HAPPY FRIDAY, friends. It’s been a busy week, and I, for one, couldn’t be more excited that the weekend is mere hours away. But first: The News.
Book-related Things
The Parents Action League of Minnesota's Anoka-Hennepin school district is working to ban Eleanor & Park—a book supposedly “littered with extreme profanity and age-inappropriate subject matter”—from the high school reading list. Here’s what author Rainbow Rowell had to say about the situation. NPR even weighed in on the issue.
Kirkus Reviews is turning 80 this year! The company is celebrating with 80 days of giveaways, literary trivia … and a chance to win a New York City Literary Tour (including airfare, lodging and tickets to NYC literary hot spots)!
Let’s put James Franco on the covers of ALL THE BOOKS!
Here’s a list of 25 must-read YA titles that prominently feature gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning characters. And a look at the diversity in the books featured in the American Library Association’s list of Best Fiction for Young Adults.
Maggie Stiefvater recently picked her top 5 “most epic couples” in YA.
Rick Yancey has revealed the title of the sequel to The Fifth Wave in this interview with EW.
Movie-related Things
Want to be a part of the first Divergent teaser posters? Post Vines, GIFs, photos or artwork explaining what makes you different on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr or Vine and tag them I AM #DIVERGENT for a chance to be featured. (More info here.)
No one messes with HRH J.K. Rowling’s ideas: Part of her contract for Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them stops Warner Bros from altering the screenplay.
Here’s a great guide to the characters and cast of the upcoming film version of Into the Woods.
Check out this trailer for the new Great Expectations adaptation starring Helena Bonham Carter (as Miss Havisham, natch) and Ralph Fiennes (as Magwich):
Julianne Moore and Lily Rabe have signed on to The Hunger Games series as President Alma Coin and Commander Lyme, respectively. Be sure to check out the great Capital Couture portraits of Caesar, Johanna and Effie, along with some information on the actual fashion line from the series' costume designer (being released via Net-A-Porter in November), here.
TV-related Things
The CW is working on a new series called ZE about a transgender teen. It’s being described as a “quirky, yet raw” family drama.
“Virginia Woolf” will be making an appearance on the fourth season of Downton Abbey.
Marvel might be working on another show for the small screen, this time based on/around the “Agent Carter” short that will be released on the Iron Man 3 Blu-ray.
Supernatural gag reels are some of my favorite things ever. Here’s the latest (from season 8, so possible spoilers if you’re not caught up):
Glee-alum Grant Gustin will be playing Barry Allen—better known as The Flash—on the upcoming season of Arrow. There has been talk that he’ll get his own spin-off show.
This poster for NBC’s The Sound of Music Live! is terribad.
See?
Miscellaneous Things
Richard Schaefer, a costume design student, dresses up as Disney princes … and their princesses. I would totally give him a BFF charm. Kid’s got skills.
Regardless if you disagree with the statement that “Prince Eric is the best Disney prince” (I do), we can all agree that it’s OK to be attracted to cartoons.
This new Kickstarter will help you achieve that lifelong goal of marrying Mr. Darcy—in a strategy card game for 2–6 players, at least.
Kuzya is a cat who lives in Russia, wears bow ties and works in a library.
Did we miss anything amazing? Let us know in the comments!