Sunday, October 14, 2007

The Buzz Girls Celebrate Teen Read Week

If you don’t already know, October 14 - 20, 2007 is Teen Read Week.

Among the celebrations, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest-growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), is asking teen readers to vote for up to 3 favorites of 25 nominated titles. Here is the link:

http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/teenreading/teenstopten/teenstopten.cfm
Included in this prestigious list of nominees is our very own Simone Elkeles and her book, How to Ruin a Summer Vacation!


Among other accolades, School Library Journal has listed How to Ruin a Summer Vacation under its Remarkable Reads section, and YA Books Central called it “The best teen comedy/romance of the year!"

The Buzz Girls love How to Ruin a Summer Vacation and are so very proud of Simone!

And to keep up the celebration, I am going to give a copy of my book, Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, to a commenter who either tells me he/she read and loved How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, is going to buy it, or plans to vote for it!

And be sure to pass the YALSA link and information along to the teens in your life.

Tina

Tina Ferraro
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
How to Hook a Hottie, January, 2008
The ABC’s of Kissing Boys, Spring, 2009
www.tinaferraro.com

25 comments:

Natalie said...

Congratulations to Simone! I ordered her book last year because, like HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION, my YA wip has an American MC and takes place in another country. I was curious to see how Simone handled the cultural transition, and I ended up loving the book.

I already have a copy of Tina's TOP TEN USES (in my TBR pile!), but if I win another copy I'll donate it to the international school's library here in Trieste, Italy. :-)

Anonymous said...

Tina, why didn't your book get nominated? It was SO great. I would have voted for it in a second.

~~Rachel
mybkclub@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Tina,
Unfortunately, I'm way past my teen years and cannot vote for Simone's book. But I'm sending positive vibes into the universe.

Janie

Anonymous said...

Hi Tina,
Anon was me. I forgot to put on my name. So, as you can see, I'm not only past my teen years, some days I feel like I'm entering those on the far end of the spectrum.

Once again...GOOD LUCK SIMONE!

Janie

Anonymous said...

I don't think you have to be a teenager to vote. I voted and I'm 34.

Jessica Burkhart said...

Yay, Simone!! :) I read the book a while ago and voted.

alexgirl said...

Very cool! Congratulations to Simone! That's awesome.

I must confess that I bought How To Ruin A Summer Vacation, but it has not made it to the top of my To Read pile yet. But I will definitely vote for it, and put it at the top of my queue!

Also, I've just put a scene from my book, Back Talk, on YouTube!!!
If you have two minutes to spare, please check it out and pass it along to all your friends.
Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBKkYKhiPNc

Ally said...

Congrats again to Simone! I haven't had a chance to read the book, yet, but I am going to be purchasing it and passing it on to my tween daughter, hopefully in time for her to vote. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

On behalf of the Vandalia Branch Library, good luck to all the nominees!

www.myspace.com/vandaliabranchteensdml

Amber said...

I have voted for How To Ruin A Summer Vacation and have passed the link (along with a suggestion to vote for Simone) on to all of my friends! I really hope Simone can win!!!

Amber

Anonymous said...

I hope simone wins! I love the book! she deserves to be on the top ten list. I wish your book was on the the top ten list too, i LOVE it.

you've probably had people ask so many times for a copy of your book and i am probably going to be the 100th, but i really love your book and i would like a copy so bad! i don't have any money to buy it myself, butit is true so if u pick me, i would be eternally grateful.

~keep writing Tina!~
Chantel Burkes =)
Choirfr3ak94@yahoo.com

Simone Elkeles said...

WOW! Thanks, everyone, for voting and for loving How to Ruin a Summer Vacation. When people tell me they like my book(s)...it's the most surreal thing because writers (me, especially) always question if their book is "good enough."

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to people who have voted for me. I can't tell you how much it means to me, words on paper can't express it.

To actually make the top ten would be amazing- So spread the word to your friends and tell them to vote this week!

~Simone

TinaFerraro said...

And a big thank you from me, too, for all these comments, for the praise for Simone's book--as well as as the compliments on my own book.

To answer Rachel's question, TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS was not eligible this year, but fingers crossed for next year!

Look for announcement of the winner tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

Hi! Congrats Simone! I am really looking forward to reading "how to ruin a summer vacation". It's on my list of books I HAVE to read and so is your book Tina! By the way, my name is Simone. hehe..and I told my friends to read you books...actually all of the teen girl books that i know of. Including the fabulous Shephanie Hale's book Revenge of the Homecoming Queen. Anways...I'd love to win a book so don't forget this comment!

Anonymous said...

ACKKKK sadly I haven't read it yet. But its on my to be read list.. Im a recent convert to YA but I am so addicted now lol.

Cheers
Kelly

Anonymous said...

I voted!!! Although some of the books I wished would be up there weren't (like yours Tina).

Annemarie

Anonymous said...

This book was so cute. I loved it, and I definitely voted for it.

I also love this buzz team. I live in a not-so-small town that isn't quite a city and it has absolutely NO teen book clubs. I've tried to start several but they never seem to get very far off the ground. I just found this and it's so cool to be able to read what everyone has to say. Plus the books are awesome.

Wishing you a ton of luck.

Anonymous said...

I'm participating in Teen Read Week on my blog. All this week there will be book reviews, character interviews and chances to win free books! Come on by!

Me said...

I'm feeling good vibes for you Simone! With all of RWA and teenlitauthors behind you, you're sure to make the Top Ten!

Simone Elkeles said...

Thanks, everyone, for your support again! Tina's book Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress I don't think was eligible this year, but hopefully we'll see her book up on that list next year, along with another Buzz Girl book Revenge of the Homecoming Queen!

~Simone

Marley Gibson said...

Sooooo exciting! I've voted! And forwarded the message on. Fingers crossed for Simone.

Anonymous said...

So, I'm 28. Can I vote?

Becky

TinaFerraro said...

The Buzz Girls contest for Monday is closed...and the winner of a copy of TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS (chosen by the very scientific method of a name from a hat--haha) is...

Chantel Burkes!

Thanks to all of you who commented that you loved Simone’s book, plan to read it and/or vote for it.

Keep in mind that the polls are open until October 20 at the ALA Teens’ Top Ten site, so there is still time to vote for Simone’s book, HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION.

And remember that the Buzz Girls will continue with giveways all this week. Keep checking in!

Trish Milburn said...

I already have Simone's book, but I just wanted to drop by and say GOOD LUCK in the voting!

Simone Elkeles said...

Thanks again, everyone! Every time I come back and read these comments it's like a warm fuzzy feeling!

Seriously...