How My Personal, Private Journal Became A Bestseller

This hilarious and sweet book by Julia DeVillers is and awesome read for girls ages ten and up.
Jamie Bartlett, a normal girl, struggles with the challenges of high school: the popular group hates her and she's basically classified as a "dork". Jamie records all of these frusturations in her personal, private journal, creating a story about superhero Isabella ("IS" for short) who crushes this stereotype mean girl and her clique of evil populors. But then, accidentally, her best friend turns in the journal instead of an essay, and Jamie's story is turned into a bestselling book. Girls all over the country are in love with IS-and now Jamie's famous! Now she's going to movie premieres, book signings, fancy parties, shopping sprees, and she's even tight with the cool crowd! But will Jamie forget about her real friends--and will all the fame and popularity go to her head? A realistic and sweet book that is awesome!

POSTED BY TANYA WILLIAMS

Agnes Parker

Agnes Parker is a shy but brainy character created by Kathleen O' Dell. She is featured in three funny yet realistic books. Join Agnes as she learns how to stand up for what's right, make new friends, (try) to survive summer camp, survive middle school, go through some surprising changes, and, most importantly, learn a lot about herself and her best friend, Prejean. Bookworm gives this sweet and witty series five stars and two thumbs up!
Series of 3:
-Agnes Parker, Girl in Progress
-Agnes Parker, Happy Camper? (Bookworm's favorite!)
-Agnes Parker: Keeping Cool in Middle School

Heartland

Heartland is a sweet and moving series written by Lauren Brooke. Amy lives on a horse farm where abused and hurt horses are healed through natural remedies and through the staff's own love for the sweet animals. Amy and her friend Ty form a bond with these horses that will touch your heart forever.

Gilda Joyce and the Ghost Sonata

Gilda Joyce is a spunky teenage Physic Investigator that girls ages 11 and up will love. In the third book of the popular series by Jennifer Allison, Gilda and her best friend Wendy Choy are headed to Oxford, England to an international piano competition that Wendy is competing in (Gilda is the page-turner for the competition). But once they get there, Wendy starts having disturbing dreams, and is hearing a melancholy, mysteriously haunting tune that nevers leaves her. And scary tarot cards and messages keep on showing up everywhere........ Is she haunted? And can Gilda, girl detective and physic investigator, figure out the mystery and save the day? Or will Wendy be doomed? A thrilling, spooky, and wonderful tale that will make readers stand up and cheer! More posts about Gilda Joyce are coming as Bookworm reads the rest of the series! (=

Chesnut Hill

Chesnut Hill is an exclusive boarding school in the hills of Virginia where only the most talented and brightest shine. The most valued thing there is the riding/showjumping team, where the best riders and horses show their ability and talent. Join spunky Dylan, creative, gentle, Mallory; sweet, caring, Honey; and fun, hilarious Lani as they ride towards rivalry, excitement and fun. By Lauren Brooke, the author of the bestselling Heartland series.

Saddle Island

Pack up for adventure, danger, and fun in a brilliant new series written by famed author Sharon Siamon. Kelsie Ridout, her brother Andy, and their friend Jen Morrisey live on the stormy Nova Scotia coast, where there is never a dull moment. There's always peril, hidden treasure, and excitement hid under the sea and among the rocky bluffs and cliffs of Saddle Island! So tack up your horse and join them now! A fun and thrilling series that young riders will love!!!

Camp Princess

Camp Princess, a series created by award-winning author Kathryn Lasky, is a fun and hilarious series for girls ages 10 and up! Readers will love brave, athletic Princess Kristen, big, blustering Princess Gundersnap, and beautiful, talented Alicia. Whether it's swimming tests, songbird competitions, stitchery, herding wild unicorns or finishing an ancient tapestry to solve a mystery, you'll adore reading about these fun, down-to-earth princesses as they share a summer at camp strictly for royalty.

Book #1: Born to Rule

Book #2: Unicorns? Get Real!

