Read, Write, Repeat.

Glee’s Mercedes Jones has a lot of fine qualities.

• She’s a good friend. When her classmate Kurt’s father is hospitalized, she provides support and encouragement.

• She fights for what she believes in. When cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester bans tater tots from the William McKinley High School cafeteria, Mercedes stages a Norma-Rae-like protest.

• And, she’s a good songwriter. Her anthem “Hell to the No” was my favorite of all the student-penned songs in Season Two.

But Mercedes can be a bit of a diva.

That shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Nearly every character on Glee has been a diva at one time or another. But Mercedes’ divahood is different.

It’s not a constant state. It only bursts out when she feels overlooked by Mr. Shuester or overshadowed by other Glee Club members.

Unfortunately, those things happen frequently.

Mercedes, who is played delightfully by Amber Riley, joined Glee Club expecting to be the star. Early on, when she was asked to sing backup, Mercedes announced, “I’m Beyonce! I ain’t no Kelly Rowland.”

Later, when she realized her solos would be few and far between thanks to the oversized voices of Kurt Hummel and Rachel Berry, she lamented, “You guys only trot me out to wail at the end of a number.”

Things came to a head when the Glee Club held a fundraising concert. Mercedes decided she wanted the closing number that Rachel was slated for, so fellow overlooked Glee Club member Lauren Zizes offered to be her manager.

Lauren had Mercedes command respect by listing her demands, which included being carried onto the stage and having fresh puppies to dry her hands on.

Frankly, it was all a little much.

Around this time, if I had been a librarian at William McKinley High School, I would have gently suggested Mercedes read Dramarama by E. Lockhart (Hyperion, 2007). In fact, I would have handed it to her personally.

Why? It’s the story of a muscial-loving girl who’s overshadowed by her superstar best friend.

And while the book isn’t an exact retelling of Mercedes’ life, there are some pretty strong parallels.

Let’s start with the basics.

Sarah Paulson is a gawky, white, “Cabaret”-obsessed adolescent. Her best friend is Demi, an African-American gay teen who likes Liza Minnelli just as much as she does. If you change the races around and substitute Patti LuPone and Aretha Franklin for Liza Minnelli, you have Mercedes’ relationship with Kurt Hummel.

Demi christens Sarah “Sadye” (pronounced SAY-dee) to reflect his belief that she has what it takes to be famous. He encourages her to not try to be like petite, blonde Kristin Chenoweth, but to focus on “being Sadye” and bringing her own talents to light.

Sadye knows Demi is gay right from the start, but she still has a small crush on him and spends time with him instead of with boys who might be interested in her romantically. This also echoes Mercedes’ crush on Kurt and her feelings of being overlooked when he starts dating Blaine.

Things fall apart when Demi and Sadye go to summer theater camp.

Demi and Sadye are convinced they’ll nab fabulous lead roles and be best friends forever. They even make recordings of their thoughts and observations to look back on once they’re both Broadway stars.

So Sadye is disappointed to find that while Demi is a shining light at camp, she’s just … average. As Demi’s star rises, he becomes more popular — especially among some of the gay boys there. This success, along with the freedom not to have to hide who he is, pulls Demi away from Sadye.

Sadye, meanwhile, is struggling with not being as talented as she had previously assumed and with the teaching methods of some of the plays’ directors.

She’s smart and opinionated, just like Mercedes, so she shares her ideas, which does not endear her to the camp staff or her fellow campers.

So, what happens?

Many writers would have Sadye discover her own way to shine at the camp and have her end up knocking everyone’s socks off with some recently developed or previously undiscovered talent.

But E. Lockart doesn’t take that path. She lets Sadye struggle and even make a decision that benefits Demi greatly, but hurts her.

Ultimately, Sadye has to go back to Brenton, Ohio and decide how to move on with her life if being a Broadway star isn’t a likely option.

Mercedes is undoubtedly a better singer than Sadye.

But, she still has to make some of the same decisions. With Kurt and Rachel not going away, how will she adjust to being out of the spotlight? Will she continue to be friends with them, or let her own hurt feelings stand in the way of all their successes? And, will she focus on what’s best for the Glee Club or what’s best for her?

If I were a Glee librarian, I’d ask Mercedes to pay special attention to the scene where Sadye doesn’t congratulate Demi when he gets the lead role in “Bye Bye Birdie” and she finds she was cast in a small part in the camp’s only nonmusical production. I’d also ask her to focus on the page where Sadye uses the talents she does have to make a positive impression.

Other things that make this a GLEE-ful read include:

The insanely awesome references to musicals from “Bye Bye Birdie” to “Cabaret” to “Wicked” to “Guys and Dolls” to “Funny Girl” and many more.

The fact that it’s set in Brenton, Ohio, which Sadye and Demi want to leave just as much as Rachel and Kurt want to leave Lima, Ohio. As Sadye put it, “In Brenton, Ohio, where I’m from, committing suicide would be redundant.”

The goofy songs Sadye makes up about meatball sub sandwiches, cheating boyfriends and knee socks. They’re reminiscent of Brittany’s song about the styrofoam cups in the Glee kids’ New York hotel room.

