Penny Blubaugh

Every night it's the same dream. I'm sailing along the calm seas of the south pacific when suddenly, without warning, the temperature drops. Brrr. . . I'm disoriented by the sudden change and lose all sense of direction. Drawn to some inescapable desire -- CRASH -- and before I can turn around . . . it's too late.

From TeenBoat by Dave Roman and John Green (It's better when you see the pictures!)

Review from Comicsgirl (comicsgirl.com)

TeenBoat is about a teenage boy who turns into a boat named TeenBoat (in case, you know, the title didn’t immediately tip you off to that), Originally a series of (Ignatz Award-winning) minicomics, creators Dave Roman and John Green pull in amazing amount pop culture influences (Turbo Teen is an obvious reference point, as are teen dramas like Dawson’s Creek) into something that’s still fun and original. Trust me when I tell you that Teen Boat! is really one of the best things ever.

Why this book is here:

Because he's a teen who can turn into a boat! How cool is that? Read More 

I adore this story. I love the fact that they still don't know who the mystery sculptor is. Scroll down a bit and look for mysterious paper sculptures for the first installment of this story, then click on the link labeled mysterious paper sculptures 2 to your left. Enjoy.

Ca-chunk, ca-chunk, ca-chunk.

The sound drifts through my bedroom window. Pokes through my homework haze. It's not loud, but it's impossible to ignore. Because it doesn't belong here.

From Candor by Pam Bachorz

Review from Kirkus Review

Everyone is on-message in Candor, Fla. (a planned community not unlike Disney’s Celebration), and Oscar Banks’s father decides that message through mind-controlling music. For teenagers who have the money and the motivation to escape from Candor, Oscar offers his own rebellious subliminal messages. After falling in love with new arrival Nia, Oscar weighs his perfect persona against Nia’s survival, watching as she falls victim to Candor’s illusion of perfection. Bachorz’s premise causes a momentary chill: Given music’s ubiquitous presence today, readers can easily wonder if there’s a message lurking in every melody. A nicely paced plot keeps the narrative moving and successfully builds tension.

Why this book is here:

Exactly because it's so creepy, just like the review says. And because it could be true. Read More 

My father is always talking about how a dog can be very educational for a boy. This is one reason I got a cat.

From It's Like This, Cat by Emily Neville

From Wikipedia:

The main character of the kis Dave Mitchell, a 14-year-old who is growing up in mid-20th century New York City. Dave lives with his father and his asthmatic mother and her attacks worsen when Dave and his father have their frequent arguments. Dave's refuge after a clash with his father is with Kate, an elderly neighbor whose apartment is filled with the stray cats she loves. Dave adopts one of the cats, names it "Cat" and takes him home. "Cat" brings both joy and adventure into Dave's life.

Cat's presence brings Dave into contact with several new people, including a troubled college-aged boy named Tom and his first girlfriend, Mary. While documenting Tom's growing maturity, the book also provides glimpses of a few of New York's neighborhoods and attractions, from the Fulton Fish Market to the Bronx Zoo and Coney Island.

Why this book is here:

I love the view of a normal kid growing up in the New York of the 1960s and I love this cat. Read More 

I grew up in what some people would call a mobile home and what other, snobbier people might call a manufactured home, but I was always fine with calling it a trailer. That's right, I said I grew up in a trailer. Fuck you.

From Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick

From Kirkus Reviews:

Acute, wickedly funny observations on appearance and identity punctuate this sprawling, caustic fairy tale that cheerfully skewers the fashion and film worlds and their celebrity-culture spawn.

Something magical will soon befall checkout clerk Becky Randle, 18, her mother tells her, making Becky promise she’ll say yes to it. After her mother’s death, the mysterious yet ubiquitous designer Tom Kelly flies Becky to New York, proposing to create three dresses for her guaranteed to make her the most beautiful woman on the planet. With, at best, average looks, Becky’s understandably skeptical, but Kelly delivers, and Rebecca is born. Though Rebecca’s gorgeous, confident and smart, Becky stubbornly hangs onto her identity (she sees her glamorous alter ego in mirrors only when others are present). Supermodel Rebecca lands a movie role alongside the star Becky’s crushed on since middle school (veteran screenwriter Rudnick’s film scenes are hilarious). Soon, smitten with Rebecca, the heir to the English throne captures Becky’s heart—but which of her is he in love with?

Why this book is here:

It's compulsively readable, fun, funny, sad and poignant all at once. Read it!  Read More