Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don’t Float

Schmelling, Sarah. Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic Lit Signs on to Facebok. ISBN-10: 0452295734, ISBN-13: 9780452295735. Plume Books. 2009.

Summary
It's taken them awhile, but now some of literature's favorite authors and characters have signed-on to the social network Facebook. Sarah Schmelling has taken classic novels and converted them to Facebook feeds to bring some of the most loved stories into the 21^st century. And hilarity ensues.

Critical Evaluation
Sarah Schmelling has taken classics to a new humorous levels by bringing together authors like William Shakespeare, Virginia Woolf, and Jack Kerouac; literature (The Canterbury Tales to Lolita) and a wide range of classic charcters—Hester Pryne, Puck and Scarlett O'Hara to Facebook. Stories are retold on news feeds, groups are joined and heckling occurs through status updates. I think this is the just the beginning for Facebook-themed books. Anyone who is on Facebook and has a basic understanding of the classics will see the humor, but older, well-read teens will really enjoy the book.

Reader's Annotation
What will happen when all of the classic characters and authors sign-on to Facebook and talk about stories from Beowulf to Catcher in the Rye?

About the Author
Sarah Schmelling is a journalist that is known for her writing about pop culture and entertainment, and has been published in a variety of publications including The Washington Post, Real Simple, and The Huffington Post. It was in McSweeney's Internet Tendencies that "Hamlet (Facebook News Feed Edition)" was first published. The wife and mom lives in a Washington D.C. suburb, and this is her first book.

Genre
Non-fiction
Popular Culture

Curriculum Ties
English: to better understand the humor of the book, read the actual novels and plays

Booktalking Ideas
What do you think William Shakespeare would say if he were alive today and was on Facebook…

Awards
n/a

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 16+

Why I included this title...
As a holder of a degree in literature and a Facebook junkie—it was a no brainer!

Sports Illustrated

Levine, Adam, editor. Sports Illustrated. Time Inc.: New York: 2010.

Summary
Sports Illustrated gives readers the information they want on almost all sports played in America and beyond. A typical issue will focus on the sports in season covering both the professional and collegiate realms. Most issues also offer information on the lives (and sometimes deaths) of athletes of interest. There are regular columns with well respected experts in the sports arena and factoid sections in each issue The cover photography alludes to an important upcoming game or event, while on page three is the complete "lineup" or table of contents. The photography in Sports Illustrated covers sports in a way that captures the spirit of the game or player. It's very artistic and dramatic.

Critical Evaluation
Sports Illustrated is a weekly magazine that reports on what's happening in the world of sports. The cover articles are always the longest, spanning two or three pages, while other articles are shorter than a page, or in the shape of a factoid box. This allows readers to be able to easily finish any article over their morning cereal. The factoids can be quickly scanned quick reading entertainment and good-to-know sports statistics/trivia. The section called "Faces in the Crowd" will appeal to young adults because it highlights the achievements of the country's best high school athletes. Both guys and girls who are interested in sports will enjoy the weekly Sports Illustrated. And with the different lengths of articles, readers with different the reading abilities will get something from the magazine.

Genre
Sports
Popular Culture

Challenges
Sexual Content— in advertisements and the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue

Curriculum Ties
Physical Education: the power of sports on a body
Psychology: the power of sports on the mind
Booktalking Ideas
Does knowing about an athlete's personal life change how you view them as a professional…
Are professional athletes role models? Overpaid? Rock stars…

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 12+

Why I included this title...
This is a popular magazine with all ages, and I noticed that both of my tweens read it while eating breakfast.

Graphic from rant.sportslizard.com. Retrieved from http://rant.sportslizard.com/2007/08/18/my-new-favorite-custom-mcfarlane/ on December15, 2010.

Seventeen

Shoket, Ann, editor. Seventeen. Hearst Magzines: New York: 2010.

Summary
Seventeen magazine has been giving all kinds of advice to junior high and high school girls for years. Over the years, the cover has almost remained the same with a fresh faced teen or older young adult—usually someone of high influence at the moment. An addition to the cover is how it also works as a general table of contents for the magazine by giving the reader an idea of what the issue holds along with page numbers. Much of the magazine is focused on teen beauty and fashion, but there are also articles about young women's health, relationships (including friends and boyfriends), celebrities as well as the much loved astrology report and quizzes. In the November 2010 issue, there was a fashion section that addressed current trends and how different body types could pull off the look. Tied into that, were vignettes from celebrities of all shapes on how they made peace with their bodies, with encouragement for young women to do the same. In this issue, also, there was a piece about a young woman who escaped a kidnapping. She offered her advice on how others could do it too. The magazine goes far beyond superficial articles and still stays relevant to today's teen.

Critical Evaluation
The magazine was a staple in my room from junior high until I left for college. It's changed, but is basically the same magazine that it was in the 80s. The articles are meant to be positive, uplifting and empowering to girls in all facets of their lives—beauty, health, fashion, friends and romance. In addition to the information are advertisements, advertisements and more advertisements. Some of them I thought were in the wrong market, for example there was a Vera Bradley handbag advertisement with an older woman and a toddler—obviously, a mother and daughter shot completely inappropriate for young women. The November 2010 issue contained even a few articles that were informative to me: how to pick a bra and a piece on how to survive during abduction. The one thing I missed from the Seventeen magazine of my teens, was the place for fiction. The magazine has a lot to offer young women and goes beyond beauty and fashion to give real-life advice.

Genre
Beauty and Fashion

Popular Culture

Challenges
Sexual Content— in a column called Sex Ed

Curriculum Ties
n/a

Booktalking Ideas
Do you find your inspiration for your look from what's real or what you see in the advertisements in magazines…

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 13+

Why I included this title...
Like I've said, I loved it when I was a teen, and know that it's still a popular magazine for young women.

Graphic from gossipteen.com. Retrieved from http://gossipteen.com/2010/10/13/keha-beautiful-on-seventeen-november-2010-cover-photos-video/ on December 14, 2010.