Tis the Season. . .

This week's question comes from the giving spirit of the Christmas season. If you could give a Christmas gift to any literary character, what would you give and to whom?

Stefanie says: I would give Ron Weasley (from Harry Potter) a brand new pair of emerald green dress robes so he doesn't have to go to the Yule Ball looking like his Great Aunt Tessie. They'll compliment his ginger hair quite nicely.

Chris says:  I would give Joss (the vampire-slaying cousin from The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod) a map to Forks, Washington.  Then, he could return the favor by ending the Twilight series. . . if you know what I mean.

Literary QOTW: Thanksgiving Edition

Chris and I would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, and in honor of Thanksgiving, we have a very special and possibly sappy question of the week for you.

What's the one children's or teen book you're most thankful for because it had such an impact on you growing up?

Chris says:

I'm very thankful for books in general, but one stands out above the rest for me.  I could say something more high brow like A Separate Peace, something more philosophical like The Chronicles of Narnia, or something more thought-provoking like The Giver.  Instead, I'm going to say J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan.  Lots of books present readers with new worlds where characters can become whatever they want and escape their real-world problems.  The world of Neverland is one of high-flying adventures, swashbuckling pirates, and mythical mermaids and fairies.  In Neverland, time stands still and clocks are only for crocodiles.  For Peter and the Lost Boys, Neverland offers them an escape from their greatest fear--growing up to become a miserable adult.  For the rest of us, who can't live in eternal childhood, Neverland is an escape from our ordinary, mundane, run-of-the-mill lives, but it also helps us appreciate family and love, which seem to be the only things missing from such an extraordinary world.  J.M. Barrie's life and his signature book are reminders that growing up isn't all bad, as long as you take time each day to reclaim your childhood.

Stefanie says:

Okay, I came up with this question, and I'm having a hard time answering it. There were just so many books growing up that shaped who I am today and molded my reading tastes into what they are now. The first book I remember loving was The Velveteen Rabbit, and now I'm still a sucker for animal books. Where the Red Fern Grows is another favorite animal book along with Charlotte's Web. I also grew up completely drawn in by fantasy books like The Chronicles of Narnia, The Phantom Tollbooth, and The Neverending Story, and to this day fantasy is hands-down my go-to genre because of the way you can escape into fascinating magical worlds. (I've always had a crush on Peter Pan too. Guilty.) Being a complete history nerd, I had a Laura Ingalls Wilder phase and was completely obsessed with American Girl books as well, and now I sneak in a good historical fiction book every now and then because it's like having your own time machine to see what life was like in days gone by and to see how similar people are despite differences in time period. However, if I have to pick absolutely one book above all the rest that had the most impact on me, that would be Matilda by Roald Dahl. Matilda taught me that not only was it okay to be smart but it was amazingly heroic and courageous to be smart. Matilda's love of books echoed mine; neither of us could get enough of them! Matilda showed me that there's something enchanting and powerful about reading and that books have a way of making even the most difficult life situations bearable. You can go anywhere and be anyone in a book, and no one taught me that more than Matilda.

Literary QOTW: Decision 2012

It's been a while since we've done a question of the week, so in honor of Election Day here in the good ol' U. S. of A., we pose to you this question: If you could elect a book character as the next President of the United States, whom would you choose and why?

Chris says:

I would vote for Finnick Odair from The Hunger Games.  He has a charismatic personality, and people want to follow his lead.  Based on what we know from Catching Fire and Mockingjay, he is skilled as a fighter, loyal, and selfless.  Honorable mention:  Mikael Blomkvist from The Millennium Trilogy would make a very Clinton-esque president; also, Minerva McGonagall from Harry Potter or Skeeter Phelan from The Help would be amazing as the first female president. Obviously, none of those characters could actually be President of the United States because Finnick is from a post-US world, Blomkvist and McGonagall are from Europe, and Skeeter is too young, but I still think they'd all be great.  

Stefanie says:

I would vote for Nicholas Benedict from The Mysterious Benedict Society because he's genius smart, fatherly, good at making tough decisions, and experienced in top-secret missions to save the world. However, he does suffer from narcolepsy, so he'll need a great running mate to take the reins when he's suffering from one of his sleeping spells. I would recommend a grown-up version of Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus raised Scout to be fair, loyal, kind, giving, and selfless, and I have a feeling she ended up getting a law degree like her dad so she could help those less fortunate than her fight for their rights. Just as she brings Boo Radley out of the shadows, she would make sure that no one would ever feel like they were forgotten or unspoken for. I do love the idea of Skeeter Phelan too though!
 

Literary QOTW: A Pirate's Life for Me!