Book #3: Not Published Yet

Diablo: My Dream Horse

Diablo: My Dream Horse is another horsey series that readers will devour with pleasure. Join young Ricki Sulai and her gorgeous black horse, Diablo, for loads of adventure, danger, and fun!

Published exclusively by the PONY Book Club. www.pony.us for more information.

Horse Angel

Horse Angel is a moving and creative series by Canadian author and fellow horse-lover Angela Dorsey. Angelica is a girl who has mystical powers: somehow she can talk to horses, and by using her special touch, she can heal a horse instantly. Angelica's actions will amaze you, and you'll never want to put a Horse Angel book down.

Published exclusively in the Pony Book Club. Go to www.pony.us for more information, or www.angeladorsey.com!

The Phantom Stallion

The Phantom Stallion is a wonderfully exciting series for horse-crazy girls ages 10 and up by talented author Terri Farley. Join Sam as she creates a lasting bond with a mysterious wild mustang, the Phantom, that you'll never forget. You'll love riding along with Sam as she follows the mystical horse and his herd around the Nevada desert, and at the same time encountering horse thiefs, rescue horses, and more horse-related adventure. Readers will love Farley's deliciously realistic characters and will be begging for more of her wonderfully descriptive writing!
SERIES OF 24

Mustang Mountain

Mustang Mountain, a fun and thrilling series created by famed Canadian author Sharon Siamon, will have you saddling up for adventure and riding alongside Siamon's three fun protagonists: Becky, the shy, brave one; Alison, the horse-loving but snotty one; and Meg, the down-to-earth, level-headed, and horse-crazy girl of the trio. Siamon will take you from the Calgary Stampede (Canada's famous annual rodeo) to the peak of nearby Mustang Mountain in the Candian Rockies or to Becky's home, Mustang Mountain Ranch, at the base of Mustang Mountain. Whether it's avoiding a wildfire, competing in a rodeo, or searching for wild horses, it's guaranteed that readers will thoroughly enjoy riding with Meg, Becky, and Alison!

Hannah West

Hannah West, created by Linda Johns, is a girl detective that readers ages 10-13 will love. Hannah is smart and brave and always arrives at the scene of a crime at just the right moment whether it's a dognapper, a kidnapper, a thief, a robbery, or someone polluting a lake. Girls will want to be just like clever and funny Hannah!
Book #1: Hannah West in the Belltown Towers
Book #2: Hannah West in Deep Water
Book #3: Hannah West in the Center of the Universe
Book #4: Hannah West on Millionaire's Row

Minerva Clark

Minerva Clark, a series created by Karen Karbo, is exciting, thrilling, and fun for middle school mystery fans to read. Minerva Clark is a gutsy teenage detective who is always on the case if there's a murderer, dognapper, jewel thief, or ghost that needs to be caught. You'll love Karbo's excellent voice and the mysteries that Minerva chases after. An awesome series for girls ages 12 and up!
Book #1: Minerva Clark Gets A Clue
Book #2: Minerva Clark Goes to the Dogs
Book #3: Minerva Clark Gives Up the Ghost

Hollywood Sisters

The Hollywood Sisters, by Mary Wilcox, is a sweet and fun series about two sisters that readers ages 11 and up will enjoy. Jessica's older sister, Eva, is the star of TV's most popular series, "Three Sisters". But it's harder than it seems to be the sister of a megastar like Eva. And often, Jessica finds herself in danger, and needing to protect her older sister and those around her.....fun, exciting, and cute, you'll love walking down the red carpet with Jessica, Eva, and a colorful cast of characters that you'll love!
Book #1: Backstage Pass
Book #2: On Location
Book#3: Caught on Tape
Book #4: Star Quality--COMING SOON!!!!!!!!!!