At the end of the book, Sadye and Demi reunite outside a Broadway theater in a scene similar to the one where Rachel and Kurt meet at the Gershwin Theatre that is home to “Wicked.”

There’s also a playlist of songs referenced in the book. To find it, you need to visit E. Lockhart’s Dramarama Web site. It’s worth a visit for the song list and also for the video links she’s included for musical theater fans. My favorite is the one of Broadway’s Alan Cumming singing “Taylor the Latte Boy.” It rocks.

Here’s the list of books I’ve recommended to Glee characters so far:

• Mercedes Jones – Dramarama by E. Lockhart.
• Tina Cohen-Chang – My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher.
• Santana Lopez – Sister Mischief by Laura Goode.
• Blaine Anderson – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin.
• Finn Hudson – Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron.
• Sam Evans – Guitar Boy by MJ Auch.
• Quinn Fabray – Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.
• David Karofsky – Dairy Queen and The Off Season both by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.
• Rachel Berry – Theater Geek by Mickey Rapkin.
• Kurt Hummel – Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan.

Debbie Bernstein LaCrois wrote her debut picture book, It’s Almost Time (Kane Miller, 2011), because her young son was fascinated by clocks.

So, she wrote a story replicating all the sounds they heard when they visited a local clock shop. Here’s how the publisher describes Debbie’s work:

It’s almost time … the gears are winding, getting ready to chime! Are you ready? Join the countdown to the most colossal cacophony of clock sounds ever! From chimes to ding dongs, from grandfather clocks to cuckoos, this collection of sounds will have young readers buzzing with excitement.

Today, I’m happy to welcome Debbie to Read, Write, Repeat. She was kind enough to answer some questions about how her book came to be.

How did you get the idea for your picture book?

My son loves clocks! We spent hours visiting the local clock store. The guy who works there is awesome and would wind the clocks so they would dance and sing. I wanted to capture the store and bring it home.

How long did it take you to write, revise and polish?

I wrote it six years before I submitted it. I researched the publishing process and wanted to be able to market my book. Because I was pregnant when I wrote the book, I knew it wasn’t the right time. Then, honestly, I forgot about it.

In 2010, I decided to submit another story I had written, and came across It’s Almost Time. I submitted both at the same time, with permission from the editor. I never did hear back about the other story.

What’s the biggest thing you learned while going through the publication process?

I learned so much! First was the consideration process. I was asked to do a rewrite because the beginning was similar to another book.

The original was: “Sshh, listen, it’s almost time.” It was changed to: “Tick tick tock. It’s almost time …”

Then I had to wait some more. Kira Lynn, my editor, wanted to publish it for Fall 2011 (this was May 2010), so the editing process moved quickly. She always told me to take my time and not rush. This is hard for me, because I tend to push things through when I am excited. She chose the illustrator, and gave me her name.

Of course, I Googled her (Sarah Chalek) and LOVED her artwork! I did not talk to her or meet her during this process. When I first saw the illustrations, I was speechless! She had added a horse to my book! A horse and a bluejay (which I now love)!!!

The illustrations change the story, but they make the book. I love the final product.

What advice would you give other writers hoping to be published?

Keep writing. Don’t give up. And really follow your instinct. Also, putting something away for a while is a great idea. When you pull it out, you know if it really has potential or if it’s just like a new toy you bought that you have to have, but soon realize it’s not so great.

Oh, and networking can help. And finally, find a critique group. Your friends are the worst editors, because they love it because it’s you. You need good, helpful feedback.

What other projects are you working on?

For writing, I’ve written my first middle-grade chapter book, which I’ve submitted and had sent back, but with positive feedback. I think I finally figured out what the problem is and can’t wait to go in and rework it.

I also have a few picture books. And of course, many in line in my mind waiting to come out!

Thanks for stopping by, Debbie!

If you’d like to learn more about Debbie, you can visit her website.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Sarah Chalek, you can visit her website.

If there’s a tween girl in your life, you might want to introduce her to the Goddess Girls books by Suzanne Williams and Joan Holub.

This six-book series — with more installments on the way — takes a lighthearted look at what the lives of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses might have been like when they were growing up.

The most recent book in the series is Aphrodite the Diva (Aladdin, 2011). Previous books have been about Athena, Persephone and Artemis.

Today, we’re joined by the series’ authors, who share some insight into these delightful books and how they came to be.

What inspired you to start writing these books? Did you have a strong knowledge of mythology before you started? What kind of research do you do for each book?

Suzanne (That’s her on the left.): First of all, thanks for having us at Read, Write, Repeat today, Pat! The Goddess Girls series began with a conversation over dinner. Joan asked if I might like to collaborate on something, and I said yes.

Goddess Girls was Joan’s idea — one of several ideas we came up with — and about the time Rick Riordan’s Lightning Thief debuted, we were putting the finishing touches on a proposal.

Joan: (Seconding Suzanne’s thanks, Pat!) It was my lucky day when Suzanne agreed to write with me. She is the best co-author ever. I really enjoy building the fictional Goddess Girls stories on the frameworks of existing mythology. I’m a history and mythology fanatic, and I’ve always been partial to Greco-Roman mythology.

