beyond ya literature selecting adult books with teen protagonists

Beyond YA Literature

Selecting Adult Books with Teen Protagonists

Why YA Lit Isn’t Enough Largest audience

for YA literature is in grades 5 through 9

“Students will enjoy and appreciate literature” is an information literacy standard

A learning and teaching principle in Information Power

High school students are reading less than ever before

Havighurst’s Developmental Tasks for Adolescents1. New and more mature relations with age-mates2. Masculine or feminine social role3. Accepting one’s physique4. Emotional independence of parents5. Assurance of economic independence6. Selecting/preparing for occupation7. Preparing for marriage/family life8. Developing skills for civic competence9. Socially responsible behavior10. Set of values and ethical system

Young Adults Like to Read

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10

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Fun* Learn* Bored* Friends* Pleasure* *

*SmartGirl/Teen Read Week **NEA

Stages of Literary Appreciation Early Adolescent

Escape from social pressures

Middle Adolescent Coming-of-age stories

Late Adolescent Personal values and social significance

Reading Preferences

1980s 1990s 20021. Young people2. Mystery3. Humor4. Adventure5. Love6. Sex7. Movies8. Famous People9. Romance10. Horror

1. Romance2. Adventure3. Suspense4. Non-fiction5. Classics6. Science

fiction7. Detective8. Fantasy9. Sports

1. Adventure2. Mystery3. Fantasy4. Horror5. True Stories6. Romance7. Sports8. Science

fiction9. Biographies10. Hobby

Adult Books for Older Teens Adolescent main characters

Sophisticated personal/social issues

Completion of developmental tasks

Successful transition to adulthood

Strong plot in genre teens like

How Do We Find Them? Reviewing sources for librarians

School Library Journal Library Journal Booklist

Popular reviewing sources Publishers Weekly New York Times Book Review

Catalogs, bookstores, Amazon

Reading widely

SexExplicitness and Sophistication

LanguageDegree and Context

ViolenceDegree and Context

Illegal/Unacceptable ActivityDrugs, Prostitution

Other Troublesome TopicsMental Illness, Family Problems, Religion

Appropriateness – A Matter of Degree

Appropriateness –Making It Work For Us

Know our patrons Know the community Selection and challenge policies Supportive administrators Selection advisory committee Feedback from readers Selection rubric READ

Model Selection RubricSelection Criteria

Literary Quality

Appropriateness

Readability

Reviews

Strong Plot

Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre

Overall Rating

The Secret Life of BeesSue Monk Kidd

The Secret Life of Beesby Sue Monk Kidd

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Girl with a Pearl Earringby Tracy Chevalier

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Girl with a Pearl Earringby Tracy Chevalier

The Hunt Clubby Bret Lott

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

The Hunt Clubby Bret Lott

The Snow Gardenby Christopher Rice

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

The Snow Gardenby Christopher Rice

Gap Creekby Robert Morgan

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Gap Creekby Robert Morgan

Back Roadsby Tawni O’Dell

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Back Roadsby Tawni O’Dell

All the Pretty Horsesby Cormac McCarthy

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

All the Pretty Horsesby Cormac McCarthy

The Lovely Bonesby Alice Sebold

The Lovely Bonesby Alice Sebold

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Some Things That StaySarah Willis

Some Things That StaySarah Willis

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Snow Falling on CedarsDavid Guterson

Snow Falling on CedarsDavid Guterson

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius Dave Eggers

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius Dave Eggers

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Nowhere Else on EarthJosephine Humphreys

Nowhere Else on EarthJosephine Humphreys

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Cruddy: An Illustrated NovelLynda Barry

CruddyLynda Barry

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Into The WildJon Krakauer

Into The WildJon Krakauer

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Like Water for ChocolateLaura Esquivel

Like Water for ChocolateLaura Esquivel

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

The WhiteDeborah Larsen

The WhiteDeborah Larsen

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

TwelveNick McDonell

TwelveNick McDonell

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

The Liar’s ClubMary Karr

The Liar’s ClubMary Karr

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

LuckyAlice Sebold

LuckyAlice Sebold

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

The Dive from Clausen’s Pier Ann Packer

The Dive from Clausen’s Pier Ann Packer

Selection Criteria

Literary Quality Appropriateness Readability Reviews Strong Plot Dev. Tasks/ Issues/ Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre Overall Rating

Sources Havighurst, R. 1972. Developmental

Tasks and Education. New York: Random House.

National Education Association. Reading Survey. 2001.

SmartGirl. Teen Read Week 2002. Latest Survey Results.

Contact Info mheath@anderson2.k12.sc.us

http://webpages.charter.net/msheath

Belton-Honea Path High School11000 BHP HighwayHonea Path, SC 29654