Friday Five #9: Reading Roundup

Happy Friday! Lots of interesting reads to share this week:

1. A seriously beautiful post from a writer with serious chops: Libba Bray on what haunted her at seventeen (for Nova Ren Suma's 17 & Gone release)
2. A YALSA post about Boy Books, Girl Books, and what we're teaching kids about who should read what. I think everything about the situation is more complex than the article presents, but what it does say is true.
3. Perfectly accurate post on how to be a perfect parent in 5 easy steps! (Hint: you'll never be, and that's okay)
4. Two on education, starting with this thought-provoking article full of hard truths and minimal educational-rhetoric-blah-di-blah on the exhaustion of American teachers and finishing with this on one what exactly the Finnish did to climb to the top of the education mountain. (Hint: it's probably not what you think!; but also, the entire population of their country is a relatively homogeneous 5.3 million, or ~1/4 the population of New York State)
5. And finally, this Salon article with the typically inflammatory headline about the reality of a self-publishing bestseller's dollars and cents. (Hint: it's less than you think, but more than the title implies)

Whew. So, what have YOU been reading?