Sonny with a Chance (TV Show)

Robbins, B., Bridgett, S. S., Feldman, M., & Marmel., S. (Producers). (2009). Sonny with a chance [Television series]. Burbank, CA: Disney Channel.

Interest Level: Ages 8 to 17
Genre: Family/Teen Sitcom
Subjects/Themes: Comedy, Fame, Teenage Actors/Actresses, Rivalry
Running Time:  23 minutes per episode
Rating: TV-G 

Plot: Sonny Munroe (played by Demi Lovato) has won the chance to star on her favorite comedy television show, So Random!.  Sonny is a good hearted, hard working, goofy and friendly individual.  The show is divided between Sonny's interactions behind the scenes with the So Random! cast and their rivals, the Mackenzie Falls cast, and clips from the So Random! and Mackenzie Falls shows.  Mackenzie Falls, one of the shows within the show, is a tween soap drama with overacting characters.  So Random! is a collection of comedy sketch shows similar to Saturday Night Live but for tweens. 

Personal Thoughts:  This show has a lot of different things going on in it, one of which will probably appeal to most tweens.  First there's the comedy sketches, then the Mackenzie Falls scenes, then the behind the scenes interactions, and then Sonny's interactions with her mother.  Sonny tends to act more like an adult then her mother at times but her mother is supportive and cares about Sonny a lot.  The So Random! cast is expectedly funny made up of Tawni (fashion obssed diva), Zora (a quirky genius), Nico and Grady (two pranksters who are best friends).  Chad is the star of Mackenzie Falls and has a love/hate relationship with the So Random! cast members.  He is spoiled and egocentric but also kind and sweet and times.  A good show for tweens interested in some good laughs.

Awards/Recognition:
Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards: Favorite Comedy Show Winner (2009)
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards: Favorite TV show Nominee (2010)
Teen Choice Awards: Choice TV Show: Comedy Nominee (2010)

Website: Disney Channel's Sonny with a Chance Website

Speak (Book)

Anderson, L. (1999). Speak. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Interest Level: Ages 13 to Adult
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Rape, Bullying, High School, Teen Girls, Emotional Problems, Friendship, Banned Books

Plot: The book follows Melinda's freshman year at high school following her being raped at a summer party.  Everyone is mad at her for calling the cops and getting people arrested for drinking.  Nobody knows what really happened because Melinda got scared and ran away rather then talk to the cops or anyone else.  During her freshman year, Melinda has almost stopped speaking altogether, no longer cares about her looks or hygeinie, and is failing most of her classes.  As she struggles with surviving everyday life, Melinda learns that her ex-best friend is dating the boy who raped her.  Melinda's concern for her friend's safety starts to overwhelm her but will she find the courage to break her silence? 

Personal Thoughts: A gritty emotional rollercoaster ride.  Melinda could be any girl from anywhere.  The inner dialouge that moves the story is wonderfully constructed and helps to highlight the inner turmoil that Melinda struggles with in the course of everyday things.  This book describes a deeply troubled girl, unfortunately misunderstood and overlooked.  This is a story about a young girl trying to cope with an extremely traumatic event all on her own.  This is a story about the importance of speaking up for justice. They made the book into a movie in 2004 starring Kristen Stewart (Twilight star).  Check out the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) for more details.

Personally I'm not a fan of realistic fiction, but I found this book impossible to put down once I started reading.  A Must Read for any female, teenager or adult.  I would suggest parents reading it before handing this book to their teen though.  A lot of hard issues are brought up during the reading that you may want to have discussions about.  Issues like safety, rape, alcohol at parties, asking for help, expressing yourself, academic, social, and emotional problems and coping skills. 

National Awards:
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Top-10 Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults
Edgar Allan Poe Award finalist
IRA Young Adult Choice
Junior Library Guild Selection
Michael L. Printz Honor Book (ALA)
National Book Award Finalist
New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
New York Times Bestseller List
SCBWI Golden Kite Award
YALSA Popular Paperback for Young Adults

State Awards:
Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award runner-up
California Young Reader Medal nominee
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award nominee (Maryland)
Garden State Teen Book Award (New Jersey)
Iowa Teen Book Award nominee
Heartland Award (Kansas)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
Maud Hart Lovelace Youth Reading Award nominee (Minnesota)
Teen Three Apples Award nominee (New York)
2005 New York Reads Together Book
Carolyn W. Field Award (Pennsylvania)
Pennsyvania Young Readers Choice Young Adult List
Rhode Island Teen Book Award nominee
South Carolina Young Adult Book Award
Volunteer State Young Adult Book Award (Tennessee)
Tayshas High School Reading List (Texas)
Evergreen Young Adult Book Award (Washington)
Sequoya Book Award (Oklahoma)
Young Reader’s Award Nominee (Nevada)

Bookseller and Media Recognition:
Booklist Editors’ Choice
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Book
Fanfare, The Horn Book’s Honor List
Los Angeles Times Award finalist
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
Booklist Top 10 First Novels (1999)
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year (1999)

Laurie Halse Anderson Website: Mad Woman In the Forest 

Other Books by the Author: Catalyst (2002); Chains (2008); Fever 1793 (2000); Prom (2005); Twisted (2007); Wintergirls (2009)

New Moon Girls (Magazine)

New moon girls. (2010, September/October). Long Prarie, MN: New Moon Girls Media.

Interest Level: Ages 10 to 16
Genre: Serial (Periodical, Newspaper, Magazine, etc.)
Subjects/Themes: Magazine, Female Roles, Children's & Youth's Writings

Content: New Moon Girls is published on a bi-monthly basis.  The magazine's goal is to provide a safe, respectful, innovative, and advertising-free space both in print and online for young tween girls.  The magazine contains topics, artwork, poetry, and advice columns all created by or for tweens girls.  The magazine's online website prides itself for its high level of safety in its chat rooms and emails.  A subscription of $44.95 per year provides 6 printed magazine issues and full online access to the site's chat rooms, contests, and other features.

Personal Thoughts: This is a really really good magazine for young tween girls.  Every article in the magazine is focused on issues girl tweens are facing or may have questions about.  I really like that they have real girl tweens answering some of the questions and giving their viewpoints.  I think that type of interaction between tweens is what they are most comfortable with and that they can understand how the other is feeling quite well.  Some of the content/discussions in the September/October issue I was reviewing talks about: friendship problems, self-esteem, popularity, ideas about wearing makeup, animals in zoos, and having to move.  This magazine is a Must Read for anyone with a tween girl in the family.

Awards:
Parents' Choice Foundation Gold Award (2008)
Minnesota Magazine Publication Association: Gold Excellence Award (2008)
Parents' Choice Foundation Silver Award (2007)
Association of Educational Publishers Golden Lamp Award (2006)
Images and Voices of Hope World Summit Award of Appreciation (2006)
iParenting Media Award Winner (2005)

Company Website: New Moon Girls Website