It’s fun to update the stories, but for the most part, we try to stay true to the myths — or at least the spirit of the myths! I have a long list of book ideas and book titles. I often start a book or series with only a title, and think … What could that be about? What if this happened or that happened? That’s how Goddess Girls was born.

Suzanne: Because our goddess girls and our readers are tweens, we adapted the myths to make them age appropriate. It was fun to imagine the personalities and predicaments of our young goddess girls and god boys, based on their mythical adult counterparts.

I’ve heard some of your readers have started their own Goddess Girls clubs at schools where they pretend to be the characters. Who seems to be the favorite goddess? Did you expect the books to get such a positive response?

Joan (That’s her on the left.): I’m not sure if our fans have any clear favorite — maybe Athena, since our fans tend to be avid readers like her. But Aphrodite, Artemis, and Persephone have their cheering sections, too! We have the best fans in the world and have dedicated many of our books to them. Aphrodite the Diva just got an awesome video review from tween reviewer, Reagan, of Reading Tween.

Suzanne: I agree. Athena may have the edge, but some girls identify more with one or two of the other characters. We didn’t really know what kind of reaction to expect when the series pubbed. The positive response has been very gratifying. And we love that teachers have told us the books get girls excited about Greek mythology.

Joan: And excited about reading!

How many books are planned for the series?

Suzanne and Joan: Well, we have many of them planned in our heads, but we don’t really know for sure how many will be published. Goddess Girls started out as a four-book series. Now we’re up Book 6. And Books 7 and 8: Artemis the Loyal (December 2011) and Medusa the Mean (April 2012) are in the works. We know there will be 12 for sure — more about that below.

Joan, you started your career as an illustrator, then were an illustrator and writer and now — I think — only write. Tell us a little about how that evolution happened. What was your path to writing, Suzanne?

Joan: You’re right, Pat. Even before illustrating, I was a graphic designer in advertising, then in children’s publishing in New York City. I became a freelance children’s book illustrator next. When I realized I loved writing even more that illustrating, I gradually I segued into writing full time. I’ve written and/or illustrated over 130 books at this point. Everything from board/novelty books, early readers, picture books, and chapter/middle grade.

Suzanne: I was an elementary school librarian before I began writing for children. It was reading all those wonderful children’s books I purchased for the library that made me want to try my hand at writing too. I’ve published more than 30 books now — all fiction — mostly chapter book and middle-grade series, but also six picture books (including Library Lil, illustrated by Steven Kellogg).

You both write fiction and picture books and middle-grade novels, and Joan also writes nonfiction. What parts of your writing process are the same no matter what you’re working on, and what parts vary depending on genre?

Suzanne: Revision is the most important part of the writing process, and that’s universal! I brainstorm a fairly detailed chapter-by-chapter outline before beginning the first draft of a novel, but a sentence or two is the only planning I’ll do before drafting a picture book. Even fiction — especially Goddess Girls since it’s built on existing Greek myths requires some research. We use books like Edith Hamilton’s Mythology as source material, and also Internet resources like Wikipedia.

Joan: I learned to outline from Suzanne when we began Goddess Girls. When you’re writing with a co-author, outlines really helps to work out plots before you go too far down a road that’s not really a good direction. Suzanne and I talk over broad plot ideas, then outline on our own, and then we have long conversations about the outlines.

I don’t outline for any other books, but I do often make book dummies for picture books and easy readers, even though I’m not illustrating them. Dummies help me figure out the flow of the book and art. I don’t dummy nonfiction, but I usually break the manuscript into the number of pages the book will be. Artists and editors often change what I’ve suggested, which is fine with me. Every book is a team effort, and it’s all about making a book the best it can be.

On your website and your Twitter account, Joan, you ask, “Did you bring me a cookie?” What’s your favorite kind?

Joan: I love that you read that tagline, Pat. Are you perhaps a cookie monster as well? Chocolate chip!

Suzanne: Mine would be chocolate chip, too.

What projects do you have under way now?

Suzanne: Our publisher recently asked us for four more Goddess Girls books — our very first “Super Special,” and Books 9 – 11. We post updates about the series and answer questions from fans on all things Goddess Girls at our Goddess Girls Facebook page. (Editor’s note: You can also learn more about Suzanne’s projects at her website.)

Joan: Wagons Ho! is just out with co-author George Hallowell illustrated by Lynne Avril (Albert Whitman & Co, picture book). Two girls travel the Oregon Trail in comic-book style. One takes five months in 1846, and the other takes five days in 2011. Also coming up is a lift-the-flap magnetic-hand (ages 2-6, Scholastic, September) book titled A Kiss for You! And last but not least a picture book titled Zero the Hero (February 2012, Macmillan Christy Ottaviano Books, illustrated by the fab New York Times bestselling Tom Lichtenheld.) Visit my website for links and info.

Thanks again, Pat. This was fun!

I have a confession to make.

Not too long ago, I had bright purple streaks in my dark brown hair.

It was fun.

My children’s classmates thought I was the coolest mom ever, and convenience-store clerks with multiple piercings gave me compliments.

So … I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Glee’s Tina Cohen-Chang with her slightly goth look, colorful make-up and ever-changing hair.

I think she’s cool.

But I’m not sure Tina would agree.

