About Victoria Waddle
Victoria Waddle is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer and has been included in Best Short Stories from The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest. Her books include a collection of feminist short fiction, Acts of Contrition, and a chapbook on grief, The Mortality of Dogs and Humans. Her YA novel about a polygamist cult, Keep Sweet, launches in June 2025. Formerly the managing editor of the journal Inlandia: A Literary Journey and a teacher librarian, she contributes to the Southern California News Group column Literary Journeys. She discusses both writing and library book censorship on her Substack, “Be a Cactus.” Join her there for thoughts on defiant readers and writers as well as for weekly library censorship news.
What’s cool about the California Young Reader Medal is that the books are selected by young readers. So, teens select the winner of the young adult category. In order to vote, you have to read all three of the nominated … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages, Romance, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged awards, California Young Reader Medal, CYRM, France, future dystopia, King Louis Charles, music, musicians in literature, running
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Ethan’s family has lived in Gatlin, South Carolina, “the epicenter of the middle of nowhere,” for generations. The town is full of history and superstition, as Ethan believes can only happen in the South. The neighbors are obsessed with … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Movie Tie-In, Over 375 pages, Romance, Supernatural, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged Gothic romance, movie tie-in, the South, witches, YA fiction, YA literature
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Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry So, I know this isn’t a real review because it’s a labor of love and I’m a bit overwhelmed (or not feeling the love—or something) BUT— Still the best zombie apocalypse ever! Before … Continue reading →
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed I’m not a fan of advice columns and I loathe self-help books, so I was surprised when someone I trust recommended this book. And wow! What … Continue reading →
Movie Tie-Ins: The Help by Kathryn Stockett As I mentioned earlier, I read Worth Dying For because I wanted to try a Jack Reacher novel. If you read my post, you know I didn’t like it very much. As I … Continue reading →
Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Human Rights Issues, Movie Tie-In, Multicultural, Over 375 pages
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Tagged books to film, civil rights, Civil Rights Movement, Jackson_Mississippi, literature, maids, oscars
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Knowing that the Jack Reacher movie was coming out, I decided to try one of the novels—Worth Dying For—just to see if it was something our students would like. I’d never read a Jack Reacher book before and was a … Continue reading →
Wave Warrior by Lesley Choyce Another Orca Soundings adventure for teens working on their reading skills. Ben Currie lives in Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia. (For those of us Southern Californians with little knowledge of geography—think far to the east, … Continue reading →
Posted in Adventure Stories, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Sports, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged death and dying, friendship, hi-low reading, Read 180, surfers, surfing
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Riley Park by Diane Tullson Here’s another super-quick Orca Soundings novel that I liked: Corbin and his best friend Darius are both attracted to the same girl, Rubee, who works at the local Safeway grocery store as a checker. But … Continue reading →
I’ve just read a couple of novels from the Orca Soundings series–a series that I think of as high quality/quick reading. Pick up one of these for a fast page-turner. Exit Point by Laura Langston Logan can’t believe he’s dead. … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Romance, Supernatural, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged American Indian, death, ghosts, hi-low reading, Orca Soundings Series, prejudice, Read 180
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How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg; illustrated by Kevin O’Malley This wacky book is alternatelty gross and funny. It is always fascinating. Bragg looks at the terrible suffering involved in the deaths … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Non-fiction, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, death, death and dying, Edgar Allan Poe, Galileo, George Washington, Henry VIII, James A. Garfield, King Tut, Marie Curie, Napoleon
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School Library Lady 