Anyway, I haven't read the whole series, because I had to stop at some point to read some other books. But I'm now fully addicted to the tv series on the CW. I love some of the elements of the series that they've put in, but I also love that it's become its own entity. Unfortunately, I hate the characters of Dan and Vanessa, and I loved them both in the books. I adore Blaire and Serena, though--and in the books, I was less attached to them. Meg Cabot wrote in her blog about being annoyed that the TV version had turned the story into a morality play--especially when it comes to Serena, who certainly is nowhere near as reformed in the books as she is on the show--and while I see her point, I think that the show does need one character who is the story's moral compass. In the books, I think it was Dan. In the show, I think it's Serena. Dan comes across as sanctimonious and whiny in the TV version, if you ask me.
I know that the girls at my school are eating up the show--and checking out the books more than usual. I think it hits all the right notes, and it's SO satisfying.
My first book challenge was over Gossip Girl. A 6th grader brought it home, and her mom contacted me about it. The ensuing conversation was really hard for me, because I understood the mother's point of view (her daughter was only 11 at the time), but my own convictions couldn't allow me to agree that the book shouldn't be in the library. Ultimately, the mom dropped the challenge. When I told Robin about it, he secretly emailed Cecily Von Ziegesar to tell her what had happened. I got an email from her that made. my. year. I won't reprint it in its entirety because I feel like that's a violation of her privacy, but the part that got especially got me was this:
I'm eternally grateful for your bravery and commitment. You have my full support, and without question the support of the entire library community--librarians love Gossip Girl!
It's soooo easy to bash Gossip Girl. Hey, my fellow school librarians do it all the time on LM_NET (which I just shouldn't read...it gives me heartburn). But go ahead and apply those 40 developmental assets and see what you come up with. Sure, on first glance, it might seem like these books--and even the show, to a lesser extent--are about rich teenagers with no morals and no consequences. But that's the lazy way out. Whether girls are reading it because of the breathless drama or the fact that they feel emotionally connected to one or more of the characters, the fact is that they ARE reading about teens who think, feel, and act much the same way that they do--just, maybe, with better shoes.
Of course, deciphering all this means actually READING the books...which I doubt many of the dissenters have done.
Regardless, I will always love Gossip Girl, and I will always have the utmost respect for the series' creator...and it's pretty cool to have her email in my address book!
