Find Beauty Challenge

So, one of the many awesome things about Justina Chen Headley is that she ties philanthropy in with each book. For North of Beautiful she's having a video challenge. All you have to do is make a 90 second video about what's beautiful to you. For every video that's uploaded, Justina will upload $10 to Global Surgical Outreach, which helps third world kids that have cleft palates and cleft lips (2 separate disorders guys!)

Then, there will be winners of such cool prizes like an iPhone.

So, the Global Surgical Outreach makes sense, because Jacob, the awesome guy in North of Beautiful has a cleft lip. But this is super close to my heart, because I have a cleft palate. I have NO UVULA, which is that dangly thing in the back of your throat. Not having one, I know what it's for-- when you swallow, it covers your sinuses. Yes, the uvula is the thing that keeps you from shooting milk out your nose. Anyway, I was born with a big hole instead of a uvula. Now, such things are fairly easy to treat with surgery. So, if you have access to decent health care, you have an annoying tendency to shoot milk out your nose at inopportune moments, and if you have a cleft lip, facial scaring. All in all, not too bad. But, if not treated, it interferes with eating, speech, and hearing. Not to mention the social issues of having a deformed face.

So, anyway, who doesn't like talking about beauty? So, check out the rules here, make your video, upload it, and share your beauty with the world.

Book Winner

Erika Lynn got the answer right to yesterday's question and will win an *autographed* copy of North of Beautiful! (Lucky duck!)

Yes, Justina Chen Headley has been geocaching with none other than librarian superstar Nancy Pearl. Nancy Pearl has written several awesome books recommending reading AND has her own action figure. The action figure has automatic shushing action. Some librarians were pissed because apaprently, librarains don't shush people anymore. They should come hang out at my library. I shush people all the time.

Justina's in the House!

I am doing my happy dance about hosting Justina Chen Headley today for her blog tour for her kickass new book, North of Beautiful.

See, I'm even prepared--these are my really big straws, which are for BUBBLE TEA. Except I might just take her to that place in Georgetown for bubble tea and all of yesterday's bubble tea haters can just deal with it already. (I was totally going to photoshop a picture so it would look like Justina and I were drinking bubble tea together, but then I remembered I don't have photoshop on this computer and my paint skills aren't that awesome. Or I could have photoshopped myself into the above photo at Shanghai hotspot M1nt, but I wasn't sure I could handle also doing my reflection in the tank...)

Anyway, frequent readers of my blog know that most of my reading falls into 2 categories: YA fiction, usually girly, and Adult non-fiction, usually about China. And, while North of Beautiful is about many things, it is also a YA Novel that goes to China and talks about how China is changing. Also, Justina just moved back from Shanghai, so how could I not ask her about China? I couldn't.

While in Shanghai, Jacob says that "real Chinese culture" is "anything to do with money...Everything in China is tied to making a buck." Terra thinks this is because in a country with, and escaping, such poverty, how could you not think about money all the time. "Who wouldn't be consumed with money if they lived in such squalor, if they had to worry about their next meal--and whether they would have a home because of the threat of progress." Do you agree with these characters' assessments of modern China?

Let’s just say that when I was living in Shanghai for the last couple of months, it was seen as completely acceptable for everyone and anyone—even taxi drivers—to ask point blank how much money you made, how much your house cost, how much your friends earned.

One of the sad, unwitting victims in China’s mad dash to modernize are its historic neighborhoods, razed without thought to preservation. These old neighborhoods (hutongs in Beijing and lilongs in Shanghai) won’t be around for much longer. Every day in Shanghai, I saw more and more sections being torn down. That’s history—tangible history—disappearing every moment. Some locals explained to me that the Chinese have no qualms demolishing this past since it’s a reminder of a poverty that’s too close in memory for comfort.

What do you wish Americans knew or understood about China today?

China is hungry and working an eight-day work week, literally every second around the clock. There is a viable pulse—at least in Shanghai where I lived for a few months. You could feel it in the city and see it in the number of cranes erected for its non-stop construction. The work ethic in China is extraordinary. You can check out my blog (www.justinachenheadley.blogspot.com) for my Shanghai turnstile posts about some of the movers and shakers in the creative industry…and how hard they work.

