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Interview: Liz Kessler, author of Read Me Like a Book

Jun 13, 2016

Who am I? Who will I become? These are tough questions for any teen to answer.  In READ ME LIKE A BOOK, 17-year-old Ashleigh Walker’s life has become a whirlwind; from coping with her parents’ marital troubles, to navigating her first sort-of relationship, Ash’s future is daunting and uncertain. The answers to these questions become even less clear when Miss Murray --- the cool English teacher --- takes over Ash’s class...and her heart. Miss Murray becomes the one constant for Ash; forcing her to try a little harder, to care a little deeper, and to confront these difficult questions head on. In this interview with Teenreads.com’s Terrell Orr, author Liz Kessler discusses the social and political climate surrounding the novel, her thoughts about social media, and what she has in store for readers next!

Editorial Content for Read Me Like a Book

Book

Read Me Like a Book

Contributors

Terrell W. Orr

Reviewer (text)

Terrell W. Orr

Ash has never been the most dedicated student in the world. Between the cute mystery boy who just slipped her his number at her birthday party, her parents who can't seem to get through a single meal without fighting and whatever trouble her spunky best friend Cat is getting into this week, focusing on school is the last thing on her mind. That is, until Miss Murray arrives.   Read More

Teaser

Ashleigh Walker is a mediocre student with an assortment of friends, a sort-of boyfriend and no plans for the future. Then a straight-from-college English teacher, Miss Murray, takes over Ash’s class and changes everything. Miss Murray smiles a lot. She shares poetry with curse words in it. She’s, well, cool. Before she knows it, Ashleigh is in love. Intense, heart-racing, all-consuming first love. But what will happen if Miss Murray finds out Ashleigh is in love with her?

Promo

Ashleigh Walker is a mediocre student with an assortment of friends, a sort-of boyfriend and no plans for the future. Then a straight-from-college English teacher, Miss Murray, takes over Ash’s class and changes everything. Miss Murray smiles a lot. She shares poetry with curse words in it. She’s, well, cool. Before she knows it, Ashleigh is in love. Intense, heart-racing, all-consuming first love. But what will happen if Miss Murray finds out Ashleigh is in love with her?

About the Book

In her first novel for young adults, New York Times best-selling author Liz Kessler tells a story about finding a kindred spirit and becoming your true self.

Ashleigh Walker is a mediocre student with an assortment of friends, a sort-of boyfriend and no plans for the future. Then a straight-from-college English teacher, Miss Murray, takes over Ash’s class and changes everything. Miss Murray smiles a lot. She shares poetry with curse words in it. She’s, well, cool. And she seems to really care about her students. About Ashleigh. For the first time, Ash feels an urge to try harder. To give something --- someone --- her best. Before she knows it, Ashleigh is in love. Intense, heart-racing, all-consuming first love. It’s strong enough to distract her from worrying about bad grades and her parents’ marriage troubles. But what will happen if Miss Murray finds out Ashleigh is in love with her?

June 2016

Our New in Paperback roundup this month includes THE LAND OF STORIES: Beyond the Kingdoms by Chris Colfer, in which the Bailey twins and their friends travel beyond the kingdom to stop the Masked Man's scheme; MOONPENNY ISLAND by Tricia Springstubb, where a girl grows to see the truth about herself and her loved ones as she learns about fossils; and SERAFINA AND THE BLACK CLOAK by Robert Beatty, in which a 12-year-old girl races to uncover the Man in the Black Cloak's identity before he kidnaps all the children.

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Books to Add to Your Guy-brary, Part 1

Here at Teenreads, we want to encourage everyone to enjoy reading just as much as we do. Lately, however, it seems as though many of our readers are having trouble finding books that speak to them as guys. With that in mind, we decided to curate this collection of books coming out this May-June that feature male protagonists, male narrators, or just plain great storylines that all genders can relate to.

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June 2016

This month's Cool & New roundup includes THE WOLF'S BOY by Susan Williams Beckhorn, an engaging tale about an outcast and a wolf making their way north during an Ice Age winter; PROJECT (UN)POPULAR BOOK #1 by Kristen Tracy, where two friends are determined to photograph more than just the popular kids for the yearbook; and THE GATHERING STORM (The Hidden World of Changers) by H.K. Varian, a story about four kids who must master their newfound shapeshifting abilities in time to save their home.

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Daughters of the Bride
by Susan Mallery - Fiction, Romance

As the awkward one, Courtney Watson may not be as together as her sisters, but she excels at one thing: keeping secrets, including her white-hot affair with a sexy music producer. Planning Mom's wedding exposes her startling hidden life, changing her family's view of her forever. When Sienna's boyfriend proposes in front of her mom and sisters, he takes her by surprise. Should she say "I do" even if she's not sure she does? Rachel thought love would last forever…right up until her divorce. As Mom's wedding day draws near and her ex begs for a second chance, she's forced to acknowledge some uncomfortable truths about why her marriage failed and decide if she'll let pride stand in the way of her own happily-ever-after.

June 2016

Our Picture Book roundup this month includes FRANK AND LUCKY GET SCHOOLED, Lynne Rae Perkin's story about a boy and his dog learning about biology, fractions and different languages; SCHOOL'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, a sweet story about a nervous school going through his first day of school by Adam Rex and Christian Robinson; and THE STORYTELLER by Evan Turk, an original folktale that celebrates the power of stories and storytelling.

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June 13, 2016

This Bookreporter.com Special Newsletter spotlights a book that we think is a great summer reading selection. Read more about it, and enter our Summer Reading Contest by Tuesday, June 14th at 11:59am ET for a chance to win one of five copies of DISCOVERING YOU: A Whiskey Creek Novel by Brenda Novak, which is now available. Please note that each contest is only open for 24 hours, so you will need to act quickly!

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June 2016

June's roundup of History titles includes COMMANDER IN CHIEF, the sequel to Nigel Hamilton's THE MANTLE OF COMMAND, which recounts the astonishing story of FDR's year-long, defining battle with Churchill, as World War II raged in Africa and Italy; NEVER A DULL MOMENT, David Hepworth's rollicking look at 1971 --- the busiest, most innovative and resonant year of the '70s, defined by the musical arrival of such stars as David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Joni Mitchell; DOUGLAS MacARTHUR: AMERICAN WARRIOR by Pulitzer Prize finalist Arthur Herman, the definitive biography of the visionary general who led American forces through three wars and foresaw his nation’s great geopolitical shift toward the Pacific Rim; and HOW THE POST OFFICE CREATED AMERICA, Winifred Gallagher's examination of the postal service's surprising role in our country's political, social, economic and physical development.

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Jim Carrey

Flowers don't worry about how they're going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.

Attribution

Jim Carrey