What I didn’t like: Now, I’m a fangirl, but I’m not really a big Superman fangirl. I’m more of an X-Men girl myself, so for most of these superhero movies I go in not expecting to get bogged down by the mythology and stories already laid out by the comics. My one huge exception is still X-Men: The Last Stand. I like to pretend that movie didn’t happen. All of those characters deserved better. Don’t even get me started. I mean, really, Cyclops? Really?!

Anyway, this Entertainment Weekly article (which contains spoilers) sums up exactly how I felt about the way they ended the Man of Steel movie. This totally messed with some hardcore Superman mythology that even felt weird for a neophyte like myself. For me, Man of Steel should have ended before their “epic” final fight scene. I’m putting quotations on that one because there were so many fight scenes in this movie that were all just about the same octane level that all of them left me wanting more. A good action film crescendos, and this one did not. Zack Snyder failed to deliver that much and left me scratching my head as to why the movie ended the way that it did in general.

Constructive criticism etiquette states to always end on a good note, so with that in my mind, let’s discuss why as a YA reader Man of Steel excited me so much. As an origin story, I loved the remixed Superman coming of age. All superhero stories are quintessential YA narratives about outsiders trying to figure out who they are and where they belong. This is their appeal. Superman always kind of bored me a bit because he came off as the football player/homecoming king even with his nerdier alter ego, Clark Kent. He was still very vanilla. While this film didn’t change that too much in my opinion, Man of Steel showed more of Clark’s coming of age story. The young soon-to-be-superhero comes to grip with who he is and what that means while also struggling with bullies and societal expectations. It just made him more of an interesting character.

With that in mind, here is a list of books that I would recommend to the young, struggling-to-fit-in Clark Kent. My list of favorite outsiders to keep you company and remind you to stay strong, be who you are.

• Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood: The Cahill sisters are different and always trying to hide who they really are, afraid of how their society will react to who they are and what they can do. A supernatural historical fiction drama with banned books, rebellious teenagers, and first love. Cate Cahill is a witch in hiding.
• Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine: A book about true friendship in the face of adversity. Marlee feels like a complete outsider all of the time, so she barely talks to anyone outside of her family — that is, until she meets Liz, the new girl in school, who just happens to have a secret of her own…
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2012 Alex Award Nominee): Wade is not the popular boy at school, nor does he have much of a home life to speak of, but he does love adventure and video games. He’s obsessed with the virtual reality world created by James Halliday, and his obsession will lead him on the adventure of a lifetime.
• Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge (Great Graphic Novels 2012): A graphic novel following Paige Turner’s move to NYC from Virginia and her struggle to find her place in NYC and herself as a person, a friend, a daughter, a girlfriend and an artist.

My all-time favorite classic outcasts:

• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton: “Stay gold, Pony Boy.”
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Boo Radley
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling: Nothing says outsider like an orphaned boy living with adopted “parents” who just don’t understand, only to find himself at a school where he is simultaneously a celebrity and bullying target.

Your turn, readers: what did you think of the Man of Steel movie? Who are your favorite outsiders?

– Katie Shanahan, currently reading The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen and The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

Feel free to submit any book/song combinations that you know!

Diane Colson, currently reading Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg.

Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking Glass

In the 1980s HBO tried out a sketch comedy show based on a British news parody show. The show, Not Necessarily the News, featured a regular segment from a comedian named Rich Hall. Hall dealt satirically with a number of topics by creating new words to describe our modern lives. He dubbed these creations “sniglets.”

Rich Hall described sniglets as “any word that doesn’t appear in the dictionary, but should.” Often these sniglets were portmanteau words which have a long and celebrated history that is usually traced to Lewis Carroll but surely has deeper roots than that. Carroll, for example, used slithy which he defined as a combination of lithe and slimy. Modern popular culture loves portmanteau words and gives us lots of new fun versions like Bennifer (Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez) or mankini/manssiere/manscaping, sexting, and frankenfood. The list goes on and on.

