Escape with Secret Keeper!

Author Mitali Perkins’ Fire Escape via kwout

One of our favorite readergirlz, Mitali Perkins, has just published another great book. Secret Keeper was released to her eagerly-awaiting fansyesterday. Mitali was born in Calcutta, India and has lived in Ghana, Cameroon, London, New York, Mexico, and California. She studied political science at Stanford and public police at U.C. Berkeley. She typically writes about strong female characters trying to bridge different cultures. Here’s a synopsis of the Secret Keeper from Mitali’s website, Fire Escape:

When her father leaves India to look for work in America, Asha Gupta, her older sister, Reet, and their mother must wait with Baba’s family in Calcutta. Asha’s solace is her rooftop hideaway, where she pours her heart out in her diary, and begins a clandestine friendship with Jay Sen, the boy next door. Then news arrives about Baba … and Asha must make a choice that will change their lives forever. PW says this book is “an intimate and absorbing drama … a moving portrait of a rebellious teen who relies on ingenuity rather than charm to prove her worth.”

You can also check out Mitali’s blog for more information. Secret Keeper should be arriving in the media center any day now for you to check out!

Celebrate November with the readergirlz!

The readergirlz divas began their website to celebrate gutsy girls in life and literature (Sorry, guys, we love you, too, but…there is no such thing as readerboyz; maybe we’ll have to look into that!) Since November is election month, the readergirlz are celebrating the power of their collective voices and asking us to join them with these events:
1. Their election pick: Long May She Reign, by Ellen Emerson White, a powerful and relevant novel that explores the life of a president’s daughter kidnapped by terrorists. Don’t forget to join the readergirlz for an online live chat in the readergirlz forum on November 18 at 9 PM, EDT.
2. Be sure to check out the readergirlz Voting Manifesta by readergirlz diva Mitali Perkins. Mitali has also written about politics in her book First Daughter: White House Rules. Her blog includes information about potention first daughters.
3. You can check out the readergirlz and their personal statements about voting on MySpace or on their new blog, or become their fan on Facebook.
4. Don’t forget that November is also Native American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. Author Cynthia Leitich Smith, author of Tantalize and Rain is Not My Indian Name, and author Joseph Bruchac, author of Sacajawea, will be featured on the readergirlz MySpace Forum on November 6 at 9 PM EDT.
5. Get ready for a blog scavenger hunt! More details to follow soon! Check the readergirlz website for details!