Synopses & Reviews
At Penford High School, Brittany Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyones life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her. For April Bowers, Brittany is the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids dont know she exists. One lunch spent at Brittanys table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity. But Brittanys friendship comes with a high price tag, and April decides its not worth the cost. Inspiring and empowering, this is the story of one girl who decides to push back.
Review
"If you ever thought reading peoples minds would make it easier to understand other people, Amy Kathleen Ryan is here to tell you that youre dead wrong. Funny, fresh, and heartfelt,
Vibes zigs when you expect it to zag, and will have you laughing out loud."—Barry Lyga, author of
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl and
Boy Toy " . . . the surprising details make this a worthwhile addition to a teen romance collection . . . Kristi's eccentric habit of crafting her wardrobe from found objects, the content of her psychic visions, and the mismanagement of the relationships in her life add personality, and the result is a sweet, undemanding, yet consistently entertaining read with a good deal of insight into the way slightly off-center teenage girls construct their manic inner worlds."--The Bulletin
"Ryan's novel humorously explores the mind of a teenager grappling with issues of self-esteem, creativity, and self-worth. Teens will identify with Kristi and care about what she's going through."--KLIATT
Review
"Holder presents the teen milieu through realistic dialogue and situations, and lightens heavy moments with humor. The protagonist is well developed, and her struggles and gradual self-realizations are believable as she ultimately finds true friends and the self-confidence to make the right choices."--School Library Journal
Synopsis
In the class of the high school English teacher she has been haunting, Helen feels them: for the first time in 130 years, human eyes are looking at her. They belong to a boy, a boy who has not seemed remarkable until now. And Helenterrified, but intriguedis drawn to him. The fact that he is in a body and she is not presents this unlikely couple with their first challenge. But as the lovers struggle to find a way to be together, they begin to discover the secrets of their former lives and of the young people they come to possess.
Synopsis
Nothing is beyond Kristi Carmichaels disdain—her hippie high school, her friend Jacob, her workaholic mom. Yet for all her attitude and her mind-reading abilities, Kristi has a vulnerable side. She can hear the thoughts of her fellow students, calling her fat and gross. Shes hot for Gusty Peterson, one of the most popular guys in school, but of course, shes sure he thinks she is disgusting. And shes still mad at her father, who walked out on them two years ago. Soon, a school project brings her together with Gusty, her father comes home and drops a bombshell, and a friend comes out of the closet, and suddenly she is left doubting that she can read people at all.
Bitingly funny but ultimately poignant and positive, this YA novel is completely on the mark.
About the Author
Prior to being published, Amy Holder worked as an assistant teacher in a Montessori school, a Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) for children and pre-teens dealing with mental health and/or emotional issues, and the Program Director for a non-profit social service agency helping special needs clients ranging from teens to early adulthood. She worked closely with her clients, their families, and regularly consulted with other professionals (physicians, psychologists, teachers, school administrators, behavioral specialists, etc.) to come up with the best plans of care to ensure each individual client's educational, social, medical, and environmental needs were being met.
Amy's personal and professional experiences with teens, paired with her own vivid memories of high school, motivated her to channel her love of writing for a young adult audience. The rise of social bullying and body image issues in today's youth inspired her to write THE LIPSTICK LAWS, which confronts these topics in a relevant way that most teenage girls will be able to relate to.