I'm thrilled that Booking Mama has started the Shelf Discovery Challenge! I love this book, which sprang from Lizzie Skurnick's wildly popular Fine Lines column on Jezebel dedicated to the classic YA lit we loved from our teens. I am more than happy to accept this challenge!
Lizzie's book is dedicated not only to teen classics, but also to the art of re-reading the books we loved growing up, so in order to really examine re-reading vs. reading for the first time, I'm going to make my six books a mix of rereads and books that I've never read but really know I should have (after all, I did get so many of you to read Betsy-Tacy, it's the least I can do to open myself up to some new (old) books!)
The rereads are pretty easy for me to pick:
Madeline L'Engle's Ring of Endless Light -- I've blogged about this one before, and can't wait to pick up my so-tattered-the-cover-is-barely-staying-on-it copy again (ok, I can't find that particular edition, hmmm, but do have a hardcover copy I bought at a used bookstore some time back)
Sidney Taylor's All-of-A-Kind-Family -- loved, loved this series about a large family of sisters growing up at the turn of the century on Manhattan's lower east side and I haven't reread it in a looong time
Beverly Cleary's Sister of the Bride -- I don't think there's another author, besides Maud Hart Lovelace, who so perfectly wrote about both little girls growing up (RAMONA!) and teens, and this book is a classic I've read a dozen times at least, but again, like All-of-a-Kind Family, not for a long time
Reading for the first time:
Deenie by Judy Blume -- I know, I know, how did I miss it? Well, for one, my mom really didn't approve of Judy Blume when I was young. Not that she forbade me from reading her or anything, and I certainly read Margaret, Blubber and (secretly) Forever, but there was a way my mom acted that made me hesitant to dive too far into Blumeland (what can I say, I was sooo not a rebel). But of course I've heard of Deenie thoughout the years, from friends and yes, The Gilmore Girls. Plus, the book has been recently reissued with a fantastically modern cover and my boss scored a copy at Censorship Dinner where Ms. Blume was honored and she sweetly gave it to me.
Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson -- another one I can't believe I haven't read, but I'm pretty sure I have a copy, either my own from my youth, or one my mom bought my stepdaughters some years ago.
The Cheerleader by Ruth Doan MacDougall -- ok, technically this book isn't in Shelf Discovery, but I found out about it because of Shelf Discovery (listen to Lizzie Skurnick and Nancy Pearl discussing YA lit here). Plus, it's beloved by a fellow Maud L friend who I trust completely (even more so because her award-winning essay at this year's Betsy-Tacy convention brought tears to my eyes).
So there you have it, my challenge is set! To find out who else is participating in the Shelf Discovery Challenge, and to sign up yourself, visit Booking Mama! And if you're intrigued, browse inside Shelf Discovery to discover the favorites you may have forgotten!