If you could add pirates to the plot of any YA novel, which one would you choose and how would you integrate the pirates into the plot?

Chris says: If I could add pirates to any young adult novel, I'd add them to Inkheart. Particularly, I think Captain James Hook and crew should at least make an appearance since Meggie reads Tinkerbell out of the book Peter Pan. I may be a little biased, though, since Peter Pan is one of my all-time favorite books. How would I work them in? When Meggie reads out Tinkerbell, she would also read out a band of pirates who are angered by leaving Neverland. Captain Hook is drawn in by Capricorn to aid in bringing out the Shadow; the other pirates, however, just want to be read back into their book, so they work with Elinor to help stop Capricorn.

Stefanie says: I would add pirates to Scott O'Dell's Newbery classic Island of the Blue Dolphins because as beautiful as the writing is, it gets pretty dull at points. Poor Karana doesn't deserve to spend her days sad and alone on a desert island. If pirates attacked her island, I'm sure she'd put up a fight at first, but the pirates would respect her impressive combat and survival skills and make her their exotic queen. Then she could live out the rest of her life sailing the seven seas and seeing the world instead of being stuck on a boring island.

Literary QOTW: Bringing History to Life

Lots of books have been written with a major historical event as the setting backdrop, giving us a teen or tween's view of what that event was like.  For example, Christopher Paul Curtis' The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 (the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing), Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (9/11), and Deborah Wiles' Countdown (Cuban Missile Crisis/1960s).  What major historical event would you like to see in a YA novel and why?

Stefanie Says:  I'd like to see a YA book set in Haiti during the recent-ish earthquake. I'm not familiar with many contemporary YA novels set in the Caribbean. It'd be nice to get a glimpse of what life was like before and after the earthquake and what life in present-day Caribbeans nations is like too. 

Chris Says:  So, by coincidence, we both picked earthquakes.  The only difference is that mine is almost 200 years earlier and centered around New Madrid, Missouri.  The New Madrid earthquake was actually a series of earthquakes occurring over a 4-month period that were felt as far away as Maine.  The quakes were powerful enough to create waterfalls along the Mississippi River and even made it flow backwards at several points and almost an entire town was washed away.  In addition to all of the destruction, the quake helped uncover evidence that solved a famous murder investigation involving nephews of Thomas Jefferson.  A YA book set during this event would be a mix of Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, and Earthquake.  

If you like historical YA fiction, check out this site:  http://plymouthlibrary.org/index.php/teen/teen-booklists/67-american-historical-fiction-for-teens

Literary QOTW: Joining Forces

2010's Will Grayson, Will Grayson was co-authored by John Green and David Levithan, with each author writing every other chapter.  Which two YA authors would you like to see team up to write a novel, and why would they work well together?  

Stefanie says:  Meg Cabot (Princess Diaries) and Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss) should definitely write a book together. Their writing styles are similar, and they're both wonderful at writing strong, funny female leads. Plus, they know how to get a laugh. That book would be hilarious. Add Maureen Johnson to the mix, and that would be one EPIC book!

Chris says:  I'm thinking that Chris Crutcher (Deadline) and John Green (The Fault in Our Stars) would write well together.  They have similar writing styles, have tackled similar topics within their books, and know how to throw in a laugh-out-loud moment here and there.  Crutcher tends to write about more popular/jock-type characters, while Green has mastered writing about quirky/independent-type characters.  A book that combines these two perspectives would be a YA lit juggernaut.

Literary QOTW: You Drive Me Crazy

Chris and I have been distracted during the Olympics, so we've been pretty quiet here lately, but here's your question of the week!

What's one book you've read that drives you so crazy or makes you so mad that you want to throw it across the room?

Stefanie says: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. Let me just say first that I am neither a Twilight hater or a Twihard, but man does New Moon drive me nuts! The whole series has its moments of annoyance, but it comes to a peak in New Moon for me because I just want to smack Bella Swan. She is possibly one of the worst role models for girls in YA lit today. She can't do anything without a guy, and she treats Jacob, who bends over backwards for her, like crap. I couldn't stand the mopeyness of this book, and I think I may have actually thrown this book across the room at some point. Also, the entire part in Italy is just ridiculous, and the Romeo and Juliet comparison gets overused and is really tiresome.

Chris says: A book I want to throw across the room is Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech (or most books by Sharon Creech, for that matter). For an acclaimed "young adult" author, I find her way out of touch with her target audience; on that same note, I don't like that this book is marketed as young adult fiction yet has "ages 8 & up" printed on the cover. While I'm sure there are people who love this book, I found it painful to read.

