Carolyn Mackler
July 23, 2020
Carolyn Mackler wrote the teen novels The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things and Love and Other Four-Letter Words.
One thread of the journal that has taken up permanent residence in my mind is Anne’s growing relationship with Peter and all of the utterly “normal” chatter surrounding her crush. Even in dire circumstances, a 15-year-old girl can still fill pages about a boy, detailing each encounter with the precision of a heart surgeon. As I write my own novels, I frequently think of Anne and Peter, and therefore I never, ever forget the magnificent power of a teen crush.
