This week I re-read the iconic, Are You There God, It's Me Margaret. The groundbreaking young adult novel by Judy Blume was written in 1970, but I found it smart, realistic, and in spite of a few corny words here and there, quite relevant. Margaret's voice is sometimes shrill but remarkably mature–even for todays' tweens. She gracefully manages the pressures of a new town, new friends, and a new body with honesty and a believable sense of self.

Twelve year old girls haven't changed that much and tweens continue to look for characters that they can relate to — characters that describe similar experiences and feelings. It's possible that they have surpassed the shame and confusion of adolescent issues such as menstruating. It's possible that they don't blush with embarrassment when topics like growing breasts and buying bras come up. These rites-of-passage are commonplace now. They are the stuff movies, television, commercials and magazine articles are littered with. Sexuality is everywhere and most issues pertaining to our bodies are fair game for discussion. Shame and embarrassment are out, right? Maybe not. I'm not completely convinced that growing up is any easier for girls today than it was 30 years ago. Sure, books like Are You There God, It's Me Margaret paved the way to making adolescence an acceptable topic of discussion, but they didn't alleviate what it feels like to experience it.

Margaret is a character who is still capable of resonating with 12-year-old readers. She's caught up in the excitement and anxiety of all of these "firsts" and talks about them in a way that is still fresh. I think 'tweens still obsess about perspiration and their first kiss no matter how casual it becomes to us culturally. That is why Are You There God, It's Me Margaret is great and why it will always be a classic.

This week I re-read the iconic, Are You There God, It's Me Margaret. The groundbreaking young adult novel by Judy Blume was written in 1970, but I found it smart, realistic, and in spite of a few corny words here and there, quite relevant. Margaret's voice is sometimes shrill but remarkably mature–even for todays' tweens. She gracefully manages the pressures of a new town, new friends, and a new body with honesty and a believable sense of self.

Twelve year old girls haven't changed that much and tweens continue to look for characters that they can relate to — characters that describe similar experiences and feelings. It's possible that they have surpassed the shame and confusion of adolescent issues such as menstruating. It's possible that they don't blush with embarrassment when topics like growing breasts and buying bras come up. These rites-of-passage are commonplace now. They are the stuff movies, television, commercials and magazine articles are littered with. Sexuality is everywhere and most issues pertaining to our bodies are fair game for discussion. Shame and embarrassment are out, right? Maybe not. I'm not completely convinced that growing up is any easier for girls today than it was 30 years ago. Sure, books like Are You There God, It's Me Margaret paved the way to making adolescence an acceptable topic of discussion, but they didn't alleviate what it feels like to experience it.

Margaret is a character who is still capable of resonating with 12-year-old readers. She's caught up in the excitement and anxiety of all of these "firsts" and talks about them in a way that is still fresh. I think 'tweens still obsess about perspiration and their first kiss no matter how casual it becomes to us culturally. That is why Are You There God, It's Me Margaret is great and why it will always be a classic.

How many people do you know that can read the epic Dickens novel Great Expectations in the time it takes their 2 1/2 year old son to nap? Add me to your list. Today I was trying to organize all of the Ypulse complimentary books I have in my tiny San Francisco apartment and I discovered the new comic-style version of the tragic tale of love, loss, class and convicts.

As part of the new "Classics Illustrated" series from Papercutz, Great Expectations has been adapted by artist Richard Geary. The books have a bit of a bratty edge and of course, are super-condensed, but what I appreciated was the sense of fun. In spite of how naughty I felt reading such an obvious departure from the original, I think they've done a good job attempting to convey the spirit of the language and overall story-line.

Papercutz is a graphic and comic book publisher for teens and tweens. The "Classics Illustrated" series will re-introduce the original "Classic Comics" series first brought to life in 1941 by Alfred Lewis Kanter. Kanter believed that comics could deliver literature to kids in a modern and young way and published more than 200 adaptations of great books ranging from Shakespeare to Twain.

I had fun reading Great Expectations. I enjoyed my afternoon with Dickens very much. (OMG. How stuffy does that sound?) That's what's really valuable about these kinds of books — their ability to appeal to reluctant readers. They make fresh something kids often see as stale and foreign. Not only can a book like Geary's Great Expectations serve as an introduction to classic literature, for the most remedial students it may be their only experience with such an important book and author.

BTW, We're going to try and feature a monthly round-up of titles we receive from various authors and publishers. I am not able to read even half of the books that come my way, but I want to extend my thanks to all of you who send them and to give some sort of shout-out. At this time, Ypulse Books isn't doing reviews per se, but we really want to let people know what we're seeing and what's standing out. Stay tuned…

How many people do you know that can read the epic Dickens novel Great Expectations in the time it takes their 2 1/2 year old son to nap? Add me to your list. Today I was trying to organize all of the Ypulse complimentary books I have in my tiny San Francisco apartment and I discovered the new comic-style version of the tragic tale of love, loss, class and convicts.

