[J-Bert Posts: 293 Status: Offline WWW]

(I'm posting this here because it relates to book recommendations. Mods, feel free to move it elsewhere if you think it belongs somewhere else.)

Like many of you I've been following the discussion that the WSJ "Darkness Too Visible" article provoked. There are dozens of places online with great conversations about the pros and cons of the article (including a thread here on Verla's) so this isn't about rehashing all that. Rather, I've heard numerous people say that, regardless of their opinion of the article, they struggle to find alternatives to the dark and edgy books that are out there. In an effort to draw more attention to the variety of books being published in YA right now, I came up with something I'm calling The Light and Round Project. Here is a link to my blog post where I explain more in depth: http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/2011/06/light-and-round-project.html

I hope some of you will participate. If you are an author who thinks your books would be great for someone looking for an alternative to "dark and edgy" YA, let me know and I'll make sure your books get on the list of suggestions. If you are a blogger who reviews or writes about books that would fit in this group, please let me know. You can comment here, PM me, email me, or comment on my blog.

[DonnaE Posts: 197 Status: Offline life is too short to wear pantyhose. WWW]

I commented on the blog... I like this idea!

[ChristineSarmel Posts: 252 Status: Offline WWW]

Just finished a great YA about a Korean-American girl whose parents are obsessed with her acceptance into HYP (HarvardYalePrinceton). Squeaky clean, light romance, very funny. Good Enough by Paula Yoo (I believe she was a past SCBWI grant winner.)

[austen Posts: 229 Status: Offline Patience is everything.--Rilke]

This is a fabulous idea. I'll be checking out your blog.

[andracill Posts: 6,694 Status: Offline Worlds within...screaming to get out! WWW]

I commented with a link to my book review site (it's on wordpress) -- I only post the books I really enjoyed there, and the vast majority of them are not dark/edgy.

[fallpeople]

At Author2Author we've been highlighting lighter reads, and we have a few recent book recommendation posts:

http://author2author.blogspot.com/2011/06/beach-reads-are-my-kind-of-reads.html
http://author2author.blogspot.com/2011/05/fun-friday-interview-with-ya-author.html
http://author2author.blogspot.com/2011/04/spring-breaaaaak.html
http://author2author.blogspot.com/2011/03/fun-friday-just-your-average-princess.html
http://author2author.blogspot.com/2011/02/cover-attraction.html
http://author2author.blogspot.com/2011/02/some-of-my-chick-lit-faves.html

[J-Bert Posts: 293 Status: Offline WWW]

Yay! I'm so glad people are liking this idea.

Christine, that book sounds perfect. (And like one I'd like to read too! I'm starting to see this project is going to make my already big Want to Read pile enormous.) When I include your recommendation in the roundup next week would you like me to link to your website/blog or anything? And can I include your words here as part of the recommendation? (Like: Christine recommends Good Enough by Paula Yoo, "a great YA about a Korean-American girl whose parents are obsessed with her acceptance into HYP (Harvard/Yale/Princeton). Squeaky clean, light romance, very funny.")

Andracill, your reviews are fantastic. I replied on my blog, but if it's all right with you I'm going to include a couple links to specific reviews next week. If you have particular titles you think I should include, let me know!

fallpeople, thank you! I'll include those links in the roundups!

[andracill Posts: 6,694 Status: Offline Worlds within...screaming to get out! WWW]

Thanks, Jennifer   It's fine to link to any of the reviews -- I have a list of many more, but I'm only including those which I've read recently (since December, for the most part) in my blog on Wordpress.  I'm trying to continue updating the group, but I'm falling behind   Feel free to PM me with any comments or questions!

[J-Bert Posts: 293 Status: Offline WWW]

The first roundup is posted! http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/2011/06/light-and-round-project_15.html

If you have titles to recommend for next week, please let me know! (Email at fromthemixedupfiles(at)gmail(dot)com with "Light and Round Project" as the subject will help me keep track of all the suggestions.)

[MysteryRobin Posts: 810 Status: Offline]

I love this idea! I have a 10 year old who is not at all dark and edgy and she's gonna need some YA books before too long. Checking out your blog now...
(BTW - the title is great! Love "light and round")

[andracill Posts: 6,694 Status: Offline Worlds within...screaming to get out! WWW]

You have a nice variety of suggestions!  Once upon a time (when I had the time), I made 'warnings' for all the YA books I read -- so if there was any language harsher than 'crap' or any sex more than a kiss, I had a system for sharing that...now I've gotten too lazy.  Since I mostly only love lighter books, it's not really a problem -- except that strong language (swearing) doesn't phase me.  I notice violence and general darkness (very quickly, in fact), but I seldom am even aware of bad language...I saw that a few of the books on your list have harsher language, though, so maybe many readers are like me

[J-Bert Posts: 293 Status: Offline WWW]

This week's roundup is posted! http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/2011/07/roundup-3-light-and-round-project.html

And I forgot to post last week's roundup of books--lots more good ones here too: http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/2011/06/roundup-2-light-and-round-project.html

If you have book reviews or recommendations you'd like included in next week's roundup, please let me know!

[J-Bert Posts: 293 Status: Offline WWW]

The latest roundup is posted! I've switched to a monthly roundup. If you have any recommendations for the September roundup of the Light and Round Project, please email me at fromthemixedupfiles (at) gmail (dot) com.

Here's the August roundup: http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/2011/08/light-and-round-project-picks-for.html

[olmue Posts: 4,263 Status: Offline WWW]

I just want to say that I love this idea, J-Bert!

[J-Bert Posts: 293 Status: Offline WWW]

Thank you!

[Barbara Etlin Posts: 2,356 Status: Offline WWW]

Excellent idea! Thanks!

I do love some dark and/or edgy books, but sometimes I need a break from all the angst...

[J-Bert Posts: 293 Status: Offline WWW]

Thanks Owl! I love me some dark and edgy too. I like a lot of variety in my reading, really. And personally, I feel like teen literature is more diverse and has more variety than ever before, but a lot of people say all they can find is the dark and edgy stuff. So this is an attempt to help people find more reading options and the variety they seek. We're up to over 80 recommendations and counting!

[Sheila Posts: 166 Status: Offline I write and illustrate for children of all ages. WWW]

Hi,

This one straddles middle-grade and YA but is definitely light and round: SUMMER OF HAMMERS AND ANGELS by Shannon Wiershitzky, published by namelos

[J-Bert Posts: 293 Status: Offline WWW]

Awesome! Thank you for the suggestion, Sheila. I'm overdue for getting the next roundup posted so I will include this with it. (If you have a website you'd like me to link to or would like me to use your full name, please let me know and I will.)

[olmue Posts: 4,263 Status: Offline WWW]

Can I recommend one I recently read and loved? Entwined, by Heather Dixon. It's a retelling of sorts of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, but in a way it's a counter to the my-dangerous-boyfriend theme of some darker YA.

[Barbara Etlin Posts: 2,356 Status: Offline WWW]

I recently enjoyed SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD by Lindsey Leavitt. Serious topic (father's MS) but most of the characters are funny and there's a very light romance. Lots of laughs and a very satisfying read.