Welcome to The Reel Shelf, a new weekly feature here at Books in the Spotlight where I imagine what's on my favorite TV/Movie character's book shelves. There are very few television shows that accurately depict the life of an average American teenager. The short-lived but much loved show, My So-Called Life, was ahead of its time in combining wonderful insight, realistic teen issues, and a great cast of characters. It was one of the most talked about show when I was a teen and could really see myself as the main character and narrator Angela Chase.




 Angela Chase, played by Claire Danes, is a sophomore at Liberty High School in Three Rivers, Pennsylvania. Like most teens trying to survive high school, Angela is attempting to discover and assert her identity. To do this, she expands her circle of friends which allows her to get out of her own comfort zone and see the real world. Angela has a complex relationship with Jordan Catalano. Though Angela finds herself in precarious and sometimes dangerous situations, she always remains true to her values. I imagine Angela's bookshelf to contain several contemporary, realistic novels featuring a protagonist who are also stumbling through adolescence and trying to make sense of their life.