Secrets of my Hollywood Life

Title: Secrets of my Hollywood Life

Author: Jen Calonita

Pages: 256

Poppy, 2006

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Chick Lit

Recommended to: Teen girls, 12 & Up

Rating: A

  Kaitlin Burke is a major TV actress. The public loves her. The press loves her. She's on every magazine cover, in every Hollywood gossip news station as "Most Loved Actress under 25". She's TV's 16-year-old sweetheart. She lives a life of movie premieres, gallery openings and photo shoots. 

  But secretly, Kaitlin longs for a normal life of a sixteen year old--cars, boys, school, and friends. So she disguises herself as a slightly nerdy-but-nice British girl, Rachel, so she can live a normal life and attend school for one semester. But little does Kaitlin know, with one special boy and a bunch of nosy classmates, it's going to be harder than she thinks to conceal the truth...

   Glittering, colorful, and a whole load of fun, Secrets was an absolute joy to read. Calonita's writing is simply sparkling, and readers will love getting into this young, lovable star's head. This book made me think: what would it be like to be a teenage star? And by the end, my answer was: hard. Calonita exposes what Hollywood is really like, but with a whole lot of color and excitement along the way. The plot was perfect: it rose to a climax/conflict, and then fell into the satisfying ending that leaves readers begging for more but without being bored. 

   While filled with pop culture references, Secrets appropriately displayed brand names and actors (it's a Hollywood story, after all!) but wasn't obnoxious as it is in say, The Clique.

   And I love the cover--so cute! Girls who are looking for a light, easy read about Hollywood, you've met your match!

P.S. Longer Letter Later

Elizabeth and Tara*Starr are different, so maybe that's why they're such good friends. While Tara*Starr is wild and full of sequins, glitter, and sparkles, Elizabeth is plain and sensible. When Tara moves with her childlike parents to Ohio, the girls start writing letters to each other. And while Tara*Starr's family flourishes, Elizabeth's is falling apart. The girls chronicle these events in sweet, touching letters to each other that will move you and make you want to read on and on.

Snail Mail No More

Tara*Starr and Elizabeth are back in this hilarious, yet touching anticipated sequel to Ann M. Martin and Paula Danziger's novel, PS Longer Letter Later. This time, Tara and Elizabeth have ditched their pen and paper and have started emailing! The girls, best friends who have moved away from each other, chronicle their days in sometimes sad, sometimes funny emails. While Tara*Starr is experiencing having a new baby sister to making new friends and dressing differently, Elizabeth deals with more serious issues like her alcoholic father and her hard-working mother. Readers of Martin and Danziger's first novel will love this sweet and lovable sequel.

Bhangra Babes

Bhangra Babes, the final installment of the famed Babes trilogy by Narinder Dhami, is a wonderfully fun read. Auntie and Mr. Arora's wedding is coming up, and everyone is frantically getting ready. Meanwhile, the Bindi Babes fall head over heels with a would-be rapper at school.....and incidentally invite him to play at Auntie's wedding! Can Amber and the others think up a plan to save the day? And will there be a happy ending? Originally published in Great Britain, middle-school girls will adore the three hilarious Dhillon sisters and their hilarious adventures!

Bollywood Babes

Bollywood Babes, the second in a trilogy by British author Narinder Dhami, is a funny and cute book that girls ages 10 and up will enjoy. When the infamous Bindi Babes find that former Bollywood star Molly Mahal is going to be evicted from her dingy apartment, they hatch a plan. Their school's Bollywood party is coming up and it would be great to have a real Bollywood star there! So, in exchange, they invite Molly Mahal to stay at their house just until she gets back on her feet. But Auntie is less than thrilled: Molly takes over her room and her clothes! Little do the Dhillons know that Molly will take her sweet time to get back on her feet.....and might drive them nuts in the process!

Bindi Babes

Amber, Geena, and Jazz Dhillon, known by their friends as the Bindi Babes, have everything: the coolest clothes and the latest gadgets. But underneath their designer attire, the sisters are secretly suffering. Their mum passes away a year ago. Then something big happens: their nosy aunt from India invites herself over to "take care of" the girls and their dad. But when she arrives, the girls immediatly can't wait to get rid of her! She sticks her nose into everything, and she's cramping their (fabulous) style! The Bindi Babes hatch a plan to marry Auntie off before it's too late, but, unfortunately, it's going to be harder than they think.....

