Pigtail Pals is a fantastic t-shirt company that is owned and operated by Melissa Wardy, a mom who wanted clothing for her daughter that wasn’t riddled with the typical “little girl” stereotypes.  She wanted her daughter to know that becoming a princess, model, or ballerina weren’t her only options.

She created a line of girls’ t-shirts that are smart and funny, and that challenge female stereotypes.  With shirts that read “I look good in red” and depict a female firefighter, or a drawing of a carpenter with a braid hanging over each of her shoulders proclaiming “I broke a nail“, Pigtail Pals uses witty slogans coupled with adorable illustrations to  “redefine girly“.

Pigtail Pals also has a great blog all about parenting, the media, and girl empowerment. Check it out.

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I just finished reading this charming book, and I thought I should share it with all the book-loving fashionistas out there.

Vintage Veronica (Knopf, 2010) is the story of a shy, overweight, teenage loner who loves vintage clothing.  When she finds work at Clothing Bonanza, a local vintage shop, she’s sure she’s found the summer job of her dreams.  But after meeting the mysterious stock boy and befriending two crazy sales girls, her summer takes an unexpected turn.

I’d recommend this novel for any girl who’s ever felt out of place because of her quirky interests, anyone who’s ever felt the need to hide from the world, and, of course, for any vintage fashion lovers.  It is a flawless and fun summer read.

Here’s the book’s trailer:

I just read this book and had to share with you all.

If I Stay (Dutton, 2009) by Gayle Forman is a beautifully written, heart wrenching young adult novel about a seventeen-year-old girl who faces an incredibly difficult choice after experiencing a family tragedy.

In particular, I think this would be a great book to discuss between teens and parents about how we are so intricately connected to the people who are closest to us. But bring tissue! I gave to it my husband to read on a plane and he was a mess.

More on If I Stay

Read Gayle Forman’s interview on Persnickety Snark!

Embedded Below: If I Stay Book Trailer (A film adaptation is in the works!)

I am probably not the first to tell you that Hungry is a must-read this fall. The book is a first-person narrative of plus-sized model Crystal Renn and her struggles and triumphs with the modeling industry and the relentless pursuit of weight perfection. Renn was a teenager in small-town Mississippi when a talent scout gave her the opportunity to move to New York–as soon as she lost 10 inches off her waist. What follows is an account of how her obsession with becoming fashion royalty consumed her life and led her to drop 40% of her body weight until only 95 pounds remained on her 5’8″ frame.

Renn is a fantastic writer and her voice is universally relatable. Perhaps not all of us have been on the fast track to a modeling career, but most women can relate to the temporary (or unrelenting) insanity that comes from feeling inadequate in your own skin. Renn’s story is also inspiring as she makes the decision to become a plus size model so that she can be the weight her body is naturally, and learns to weather the judgments of her industry even as she continues to achieve great commercial success.

The modeling industry and its unwavering support of one waifish body type has been a topic of discussion for years now, but Renn’s book arrives at a time when we’re seeing some of the seams let out to make room for beautiful women whose bodies look more like the rest of us.  Maybe this will be the tipping point.

More on Hungry

• Crystal Renn interviewed on Good Morning America, September 8, 2009.

I’m always keeping my eye out for books I can recommend to young readers that have a positive message and an engaging story. Reminiscent of the wholesome and memorable reads of Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary, Funerals and Fly Fishing is a first-person narrative of Brad Stanislawski, a lonely, creative kid who is sometimes picked on for his funny name and large size. When his mom wins a trip to California, he finds himself sent reluctantly to spend his summer vacation with the grandfather he’s never met. To his unpleasant surprise, Brad finds out upon his arrival that his grandfather is a funeral director and lives in an apartment about the funeral home.

Girls and boys alike will be drawn in by the not-too-scary suspense, and parents will love that Brad is a likeable character who is struggling in a relatable way with his friendships, his appearance, and the fact that not everything is always as it seems. Learn more about the author at www.marybartek.com.

Recommended for kids age 8-14.

All over this country every day, families that look just like yours and mine shoulder the quiet, terrible pain of living with a loved one battling an addiction. Libby Cataldi’s Stay Close is an honest, stomach-churning account of her son’s drug problems and the steps, both for better and for worse, that her family took to help him. This book is both beautifully written and difficult to read, but it is a must for anyone who works with young people, and for the innumerable amount of loved ones who’ve been affected by a family member’s addiction.

More on Stay Close

• Interview with Libby Cataldi in the New York Daily News, June 10, 2009.

Embedded below: Libby Cataldi discusses Stay Close for Vimeo

stay close – memoir by libby cataldi from georgeb3 on Vimeo.

When I speak in schools, parents and teachers always ask about dealing with children who are discipline problems. I believe giving these kids support and understanding helps everybody, which is why I really like Lost at School, by Ross W. Greene, PhD. (Scribner). It gives strategies to help all students have a safe and successful school experience and offers lots of insight into what good teaching really is.

Raising kids has never been easy, but trying to protect them from the hyper-sexualized images and conflicting messages that popular culture is sending them makes things even more difficult.

That’s why I think every parent needs to read So Sexy So Soon, by Dr. Diane Levin and Jean Kilbourne. This book understands the complexity of the challenge but leaves parents feeling empowered. Learn more atwww.sosexysosoon.com.

Check out Dr. Levin and Jean Kilbourne’s interview on the Today Show: August 6, 2008.

American Teen is a heartfelt and funny hit Sundance documentary that follows five Indiana high school students through their senior year.

I think it’s great for the honest way that it captures the ups and downs of high school — insecurities, first loves, heartbreaks, and triumphs — and dignifies the struggles that teens face as they make decisions about their future.

Become a fan of American Teen and learn more about the cast on Facebook.