novel in poems" on the planet. I cannot say enough good things about these folks or their books. THEY ROCK!!!
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Annual ladies' lunch full of good food (Carolyn always chooses the best places) and camaraderie about the strange career we all chose. From left to write (get it? ok, that was bad): (top) Julia DeVillers (who wrote the very cool HOW MY PRIVATE, PERSONAL JOURNAL BECAME A BESTSELLER which became A Disney Channel movie called READ IT AND WEEP), me, Rachel Vail. (bottom) Mariah Fredericks, Ann Brashares (whose SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS series you may have heard of :o), Carolyn Mackler, Megan McCafferty, K.L. Going.
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I was honored to be included with the legendary fantasy writer Jane Yolen and the incredible Esme Raji Codell (whose book SAHARA SPECIAL is truly beautiful)at an awards luncheon in Orlando.
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Finally, a picture I took instead of being in! Going clockwise, Sarah Mlynowski who wins funniest title of the year with BRAS & BROOMSTICKS, Emily Lockhart has THE BOYFRIEND LIST coming out soon and I can't wait to read it, Dan Ehrenhaft whose latest is the whirlwind 10 THINGS TO DO BEFORE I DIE, and Billy Merrell, author of the inspired poetry memoir TALKING IN THE DARK.
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Jerry Spinelli & me. Hurrah! He's awesome! So sweet and so talented and one of my all-time favorite children's writers. Check out STARGIRL and MILKWEED.
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The amazing Gabrielle Zevin, me. I am in awe of her creativity. I cried like a baby at the end of ELSEWHERE.
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Me and the coolest chick on the block, Holly Black, fantasy writer extraordinaire. Start with TITHE or the SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES, soon to hit the big screen!
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Bob Krech (REBOUND), me, and Eric Luper, (BIG SLICK) —two new guys on the block with amazing debuts.
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Me and Jordan Sonnenblick whose books make me laugh and cry at the same time. Start with Girls, Drums, and Dangerous Pie.
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Laurie Halse Anderson writes powerful books with one-word titles (like Speak) and makes me laugh. A lot.
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Me and the amazing and generous Linda Sue Park, who won the Newbery for her beautiful book, A Single Shard.
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Sarah Littman and me. Sarah's Confessions of a Closet Catholic cracked me up, especially coming from a fellow "Nice Jewish Girl."
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Me and Amy Timberlake. I loved her debut novel, That Girl Lucy Moon.
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Nancy Werlin and me. Nancy writes YA thrillers like the National Book Award nominated The Rules of Survival that keep me on the edge of my seat.
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MJ Auch, me, Ellen Wittlinger. MJ has written so many great kids books. Who wouldn’t love a book called The Princess and the Pizza? She also has synesthesia, which is so cool! Ellen’s books, like her newest, Parrotfish, are so important and so great.
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Gregory Maguire is so talented and WICKED cool. Get it? Wicked! And he has an amazing singing voice.
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Me and the legendary Barbara Seuling, whose book How to Write a Children’s Book and Get it Published was the first—and best—book on the subject I ever read.
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Sara Zarr’s first novel, Story of a Girl, was nominated for the National Book Award. ‘Nuff said!
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Me and Elise Broach, whose mystery novel Shakespeare’s Secret is a lot more fun than reading Shakespeare!
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Me and Rebecca Stead, whose inventive debut novel, First Light, is keeping me reading late into the night.
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Lauren Myracle, notorious children's lit advocate Walter Mayes, me. Lauren
(queen of the IM novels starting with TTYL) is pretending to be really short
and I'm sort of leaning up to highlight how really tall Walter is. He didn't
get the nickname Walter the Giant Storyteller for nothing. I wish I was cool
enough to put a pink stripe in my hair but I'm just sooo not. Lauren totally
is though!
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