Bank Street has posted its recommended teen reads of 2005. Highlights include: All Rivers Flow to the Sea by Alison McGhee (Candlewick); Anyone But You by Lara Zeises (Delacorte, 2005)(author interview)(recommendation); Boy Girl Boy by Ron Koertge (Harcourt)(author interview); The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart (Delacorte)(author interview)(recommendation); The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin (Carolrhoda); Pinned by Alfred C. Martino (Harcourt)(recommendation); Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson (Viking)(recommendation); A Room on Lorelei Street by Mary E. Pearson (Henry Holt)(author interview)(recommendation); Storky: How I Lost My Nickname and Won the Girl by D.L. Garfinkle (Putnam)(author interview); Strong at Heart: How It Feels to Heal from Sexual Abuse by Carolyn Lehman (FSG). See the complete list.

The Bookstore Tourism Blog: Larry Portzline is the creator of the grassroots “Bookstore Tourism” movement. In 2006 he will launch the National Council on Bookstore Tourism, a non-profit organization that will partner with booksellers, the travel industry, arts organizations and government agencies across the U.S. to promote the concept. Cyn Note: I learned of this blog from the Book Promotion Newsletter by Francine Silverman.

Congratulations to Sarah Aronson of Sarah Goes To School on handing in her last packet in pursuit of her M.F.A. degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College.

Hillside Lullaby by Hope Vestergaard, illustrated by Margie Moore (Dutton, 2006). Kirkus says, “A must for every child with a window to the great outdoors and a heart that will listen to nature’s song.” Listen to the text with music–a great way to study rhyme! Music by Ben Hill, performed by LaCretta Ross.

Rejection Collection: the writer’s and artist’s online source for misery, commiseration, and inspiration.

Thanks to LJ reader slayground at Five Six Seven Eight for her cheers on my recent interview with YA author Marsha Qualey. See her exclusive author interviews.

The Writer and The Hawk: a lovely essay about writing and soaring by Susan Taylor Brown (author interview) from Once Upon A Time There Was A Girl Who Wanted To Write (That Would Be Me).

The guest at the June 13 YA Authors Cafe will be Elise Broach (author interview). Elise Broach is the author of the teen novel Desert Crossing (Henry Holt, 2006), as well as Shakespeare’s Secret (Henry Holt, 2005)(recommendation) and several picture books. She lives with her family in Easton, Connecticut. The chat will be held on Tuesday, June 13 at 8:30 p.m. EST, 5:30 Pacific. Go to www.yaauthorscafe.com and click the cafe chatroom icon to enter.