Monday, January 23, 2012

Susanna Loves London

By Mary Hogan


Needless to say, Susanna's plans don't always go as, well, planned. But nothing is going to stop this reporter from getting a great story for the London edition of Teen Scene - not Francesca, her snooty arch-nemesis, not her crush on the boy in the local chip shop, and definitely not the fact that the bright lights of the city seem very far away from the small Kent village where she's staying.

YA PB HOG

What You Wish For: A Book for Darfur

Short stories that revolve around wishes form this volume created to raise money for Book Wish Foundation, a nonprofit organization working to build libraries for Darfur refugees living in Chad. Mixing poems, stories, and even a comic, the book includes offerings from 18 all-star authors such as Meg Cabot, Alexander McCall Smith, Cornelia Funke, Joyce Carol Oates, Nikki Giovanni, Ann M. Martin, and R.L. Stine. Works range from humorous to poignant, but the theme of wishing unites the volume. Cynthia Voigt’s retelling of Cinderella, which puts her stepfamily at the forefront, is a standout; others include Francisco X. Stork’s heart-wrenching story of a 15-year-old living in a group home while his mother is in prison, and John Green’s profound and funny contribution, told in lists, about a boy who falls for the picture of the orphan his mother is supporting in Kashmir.





Every teen will find something to enjoy reading in this volume.



Y WHA