Happiness

The following poem is submitted by Lyssa Nethercutt, a blogger and poet. We encourage all of our readers to send in poetry!
-Bookworm

Dear Happiness,
You are a milkweed pod drifting through the air
You are cotton candy at the county fair
You are marigolds shining in a field
You are soft blonde hair
And light blue eyes
You are a smile
And a stream of laughter
Happiness,
stay by my side.

Gracie

Gracie is a great sports flick for girls with a can-do attitude. Join a talented young girl in 1978 as she struggles after a tragic situation. In memory of her fallen brother, she decides she wants to join a soccer team because soccer is her passion-just as it was her brother’s. But there is no girl’s league, so Gracie is forced to join the boys’. She must stand up for herself and be tough in order to succeed. Based on a true story, this is a moving and exciting movie that you’ll love! Rated PG-13.

Gloria Whelan

Gloria Whelan is a talented author who has written dozens of good books for young adults. You might like to try Chu Ju’s House or travel to Russia in the early 20th century in Angel on the Square. If you enjoy ballet, you might enjoy The Turning, the story of a young ballerina in Russia. Bookworm’s personal favorite is Listening for Lions, the story of a young British girl, the missionary’s daughter in Africa as she tries to become a nurse. If you like adventure, pick up award-winning Homeless Bird. Gloria Whelan has won many honors for her fantastic books. Next time you go to the library, make sure you pick up one of her amazing reads!

The Princess School

The Princess School (by Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens) is a great series for would-be princesses ages 9-11! Join beautiful Rose, silly Snow, adventurous Rapunzel, and kind Ella as they embark on many fun and amazing adventures that you'll want to be sure to tag along on!
Book #1: If The Shoe Fits
Book #2: Who's the Fairest?
Book #3: Let Down Your Hair
Book #4: Beauty is A Beast
Book #5: Princess Charming
Book #6: Apple-Y Ever After
Book #7: Thorn in Her Side
Book #8: Slippery Steps--COMING SOON!

The Saddle Club

Saddle up with Stevie, Lisa, and Carole on many fun adventures in their exclusive horse-crazy club, the Saddle Club! There are only three rules: You have to be horse-crazy, always there to help each other out, and ready for adventure! Whether it's at a pony Club rally, horseshow, or even in England, the Saddle Club is always riding towards horse-crazy fun!

Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred, a series created by Joanna Campbell, is an exciting series of books about racehorses. From generation to generation, you will always find horse-related fun and excitement as you race with Ashleigh, Samantha, Parker, Christina, Melanie, and more fun characters you'll never forget!

The Tail of Emily Windsnap

The Tail of Emily Windsnap, written by Liz Kessler, is a fun and enjoyable book for girl readers ages 10 and up. Emily, an ordinary girl who lives on a boat with her mother, discovers that she's half-mermaid and sets out on an exciting quest to make mermaid friends, find her missing father, and, most importantly, keep her secret safe!

Students Across the Seven Seas series

Students Across the Seven Seas (S.A.S.S.) is a fun, funky series that teen girl readers will adore. S.A.S.S. brings readers to different countries with cool characters that explore the country on an exchange program. Travel to Rome, Italy, Japan, Mexico, England, Finland, Sweden, the Caribbean, France, Ireland, Germany, Spain and more fun places with a cast of characters that you'll never forget!
Bookworm's Personal Favorites:
-The Sound of Munich by Suzanne Nelson
- Heart and Salsa by Suzanne Nelson
-Spain or Shine by Michelle Jellen
-Girl Overboard by Aimee Ferris

