Adult « Dear Teen Me

Dear Teen Me by author Sarra Manning (ADORKABLE, GUITAR GIRL)

Hello you, I’m going to start by saying that I’m really proud of you because not many people say that to you. You’re passionate about the things that you love (and also the things you hate.) You’re politically engaged enough that you’ll spend a Saturday afternoon marching for a good cause but also because you [...] [...]

Dear Teen Me from author C.C. Hunter (BORN AT MIDNIGHT, AWAKE AT DAWN, CHOSEN AT MIDNIGHT)

Dear Teen Me, You know that boy that you are certain is going to break up with you because you don’t want to go all the way, and you know you’ll just die when he does? Well, you’re wrong. Not that he won’t break up with you. He will. But you won’t die. You’re making [...] [...]

Dear Teen Me from author Joan Lester (BLACK, WHITE, OTHER; MAMA’S CHILD)

Dear Teen Joan, At 19, you’re squatting in your parents’ living room throwing up all over the floor, all over yourself. You’ve just swallowed a bottle of aspirin, after confiding to your boyfriend that you’re suffering from “melancholia.” That sounds sophisticated—even French, maybe, like the Gauloises cigarettes you chain smoke. You’re a proud Beatnik and [...] [...]

Dear Teen Me from author Suzanne Palmieri (THE WITCH OF LITTLE ITALY)

Dear 17 year old Suzanne, This is a hard letter to write. Hard because I know how much pain you’re in. And I know there’s more to come. Much more. I’m so sorry about that. You know that saying? The one that says, “You have to experience ALL the things in order to be who [...] [...]

Dear Teen Me from author T.L. Cooper (ALL SHE EVER WANTED, MEMORY IN SILHOUETTE)

Dear Teen Me, Take to the dance floor Even if no one joins you Like at your Freshman Snowball Dance Embrace the moment Feel the rhythm Sway to music When your sash falls off Catch it as it falls Incorporate it into your moves As if you planned for it to come undone Stand in [...] [...]

Dear Teen Me from author Laura Fernández (WENDOLIN KRAMER, LA CHICA ZOMBIE)

Dear Teen Me, One day your favorite expression will be: Oh, in the name of all the galactic gods! And you’ll write a short story entitled “Why in the name of all the galactic gods, did it have to be HER?,” which will be the departure point for your own universe, a separate universe, where [...] [...]

Dear Teen Me from author Tim Lebbon (REAPER’S LEGACY, THE ISLAND, COLDBROOK)

Dear Teen Me, Right. I suppose I could warn you about a lot of stuff, but then if you took heed––and let’s face it, you’re a teenager, and they’re a strange breed not so well known for listening to their elders––then you wouldn’t grow into me! You’d take different choices in life, avoid certain situations [...] [...]

Dear Teen Me from author Rachel Shukert (STARSTRUCK, HAVE YOU NO SHAME?)

Dear Teen Me, If I’m remembering right—and I’m pretty sure I am—there’s only one thing in the world that you want to know from the You of the Future (which is me, but let’s not go too far down the metaphysical rabbit hole), so I’m just going to come right and tell you: You’re not [...] [...]

Dear Teen Me from author Rainbow Rowell (ATTACHMENTS, ELEANOR & PARK)

Dear teen me, You read too much science fiction. Maybe if you read some Sweet Valley High once in a while, I wouldn’t be sitting here, thinking about time travel and worrying that any good advice I give you could sabotage the timestream. Like, I could tell you that seventh grade is the worst year [...] [...]

Dear Teen Me from author Elizabeth Crane (YOU MUST BE THIS HAPPY TO ENTER, WE ONLY KNOW SO MUCH)

Dear Teen Me, Okay look, there’s some good news and bad news. Bad news first: That boy you like this week, he’s not interested. I don’t know why. He’s just not. Or if he is, he’s not ever going to do anything about it. But I’m pretty sure he’s just not. Even worse: All the [...] [...]