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Karen MacPherson, the children's/teen librarian at the Takoma Park, Md., Library, writes this col umn weekly. She can be reached at karen.macpherson@ gmail.com.
John Green: From bad boy to Printz Award winner
Six years ago John Green had a job re-typing the acceptance speech of Walter Dean Myers, who had just won the first-ever Michael Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature for his novel "Monster."
This year Green wrote his own speech after winning the Printz Award for his first novel, "Looking for Alaska" (Dutton, $15.99). Praised by critics as a remarkable debut, the book focuses on a teen's efforts to come to grips with a life-changing tragedy.
"I grew up with this award," Green said in a recent telephone interview from his New York City home.
Now Green, 29, has just published his second young adult novel, "An Abundance of Katherines" (Dutton, $16.99). Unlike "Looking for Alaska," Green's latest book is a comic novel about a newly minted high school graduate and prodigy, Colin Singleton, who sets off on a summer road trip with his best friend, Hassan. Along the way, Colin, who is reeling from his 19th breakup -- all with girls named Katherine -- finally finds true love.
Totally different in tone from his first book, "An Abundance of Katherines" is...