Award-winning author Catherine Gilbert Murdock, whose young-adult novels feature plucky heroines who reject the roles society expects of them, will read and answer questions about Dairy Queen, its sequel The Off Season, and the just-released Princess Ben, on Sunday, April 20, at Davidson College. Murdock is the sister of Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the best-selling memoir, Eat, Pray, Love, a book that has inspired millions of readers to embark on their own spiritual journeys.

Murdock’s heroines include a dairy farmer’s daughter who goes out for the high school football team, and a princess who loves food and hates fancy dresses. The books are smart, funny, and entertaining. If you haven’t read them, you still have time before her April visit.

PARENT-CHILD READING

Better yet, read them with your preteen or teenage children — that’s what Davidson resident Susan Campbell did with her 14-year-old daughter Paulina.

“They’re great to read aloud back to back,” says Susan, about Dairy Queen and The Off Season, “They’re very funny, and the characters are very believable.” According to Paulina, “You can identify with D.J. [the main character] even if you’re not in her situation. The problems she faces can be related to the problems any girl faces because of gender stereotypes—what girls are expected to do versus what boys are expected to do. D.J. faces the message she gets from the world by breaking it.”

Paulina recommends the books for middle school and high school readers: “Mostly girls but guys wouldn’t have a problem reading the books because D.J. has brothers, and hopefully, guys wouldn’t mind reading about girls.” Other teenagers clearly agree, because both books made Teenreads.com’s “Ultimate Teen Reading List,” a ranking that includes classics such as The Catcher in the Rye, The Chronicles of Narnia, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

WANT TO GO?

Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s reading and book signing is free and open to the public: Sunday, April 20th, 7:30 p.m., C. Shaw Smith 900 Room, Alvarez College Union, Davidson College.