I thought that YA was due for its own collection of sniglets/portmanteau, so here is my contribution. I hope that you will follow up with some of your own.

• Catastrafatigue: the feeling that one more catastrophe-riddled future world is more than you can stand
• Seqhole: the empty feeling you get when you are waiting for the next book in a series to be released
• Skimulate: pretending you’ve read a book when, in fact, you skimmed the back cover and maybe a few pages from each chapter. Also: bibliofake.
• Errorist: person incapable of seeing anything but the weaknesses of every book they read
• Lust Jacket: cover design that is so awesome you just can’t help but pick up the book. Antonym: bust jacket: a cover that makes you go “ewwww.”
• Melodramamine: the feeling you get after gorging on drama-filled beach books
• Supernaturillogical: when a writer endows a character in a book with special powers that are just ridiculous and/or unbelievable and/or just plain stupid
• Dittopia: oh boy, another book set in a crumbling future America
• Zombifad: right now
• Afictionado: no, I don’t want to read your fan fiction of The Hunger Games from the point of view of Prim’s goat
• Shock and Awwww: when you are dreading a book, read it anyway, and end up loving it

– Joel Bruns is currently reading Deadwood by Pete Dexter and Listening to The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt

Are you ready to see what books have made our must-read lists for the summer?

Jennifer Rummel:

Allison Tran:

Molly Wetta:

Gretchen Kolderup:

Katie Shanahan:

View at Animoto

Laura Perenic:

Jessica Miller:

As you can see, we’ve got a mix of older titles and upcoming releases across all different genres. Summer is a time for sitting back, relaxing in some sunshine, and reading those books that have been calling to you … We hope you plan to curl up with some great books this summer, too!

– Jessica Miller, currently reading Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas and Darius and Twig by Walter Dean Myers

If you, or another YALSA member you know, has always wanted to serve on either the Edwards, Nonfiction, or Printz award committee, then the first thing to do is…

1. View the websites for each of these awards (Edwards, Nonfiction, Printz) to review their purpose and requirements.

2. Watch the free webinar about what serving on an awards or selection committee entails
3. Read this YALS article “How to Succeed on a YA Book Committee”
4. Talk to previous or current awards committee members

Still interested? Now see if you, or your nominee, can answer yes to the following questions:

Do I/does my nominee…

• work well with others?
• have interest and extensive experience with young adult literature?
• have enough free time away from work and family for all the reading and other demands?
• have previous service on YALSA committees, preferably selection committees?
• have no conflicts of interest in accordance with YALSA’s Award and Selection Committee Conflict of Interest Policy?
• have good time management and organization skills?
• have the highest ethical standards?

If you’ve answered yes to all these questions, then it’s time to fill out an award committee nominating form, no later than June 30.

If selected to run, your name would appear on the ballot for election in spring of 2014 and your term would start February 1, 2015. Questions? Please contact the chair at pamsholley@aol.com.

– Pam Spencer Holley

For many young people, myself included, the world sent us a host of messages telling us we were out of step, that something was wrong with us. That is especially true for kids who are overweight. In today’s world, a retail store’s recent decision to feature a size 12 swimsuit model prominently on their website without labeling her as “plus size” provoked pages of commentary and even criticism from numerous news outlets.

No wonder so many teens have trouble looking at themselves in a mirror.

I was one of those overweight teens, and I know that diversity is about more than just race, religion, or locale. During my all-important teen years I never found any books that featured a protagonist like myself dealing with the issues of being bigger than the other kids. Oh, books often featured an overweight sidekick to provide a little comic relief while the lithe and winsome protagonist fulfilled his or her destiny. But the overweight kid never took center stage. Their pains and issues were not the spotlight.

Things have changed, both in real life and in fiction.

