Remember what it was like to be sixteen? Whether it was the year your teeth were finally free of braces or the year you were discovered by the opposite sex, that magical, mystical age is something you will never forget. Edited by Megan McCafferty, author of the runaway hit novels Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday is a compilation of short stories inspired by all the angst, melodrama, and wonderment of being sixteen.
Sarah Dessen's Infinity is about a girl confronting two major milestones: getting her driver's license and losing her virginity. The Dead Girls in Jacqueline Woodson's Nebraska 99 have already decided to do it and must now cope with being teenage mothers. And Carolyn Mackler's Mona Lisa, Jesus, Chad, and Me explores whether friendship can survive when partying and prayer clash. Also included is a new Jessica Darling story by Megan McCafferty about the last fifteen minutes Jessica spendsor rather, doesn't spendwith her best friend, Hope, who is leaving Pineville.
Featuring stories by Steve Almond, M. T. Anderson, Julianna Baggott, Cat Bauer, Emma Forrest, Tanuja Desai Hidier, David Levithan, Sarah Mlynowski, Sonya Sones, Zoe Trope, Ned Vizzini, and Joseph Weisberg, these hilarious, poignant, and touching tales are perfect for both those who have yet to reach that milestone and those who want to reminisce about their sweetest year.
A varied collection of short stories that are remarkably different from one another, but mostly well-written and engaging...if you want to re-live teenage angst, uncertainty, waiting, and longing. Perspectives are both male and female, gay and straight. It's more fun than I just made it sound (well, at least from the perspective of a thirty-something). I have been motivated to read some of the other authors' work after reading, which is a fine compliment.
Karen A. (karn818) - Melrose, MA wrote on 8/20/2009...
After reading the Jessica Darling series by McCafferty, I was expecting reading along those lines. I LOVED that series. This book, however, is only edited by her not written (except for the last chapter). I liked a couple of the stories but skipped more than I read. Be prepared, it is not like the Darling series.