FeedFreshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters (Book Giveaway!) by Meredith Zeitlin
February 27, 2012 in Book Club Possibility, High School Teachers, Young Adult Novels, Zeitlin Meredith Tags: Book Giveaway Contest, high school, WOW! blog tour, YA Contemporary Novel, ya novel
I am super excited that I am hosting Meredith Zeitlin today on her blog tour for the wonderful YA book, Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters! (Publisher: Putnam Juvenile) I am also excited to tell you that we have a copy to giveaway, so after you read the synopsis and Meredith’s guest post and watch the book trailer, you will be super inspired to write a comment or question to Meredith. Then I will choose one of you lucky commenters to win this book on Sunday night, March (OMG, MARCH, already!!) 4 and announce the winner on Monday. If you are a tweeter, you can also tweet this contest with the hashtag #FrYrDisasters. Then come back and put the URL of your tweet in a comment for another chance to win. If you have any trouble leaving a comment, PLEASE email it to Margo at margo@margodill.com! We had a few issues lately, and I don’t want anyone to miss this book!
Synopsis:
Let’s say you’re fourteen and live in New York City. You’d think your life would be like a glamorous TV show, right? And yet . . . You don’t have a checking account, much less a personal Black American Express card. You’ve never been to a club, and the only couture in your closet is a Halloween costume your mom made from an old laundry bag.
In other words? You’re Kelsey Finkelstein – fourteen and frustrated. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled. Kelsey wants to rebrand herself for high school to make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny. But just because Kelsey has a plan for greatness . . . it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.
Kelsey’s hilarious commentary and sardonic narration of her freshman year will have readers laughing out loud – while being thankful that they’re not in her shoes, of course.
About the Author: Meredith Zeitlin is a writer and voiceover artist who lives in Brooklyn with two adorable feline roommates. She also writes a column for Ladygunn Magazine, changes her hair color every few months, and has many fancy pairs of spectacles. In case you’re wondering whether any of Kelsey’s experiences are based on Meredith’s own, the answer is NO WAY. When she was fourteen, Meredith looked and behaved perfectly at all times, was never in a single embarrassing situation, and always rode to school on her very own unicorn.
And now a few words from Meredith. . .
When I was twelve or so, pretty much everything my parents – particularly my mother – said to me, suggested, invited me to, or insisted I do seemed to pretty obviously be one more attempt to ruin my entire life. (Don’t worry, parents of teens, I eventually got over it. I even dedicated my book to my mom – although, if we’re splitting hairs here, I’m still pretty sure she’s trying to drive me crazy…)
One of the very few exceptions to the rule was books. My mom and I had a special bond over words and language and reading. My dad wasn’t a big book person; in fact, I never saw him reading one, ever. But my mother was an English teacher and a huge bookworm; and despite the million and one things she did that made it seem impossible to believe she was my real mother, I was always elated when she came home with a new paperback or three for me or invited me to ride with her to the library. And we read each other’s books, too – nothing was off-limits in my house in the literature department. Looking back now, I realize how grown up it made me feel to be allowed to read her books. I can also see how useful and reassuring it might have been for her to read mine.
YA is a special genre, because it really can function as a white flag between age groups. Reading YA as an adult is this great opportunity to get immersed in all those confusing, exciting, and terrible feelings again (but from a nice, safe distance, of course). It’s the same feeling you get going to visit your old elementary school and marveling over how small the cafeteria actually is, when it once seemed so daunting and enormous. Being able to transport yourself back to that time is so important because everyone wants to be empathized with, right? Most kids – especially tweens and teens – leave open only the tiniest sliver of a window for adults to sneak through and try to relate to them. Having a funny or moving character or story to bridge the gap can be the most powerful tool in a teacher’s or parent’s arsenal. I think kids want to relate to adults. They just don’t WANT to want to. And that’s a very tricky position to be in – on both sides of the equation.
Kelsey and her friends have a lot of different kinds of adventures in Freshman Year. . .; and hopefully, there’s at least one thing in the story that every reader can connect to. Everything from sexuality to sports to drinking to friendships (and betrayal) to theatre is touched on – usually in a way that ends up being funny. I think it might be easier to talk to a kid about these topics in terms of how the characters handle situations, instead of pointing the finger at the teenager and saying, “How do YOU handle it?” Likewise, Kelsey’s parents and teachers play significant roles throughout the story, so there’s an opportunity for kids to ask their parents how they might act in similar situations.
Have you used a book to sneakily give a kid advice before? What was it, and how’d it work out???
We’d love to hear your answers to this, and remember, you could win a free copy of the book. Even if you don’t have an answer, we’d love to hear from you!
Some links you may be interested in: www.kelseyfinkelstein.com, @zeitlingeist on Twitter, www.facebook.com/FRESHMANYEARBOOK.
Upcoming blog tour dates:
Feb. 29 — Momecentric http://www.momecentric.com Podcast and Giveaway
March 1 & 2 — Buried in Books http://www.buriedinbooks.blogspot.com Guest post and review
March 6 — I Am a Reader, Not a Writer http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/ Interview and giveaway
February 27th, 2012 at 8:21 am
If you have any trouble leaving a comment, PLEASE email Margo at margo@margodill.com. A couple weeks ago, we kept getting DATABASE ERROR messages. We think (cross fingers) the kinks have been worked out, but I don’t want ANYONE to miss an opportunity to win this fabulous book!
February 27th, 2012 at 9:04 am
This sounds like a super read! I’d love to win a copy!
February 27th, 2012 at 9:09 am
I have a 14-year-old about to enter high school. She’d love this, especially the humor.
February 27th, 2012 at 10:12 am
This was fun to read! I wish you the best with the book. Sounds like great fun.
February 27th, 2012 at 10:55 am
I’m one of those parents who reads newspaper articles about people doing horrendously stupid things to my children. Not so much offering advice as giving them cautionary tales. I have two high schoolers and one 8th grader, so I’d love to read the book and see which school library I can send it on to!
February 27th, 2012 at 10:58 am
This sounds like a great read. My mom also used to bring home books and love to read with me. Hopefully in the era of kindles and such, this bond won’t get lost.
February 27th, 2012 at 11:57 am
I appreciate learning about books that are new and exciting. This one sounds good although I don’t think I’ll be writing YA books. I have admiration for those who do.
June Sengpiehl
February 27th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
I love the voice just in the premise. I really want to read this one. Hope I win!
February 27th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
And in response to the question above, I use books to teach my kids lessons all the time. In some ways, books have raised my kids! My son was a terrible at sharing as a preschooler. I remember there was a Dinofours book on sharing and also It’s Mine about kindergartners. It took a while for the message to sink in.
February 27th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the internet. I will recommend your site!
February 27th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
My son is 16, and thinks everything I say is nonsense – yet he repeats it later, like it’s his idea.
My granddaughter is a freshman in high school, and is having a drama-filled year – maybe this book is the one that will get her reading!
And yes, it’s weird having a child so close in age to a grandchild – I inherited her when I married her grandfather. She thinks I’m cool; she and her friends come here for sleepovers, and they all call me Grandma.
February 27th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
hi readers of the fabulous margo! i just wanted to stop by and thank you for reading today’s post, and for the kind words about the book. i’m so excited for it to come out at last!
xo, mz
February 27th, 2012 at 4:43 pm
I already love this book – so down to earth is the author. Oh boy, do I relate to her AND her mother!!
Being a teen is the WORST!! Can I add my granddaughter (teens) to the mix?
Great interview, and another must read book on my shelf. But when will I find time to write. . .?
BOOKS for Kids – Manuscript Critiques
http://www.margotfinke.com
February 27th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
I so hope I win! This sounds like a great book! I want to read it and share with my students
February 27th, 2012 at 8:20 pm
How cute! I loved the trailer and the book looks awesome. Any funny coming of age story is something I’d like to read; and if the book does well, there’s always Sophomore Year. Please enter me for a chance to win this book.
Joyce
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/
February 27th, 2012 at 11:24 pm
This book sounds great and agree on YA being a special genre. Seems like when I was a teen, there wasn’t as much in the genre for older teens. Now the genre has changed so much.
February 28th, 2012 at 3:05 am
What a great sounding book. And I loved the trailer. If I don’t win it, I’m going to buy it because I love reading YA books. I gave my stepdaughter advice once because she was going through boyfriends like spaghetti goes through your fingers. So I gave her a book, which I won’t name. She saw right through it and was insulted. Imagine a kid seeing through a parent’s ploy. Shocking, isn’t it? LOL
February 28th, 2012 at 3:17 am
Here’s the Tweet!!!! https://twitter.com/#!/HollyHelscher/status/174422497062699008
February 28th, 2012 at 9:21 am
LOVED your trailer. My boys are still very young, but I will definitely hold on to the idea of using books as a way to ‘offer’ advice. Thanks.
February 28th, 2012 at 11:03 am
What a fun trailer for a fun book! And I like your comment on books being a bridge; my nieces and I love to share books and movies.
February 28th, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Having been a junior high school teacher I think your book trailer is right on. I would love to win this book,
February 29th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
WOW, thanks for all the comments. I am so thrilled that Meredith’s book is getting so much recognition and excited readers.
There’s still time to enter!!!! 
February 29th, 2012 at 8:12 pm
I think the Youtube video is an adorable send up to the book. Who, when and how was it created? Books open the treasures locked in kids’ hearts. Obviously, this is geared for girls…with the group I taught for centuries, I would be hard pressed to get the macho guys to read it.
I would have reading groups and offer it as a selection. Offer other students other selections…to get the guys choosing what appealed to them. Then as a group (3-4) after a few class sessions of meet-ups with their groups (after reading the book) they would report to the class 1)problems characters faced in the book; 2)solutions to handle it. (Answering the questions posed as a teacher. Hope that’s OK.
I think a crucial reason why adults should read YA every now and then is the Scout effect. Walk around in someone else’s shoes for a bit. It not only strengthens one’s own character, it creates/reestablishes humility. Adults run from their childhood sometimes, especially if it was painful…the pain is still there…through laughter and identification, with great YA books (characters, situations) there can be expiation. Well, on that note, I must end.
March 1st, 2012 at 7:06 am
Hi Margo and Meredith,
Great interview. I love the title and cover of your book. It sounds like a great read!
As to your question about using a book to sneakily give advice: My grandson, who isn’t overly verbal (then what 13-year-old boy is), loves the Hatchet series of books by Gary Paulsen. When we’re out in the country I use the book as a springboard to get him talk about nature–and it works!
Donna v.
March 1st, 2012 at 9:23 pm
i agree that it is important to have vehicles for dialog. It is a good idea for parents and progeny to swap books too.
Yes, when my daughter was on the cusp of menstruation, I left a recommended book in a place where she would see it. She had classes in school and i tried to talk with her about what she might be feeling, her development, and sex, but she would have none of it at first.
I noticed the book disappeared from the designated spot and then reappeared after a week.
i knew I still needed to talk with her, but was able to understand from this, that, at that time, she wasn’t ready.
i think your book is useful and looks good.
March 4th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
And the winner is. . . .Krysten H. Thank you to everyone for your comments. I hope you’ll look into buying this book if you weren’t the winner. I have a link on it to Amazon in the blog post.
Thanks!
Margo