Literary QOTW: Jolly Old England

In the spirit of the London Olympics, what is your favorite book set in England (besides Harry Potter or Jane Austen)? ;)

Stefanie says: Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes. I'll review this eventually, but if you like books with secret quests that go all over Europe on a mission from a recently deceased aunt, you'll love this! Seriously though, Maureen Johnson's books are amazing, and this one is equally funny, poignant, and adventurous not to mention the fact that it really made me want to go to England. It has a sequel called The Last Little Blue Envelope that is equally fabulous.

Chris says:  That's easy--Peter Pan!  This is for sure one of my favorite books, period, and it just so happens to take place in England (well, partially in England).  In this one, you've got lost boys, pirates, mermaids, people who can fly, and much more!  There's a reason why J.K. Rowling read from this book at the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony.  Honorable mention goes to The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Literary QOTW: From the Page to the Small Screen

Question:  If you could recast one of your favorite TV shows with characters from teen and YA fiction, who would you choose?


Chris says:

I'm going with the show Friends:

Ross: Colin Singleton from An Abundance of Katherines --He has a poor dating history and is very smart yet bitter about not being labeled a genius.

Rachel: Holly Hills from The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series --She's pretty, blonde, artistic, and sweet, but she's also the unattainable girl who doesn't seem to know Greg exists.

Monica:  Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson series --She's smart, organized, and has a little bit of a problem with pride.

Chandler: Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter series --He's socially awkward, often finds his family embarrassing, and generally has a glass-half-empty attitude.

Phoebe: Susan "Stargirl" Caraway from Stargirl --She's quirky and compassionate, dresses eccentrically, sings random songs while strumming, loves nature, and has an upbeat outlook on life.

Joey: Henry McMillan from The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod --He's loyal, popular, and hungry and he has a way with the ladies.

Stefanie says:

I think I'll attempt to tackle everyone's favorite musical t.v. show - Glee! (Just a few characters...add more in comments if you want to! Chris helped a bit too.)

Sue: Professor Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series --He's always quick to creatively insult his students, he's super competitive, and he has a trademark outfit.
Will: Professor Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter series --If Sue is Snape, Will is Lupin. He's a kind-hearted mentor to Harry and an excellent teacher.
Quinn: Mimi Force from the Blue Bloods series --She's another rich, popular, gorgeous blonde who starts out as a complete brat but grows into a somewhat selfless leader.
Artie:  Isaac from The Fault in Our Stars --He struggles with a disability but manages to stay positive and be a good friend.  He's also dealing with a pretty tough break-up.
Puck: Rodrick Heffley from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series --He's all rock-and-roll and rebellion and no direction in life plus he likes to pull practical jokes.
Rachel: Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables --She's an over-dramatic yet driven girl who is dying to get out of her small town.
Kurt:  Paul from Boy Meets Boy --He's proud of who he is and doesn't want to change, but still struggles with being openly gay in high school.
Mike: Bo Brewster from Ironman --Bo is a gifted athlete but also has to deal with a controlling father.  He's also smitten by a girl who shares his gift.
Brittany: Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series --She's quirky, cute, and blonde, and she has crazy, fantastical theories about anything and everything.
Santana: Clove from The Hunger Games --She doesn't take crap from anyone, and she's not afraid to go all "District 2" on you!
Finn: Percy Jackson from the Percy Jackson series --He may not be super book smart, but he's got a big heart and a brave soul, he's a loyal friend, and he's completely adorable. Plus, he's got a thing for one of the most driven girls he knows.

Literary QOTW: Mom and Pop

Question: Who's your favorite literary parent figure?

Chris says: Since I know who Stefanie's going to pick, I'll go a different route.  Thomas Schell from Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  Thomas was born in the middle of Eastern European chaos, never knew his own father, and achieved the American Dream in New York City.  He instilled in his son Oskar some of my favorite qualities--curiosity, the desire for adventure, and unwavering perseverance.  Even after his untimely death on 9/11, he is able to send his son on an adventure that has an impact on the whole family.

Honorable Mention Dads: Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird (no explanation required), Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman (he was different, but he had his own style), and Katniss' father from The Hunger Games (exists only in memories, but he made an impact)

Honorable Mention Moms: Molly Weasley from Harry Potter ("Not my daughter. . ."--EPIC!), Wendy Darling from Peter Pan (she becomes a mother to the Lost Boys), and Mrs. Bennet from Pride & Prejudice (not at all perfect, but she cracks me up!)