Not every book is about the beautiful people. Dara, the protagonist in Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer (2009), is a former child beauty pageant star turned overweight teen. Her story is not about a girl deciding to diet or about parents and friends realizing they are wrong about her. She is a “fat girl,” but that is not her whole identity. She uncovers a past her parents have kept hidden from her, including an older sister who left home before she was born. She does not decide to diet to fix her problems and earn the love of others. Nor do her parents undergo a miraculous change of heart and learn to accept their children as they are. Instead, this is a true coming-of-age story where Dara learns to accept herself as she is, as well as to accept her elder sister’s sexual orientation and the idea that her parents will probably never change their attitudes toward either of their daughters.

Unfortunately, the publisher chose not to portray an overweight teen on the cover. Still, this book will appeal to people who seldom see their issues in print. It will also reach out to anyone who wants to see the world through the eyes of someone bigger than average. As one reader said about the book: I’m a 25 year old guy, and I still found myself relating to the main character in a lot of ways.

Butter by Erin Jade Lange (2013) takes things in a different direction. Butter is truly larger than average — over four hundred pounds large. The morbidly obese protagonist is tired of being rejected and declares his intention to eat himself to death on a live webcast. But as the date draws closer, Butter begins to find himself surrounded by members of the popular crowd. He even gets a girlfriend. Now he has something to live for, but only if he goes through with his plans. His newfound popularity comes with an expiration date. His new friends are really waiting to see him die. Some have even made bets on his last meal.

The book leaves readers questioning and taking a second look at themselves and the people around them. All the characters have shades of good and bad. Butter in particular is a nice kid: funny, musical, intelligent. It makes you look around; it makes you wonder.

If a kid really decided to kill himself on streaming video — would you watch?

Fat Angie by E.E. Charlton Trujillo (2013) hides herself under a mountain of junk food. None of that dulls the pain or the ridicule of other students who shout “crazy mad cow!” when they see her. She also tried — and failed — to kill herself in front of a gym full of kids. Now she just tries to live each day.

Until the new girl arrives.

One person, aptly named K.C. Romance, sees under the surface masks into Angie’s true essence and makes a difference in her present and her future.

– Barbara Binns, currently reading Lexapos and Cons by Aaron Karo

by Flickr user Thwaites Theatre Photos

Last week, we asked which YA lit-inspired summer vacation you’d most want to take, and the votes are in. Coming in first with 29% of the vote is a personal tour of Paris with Etienne St. Claire (inspired by Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins). Second place with 27% went to a scavenger hunt across Europe (from 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson), and third place with 20% of the vote went to a trip abroad to meet a favorite author (as in The Fault in Our Stars by John Green). You can see detailed results for all of our previous polls in the Polls Archive. Thanks to all of you who voted!

We’ve posted a number of polls about adaptations of YA literature — which books you wanted to see turned into movies or television shows, which adaptations were the best and worst, which you were most looking forward to, and even which classics needed a YA update — and today, we’re thinking along the same lines, but we’re going in a different direction. This week, we want to know which YA book you’d most like to see turned into a musical. Vote in the poll below, or leave us a comment if you have an even better idea (there are a lot of interesting possibilities!).

This is our penultimate check-in! With just one week left, do you think you can finish the challenge? Or have you already gone above and beyond? Is there anyone out there who’s read the whole list (or come close)? If you’re not going to finish the challenge, what got in your way — and was it still a worthwhile experience? Have you learned something about yourself as a reader?

Our final check-in post will go up next Saturday, June 22nd, and you’ll have until 11:59pm that night to finish reading. If you complete the challenge by reading 25 books, make sure you’ve filled out the form by 11:59pm on Sunday, June 23rd. On Monday the 24th, we’ll select our winner, send out the final set of challenge finisher badges, and invite everyone who finished the challenge to submit a reader response to their favorite (or least favorite!) title they read.

Keep up the good work as we enter the home stretch!

If you’ve completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list, let us know by filling out the form below. (The information you provide is what we’ll use to send you your Challenge Finisher badge, contact you about your reader’s response, and notify you if you win our grand prize drawing, so be sure to use an email address you actually check!) Do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading 25 titles.

