Beacon Street Girls

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The Beacon Street Girls (BSG) is a young adult book series by Annie Bryant. The series was created by Addie Swartz [1] and initially published by B*tween Productions, then licensed by Simon & Schuster. [2]

Contents

Author

"Annie Bryant" is a pseudonym for a group of writers who wrote the Beacon Street Girls books. The series was edited by Roberta MacPhee. [ citation needed ]

Background

The Beacon Street Girls brand started in 2003 by entrepreneur Addie Swartz. It comprised a book series, branded gifts and a website, all aimed at creating healthier role models and more positive messages for pre-teen girls. The series is designed for girls ages 9–14 and was produced following consultations with experts in different areas of teen research. The books offer an alternative to the perceived preponderance of provocative and objectionable messages aimed at youth culture, particularly "tweens". [3] Books were initially bundled with bags, backpacks and accessories, and sold as a package. The series was self-published by B*tween Productions as part of a bigger initiative to create a multi-media brand that was healthy and positive. The books were subsequently licensed to Simon & Schuster in 2007. Initial runs of the series were limited to 5,000 to 10,000 printings but sold out quickly. [4] [5]

Reception

Community and critical reception to the series has been very positive, with educators praising the series for its focus on tackling issues such as cyber-bullying, under-age drinking, childhood obesity, and responsible weight loss. A longitudinal study conducted by Duke Medical Center on the influence of reading on weight loss showed that "girls who read the book entitled Charlotte in Paris ... saw a dip in their BMI scores, but not as much as those who read the Beacon Street Girls book Lake Rescue." [6] [7] The School Library Journal praised the series, writing that Katani's Jamaican Holiday was "a lively introduction to Jamaica's rich history, culture, and lifestyle." [8]

Characters

Books in the series

Main Series:

Special Adventures:

References

  1. Brand beacon tries to light the way for girls between toys and boys Archived 2021-09-21 at the Wayback Machine , Kellogg, Northwestern
  2. S&S Kids' Unit Adds Beacon Street Series Archived 2012-08-23 at the Wayback Machine , Publishers Weekly
  3. Boston Globe: `Beacon Street Girls' goes beyond kid stuff. Archived 2009-02-28 at the Wayback Machine URL accessed 14 June 2008.
  4. New Tweens Line Modeled After American Girl, Publishers Weekly
  5. Beacon Street Girls are going global, with publisher's help Archived 2015-02-18 at the Wayback Machine , Boston.com
  6. Lose Weight by Reading Archived 2012-08-20 at the Wayback Machine , Publishers Weekly
  7. Youth lit used as weight-loss tool Archived 2011-12-27 at the Wayback Machine , USA Today
  8. Grades 5 & Up Archived 2008-09-30 at the Wayback Machine , School Library Journal