More Voices, More Visions

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Teenagers themselves take the stage in Teen Ink 2: More Voices, More Visions edited by Stephanie H. Meyer and John Meyer. Short stories, poems and nonfiction, all published in Teen Ink magazine over the last decade, cover themes such as "Family," "Love" and "Fitting In." Black-and-white photographs and sketches (also by teens) liven up the volume. (May) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

VOYA

The editors of the nonprofit magazine Teen Ink assemble another remarkable volume of poetry, short stories, essays, and photography entirely by teens. The best words to describe this collection are honest and provocative. The entries are, for the most part, refreshingly and brutally candid in expressing the deep corners of human experience—including the first kiss, friendships gone awry, death in the family, favorite teachers, and abuse in the home. Even the less well written among the entries deserves inclusion for the sheer strength and quality of voice. The book is divided by subject—Family, Friends, Challenges, Love, Imagination, School Days, Fitting In, Milestones, and Memories. Following the text is a list of contributors and short bios of each author or artist. Of note to readers are the submission guidelines that appear at the book's close, literally inviting teens to become a part of the sharing world created by the text. This well-conceived series that began with Teen Ink:Our Voices, Our Visions (Health Communications, 2000/VOYA April 2001) allows young adults a forum for their creative urges and offers adults rare insight into the minds and hearts of the future generation. With its considerable broad teen appeal, Teen Ink 2 is a highly recommended purchase for all public and middle school libraries. VOYA CODES:4Q 5P M J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses;Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday;Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8;Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9;Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2001, Health Communications, 366p, $12.95 Trade pb. Ages 11 to 18. Reviewer:Stefani Koorey—VOYA, December 2001(Vol. 24, No. 5)

KLIATT

A good-looking, well-put-together collection of teen writing and visual art from around the country. Organized thematically, the work ranges in quality, but shows a wide range of student skill and interest. This collection will be useful to teachers teaching creative writing and inspirational for students interested in writing, but will likely need to be "marketed" to other students in order to be checked out. A good choice for reluctant readers—students love to read other student's work! Short biographies add to the accessibility of the collection. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2001, HCI, 366p. illus., $12.95. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Sarah Applegate; Libn., River Ridge H.S., Lacey, WA , September 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 5)

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-This second collection of personal narratives, memoirs, short stories, and poems gives meaningful glimpses into the private lives of young adults and shows their triumphs and struggles in their own words. Themes range from "Friends" and "Love" to "Challenges" and "Milestones." Each section has a mix of poems, fiction, and essays, and some works are accompanied by a photograph or drawing by a teen artist. All of the writings clearly express the emotions and experiences of the authors, and at their best, the pieces are eloquent and wise. There is a fairly even mix of boys and girls among the writers, but the subject matter and scenarios of most entries suggest suburban, middle-class students. Readers from more diverse student populations may long for greater cultural representation and more urban settings than are present in this collection. The illustrations and photographs likewise show little diversity, but they do complement the written pieces quite well. Libraries that can't keep Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul (Health Communications, 1997) on the shelves would do well to add this one to their collections. Perhaps its best use, though, is by teachers in their classrooms to show peer-written examples of these different genres.-Toni D. Moore, Simon Kenton High School, Independence, KY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.