A collection of orginal short stories capturing the subject of life at the age of sixteen features new works by Meg Cabot, Emma Forrest, Joseph Weisberg, Julianna Baggott, Megan McCafferty, and other notable young adult and adult authors. Original. 50,000 first printing. foreword ix Megan McCofferty Infinity 1(15) Sarah Dessen Relent/Persist 16(24) Zoe Trope The Future Lives of Emily Milty 40(20) Julianna Boggott Rutford Becomes a Man 60(25) Ned Vizzini The Grief Diet 85(12) Emma Forrest Mona Lisa, Jesus, Chad, and Me 97(12) Carolyn Mackler The Alumni Interview 109(11) David Levithan Cat Got Your Tongue? 120(49) Sonya Sones The Day I Turned Chickenhearted 169(14) Steve Almond Venetian Fan 183(11) Cat Bauer Kissing Lessons 194(16) Joseph Weisberg Nebraska 99 210(8) Jacqueline Woodson The Perfect Kiss 218(25) Sarah Mlynowski Cowgirls & Indie Boys 243(34) Tanuja Desai Hidier The Mud and Fever Dialogues 277(15) M. T. Anderson Fifteen Going On . . . 292(17) Megan McCafferty acknowledgments 309(2) about the contributors 311