Jessica Darling
Encyclopedia
The Jessica Darling books are a The New York Times bestselling
series of five young adult novels by Megan McCafferty
, published between 2001 and 2009. Told from the diary-style perspective of character Jessica Darling, the series chronicles her misadventures through high school, college, and beyond. McCafferty also published a Jessica Darling short story
called "Fifteen Going On ..." in a 2004 anthology
she edited called Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday.
In 2006, Harvard
student Kaavya Viswanathan
was accused of plagiarizing
the first two Jessica Darling novels, as well as the works of other writers, in her highly-publicized debut novel
How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life.
The first two novels in the series, Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, were first published in paperback
by Three Rivers Press
. The subsequent three novels were first published in hardcover
by Crown
, with later paperback editions by Three Rivers Press.
reported that several portions of Kaavya Viswanathan's highly-publicized debut novel How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life appeared to have been plagiarized from Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, noting over a dozen similar passages. At the time, Viswanathan's novel had reached 32nd on The New York Times
hardcover
fiction bestseller list. McCafferty's third Jessica Darling novel, Charmed Thirds, had just been released a week after Opal Mehta, and was No. 19 on the same list. McCafferty had been made aware of the allegations on April 11, 2006, the same day Charmed Thirds was released and nearly two weeks before the story went public. She later said that reading Viswanathan's book was like "recognizing your own child's face. My own words were just leaping out at me page after page after page."
On April 24, 2006, Little, Brown issued a statement from Viswanathan in which the author admitted to reading McCafferty's novels but stated that any similarities between them and her own work were "completely unintentional and unconscious." The next day, McCafferty's publisher Crown
issued a response, calling Viswanathan's statement "deeply troubling and disingenuous" and asserting that her claim "that similarities in her phrasing were 'unconscious' or 'unintentional' is suspect." Noting more than 40 passages from Opal Mehta containing "identical language and/or common scene or dialogue structure" from McCafferty's novels, Crown called the incident "nothing less than an act of literary identity theft" and stated that "Based on the scope and character of the similarities, it is inconceivable that this was a display of youthful innocence or an unconscious or unintentional act." In an April 26, 2006 interview with The New York Times, Viswanathan suggested that some of the plagiarism may have happened because she read both of McCafferty's books multiple times and has a photographic memory
. "I remember by reading," she said. "I never take notes." She added "I've never read a novel with an Indian-American protagonist ... The plot points are reflections of my own experience. I'm an Indian-American."
In her initial statement on April 24, 2006, Viswanathan had stated that she and the publisher would be revising her novel for future printings "to eliminate any inappropriate similarities." Little, Brown later noted that an acknowledgment to McCafferty would be added as well, and recalled all copies of Opal Mehta on April 27, 2006. On May 2, 2006, after further reports had come to light alleging that Viswanathan had plagiarized from other sources as well, Little, Brown released a statement saying that they would not be publishing a revised edition of Opal Mehta, or a second book by Viswanathan."
McCafferty noted that "Books for teens have taken a huge beating in the media" in the aftermath of the incident. "These very elitist comments about 'how all books for teens are crap; so isn't this just crap stealing from crap'. My books are not crap." McCafferty noted that she was insulted by an opinion letter published in The New York Times in which one writer wrote that teen books are "undemanding literature for undemanding readers." "There's so much good writing for teenagers now," she said. "People make across the board judgments."
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
series of five young adult novels by Megan McCafferty
Megan McCafferty
Megan Fitzmorris McCafferty is an American author known for The New York Times bestselling Jessica Darling series of young-adult novels published between 2001 and 2009...
, published between 2001 and 2009. Told from the diary-style perspective of character Jessica Darling, the series chronicles her misadventures through high school, college, and beyond. McCafferty also published a Jessica Darling short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
called "Fifteen Going On ..." in a 2004 anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
she edited called Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday.
In 2006, Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
student Kaavya Viswanathan
Kaavya Viswanathan
How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life is a young adult novel by Kaavya Viswanathan, an Indian-American woman who wrote it just after she graduated from high school. Its 2006 debut was highly publicized, but the book was withdrawn after allegations that portions had been plagiarized...
was accused of plagiarizing
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
the first two Jessica Darling novels, as well as the works of other writers, in her highly-publicized debut novel
Debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...