If you’re not done yet, happy reading and keep us posted on your progress! Tweet your reviews and progress with the #hubchallenge tag, and we’ll see you at next week’s check-in!

“Historical” doesn’t have to signify the distant past; novels inspired by recent historical events can be a great introduction to the genre. The Good Braider by Terry Farish is a story told in verse of a family fleeing the Second Sudanese Civil War and emigrating to America during the early years of the 21st century. Its startling and gripping depiction of the horrifying conflict that killed and displaced millions of civilians and the struggles of new immigrants to adjust to a new culture will captivate readers. The events are only a little over a decade in the past, but they are centered around a specific moment in time. Of course, for teen readers that’s a lifetime ago, but for adult fans of YA, it can read more like contemporary or realistic fiction.

If The Good Braider is a hit with your book club and you decide to try other historical novels in verse, Helen Frost’s The Braid is a moving story of two sisters separated due to the famine in Scotland during the 1850s. Or it might be fun to have half the group read one book and the rest read the other and then compare and contrast the styles, characters, and themes. Sometimes picking two books with a connection (in this case, both are historical novels in verse) can make it easier to obtain enough copies for the entire group, and it can also lead to a rich discussion.

Reading groups hesitant to try historical fiction might start with Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (2011 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2011 Odyssey Honor), which weaves together two stories: one of a modern-day girl from Brooklyn and one of a girl in Paris during the French Revolution. Just as a diary serves as a gateway into the past for the modern day character in the book, this story can serve as an introduction into historical YA fiction for those reluctant to explore the genre.

Speak and Wintergirls are popular picks for book clubs, and groups that enjoyed either of those might want to sample one of Laurie Halse Anderson‘s historical works as well. Chains is the story of a girl who seeks freedom from slavery during the American Revolution and is an impeccably researched and compelling read that examines some of the contradictions in American history that are still reflected in today’s culture, making it a great book for discussion.

If your book club is looking to mix it up with some narrative nonfiction instead of sticking to only novels, there are several historical works that tell true stories yet are as exciting to read as any work of fiction. Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin (2013 Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults winner) is a great selection that will surprise readers. Its fans should check out The Nazi Hunters by Neal Bascomb for a real-life spy thriller, due out this fall.

If you wanted everyone in the group to read a different book all set in the same time period, there are a plethora of excellent WWII era books, including

• The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow
• Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (2013 Printz Honor)
• Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Septys (2012 Morris Finalist)
• Flygirl by Sherri Smith

These are all very different stories, and it would be a nice change of pace for a book club in which each member typically reads the same book to instead have each member book talk their individual selection and then discuss the commonalities or differences of each book.

Even if your book club reads strictly horror, there are plenty of scary stories from historical settings! Many tie-in with a classic like This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel, a different take on Frankenstein, or The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepard, a retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau. With the tendency for young adult literature to blur genres, there’s truly something within historical YA to pique the interest of any book club!

– Molly Wetta, currently reading Turtles in Paradise by Jennifer Holm and Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

Books:

• @EpicReads: Need a new #YAlit series to binge on? Here are the @HarperTeen series that have ended this year so far: http://ow.ly/lYIZf 
• @TLT16: 5 great reads for HS seniors and new graduates http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2013/03/take-5-out-with-old-great-reads-for.html …
• @randomhousekids: A must-read for #FathersDay: Why Dads Should Read to Their Kids: http://ht.ly/lVff4 
• @sljournal: Random House Fall Kids | Preview Peek http://ow.ly/lVOvL  #RHpreview
• ‏@TLT1611: Look! Sequels coming to you in 2013 http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2013/06/coming-soon-sequel-is-thing.html
• ‏@TLT16: Look there is a new YA imprint: @blinkYABooks http://blinkyabooks.com/ 
•  ‏@Scholastic:We’re getting in to the competitive spirit for #summerreading with our Sport books list on #Pinterest! Check it out: http://bit.ly/13S8hX8 
• @PenguinTeen: The @nydailynews has the exclusive reveal of the 2nd #5thWave motion poster! Check it: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/pageviews/2013/06/exclusive-first-look-at-the-5th-wave-motion-poster … @5thWaveBook @RickYancey
•  ‏@summerlearning: Put your #SummerLearning or #SummerReading event or activity on #SLD2013 map at http://summerlearningdaymap.org !

Book Trailers/Videos:

• @Scholastic: Suzanne Collins: “Pick out a book, open it up, #readeveryday, and enjoy the ride!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF2D0PtowLA … #hungergames #readcatchingfire
• @dawnmetcalf: Official #INDELIBLE book trailer! Watch, fan self & enter to win an annotated, illustrated arc: http://dawn-metcalf.livejournal.com/154679.html  @HarlequinTeen
• @ScottWesterfeld: Uglies now has an official trailer! http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/2013/06/uglies-trailer-
• @hollywoodcrush: Watch the EXCLUSIVE book trailer for @sjmaas‘ ‘Throne of Glass’ sequel ‘Crown of Midnight’! http://ow.ly/lVA8p  @bwkids
• @IceyBooks: Exclusive trailer reveal for @LeighAnnKopans‘s ONE on the @YAvengers blog! http://www.yavengers.com/2013/06/trailer-reveal-for-one-by-leigh-ann.html …

Movie/TV News:

• @PublishersWkly: Lauren Graham to Adapt Her Debut Novel into TV Series Produced by Ellen DeGeneres http://pwne.ws/12lylgc 
• ‏@eonline: Star Wars 7 will start filming in early 2014 according to JJ Abrams! The force is strong with this news. http://eonli.ne/19Yic1S 
• @hollywoodcrush: ’Percy Jackson’ EXCLUSIVE: Check out @LoganLerman on a new ‘Sea of Monsters’ profile banner! http://ow.ly/lSLgO 
• @sljournal: Pictures from the NYC premiere of @TigerEyesMovie http://tmblr.co/Zkm-Mvn19KWO 

Blogging:

• @BBAW: Saying Goodbye to BBAW http://bookbloggerappreciationweek.com/2013/06/saying-goodbye-to-bbaw/ …
• @yalsa: MT @sljournal: Using Social Media to Engage Teens in the Library http://ow.ly/lVFWm  #connectedlearning
• ‏@TLT16: We have a date!! @EgmontUSA week is July 15-19. There will be book reviews & guest posts & PRIZES!!!!

Contests:

•  ‏@Scholastic: June is Audiobook Month! We’re hosting a #giveaway on the blog. You could win @mstiefvater‘s THE RAVEN BOYS on audio! http://oomscholasticblog.com/2013/06/lets-hear-it-for-audiobooks-and-a-giveaway.html …
• @hollywoodcrush: Here’s how you can win a trip to the set of ‘Vampire Academy’: http://ow.ly/lUXjh 
• @Scholastic: Calling all librarians! We’re hosting a #harrypotter contest just for you & your patrons: http://oomscholasticblog.com/2013/06/calling-all-librarians-how-would-you-celebrate-the-15th-anniversary-of-harry-potter.html … #librarian #libraries

ALA and YALSA:

• @sljournal: Sign up and be the first to receive SLJ’s exclusive 2013 ALA Guide to ARCs & Signings http://ow.ly/lV34q  #ALA13
• ‏@yalsa: Want 2 get more involved w YALSA? Watch this free 16 minute webinar w @YALSAPresident 2 find out how! http://ow.ly/lXnVb 
•  @yalsa is looking for a manager for The Hub. Applications are due July 1st. http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2013/05/13/yalsa-seeks-member-manager-for-the-hub-2/?utm_source=YALSA+Members&utm_campaign=e19dc88ba2-YALSA_December_2012_E_News3_9_2012&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9b370be8bb-e19dc88ba2-81246901 …

– Jennifer Rummel, currently reading Crown of Midnight by Sarah Maas