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Awards & Mentions So Punk Rock (And Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother) Emily
Goldberg Learns to Salsa SASS:
Westminster Abby First Kiss (Then Tell) Reviews So Punk Rock (And Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother) "A witty study of Jewish day school culture... Readers will be engaged." "A rollicking, witty, and ultra-contemporary book that drums on the funny bone and reverberates through the heart." "Funny is hard. Punk rock is harder. And a funny book about punk rock, not to say kosher punk rock? Difficult to the extreme, yet Micol Ostow taps so effectively into the humorous side of a 16-year-old boy's brain that one's jaw is inclined to drop... repeatedly. A downright hilarious read if I do say so myself." "Awesome. Brilliant. Hilarious. So Punk Rock is so good!" "Ostow's cutting-edge prose-graphic hybrid is smart, laugh-out-loud witty, and a quirky affirmation of faith and self. Read it, and you'll want to be in a Jewish indie rock band, too!" "The pitch-perfect dialogue pairs seamlessly with David Ostow's black-and-white panels, which are dispersed throughout the text and pull the narrative threads together. Heavy on the Jewish humor, but without the vulgarity of Adam Sandler, the Ostows successfully balance culture with teen experience." "Catapulting the genre to new heights." Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa "Emily's honest,
thoughtful narrative tells this engaging story of family and culture drawn
from the author's own experience." "Without heavy
messages, Ostow draws on her own half-Jewish, half-Puerto Rican roots
to tell a moving story that has a solid plotline and plenty of family
secrets -- past and present -- as it opens up issues of tradition, feminism,
friendship, and loyalty." "Ostow's story
may be light-hearted, but she delves deeply into the feelings of the heroine
and this newfound extended family." "Emily's voice
is authentic and witty, and her thoughts and observations will ring true
with teens." "Five stars!
... A funny, heartwarming story about family and roots, and how learning
about them can teach you about yourself...Ostow writes with an authentic
teenage voice, in clear and uncluttered prose. Her descriptions of a country
unfamiliar to many of her readers will fascinate and intrigue them. Writing
with respect for a culture different from that of the United States isn't
easy, but Ostow pulls it off with style, drawing on her personal experiences.
Recommended for readers looking for a fun and enjoyable read." "A pleasure to
read... The story is a good one-about learning who you are and what it
means to be family." "Middle-class
teenagers in San Juan who are smart, talented and ambitious -- where have
we read about them before? I don't think I ever have heard their stories,
so I am happy to read about them in this novel." "Emily's... rocky
interactions with her moody cousin, Lucy...provide short bursts of energy
and propel Emily into becoming more proactive... Emily and Lucy [are]
well-defined...[against] the well-drawn Puerto Rican setting." Popular Vote "Here’s a novel to inspire readers to stand up and fight for the greater good." "A sassy and spectacular read."
"A great story about a strong girl who fights for what she believes is right."
GoldenGirl: A Bradford Novel "With all of the frienemies and romantic entanglements, this series will definitely appeal to fans of Gossip Girl." "The glam teens from Bradford Prep dish and dazzle." "A very promising start to a very unique and original series." "Written entirely in blog posts, GoldenGirl is definitely a modern story....Not only is [it] fun to read, but it's interactive to boot." Gettin' Lucky "Four
stars . . . Realistic and interesting." "Readers
will respect [Cass] . . . [Her] narration sounds like a real teen." 30 Guys in 30 Days "High school girls will love this cleverly constructed novel."
"Adorable!" Westminster Abby "Teenage girls, especially those with a penchant for travel, will find this a light yet flavorful morsel."
"Middle and high school girls will relate to the issues of friendship and dating. Readers will enjoy realistic characters interacting with peers in a foreign country."
"Readers will
get the vicarious thrill of being in London with Abby-seeing the sights,
making friends, and dealing with a surprise visit from [ex-boyfriend]
James, the cause of her stay in England. Having gained the affection of
two boys, Abby decides finally to favor neither one and to take time to
learn more about herself and what she wants from life . . . This book
will appeal to teens." "This is as much as a travel book as a romance, and Ostow does a good job of fitting all the sights, sounds, and smells into the story."
"A good addition
to a 'clean' romance list." First Kiss (Then Tell) "A good collection
for browsing...The reader will finish this volume and know that whether
a first kiss is anticipated or unexpected, dreamy or forgettable, this
rite of passage provokes a complex mix of fear, excitement, and relief." "The bonbon
factor is high in this collection of splendid YA authors writing about
the inexhaustible subject of kissing...Should have enormous appeal." "The kisses
in book vary in terms of intensity, awkwardness and unpleasantness but
the authors reminisce with vivid recall and complete honesty. Recommended." "In a collection
that ranges from funny to bittersweet, from cringe-worthy to downright
disgusting, this is one anthology that is guaranteed to have you laughing
out loud." Ultimate Travel Games "For those long car rides . . . Ostow provides everything."
"Something for everyone."
Interviews Penguin's SASS Author Interview Bildungsroman - Little Willow (September 2006) Bildungsroman - Little Willow (November 2007) Shaken & Stirred - Gwenda (November 2007) YA Fresh (February 2008) Robin Friedman's JerseyFresh Tude (August 2008) Through the Booth (February 2009) TeensReadToo: Authors Unleashed (February 2009) KC Dyer: Darby Speaks (March 2009) David Ostow and Micol Ostow talk family at readergirlz and Bildungsroman (May 2009)
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