China’s fervor to lead the world into the twenty-first century should be a wake-up call to America. There’s so much work we as Americans need to do. We need to invest seriously in education, raising our math and science standards, encouraging more kids (including girls!) to enter technology fields. And then we all need to hunker down, sock away money into our savings, and rebuild our America.

What music are you listening to these days? What TV shows/movies are you watching?

I spent the last four months living in Shanghai and so I feel out of touch with music, TV, and movies. So I’ll put out an SOS to your blog readers:

Young adult author in need of a serious influx of new tunes and TV shows. Smitten with hip hop and rap rhythms. Loves voices like Natasha Bedingfield and lyrics like K.T. Tunstall’s. Looking for a compelling, happening TV show with the unique storytelling of Heroes (first season), wittiness and pop cultural references of the Gilmore Girls, and procedurals like Law & Order. Has serious crush on Eugenides from Megan Whalen Turner’s Attolia series. Email all suggestions to Justina [at] justinachenheadley [dot] com immediately.

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your high school self?

Chill! Not everything has to be done right NOW. And not everything has to be done perfectly. (I often have to tell my forty-year-old self this, too.)

But I would also tell my high school self to be more financially savvy. Don’t fall into the “good girl” trap of not talking about money. Independence—being able to do what you want—is tied to having the financial wherewithal to bootstrap your own dreams.

Excellent advice! Now, before we wander around DC to make sure all of your books are prominently displayed in bookstores, Justina's giving away an AUTOGRAPHED copy of North of Beautiful to the 1st person who leaves a comment correctly answering the following question:

What famous librarian has gone geocaching with Justina

Hmmm... maybe we'll go geocaching around DC, so someday when I'm a famous librarian, I can be the answer to this question!

Anyway, if you've missed her earlier this week, check her out at Mitali's Fire Escape, Shelf Elf, Archimedes Forgets, and tomorrow she'll be hanging out over at Teen Book Review.

AND! Be sure to read all of Justina's books! In the words of my dear friend Molly, "ZOMG! I LOVE HER!"

What a Week!

Justina Chen Headley is on blog tour this week. She's stopping by tomorrow, which is awesome, because this entire week has been about hanging out with awesome women. Even if the other kickass women I hung out with this week are from college and Justina went to Stanford instead of Grinnell. But when you can take a few days off work to stay up until 5 am to hang out with some of your favorite people in the world? We didn't even care when, for some reason the power went off from 2 until 3.

But, just like I cleaned the house for my in-person friends, I'm madly preparing (of course, at the last minute) for Justina's visit, by reviewing 2 of her books! (I reviewed Girl Overboard last spring, here.

First up is the brand spakin' new North of Beautiful

On the outside, Terra is an almost perfect specimen, except for the port wine stain on her face. She even has a boyfriend that she doesn't deserve. Her father is an asshole and her mother eats in rebellion. Terra's older brothers have, for all intents and purposes, fled. Terra works on her body to avoid her father's barbs. She works in her art studio to find the truth. Then, she meets Jacob, the adopted Chinese goth boy with a cleft lip. Jacob sees through all of Terra's defenses and calls her on them. What follows is a trip to China and an exploration of true beauty.

This is totally Justina's best book to date and deserves all the starred reviews it's been receiving. There is a lot in this book--family, beauty, love, geocaching, modern China, and finding and accepting yourself. All without being cheesy or trying to cram too much in. I most appreciated the family dynamics and how each member dealt with Terra's father, especially the tensions between her parents. And, being the Sinophile that I am, I really loved China parts. They capture perfectly the frenetic pace of Shanghai today, as well as some finer moments of Chinese society (and some of the more frustrating differences in cultures.)

Be sure to stop by tomorrow! Justina will give away an autographed copy and we'll talk about modern China!