She seems to want to change herself to put up a specific image. In season one, she revealed she didn’t really stutter, she had just done it to get attention. And in season two, she wore blue contact lenses so she’d look more like the models she saw in magazines.

And while I totally admire her hair, nails, make-up and clothes, Tina (who’s played by Jenna Ushkowitz) doesn’t strike me as a true goth. She’s a little too cheerful. A little too eager-to-please.

And, she’s shown a lack of confidence — whether it’s bursting into tears while singing “I Follow Rivers” at the poorly attended Glee Club fundraiser or worrying that she wasn’t as good as Rachel when Mr. Schuster asked her to sing “Tonight” from “West Side Story.”

So, if I were the librarian at William McKinley High, I’d pull Tina aside and give her My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher (Wendy Lamb Books, 2011).

Because it’s about a girl who discovers what’s under her make-up and day-glo hair.

Vanessa is a high school artist with big dreams. She doesn’t just want her art to stand out, she wants to stand out as well. As she says early on in the book, “All the talent in the world doesn’t equal an actual personality. It’s not enough only to make the art. You have to be the artist.”

So her look is always changing. Her friend, Nick, colors her hair whenever she asks him to and does her make-up to match.

And Vanessa plans outfits that help her stand out.

For example, on the day she has a job interview at an art supply store she wears a purple net top, short, black pleated skirt and hot pink fishnet stockings. She considers wearing something else, but decides this look is “more professional.”

As the book proceeds, Vanessa gets so caught up in reinventing who she is and finding newer, cooler, more artistic friends that her focus on her art wanes. She saves her project for the school art show until the very end and then spray paints a wall and a nearby park in a misguided attempt at public art. Meanwhile, she pushes her two long-time friends — Nick and Holly — to do things they’re not ready to do because she thinks they’re not taking enough risks. And, Vanessa almost does something she’s not ready for either.

It takes temporarily losing their friendship for Vanessa to see that she may be pushing herself and them too hard.

So she decides to back off.

She dyes her hair its natural brown (a color it hasn’t been since sixth grade), cleans up her public art and eventually learns that, as she puts it, “There’s a shock to not being shocking.”

I don’t think Tina pushes other people to do things they’d rather not. But, like Vanessa, I don’t think she’s 100 percent sure of who she is beneath the colored extensions and pink eyeshadow. I think spending some time with Vanessa would encourage her to think about what really makes her special.

So, if I were a librarian at William McKinley High, I’d give Tina the book and ask her to pay special attention to page 134 where Nick talks to Vanessa about her desire to be larger than life.

Because once Tina is clearer about who she is on the inside, her attempts to decorate her outside will be even more effective.

And, if I may just digress, I hope Tina gets a little more time to figure these things out in season three. She didn’t get much screen time in season two — her only two attempts at solos ended with her sobbing. And her featured moment in “Born This Way” was way too brief. (So was her role in the “Glee 3-D” movie, but it’s probably best if I don’t get started on that topic.)

If you’d like to see which books I’ve recommended to other Glee characters, they are:

• Tina Cohen-Chang – My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher.
• Santana Lopez – Sister Mischief by Laura Goode.
• Blaine Anderson – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin.
• Finn Hudson – Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron.
• Sam Evans – Guitar Boy by MJ Auch.
• Quinn Fabray – Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.
• David Karofsky – Dairy Queen and The Off Season both by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.
• Rachel Berry – Theater Geek by Mickey Rapkin.
• Kurt Hummel – Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan.

Like most kids this time of year, Sonia is getting ready to go back to school.

Her gym shoes are labeled. (With her first AND last name.)

Her pencils are sharpened. (Thanks to a sparkling, pink, shoe-shaped sharpener.)

And her summer reading list is complete. (See the photo at the lower left.)

So she’s ready to go back to school. But first, she wants to tell you about one of the favorite books she read this summer — Fourth-Grade Fairy (Aladdin, 2011) by Eileen Cook.

Sonia’s starting fourth grade herself this fall, which is one reason she liked the book, but the story also is about a lot of her favorite things — animals, fairies, magic and a main character with an annoying older sister. (OK, so that last part may not be her favorite, but it is something she says she’s experienced in real life.)

The book is about Willow Doyle. She comes from a family of fairies. Willow’s destined to be a fairy godmother, which doesn’t excite her too much. Her older sister, Lucinda, is a tiny fairy with wings, and that seems more thrilling to Willow. But if she had her fondest wish granted, she’d be a human.

That’s not likely to happen, however, as fairies of any kind aren’t encouraged to associate with humans, or “humdrums” as they’re referred to in casual conversation.

For her 10th birthday, Willow gets the chance to live out her wish and attend human school for two weeks. Of course, that ends up being much harder than she anticipated, especially after her fairy gift of being able to talk to animals kicks in and the perfect Lucinda gets captured by a human.

Want to hear more? Take it away, Sonia!

Today’s reviewer: Sonia

Age: 9

I like to: Read, watch TV, play “Go Fish” with my grandpa, play croquet and cook.

