Hot Summer Watching... and Reading: Pretty Little Liars
RSSJoy Fleishhacker
A beguiling brew of murder mystery, soap opera, and adolescent angst, Pretty Little Liars (TV-14) premiered on June 8, 2010 on the ABC Family network. Approximately 2.5 million viewers tuned in to savor the first of the season's 10 scheduled episodes, with the buzz continuing to build.
The show is based on Sara Shepard's popular "Pretty Little Liars" novels (HarperTeen), a book series that originated with Alloy Entertainment, the company responsible for developing and creating trend-setting, media-crossing properties such as Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries.
Set in the quiet, privileged town of Rosewood, the action centers around the eventful lives of four attractive high school girls: Aria (Lucy Hale), Spencer (Troian Bellisario), Hanna (Ashley Benson), and Emily (Shay Mitchell). Once the best of friends, the girls swore that they would never reveal the truth about what really happened one year ago on the fateful night when Alison (Sasha Pieterse), the leader of their clique, vanished into thin air. Despite this bond of secrecy, the girls have since drifted apart. Now the mysteries surrounding Alison's disappearance have once again emerged. The girls have begun to receive messages from a shadowy sender, identified only as "A," and these menacing missives contain information that only Alison could know. Unfolding events have revived the friendship among the foursome, but can these teens really trust one another? What will happen as the enigmatic "A" threatens to reveal their darkest secrets... both those long buried and an assortment of newer-and deliciously scandalous-tidbits?
Teens can visit the show's website to catch up on all of the plot twists and turns by reading summaries, browsing photo recaps, and watching full episodes. With video cast-member interviews, lists of the actors' favorite tunes and fashions, fan polls, numerous photo galleries, and blogs galore, there's plenty here to browse and gossip about. "Pretty Little Fashions" provides glimpses of the characters' clothing and makeup and offers tips on how to "Get the Look." There are even games, including a plot-themed word search and a "Sneak Peek" jigsaw puzzle. A link takes readers to HarperTeen's site, where they can peruse Shepard's Pretty Little Liars novel online in its entirety.
HarperTeen has reissued Shepard's first volume with a TV tie-in cover photo featuring the show's promotional poster: dressed to the nines and looking flirtatious, the four main cast members are perched atop a pile of dirt, which also covers their arms and faces, and appear to have just dug up-or covered over-something juicy. Given the show's popularity, this book will fly off library shelves. However, Shepard's series stands firmly on its own merits, with a solid word-of-mouth following among teens and more than one million copies of the first seven titles sold. Easily identifiable by their familiar covers-doll versions of the story's female characters set against pastel backdrops-the series has kept fans on the edge of their seats with an enticing combo of cleverly placed red herrings, jaw-dropping scandals, and tantalizing suspense. The eighth and final volume, Wanted, has just been published, with the promise of tying up loose ends and perhaps throwing out one or two more dramatic twists. Readers can visit HarperTeen's dedicated website and the "Pretty Little Liars" official website, both replete with photos of the TV cast and links to the show, for info about the characters, books, and author as well as quizzes, a "Doll Yourself" feature, and the opportunity to sign up for news, giveaways, and more.
Create a "Pretty Little Liars" book display, and invite fans of the show to cozy up with a volume at the beach or in the backyard, while waiting for the next episode to air.
Pub Info
SHEPARD, Sara. Pretty Little Liars. TV tie-in ed. 2010. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-200954-8.
_____. Pretty Little Liars. 2007. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-088732-2.
_____. Pretty Little Liars #2: Flawless. 2008. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-088735-3.
_____. Pretty Little Liars #3: Perfect. 2008. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-088738-4.
_____. Pretty Little Liars #4: Unbelievable. 2008. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-088741-4.
_____. Pretty Little Liars #5: Wicked. 2009. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-156607-3; pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-156610-3.
_____. Pretty Little Liars #6: Killer. 2009. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-156611-0; pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-156613-4.
_____. Pretty Little Liars #7: Heartless. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-156614-1; pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-156616-5.
_____. Pretty Little Liars #8: Wanted. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-156617-2.
Ea vol: HarperTeen.
