Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters To Their Teen Selves Edited By E. Kristin Anderson & Miranda Kenneally

Edited By: E. Kristin Anderson & Miranda Kenneally
Publication: October 30, 2012
By: Zest Books
5 Stars! A Must Read

Dear Teen Me includes advice from over 70 YA authors (including Lauren Oliver, Ellen Hopkins, and Nancy Holder, to name a few) to their teenage selves. The letters cover a wide range of topics, including physical abuse, body issues, bullying, friendship, love, and enough insecurities to fill an auditorium. So pick a page, and find out which of your favorite authors had a really bad first kiss? Who found true love at 18? Who wishes he’d had more fun in high school instead of studying so hard? Some authors write diary entries, some write letters, and a few graphic novelists turn their stories into visual art. And whether you hang out with the theater kids, the band geeks, the bad boys, the loners, the class presidents, the delinquents, the jocks, or the nerds, you’ll find friends--and a lot of familiar faces--in the course of Dear Teen Me.

Thank you Netgalley and Zest Books for this e-ARC.
Do yourself a favor, whatever age you are, and READ.THIS.BOOK!  It seriously rocks!  Each of these stories will touch you in some way, whether making you laugh so hard you cry or sending you into a full-on "ugly cry".  You'll be able to identify with at least one of these authors or several if you're anything like me. You may even be inspired to share your own advice with your teen self, or take action like I did after reading Jodi Meadows' story.  Her heartfelt reminder about the fragility of life gave me the "kick in the pants" I needed and for that, I'm grateful.  A BIG "THANK YOU!" to each of these brave authors for taking the time to pen their memories!