The Attitude Girl

In addition to being a first-place winner in the Arizona Authors Association Annual Literary Awards contest, Mila Bernadkin's debut novel draws on her experience as a teacher, mother and advanced graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature to create a novel that identifies with the tremulous world of confusing emotions and mixed messages of "maturity" today's teens live in as they feel their way through the process of becoming young adults. YA readers of The Attitude Girl rejoice knowing that someonein this case Bernadkinreally "gets them" and understands the difficulties of being a 21st century teenager, but they also feel comforted by the resolution presented in the book. On the other hand, adult readers gain better insight into the challenges today's teenager's face. Winner (1st place) in the Teenage/Young Adult category at the 2009 London Book Festival, Honorable Mention in the Teenage category at the 2009 Los Angeles Book Festival and Honorable Mention in the Teenage category at the 2009 DIY Book Festival.