NOT LIKE I’M JEALOUS OR ANYTHING

This literary collection touts jealousy as its theme, a subject with which many self-exploring teens can identify as they size up their worlds in comparison to their that of their peers—and invariably find something to covet. Many of the characters in the pieces contained here—such as Jaclyn Moriarty’s and E. Lockhart’s—do just that, although many conclude that they have something of their own to be thankful for in the end. Back-to-back essays by Ned Vizzini and Marty Beckerman humorously shed light on the fact that heroes have insecurities, too, and Dyan Sheldon explores the dangers of a jealous boyfriend. As the title for one contribution states, “We’re all green about something.” As if to illustrate this point, the editor unabashedly admits to an almost-constant state of envy, and an extra section at the end of the collection contains lists of songs, movies and other things that deal with this emotion. The editor may have done well to glorify the “green-eyed monster” a little less, but the pieces are well-written and entertaining, and the collection is cohesively crafted. (Anthology. YA)