readers' favorites! Goy Crazy by Melissa Schorr High schooler Rachel Lowenstein is Jewish and, unfortunately, her new crush (the star of St. Joseph's prep basketball team) is not. Rachel is faced with modern problems concerning her Jewish heritage, her new crush's "goyish" ways, her best friend Jen, her increasing social status and, worst of all, conflicts with her parents. Goy Crazy is one of the most entertaining books I have ever read. Melissa Schorr incorporates important Jewish values, traditions and issues into a modern book every Jewish teen will love. Goy Crazy is definitely a must-read! Rebecca Liebman, 16, is a junior at West Bloomfield High School. The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult Jewish author Jodi Picoult never ceases to satisfy as she turns out compelling narrative after heart-wrenching plotline in her best-selling novels. In The Tenth Circle, Picoult captivates audi- ences with her story of the young and beautiful Trixie Stone, who turns her small town inside out seemingly overnight. Picoult holds readers fast as countless story lines unfold and char- acters' lives begin to unravel. Although Picoult continues to entice readers throughout the novel with an ever-changing plot, it is the sincerity of her character's pain and joy that truly entrances readers. The perfect novel for a lazy day; you surely won't be able to put it down. DANIEL STUDIES FOR HIS BAR MITZVAH T2T cartoon by Josh Loney Danielle DePriest, 18, is a senior at the Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield. Gossip Girl series by Cecily von Ziegesar Ever wonder what it is like to be in the inner circle? Welcome to the Upper East Side, where privileged teenagers roam and play. The Gossip Girl series are the perfect pleasure reads. In the series, Manhat- tan's young, rich and beautiful throw parties, fall in love and stress about getting into Ivy League colleges. However, their whereabouts are recorded on GossipGirl.net by a secret spy within their inner circle. Recently, the CW television network decided to make Gossip Girl into a television series. Do not worry, the books and the television show have a completely different plot. From start to finish, you won't be disappointed with the Gossip Girl books. Sara Smoler, 16, is a sophomore at Bloomfield Hills Andover High School. Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray Everyone loves cake, including Ruth. She lives with her mother, husband and daughter. When her father calls saying he broke both of his wrists, Ruth takes him in. The problem is that her parents despise each other and her husband is out of work. Her only escape is to bake cakes. The book tells the story of how one passion and hobby can turn your life right-side up. Ruth's story is one of a kind. Eat Cake will make you want to read more and get your apron on. Jennifer Finkel, 14, is in eighth grade at Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit in Farmington Hills. Once Upon A Day by Lisa Tucker Charles Keenan disappeared off of the face of the Earth, taking his two beloved children, Doro- thea and Jimmy, with him. No one knows where they are, not even the children's mother and Charles' wife, Lucy Dobbins. Once Upon A Day is an intriguing story about Dorothea's journey into the day that changed her family forever. Once you pick this book up, there is no putting it down. The storyline is so twisted yet so heart-warming that you want to read it over and over again. You learn about appreciating what you have and how one day can change the world. Reviewed by Jennifer Finkel continuesfi-om B1 The adjustment was odd at first, but I realized recreational reading had plenty of great perks. I was broadening my vocabulary and doing better in school be- cause I was exercising my brain more often. By the end of the school year, I had racked up more than 6,000 pages of material, exceeding expectations for the class and myself "I have found that with this push, some 'non-readers' find a genre that appeals to them and they continue reading on through their high school and college ca- reers," Mrs. Kennedy said of the 1,000-page policy she started in 1998. Hannah Cohen, 18, a Farmington Harrison senior, was an avid reader who stopped reading in middle school. She just started again a few months ago. By finding appealing genres, she said reading became fun and sparked her imagina- tion. She even challenged herself last month to read all of the Harry Potter books in a few days. "Books let me have more of an imagination and allow me to think outside the box," she said. "I can get out of my comfort zone." Her favorite topics include historical fiction and "serious books" that document issues like abuse. Once you find your niche, it's fun to find others who enjoy the same kind of books. You can trade books and talk about plotlines. You can join a book club from a library or synagogue — or start your own — to discuss books and learn about other good ones to read. So next time you receive a book as a gift or have to read a book in school, know that you can enjoy it. Don't shy away from reading. It's too beneficial a pastime to give up. Gabriella Ring, 14, is a freshman at Berkley High School. teen2teen staff • hotline: (248) 351 5144 • kcohen@thejewishnews.com - Reporters: Gabriella Ring (Berkley); Jake Wayne (Birmingham Derby); Hadas Corey, Grace Klein, Jacob Rosen, Spencer Wayne, Sydney Wolf (Birmingham Seaholm); Ariel Mann, Seth Samuels (Bir- mingham Groves); Jamie Gorosh, Alexa Eisenberg, Lauren Lewis, Sara Smoler, Teddi Cantor, Rachel swood); Hannah Cohen (Farmington Harrison); Adina Applebaum, Rachel Brown, Avi Buckman, Teens, we want you in the party. pages! Let us know when your party is and we might catch you on film or send us your pictures at partypages@thejewishnews.com images must not exceed 5mb, images will be edited by the T2T staff Raquel Cohen, Carly Cykiert, Danielle DePriest, Rachel Goutman, Atara Lakritz, Rachel Margolin, Blake Orman (Frankel Jewish Academy, West Bloomfield); Jennifer Finkel (Hillel Day School, Farm- ington Hills); Mitchell Barnett, Scott Scher, Stephanie Bridget Labe, Rebecca Liebman, Allison Shipper, Shaye Winer, Ariella Yedwab (West Bloomfield); David Lehmann, Sarah Spitzer (Yeshivat Akiva, Southfield). Photographers: Morgan Pomish (North Farmington), Allie Gold (West Bloomfield), Jessica Polk (FJA) Cartoonist: Josh Loney (Bloomfield Hills Andover) supervising staff Chief Operating Officer: F. Kevin Browett Editorial Director: Robert A. Sklar Executive Editor: Keri Guten Cohen Copy Editors: David Sachs and Alan Hitsky Creative Director: Deborah Schultz Sr. Graphic Designer: Lindsay Schwartz Marketing Director: Kelli Baird IT Director: Deanna Spivey Jewish Renaissance Media — 29200 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034 v i B4 teen2teen February • 2008 Steinberg (North Farmington); Kale Davidoff, U1031Z 3N f li STA Wein (Bloomfield Hills Andover); Jordan Birnholtz, Jessica Singer (Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-King- Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit ALLIANCE FOR JEWISH EDUCATION Supported by a generous grant from the Stephen H. Schulman Millennium Fund. A Jewish Renaissance Media publication © 2008 DETROIT JEWISH NEWS