This book was about: A girl named Willow Doyle and her sister, Lucinda. Lucinda is a fairy, and in their family, everyone gets their powers when they turn 10. Willow did too, but she kept them a secret, because she wanted to go to a human school. Willow’s talent is talking to animals. She talks to a dog, who’s her best friend. She also meets a bird at a human friend’s house. Willow doesn’t like the bird’s feet, and the bird finds out and is not happy. Willow has done a lot of research on humans, and she’s going to become a fairy godmother. Later, Willow ends up saving her sister, after she’s caught in a jar.

The best part was when: Willow got to keep the dog. Because Willow could talk to animals, she told the dog not to eat her sister.

I smiled when: Willow got pink sparkly hair after she went to the doctor’s office.

I was worried when: The dog almost got run over, and when Willow told the bird it had weird feet.

I was surprised when: Willow still got to go to human school even though she hadn’t told her parents about her powers. She got to go all year because she saved her sister.

This book taught me: Only mythical creatures can talk to animals.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Willow.” “Fairy.” “Godmother.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “If your know-it-all sister is captured in a jar by the neighborhood humdrum kid, you might feel: A — happy, B — excited or C — really scared, and you might throw up.”

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The multiple-choice questions that start each chapter. They’re really funny.

You should read this book because: Willow gets to talk to animals, and I like animals. And there are fairies and godmothers and mythical creatures. I like all those things, too.

Thanks, Sonia. Have fun in fourth grade.

If you’d like to see what other reviewers had to say about this book, check out these blogs below. And, may I simply add, these are three of the best-named blogs I have encountered yet:

• My Love Affair with Books

• Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

• Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

And, if you’d like to learn more about author Eileen Cook — who’s written several awesome young-adult books, as well — visit her website or read this interview. Eileen also has a blog.

You might have heard some buzz about Sister Mischief, the debut young adult novel by Laura Goode (Candlewick, 2011).

And, you might be wondering what makes it so special.

Well, for one thing, it’s a sharply written book with compelling characters and an engaging plot. For another, it’s got a killer voice. Here’s a sample:

Me and my sisters are four mud-slinging, bomb-dropping, clam-jamming, bringers of mischief about to spit some rhymes like you’ve never heard … Hold on to your hosiery, because we’re about to load you up with a fat dose of wickedness, whimsy, thievery, sensation, charm and general ruckus-making.

In fact, New Mexico librarian Angie Manfredi (known as @misskubelik on Twitter) recently tweeted that this book was, “The best multicultural, feminist, lesbian, hip-hop romance you’ll ever read.”

And, she just might be right.

That’s why — if I were a librarian at Glee’s William McKinley High — I’d recommend this book to hilariously mean but troubled teen Santana Lopez, who’s played with skill by actress Naya Rivera.

Why? Because it says everything Santana needs to hear.

First, it has a main character just as strong and opinionated as Santana herself. Esme Rockett is the leader of an unlikely high school hip-hop group in Holyhill, Minnesota. She’s Jewish, lesbian and one heck of a lyricist. Her bandmates are her best friends — Marcy, Tess and Rohini, who’s better known as Rowie.

Second, Esme finds herself in a situation similar to Santana’s. Esme is in love with her best friend, Rowie. Rowie loves her back, but isn’t willing to go public with the relationship and isn’t even totally sure if she’s lesbian, bisexual or something else.

While Santana’s best friend and sometimes love interest, Brittany Pierce, doesn’t seem to feel the family pressure Rowie does to conform to a heterosexual lifestyle, Brittany did choose Artie over Santana last season and has not fully responded to several declarations of love from Santana.

But that might be OK.

Almost everyone has had the experience of loving someone who doesn’t love them back in the way they’d like. And few people find true, lasting love their first time out of the gate. I’d hope Santana would see that even though Esme’s romance with Rowie doesn’t end the way she hoped, Esme still has a lot to give and a bright future.

The biggest difference between Esme and Santana is that Esme has a core group of friends she trusts implicitly. Her life isn’t always easy, but her friends know her and love her. And, she has an extremely tolerant and understanding father. While Esme isn’t above causing chaos at school when she thinks there are wrongs to be righted, she doesn’t lash out randomly at her classmates like Santana famously does.

That’s because Esme has accepted herself, something Santana still struggles with.

So if I were Glee’s librarian, I’d give Santana the book and ask her to read it, paying special attention to page 256, where Esme’s dad comforts her, saying, “You did the most sacred, human thing in the world. You fell in love with another human being. I know how it feels to lose that.”

I’d also refer Santana to page 317, where Esme and Rowie have a hard conversation and decide their friendship and musical collaboration can continue even if their romance doesn’t. That also might be good for Santana to know. Last season, I got the feeling that Santana was hinging all her hopes on having things work out romantically with Brittany. And if the relationship doesn’t heat up in season three, she needs to have a back-up plan.

Other things that make this book a GLEE-ful read include:

• The original rap lyrics by Esme, Rowie and their friends. And, yes, they’re much better than “Trouty Mouth,” the single Santana penned last season on Glee.

• The shout-outs to female hip-hop and rock artists. There are mentions of Queen Latifah, MIA and Salt ‘N Peppa. There are references to Mary J. Blige, Lady Gaga, Patti Smith and more. In fact, you could spend a few enjoyable hours Googling or YouTubing some of the lesser-known artists mentioned just to get a feel for their music.

