Love in Writing

Can you fall in love with a person without ever seeing them? Dash and Lily are starting to think so, with the help of Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.

Dash and Lily are two New York City teenagers, who've never met and aren't likely to. Both are on their own and at loose ends for Christmas. Then Dash finds Lily's notebook in the Strand bookshop, and what follows is a whirlwind romance on paper, as they dare each other to take on new and frightening experiences.

A Book to Luv Bunches

Sometimes it's hard to find a book that really nails the intricacies of budding and changing friendship among tweens. Lucky for us, Lauren Myracle's Luv Ya Bunches is that book.

For quite some time, eleven-year-old Camilla has been struggling to break away from the "friendship" of nasty Modessa and her bullying henchgirl, Quin. She'd rather hang out with Katie-Rose, the quirky budding filmmaker, Yasaman, the quiet and observant web designer, and Violet, the brave and secretive new girl. But people like Modessa and Quin tend to drag you back in.

In the first week of fifth grade, it's going to take a lost (stolen?) turtle toy, a home-grown social website, a sleight of hand with Hershey's syrup, and the courage of true friends to finally set Camilla free.