How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life.
Novels
- Sloppy Firsts (August 28, 2001)
- Second Helpings (April 22, 2003)
- Charmed Thirds (April 11, 2006)
- Fourth Comings (August 7, 2007)
- Perfect Fifths (April 14, 2009)
The first two novels in the series, Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, were first published in paperback
Paperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
by Three Rivers Press
Three Rivers Press
Three Rivers Press is the trade paperback imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House. It publishes original paperback titles as well as paperback reprints of books issued initially in hardcover by the other Crown imprints.- History :...
. The subsequent three novels were first published in hardcover
Hardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
by Crown
Crown Publishing Group
-External links:*...
, with later paperback editions by Three Rivers Press.
Short story
McCafferty published a Jessica Darling short story called "Fifteen Going On ..." in a May 25, 2004 anthology called Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday, which she also edited.Controversy
On April 23, 2006, The Harvard CrimsonThe Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson, the daily student newspaper of Harvard University, was founded in 1873. It is the only daily newspaper in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is run entirely by Harvard College undergraduates...
reported that several portions of Kaavya Viswanathan's highly-publicized debut novel How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life appeared to have been plagiarized from Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, noting over a dozen similar passages. At the time, Viswanathan's novel had reached 32nd on The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
hardcover
Hardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
fiction bestseller list. McCafferty's third Jessica Darling novel, Charmed Thirds, had just been released a week after Opal Mehta, and was No. 19 on the same list. McCafferty had been made aware of the allegations on April 11, 2006, the same day Charmed Thirds was released and nearly two weeks before the story went public. She later said that reading Viswanathan's book was like "recognizing your own child's face. My own words were just leaping out at me page after page after page."
On April 24, 2006, Little, Brown issued a statement from Viswanathan in which the author admitted to reading McCafferty's novels but stated that any similarities between them and her own work were "completely unintentional and unconscious." The next day, McCafferty's publisher Crown
Crown Publishing Group
-External links:*...
issued a response, calling Viswanathan's statement "deeply troubling and disingenuous" and asserting that her claim "that similarities in her phrasing were 'unconscious' or 'unintentional' is suspect." Noting more than 40 passages from Opal Mehta containing "identical language and/or common scene or dialogue structure" from McCafferty's novels, Crown called the incident "nothing less than an act of literary identity theft" and stated that "Based on the scope and character of the similarities, it is inconceivable that this was a display of youthful innocence or an unconscious or unintentional act." In an April 26, 2006 interview with The New York Times, Viswanathan suggested that some of the plagiarism may have happened because she read both of McCafferty's books multiple times and has a photographic memory
Eidetic memory
Eidetic , commonly referred to as photographic memory, is a medical term, popularly defined as the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with extreme precision and in abundant volume. The word eidetic, referring to extraordinarily detailed and vivid recall not limited to, but...
. "I remember by reading," she said. "I never take notes." She added "I've never read a novel with an Indian-American protagonist ... The plot points are reflections of my own experience. I'm an Indian-American."
In her initial statement on April 24, 2006, Viswanathan had stated that she and the publisher would be revising her novel for future printings "to eliminate any inappropriate similarities." Little, Brown later noted that an acknowledgment to McCafferty would be added as well, and recalled all copies of Opal Mehta on April 27, 2006. On May 2, 2006, after further reports had come to light alleging that Viswanathan had plagiarized from other sources as well, Little, Brown released a statement saying that they would not be publishing a revised edition of Opal Mehta, or a second book by Viswanathan."
McCafferty noted that "Books for teens have taken a huge beating in the media" in the aftermath of the incident. "These very elitist comments about 'how all books for teens are crap; so isn't this just crap stealing from crap'. My books are not crap." McCafferty noted that she was insulted by an opinion letter published in The New York Times in which one writer wrote that teen books are "undemanding literature for undemanding readers." "There's so much good writing for teenagers now," she said. "People make across the board judgments."