• The varied assortment of people in Esme’s circle of friends. There’s a super-smart Indian girl, a butch-looking band geek, a traditionally pretty and popular Minnesota-Lutheran girl, an African-American brother-and-sister team, and a skinny-jeaned hipster with more depth than you might originally expect. Their group meets in a shed off school property, but it almost could be the choir room at William McKinley. There’s even a strict but sympathetic teacher who keeps the group from getting into too much trouble.

So all things considered, I think you and Santana should check it out. Word.

If you’d like to see which books I’ve recommended to other Glee characters, they are:

• Santana Lopez – Sister Mischief by Laura Goode.
• Blaine Anderson – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin.
• Finn Hudson – Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron.
• Sam Evans – Guitar Boy by MJ Auch.
• Quinn Fabray – Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.
• David Karofsky – Dairy Queen and The Off Season both by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.
• Rachel Berry – Theater Geek by Mickey Rapkin.
• Kurt Hummel – Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan.

I often interview authors on my blog.

But today, I’m interviewing a teacher with a commitment to providing inclusive books to her students.

Meet Abigail Swetz, a mother, teacher, dog owner and (lesbian) wife who lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

During her first year teaching, Abigail taught anti-bullying lessons, integrated lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) books into her curriculum and helped found the Indian Mound Middle School Gay Straight Alliance (GSA).

The GSA raised awareness about anti-LGBTQ bullying by participating in the Day of Silence, when students across the nation take a voluntary vow of silence for a day to commemorate and honor all those throughout history who have been silenced by hatred and discrimination. Students could choose to wear a black ribbon and be silent, wear a rainbow ribbon in support, or not participate at all. Between students and staff, the GSA handed out more than 400 ribbons.

Today, Abby is an eighth-grade reading/language arts/social studies teacher at Georgia O’Keeffe Middle School in Madison.

And, I’m thrilled to have her visit Read, Write, Repeat and share her views on building an inclusive classroom or school library.

Why is it important for teachers and librarians to make sure their collections are as diverse and inclusive as possible?

I think Bonnie Augusta, who used to be the LGBTQ Resource Teacher for the Madison Metropolitan School District, said it best. Her argument was that students must see themselves reflected in the curriculum for them to learn. For example, if a primary school teacher is teaching a unit on families and only reads books with families that have two heterosexual married parents, then that teacher is ignoring the experiences of many of his or her students.

What about students with divorced parents who share custody? Or parents who aren’t married? Or single parents? Or same-sex couple parents? When a student see him or herself reflected in the curriculum, it creates an automatic buy-in.

The, “Wow! That’s exactly how I feel!” factor is, I believe, even more important during the middle-school years, when all kids are going through identity transformations and need to know there are all kinds of people out there in the world, and the world will accept you for whomever you figure out yourself to be.

What process should a teacher or librarian interested in developing a more inclusive collection follow? What resources should they consult?

There are a great many resources out there, I am happy to report, from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center and the American Library Association. Here are two links.

• CCBC’s list for Elementary School Children and Adolescents.
• ALA’s Rainbow List.

These lists are a great place to start. But I would make sure that adults who are looking to suggest books to children and young adults really consider how the LGBTQ aspect of the book is being presented before they do so, especially if a young person is questioning.

Some of these books are really quite brilliant; some of them are also quite heavy. Many books with LGBTQ characters deal with their struggle, and that’s accurate and I’m thankful those books exist. I’m also thankful that other, more positive, books exist. We don’t want to mislead adolescents into thinking life is all rosey, but if every “gay” book you have in your library includes anti-gay violence, then it’s time to add some different books.

What makes a library collection inclusive? How would a teacher or librarian know they’ve succeeded?

Covering the entire LGBTQ acronym (with more than a single book for each letter). When a student comes asking you for another suggestion after having read one of the books, you know you’re on your way.

How willing are children and teens to read about characters different than themselves?

Very willing! This might sound contrary to my previous statements about students needing to see themselves in the curriculum, but this is really just the flip side of that coin. When you think about it, reading a novel or memoir is really just legal identity theft. For a few hours while you read that book, you get to become someone else! Without any of the consequences of actually living that life? How amazing! And also, how important for adolescents trying to figure themselves out.

Are there any pitfalls to watch out for?

Yes, like I said before, try to avoid being overly negative.

Thanks, Abigail!

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Here is Abigail’s list of starter books she thinks well-equipped libraries should have on hand. All are appropriate for high school, and many for middle school. The letter in parentheses corresponds to the part of the LGBTQ acronym that the book represents.

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (G, with a bit of T)
The adorable story of a boy meeting a boy, courting that boy, messing up and losing that boy, and then gaining that boy back again. It’s so sweet that it almost smells like bubblegum, but don’t let that fool you, there’s some deep stuff in here about trust and friendship and what it feels like to be falling in love. Levithan is an inspired author. I routinely laugh out loud when reading his books, or I can be found scrambling for a pencil, wanting to copy down some amazing turn of phrase he’s made. Best for both middle and high school. (Editor’s note: This book was also featured on my blog as a GLEE-ful read recommendation for Kurt Hummel. Full review here.)

Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger (L)
Another book with an alternative structure, Hard Love intersperses its chapters with articles from the characters’ zines. (I described these to my students as “blogs before the Internet.”) The story follows Marisol, a “rich spoiled lesbian private-school gifted-and-talented writer virgin,” and Gio, whose name is really John but he was trying to impress Marisol so he changed it to sound more foreign and interesting. Marisol expands Gio’s world; Gio provides Marisol support. And falls for her in the process. Best for both middle and high school. (This book has a sequel, but I wouldn’t recommend it.)

Hero by Perry Moore (G)
In Moore’s world, superheroes exist. They form The League, an arm of the police force designed to deal with the supervillans who also exist. A coming-of-age story, Hero follows Thom as he discovers two key facts about himself — he is gay, and he has superpowers. Neither of which would make his father too happy, if he were to find out about them that is. Action-packed, and appropriate for both middle and high school.

Luna by Julie Anne Peters (T)
Luna tells the story of a transgender teen through the eyes of sister Regan. Liam is a senior, seemingly on his way to the Ivy League with fame and fortune to follow. But all he wants is to be Luna, the woman he truly is at heart. Regan has seen Liam dress as a woman for years in the privacy of their shared basement. This is the year Luna decides to climb the stairs for the rest of the world to see. Sad and yet hopeful, this book is appropriate for both middle and high schools.

So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez (Q, with a bit of G)
Frederick is the new kid in eighth grade. He’s also the short kid and the kid with asthma … and he definitely doesn’t want to add “the gay kid” to that list. But what if it’s true? As his relationships with Xio, his best friend who wants to be his girlfriend, Victor, the school’s gorgeous soccer star, and Iggy, whose brother even calls him the F-word, all develop, they lead Frederick down a questioning road. Will he ever figure himself out? Or let himself admit it? Best for middle school or an easy (and sweet) high school read.

The Misfits by James Howe (G)
The story of a lovable group of seventh-grade outcasts — the fat kid, the smart girl, the gay boy and the troublemaker — who try to make their school a better place by running for student council on the “No Name Calling Ticket.” This book was actually the inspiration for Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) No Name Calling Week, a nationwide event that promotes acceptance and builds anti-bullying allies at the beginning of the school year. Best for middle school.

Totally Joe by James Howe (G)
Joe is “the gay boy” from The Misfits, and this is the sequel to the other book, picking the story up after the group loses the election but succeeds in creating a No Name Calling campaign in their school with the help of staff. It chronicles Joe’s first (secret) relationship and his journey towards coming out. Best for middle school.

Wide Awake by David Levithan (G, with a bit of L)
The time is the very near future. America has just elected her first gay Jewish president. Plausible, right? Actually, the way Levithan writes it, seems so. No summary could do this story justice, so I’ll just say that if you need to restore your faith in humanity and people power, this is a truly brilliant read. Best only for high school.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green (G)
Each chapter of this book switches back and forth between two characters, both of who are named Will Grayson. Sound confusing? It’s not. The two writers have such skill and the two characters have such voice that the story of these two Wills who meet by happenstance unfolds seamlessly. The two young men share a friendship with Tiny, a very large gay high school actor/football player, who, in one fell swoop, shatters all gay stereotypes. Hilarious, and best for high school.

Two books I’d add to the list — with Abigail’s blessing — are:

Absolutely, Positively Not by David LaRochelle (Q and G)
Steven, 16, likes square dancing, his male health teacher and keeping International Male catalogs under his bed. But he is determined that he is absolutely, positively, not gay. To prove this, he tries to buy a Playboy magazine, tries mingling with the meathead jocks and has a series of disastrous dates with girls in his school. When Steven finally outs himself to his best friend, Rachel tells her entire family and urges him to form a gay-straight alliance. This book won the Sid Fleischman Humor Award the year it was published. Best for high school.

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger (G, with a little bit of L)
Russel Middlebrook is a sophomore at Goodkind High School. He has a secret crush on Kevin Land and soon discovers Kevin is also gay. The boys become friends and set up the “Geography Club” with three other gay students, one of whom is Russel’s closest friend, Min. Eventually, however, peer pressure and insecurity take their toll. Russel’s relationship with Kevin ends, but the “Geography Club” becomes the “Goodkind High School Gay-Straight-Bisexual Alliance,” and the protagonist gains new insight into himself and his place in the world. Best for high school.

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I hope this list gets you started reading and exploring. And, if you’re looking for more resources on LGBTQ literaure, I’d recommend:

• Lee Wind’s blog I’m Here. I’m Queer. What the Hell Do I Read?
• This forum, blog and fansite: Gay YA: GLBT Characters and Pairings in YA Fiction.

Blaine Anderson joined Glee last season as the seemingly cool-and-collected lead singer of the Dalton Academy Warblers, an all-boys a cappella glee club that competed against New Directions.

He quickly became more than that, however.

Blaine also befriended Kurt Hummel and shared his own experiences being bullied at his former school for being gay. He encouraged Kurt to stand up to David Karofsky and shared Dalton Academy’s zero-tolerance policy for harassment. After Kurt transferred to Dalton, his relationship with Blaine also became romantic. (For a look at how it all began, watch The Warblers’ a cappella version of “Teenage Dream”.)

It’s true that at the end of season two, Blaine, who’s ably portrayed by Darren Criss, didn’t attend William McKinley High. So even if I were the school’s librarian, I couldn’t officially recommend a book for him.

But because I’ve never seen a single faculty member at Dalton Academy or any evidence the school even has a library, I’d feel comfortable making a casual suggestion the next time Blaine stops by to visit Kurt.

And that suggestion would be Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory by Mickey Rapkin (Gotham Books, 2008).

Why? It’s a love song to the collegiate groups the Warblers were modeled after.

The book chronicles how the college a cappella movement started when the Yale Whiffenpoofs formed in 1909 and how it’s grown to where it stands today with intense rivalries, national championships, groupies (yes, groupies!) and increasingly complex and evolving arrangements.

Rapkin focuses on three college groups — the all-female Divisi from the the University of Oregon, the irreverent Hullabahoos from the University of Virginia and the tradition-bound Beelzebubs from Tufts University. He looks at everything from the groups’ histories and cultures and quest for vocal perfection to their egos, immaturity and inevitable conflicts.

And, it’s a hell of a read.

I read a lot of books. And this one was so good I had to put it down a few times because I just didn’t want it to end. Rapkin does a great job of making us care about the members of each group even when we’re cringing for crises going on in their personal lives or shaking our heads at some of their decisions. (Note to future a cappellers: NEVER set fire to the mansion an influential alumni is nice enough to let you use.)

The book is also chock full of musical minutiae — arrangements and key changes and choreography and costumes. I like that sort of thing, and if you do too, you’ll be fascinated.

This book would also show Blaine it’s OK to loosen up a little.

The Beelzebubs (who, by the way, sing background on all of Glee’s season two Warblers songs) are very traditional and buttoned up, at least publicly. But the Hullahoos perform in T-shirts, shorts and what looks like wacked-out liturgical robes for goodness sake. And all three groups have enough backstage drama to keep a small soap opera afloat for a season or two.

Despite this, group members can usually laugh at themselves. In fact, they spend almost as much time doing the sort of activities you might expect from overconfident college students — drinking … peeing on a competing group’s van … drinking … making inappropriate sexual references … drinking — as they do perfecting their harmonies.

Blaine’s a great character, but he’s very serious.

I’m not sure he’s intentionally cracked a joke on the show yet. Not that he hasn’t had unintentionally funny lines. My favorites?

“Do you know how many Gaps there are in Ohio? Tons!” (This was said to reassure Kurt that the Warblers would still have chances to perform even though they didn’t qualify for Nationals.)

And …

“I don’t think I’ve ever made a bigger fool out of myself. And that’s really saying something … because I’ve performed in theme parks.” (Said after Blaine’s public, Valentine’s Day seranade of a Gap employee did not have the romantic results he’d hoped for.)

If I were Glee’s librarian, I’d hand Blaine the paperback edition of Pitch Perfect, asking him to pay particular attention to the clever chapter subtitles, such as:

“Chapter One: Wherein twelve ladies in red ties are snubbed at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella — and contemplate returning for seconds.”

And …

“Chapter Ten: Wherein the Hullabahoos travel to Los Angeles for winter break 2007 and attempt to (among other things) gain admission to the Playboy Mansion.”

I’d also ask him to check out page 214 where the Hullabahoos have a major misfire on stage and all of Chapter 11 where Divisi — despite giving a strong performance — loses to the group it’s been focused on beating all year.

It would help Blaine see he doesn’t have to be perfect.

He needs to know that talented, successful people make mistakes all the time. Then, they recover and take more chances. Blaine hides a lot of his insecurities under a very composed, controlled exterior. And, that’s cool … sometimes.

But, if Blaine had been a part of New Directions last season when the kids all wore T-shirts proclaiming what they were most insecure about, I wonder what his would have said. He hasn’t let much slip so far. We know he was beaten up at his first school after attending a dance and that he regrets not standing up for himself. And he’s hinted his relationship with his father isn’t ideal.

I’m not saying Blaine has to wear his heart on his sleeve like so many other characters do, but I think he’d be happier if he learned to let down his guard a little and be OK with being human.

This book also qualifies as a GLEE-ful read because it emphasizes song choice.

And we all know how important that has been to New Directions. The book analyzes how The Beelzebubs sang Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” and, in the process, revolutionized how a cappella songs are arranged. How Divisi broke new ground performing Usher’s “Yeah.” How the Hullabhoos lived and died with U2′s “One.”

For the technically minded among you, there’s also a lot of detail about how an a cappella group is recorded to make the most of its sound — and both sides of the debate about how processed, auto-tuned and polished an a cappella album should be.

So all in all, I think Blaine would enjoy it, and so would you.

If you’d like to see which books I’ve recommended to other Glee characters, they are:

• Blaine Anderson – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin.
• Finn Hudson – Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron.
• Sam Evans – Guitar Boy by MJ Auch.
• Quinn Fabray – Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.
• David Karofsky – Dairy Queen and The Off Season both by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.
• Rachel Berry – Theater Geek by Mickey Rapkin.
• Kurt Hummel – Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan.