Author Archives: Victoria Waddle

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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.

Tough Teen Topics: Teen Sexuality: Forever by Judy Blume

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Tough Topics: Teen Sexuality: Forever by Judy Blume   One in an occasional series on books with teen topics that are tough to address. Katherine’s grandmother sees that she is getting serious with her boyfriend Michael and so gives her some … Continue reading →

Posted in "Banned Book", Controversial Issue/Debate, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Mature Readers, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Thanks to our donors who contributed to the Ontario Teen Read Project!

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Dear Kathryn, Nancy, Meghann Ord, Amanda Vance, Katina Vlastos, Steven Llanusa, Margarita Munoz, Elizabeth Frost, Kathy Gibba, Emily G., Rincey Abraham and Alana Cataldo,  A million thanks for your support of the Teen Read Project!  You’ve funded the purchase of … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Family Problems, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Wither: The Chemical Garden Trilogy”

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Wither by Lauren DeStefano   Genetic tinkering has created a population that is super-long lived and healthy. That is for one generation. But as subsequent generations are born, this same genetic mutation causes them to die very young, with tuberculosis-type symptoms … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Romance, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature | Tagged | 1 Comment

“The Prisoner of Cell 25” Michael Vey series

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

The Prisoner of Cell 25 (first in the Michael Vey series)  Three of the scariest guys in school jump Michael as he is hoping to get home without them noticing, and this isn’t the first time they’ve gone after him. … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Fiction, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature | Tagged | Leave a comment

‘Entwined”

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

  Entwined by Heather Dixon I just finished Entwined, and I think it could be a favorite summer read for fantasy fiction lovers. (If you don’t like fantasy, you may not make it through the first half although the second … Continue reading →

Posted in Fable/Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Family Problems, Fiction, Over 375 pages, Romance, Supernatural, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“Girls Don’t Fly”

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Girls Don’t Fly by Kristen Chandler  Family matters, but Myra’s—an older, pregnant sister, four younger rambunctious brothers, and a pair of overworked parents—is so needy that she appears to be on track for martyr of the year. The problem with … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Fiction, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

“Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick”

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber As if it’s not bad enough that Lithuanian foreign exchange student Gobi isn’t the kind of girl Perry imaged sharing his senior year with, he is commanded by his parents to take … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Family Problems, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Mature Readers, Young Adult Literature | Tagged | Leave a comment

“Imagine: How Creativity Works”

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer “When we obsess over tests, when we teach the way we’re teaching now, we send the wrong message to our students. . . . We’re basically telling them that creativity is a bad … Continue reading →

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“Why We Broke Up”

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler; illustrated by Maira Kalman Why We Broke Up is a ‘graphic novel’ of sorts. That is, it’s a novel and it has lots of graphics. But it’s not in a comic book style. … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Mature Readers, Movie Tie-In, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Because of Romek: A Holocaust Survivor’s Memoir”

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

 Because of Romek: A Holocaust Survivor’s Memoir by David Faber (with Anna Vaisman) Like My Brother’s Voice, Because of Romek chronicles the events in the life of a young Holocaust survivor, with particular details focused on the survivor’s brother who … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography/Memoir, Human Rights Issues, Non-fiction | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment