This week, in teen news from the Huffington Post, we have both the best not-quite prom date ever, and the best post-exam celebration ever. But please, DON’T try the latter at home. Mostly because your home probably isn’t tall enough.

Also, I know we’re a little late in the game to be freaking out over this, but-but-but–the title for the last of the Divergent Trilogy has been revealed, with a 48-second video that is quite possibly 38 seconds too long–but we love Veronica Roth, so it’s all good.

Speaking of videos–movie news! (There’s just so much of it, lately.) For starters, here’s the Catching Fire trailer. Finnick’s my favorite character in the series, so I’m extra excited about this one. What are you most looking forward to in this second installment?

And, since now we’re talking movies and it is the glitzy jazz-age-themed elephant in the room, how about that Great Gatsby movie? The book, while not officially YA, is on most high school reading lists, so I feel like it belongs here. Honestly, I don’t know what to think yet. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. We accept the movie adaptations we think we deserve.

That said, I’ve never seen such–such beautiful shirts before.

In our latest issue, “If You Are Watching This, I Am Dead” by J. Robert Lennon, Trina, the main character, discovers a tape her father made for her and it forces her to think about things she would rather keep locked up.

What drew me to this story was Trina’s voice and I wanted to follow her into what happens the night of her sleepover with Amber. Trina is adventurous, but needs a little push–she needs a friend like Amber who knows how to pick locks with a credit card.

It’s interesting to note that this whole story takes place in real time. We are right there with Trina and it gives this story an immediacy that made me turn the pages as quickly as I could. As the author says in his Q&A, it “capture(s) that feeling of revelatory thoughts sneaking up and taking you by surprise.”

Click here to read more of my Q&A with J. Robert Lennon.

Hello, readers! I hope you’ve all had swell weekends. Over here in One Teen Story Land, we’ve been reading TFiOS, the City of Bones books (Simon is adorbs), and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (which is phenomenal). Have you read these? (Sir Green aside; we know.) Did you like them? Feel free to comment!

And now, for our weekly series of internet rabbit-holes:

So this gem isn’t directly YA-related, but it does contain a great shout-out to One Teen Story author Aimee Bender. Also, it’s about gender and literature and it’s important. Just read it, okay?

Books make you smarter. This should surprise no one, but it’s always fun to add more evidence to the case.

And this is just a picture of superheroes reading books. Why, you ask? Well, I ask you in turn: why not?

Francesca Lia Block is one of my sister’s favorite authors, so it was really amazing to be able to work with Francesca and bring one of her stories to our readers.

I was transported back to my own high school days when I read “You Never Know.” The main character in this story is drawn to two boys, one she keeps returning to even though he hurts her, and a sweet boy who she doesn’t feel she deserves.

This story is a message to teens and Francesca is telling you that there are things that are going on right now that you don’t completely understand, but know that people care about you more than you think they do. You are important to them in ways you can’t know because you’re too caught up in your own insecurities.

“You Never Know” is a story about love. Loving other people, having other people love you, and loving yourself. Click here to read my Q&A with Francesca on the One Teen Story web site.

Hello, readers! How’s your day? Over in the One Story/One Teen Story office, we’re enjoying a flurry of chaos as we prepare for One Story’s shindig of the year–the One Story Literary Debutante Ball. For more info, check out the One Story website.

Otherwise, check out Lizzie Skurnick’s new imprint at Ig Publishing! Lizzie Skurnick Books will “bring back the very best in young adult literature, from the classics of the 1930s and 1940s, to the thrillers and social novels of the 1970s and 1980s” I don’t know about you guys, but a devoted garage-sale peruser of old/forgotten YA books, I am very, very enthused about this.

Also, if you happen to be new to the genre, here’s a great guide on how to begin reading YA, with recommendations and whatnot!

On the contrary, if you’re super familiar with the genre and extremely thrilled for all the movie adaptations continuing to come out, here’s an article about how YA lit adaptations are subverting typical cinematic gender roles! Hooray!

Happy Monday! Isn’t this Northeast weather crazy? It looks like spring and there are misleading flowers, so you choose iced coffee only to realize later that it was the worst choice you’ve ever made, and you’ve lost all faith in summer happening ever–No? Maybe that’s just how I feel…
Anyway, this indecisive weather has just induced more hiding-inside-with-a-good-book behavior, which is never a bad thing. Also, there are more serious happenings in the world than minor climatic angst. For example:

This week in Internet-land, opinions have been flying around as to whether and how YA books combat the hot-button issue of bullying. “‘A lot of the authors say books saved their lives during those difficult teen years,’ Ms. Hall said. And authors, in turn, can be fiercely protective of their vulnerable, bookish readers. ‘They know that their fan base is people like them,” she said, “people who consider reading as a refuge. We want to be there for teens to let them know it will get better.’”–NY Times. Read the rest of the article here. 

And here’s The Atlantic’s perspective! Books discussed in either/both include Wonder by R. J. Palacio, The List by Siobhan Vivian, and others.

In a related YA social justice note, Laurie Halse Anderson, author of the award-winning Speak, has joined RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network: the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization) in a campaign called #Speak4RAINN. Check it out. 

Want to get involved with writing-related community organizing yourself? Girls Write Now, a NYC-based group of women writers from ages 13 to 83,  is looking for mentors (and mentees!) 

Considering becoming a writer? Deb Caletti has some advice: ”So, to all of you tender hearts who have this crazy, slippery dream: I know. And I am living proof that you, too, can make it happen.”

Happy Marriage Equality Awkward Tension Week!

As you’ve probably noticed, Facebook has gone all blushy with excitement, declaring their stances with crimson equal signs–some the standard HRC logo, some good people using other relevant pink-on-red symbols to remind us that marriage equality is a complex issue, and some cheery folk also declaring admiration for bacon or Grumpy Cat.

In the midst of the political hullabaloo, YA fiction stands proudly. Why, you ask? Well, David Levithan himself said to the Atlantic, regarding the cover for his new book, Two Boys Kissing, “It’s crossing another line, but that’s what we keep doing in Y.A. It’s just taken the rest of the world longer to catch up.”

Levithan and The Atlantic spoke more widely about queer YA fiction in this article, also featuring Marisa Calin, Bill Konigsberg, and others.

Maureen Johnson, another author who has compassionately and unabashedly portrayed queer characters in her fiction, writes a blog post to a kindhearted Christian reader with questions.

Regarding less political topics, here’s a cover of “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers–sung by chickens, entirely in quacks. It’s not YA related. But it is fantastic.

And, to bring us back to literature, here are BookRiot’s 7 Reasons Why Doctor Who is a literary hero!