Stef says: Chris knows I love Atticus Finch. He's the ultimate single father in literature in my eyes, so choosing him is a given, but I've got to pick a mom too, right? I'm going to give the mother figure award to a character in a fairly recent not-really-teen novel - Aibileen Clark from The Help. I'm amazed by this woman's strength and her ability to always show love regardless of whether that love is returned. Aibileen, an African-American maid, has spent a lifetime raising white children, instilling in them genuine love and self respect only to have many of them grow up to treat her with the same disrespect and disdain as their parents. Yet, she refuses to become bitter or jaded with each new child she raises and continues to teach them her refrain - "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." (Cue the waterworks.) I greatly admire not only her bravery for telling her story but also for never letting those around her effect her capacity to pour out love to her "babies". Aibileen teaches us that the greatest parents show us unrequited love even when we may not deserve it.

Honorable mentions go to...1. Lily Potter (Harry Potter), whose life-giving sacrifice not only saved the life of her son but arguably the entire wizarding world. Plus she's a redhead. ;) 2. Miss Honey (Matilda), who sees a remarkable yet unloved little girl and turns her entire world upside down to adopt her and make sure she will always feel loved...not to mention instilling in her a love of reading! Extra points! 3. Mr. Bennet (Pride and Prejudice), who may be guilty of picking favorites and doing very little to stop his wife's crazy antics but who has one of the sweetest father-daughter moments in all of literature when he discusses Lizzy's proposal to Mr. Darcy with her in order to make sure his darling daughter is marrying for love and not money. Sigh. What a great dad...and he even ran off the creepy Mr. Collins too.

Literary QOTW: It's All in the Setting

For this week's Question of the Week, we're talking about one of Chris's favorite story elements--setting.  Feel free to post your answer as a comment.


Question:  Of all the books you've read, which one has the most unique setting that impressed you?


Stef says:  Okay, I know we talk about Harry Potter a lot (What can I say? We're Potterheads.), but seriously, very few book settings come close to wowing me the way the wizarding world does. Moving photos, chocolate frogs, Whomping Willows, flying cars...what's not to love? Not to mention that the settings are just so diverse. In one world you have places that make you blissfully happy (like Olivander's Wand Shop) and completely terrified (the cave in Half-Blood Prince) and everything in between. Honorable mention goes to C.S. Lewis' Narnia. The idea of walking into a wardrobe of old winter coats and out into an enchanted snowy forest had me standing in a closet and using my imagination a lot as a kid. 


Chris says:  While I'm a fan of wizarding worlds and fantastical furniture, I'm going old school with this one, all the way back to a book published in 1979.  Kindred by Octavia Butler doesn't exactly have a new setting, per se, but it does put very unique spin on a few you might be more familiar with.  Kindred is a science fiction novel in which Dana, a 26-year old African American female, travels back-and-forth between modern-day California and the antebellum (pre Civil War) South to help the son of the man who owns the plantation on which Dana's ancestor is enslaved.  Obviously, these two settings are not just dissimilar--they're total opposites, with 20th century California representing freedom and the American dream and 19th century Maryland representing the slavery-laden past of the U.S.  (I know, I'm probably getting too deep and philosophical. . .)  Anyway, I had previously read books about time travel and books about the antebellum South, but this one blew me away. Octavia Butler doesn't hold back on the reality of the plantation setting, and she uses the differences between the past and the present to make the story that much more powerful.

Literary QOTW: We Love to Hate Them

And now we welcome you to the portion of our show where we answer a weekly literary question. Include your answer in the comments because audience participation saves the lives of fairies just like clapping does.

Question: Who's your favorite book character you love to hate?

Chris says: Bellatrix Lestrange.  If there ever was a book villain who's incredibly interesting, it's Bellatrix.  She has a high-profile family tree, a vicious past, and a knack for hurting the characters you love the most.  She's involved in one of my absolute favorite moments of the entire series (yes, you know which one I'm talking about).  And on top of that, Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Tim Burton) brought her to life with a demented, yet funky, flair in the movies.  Honorable mention goes to Iago (from Othello, not Aladdin), Milo Minderbinder (from Catch 22), and Satan (from Paradise Lost).

Stef says: Scarlet O'Hara. She's a hardcore Southern Belle who knows how to get what she wants with no regard to the price she or anyone else will have to pay. She's downright diabolical at times (stealing her sister's fiance even...yikes!), yet she's such a strong woman that I have to love her too. In the end, you finally get to see her heart, and yours breaks for her when she realizes that what she really needed all along just walked out her front door. And Vivian Leigh's portrayal of her is cinema magic. Honorable mention goes to Professor Delores Umbridge, who has no redeeming qualities especially not the fact that her office is covered in kittens. No offense, kittens.