Angieville

A little while ago, bookshelvesofdoom pointed out an article in the Guardian in which Joanne Harris lists her top ten kids books with kick-a** heroines. It got me to thinking on my favorite tough girls of YA lit and why they rock. So I compiled my own list and here they are in alphabetical order by first name. WARNING: Here be spoilers. Some minor, some major. Proceed at your own risk. Aerin The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley Because she's Lady Aerin, Dragon-Killer. Aerin teaches herself how to ride a warhorse, wield a sword, slay dragons, and save her homeland. She makes the right choices, even when those choices are unbearably difficult to make. Favorite Kick-A** Moment: Burned by dragon fire inside and out, Aerin climbs up on the head of the great dragon Maur and plunges her knife right through his freaking eye. Alanna of Trebond Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce Because she's the first female knight in more than 100 years. Alanna disguises herself as a

It's Banned Books Week and I was amused to find one of the books I reviewed earlier this year on the list of the Ten Most Challenged Books of 2006 . Carolyn Mackler 's The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things was banned for a number of reasons, my favorite being that it is "anti-family." Turns out the story of an overweight girl who, refusing to succumb to peer and societal pressure to be skinny, learns how to be happy in her own skin, is really just cleverly disguised anti-family propaganda. I totally get that now. Chris Crutcher , a perennial favorite among book banners, is also represented on the 2006 list. Bless him. For the record, Crutcher's books are awesome and a great way to go out and celebrate Banned Books Week would be to cozy up with a copy of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes (my favorite of his). I think I'll celebrate by getting myself one of these super cool wristband s . So grab a copy of Fahrenheit 451 or Harry Potter or whatever othe

Best reads of the past month: The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan Our book group selection this month and a good one it was. We had lots of fun discussing corn sex, mushroom fanatics, Italian pig hunters, and the dilemma of what to eat. We enjoyed some delicious pumpkin black bean soup while we were at it. I particularly liked that Pollan did not, in the end, offer the solution to the problem. Instead he spent his time outlining the many facets of this serious issue and then left it up to each reader to determine (if possible) what she can eat and still be able to live with herself. I feel more informed on the process of how mainstream food gets from the farm to me as well as the organic and locally grown alternatives. My views didn't change drastically through reading the book, but I certainly feel as though from here on out I will take my eating choices more seriously, that my final decisions will be more informed. Always a good end result. Book of a Thousand Days by S

Click on the following links to nominate your favorite book in each category. One book per category and just leave the title and author in the comments section. Fantasy/Science Fiction Fiction Picture Books Graphic Novels Middle Grade Fiction Non-Fiction: Middle Grade & Young Adult Non-Fiction: Picture Books Poetry Young Adult Fiction