As part of the new "Classics Illustrated" series from Papercutz, Great Expectations has been adapted by artist Richard Geary. The books have a bit of a bratty edge and of course, are super-condensed, but what I appreciated was the sense of fun. In spite of how naughty I felt reading such an obvious departure from the original, I think they've done a good job attempting to convey the spirit of the language and overall story-line.

Papercutz is a graphic and comic book publisher for teens and tweens. The "Classics Illustrated" series will re-introduce the original "Classic Comics" series first brought to life in 1941 by Alfred Lewis Kanter. Kanter believed that comics could deliver literature to kids in a modern and young way and published more than 200 adaptations of great books ranging from Shakespeare to Twain.

I had fun reading Great Expectations. I enjoyed my afternoon with Dickens very much. (OMG. How stuffy does that sound?) That's what's really valuable about these kinds of books — their ability to appeal to reluctant readers. They make fresh something kids often see as stale and foreign. Not only can a book like Geary's Great Expectations serve as an introduction to classic literature, for the most remedial students it may be their only experience with such an important book and author.

BTW, We're going to try and feature a monthly round-up of titles we receive from various authors and publishers. I am not able to read even half of the books that come my way, but I want to extend my thanks to all of you who send them and to give some sort of shout-out. At this time, Ypulse Books isn't doing reviews per se, but we really want to let people know what we're seeing and what's standing out. Stay tuned…

NPR is doing a series about famous and memorable characters called, 'In Character'. Andrea Seabrook recently interviewed Tobias Wolff (Author, This Boys Life) and Stephanie Savage (Producer, 'Gossip Girls') about Holden Caulfield, the preppy protagonist from J.D. Salinger's seminal novel Catcher in the Rye. This was so fun for me to listen to. Catcher in the Rye is hands-down, my favorite book ever, and Holden is my all-time favorite character.

After being cut from the field hockey team (Honestly, I'm over it.) I joined the speech and debate team. For which, and anyone who knows me will agree, I was far better suited.

One wintry, early Saturday evening on the short-bus home from a "meet" I met a boy from another school. We must have partnered with a local team for some sort of far-away regional thing. I was sitting behind him and he kept turning around to talk to me. Finally, uninvited, he moved back to sit with me. He proceeded to tell me all about an affair that he had with one of his friend's mother. I didn't believe him but he was so sincere and serious about it, I pretended to. I think on some level I understood that for whatever reason, he really wanted to tell me about this. I very vividly remember the way he looked too. He had large features for a boy, and thick wavy light brown hair. He was wearing a Paddington-style wool coat with a hood. His style of talking was quiet but also somewhat aggressive. Slightly affected and overly mature, his story felt like a put-on to me. Ultimately, I felt pity for him.

Now that I'm a bona-fide grown-up and have seen a thing or two, I'm not sure he was lying about the affair. I also don't know if I read Catcher in the Rye before or after meeting him, but in my minds-eye, I have always imagined that boy as Holden Caulfield.

J.D. Salinger wrote Catcher in the Rye in a series of stories first published in The New Yorker in 1946. It was later published as a book in 1951. It was hailed by critics but also criticized for its sexual content and profanity. It was groundbreaking because as Savage put it, it arrived on the "cusp of an explosive time" for American youth. This was before teens had their own culture, before they were a demographic. It was pre-Elvis. Pre-James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause." Many people consider Catcher in the Rye the first young adult novel, and Holden Caulfield the original teenager, especially if you consider how we know that population today. It was published in the New Yorker so it would seem that it was meant for adult readers. Does it matter? Salinger wrote from the POV of a teen, strictly seeing the world through Holden's eyes, which gave the book its authenticity and characteristic honest beauty. We meet Holden during a time in his life filled with great angst and drama, both true and exaggerated tragedy. So sensitively, Catcher in the Rye describes the crucial time in one's life when you become aware that things are changing. Childhood is coming to a close, yet maturity alludes you. Fear and panic about adulthood and the real world loom.

I decided after listening to the NPR piece that I was going to re-read Catcher in the Rye. Most of us were introduced to it as teenagers ourselves and while it remains one of the most censored titles, it is also one of the most assigned in high schools across the country. It's been many years, and I want to see how it feels to experience Holden with adult sensibilities. What can he teach me now? How have teens in literature changed, or not?

I encourage anyone to do this with me and post your before-and-after impressions and insights at Ypulse Books. As adults who read books for teens, I think this is an amazing exercise. I've re-read many favorite titles from my teenage years and it's really interesting to see what turns out to be different and new to me as an adult. More importantly, I think it's helpful to compare it with what we understood as a younger reader.