- Swede Dreams by Eva Apelqvist

Melanie Martin

Join globetrotting eleven year old Melanie Martin in four exciting adventures that take you to Manhatten, New York, Italy, Spain, and Holland. You will love Melanie's quirky voice as you read her private diary as she experiences events on her many vacations. You'll fall in love with Melanie's annoying but lovable family: the history bluff dad, art teacher Mom, and, of course, annoying little brother Matt, known to Melanie as Matt the Brat!
Book #1: The Diary of Melanie Martin (Italy)
Book #2: Melanie Martin Goes Dutch (Holland)
Book #3: With Love From Spain, Melanie Martin (Spain)
Book #4: Melanie in Manhatten (New York City)
Author Carol Weston will captivate you and make you want to explore these countries yourself!

Camp Confidential

What's better than good old summer camp? Join a cabin of unforgettable girls and dive into a summer full of pranks, boys, rivalry, campfires, bug juice, and friendship. This is a summer you will never forget!
(18 books in the series, plus 3 Super-Special Editions)

Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City

Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City is a well-written, edge-of-your-seat novel for young adults ages 12 and up. Kiki Strike, a 13 year old butt-kicking super spy, and a group of outcast girl scouts, will take you all over Manhatten in this thrilling book. You will find that things are not as they seem as Kiki leads you to a city underneath the bustling streets of Manhatten.

Bookworm rates this five stars!!!!!!

Thora

Thora, by Gillian Johnson, is a hysterical and sweet half-memaid tale about a ten year old girl named Thora. Thora, who has purple feet and a blowhole on her head, is part-mermaid, part human! And after ten years at sea, it's time for Thora to spend ten years on land at a seaside village named Grimli. But evil Frooty deMare is taking over Grimli with his awful plans and it's up to Thora, her friends, and her pet peacock to save the day and save Grimli from Frooty's awful clutches...

Bookworm rates this book four and a half stars.

Aquamarine

Aquamarine, a young mermaid, is beached at a popular beach club in Florida after a terrible tropical storm. Two friends discover her and the three of them become close friends. The two girls, Hailey and Claire show Aquamarine around, and teaches her their customs, which have some hilarious outcomes! Alice Hoffman writes with a unique voice, but the book was at times confusing and dull (and much too short for my taste). I've seen the movie adaptation and that inspired me to read the book behind it. Unfortunately, I felt like the book hardly measures up, lacking the humor and girl power that made the film so special.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie is a touching tale of two unlikely friends and the love in between them. Award winning author Kate diCamillo winds a sweet tale about a girl and her dog that makes you want to experience the happenings in the story yourself!

India Opal Buloni has just moved to Naomi. She lives in a trailer with her father. Then, Opal goes to the grocery store to pick up dry pasta and a tomato, and comes home with a scruffy but lovable dog that she named Winn-Dixie. They create a bond that will move you for years to come!

From the Files of Madison Finn

Cyber-crazy seventh grade Madison Finn records all of her lifetime experiences in her files on her orange laptop. Come along with Maddie as she experiences boy trouble, friendship trouble, and all of the ups and downs of junior high! A fun and enjoyable series for readers ages 10-13!
(Series of 22 with 3 super editions)

The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes

Spend a day with funny, redheaded Abby! In a family of superstars, it's hard to shine. But Abby manages somehow! Join her as she writes the day's events in her purple notebook. You'll make a friend that you'll never want to let go of as you read about getting a cat, starring in a school play, being a newspaper advice columnist, moving, and going to middle school!
(Series of 18 and 2 Special Editions)

How To Survive Summer Camp

How To Survive Summer Camp, by bestselling British author, Jacqueline Wilson, is a fun and humorous story. Stella's been dumped at Camp Evergreen while Mum and Uncle Bill go off on a swanky honeymoon. Stella's left with tons of fun adventures to face: losing all of her hair (accidentally), having to deal with snobby Louise and Karen in her bunk, and being forced into swimming lessons, along with a hearty dose of homesickness.....a fun and cute read for readers 9-11!