(Full disclosure: ARC provided by publisher)

Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies)

Patty is half-Taiwanese, half-white, but her white father ran off years ago. She doesn't know how to fit in her skin, embarrassed by her mother's weird Chinese things, but feels like she's betraying her when she disses them. Really, Patty just wishes she was white.

Then, her mother sends her off to Stanford math camp, where she discovers that in many places, being Hapa (half-Asian, half-white) is considered beautiful and meets some really hot Asian guys. Maybe she's cooler than she thought...

Patty is hysterical, and I especially loved the Mama Lecture Series and when she tries to prove life lessons with geometric proofs:

The Patty Ho Happy Camper Theorem

Given: Math Camp is a done deal.
Prove: It is the open door I'm supposed to run through this summer

She then proves it, but I can't figure out how to do columns on this thing, so you'll just have to read the book to check out the awesomeness.

More Fusion

Today's schedule brings you more Fusion Stories! And limited blather!

These reviews are a little lame though, because I really liked these books. So, it's all THIS BOOK ROCKED! YAY! But seriously, you should read them. The books, not the reviews (well, hopefully you'll read the reviews but... you know what I mean...)

My space bar is squeaky...

Good Enough Paula Yoo

Patti tries to be the Perfect Korean Daughter (PKD). She gets straight As, is active in her youth group, and is an amazing violinist-- her hook to get into HARVARDYALEPRINCETON. But then she meets Ben, aka Cute Trumpet Guy at her auditions for All-State Orchestra. Maybe there's more to life than being the PKD? Is there a way she can please her parents and still do what she wants?

I love this book. I couldn't put it down and the super-short chapters didn't help. I love how Patti described her relationship with music. I love the inclusions of all of Patti's mom's Spam recipes (but not enough to actually try one.) And I really, really loved the ending. More about that here, full of spoilery action.

Girl Overboard Justina Chen Headley

Syrah Cheng seems to have the perfect life-- her dad's one of the richest men in America and whatever she wants is hers.

Except... her parents are never home. Her older (half)siblings hate her. She wants to be a pro-snowboarder but she busted her knee on a fall that should have killed her 6 months ago and her best friend's new girlfriend has put a complete embargo on their friendship.

Oh yes, and her nanny is moving to California and her family is moving to Hong Kong.

There is no snow in Hong Kong.

But... then she meets Lillian, the daughter of her father's new VP, who treats her like a normal person. Then she meets Lillian's sister, who's dying of cancer. Syrah is frustrated at having all the money and connections and the world and being unable to help... but maybe she can help after all.

This is a great book about finding your talents and your family in unexpected places. Syrah is a great character that I would love to be friends with, and not just for her recording studio. I also really like that instead of keeping a standard diary, Syrah draws her entires manga-style.

The Fold An Na

I was a little wary of this one. I was rather underwhelmed by Wait for Me. But I liked this. Before I talk about why though, I'm going to blather a bit. Sorry.


Online Videos by Veoh.com

This song was getting a lot of airplay in Nanjing in 2000. It's unbelievably catchy, but the lyrics touch on something-- I'm not your style... he only likes double-eyelid girls, but with my single eyelid I can't be picky...almond-shaped eyes almond-shaped eyes...

Joyce's family owes her aunt, Gomo, a lot. She's the one who sponsored them so they could move to the US from Korea. But... Gomo can be more than a little over-bearing. When she wins the lottery, she gives everyone a present to make their lives easier, but it's not necessarily what everyone wants. Joyce's gift is a plastic surgery operation to give her eyelids a double-fold. If Joyce can have the "good" eyes, she'll be more pretty, like her perfect older sister, Helen. But... it's someone taking a knife to your eye and Joyce doesn't have a high pain tolerance.

Joyce is not the world's most likable character, but she is very, very real and believable. I like all the consideration she puts into her decision to accept or decline Gomo's present. Even more than her decision about the surgery, this was more a story of Helen and Joyce's relationship. I saw the end revelation coming and wasn't entirely sure it was necessary, but the tension in that relationship kept me enthralled.

An excellent choice.