The significance of adolescent literature has been judged on the basis of the developmental tasks encountered by the main character. One writer has identified eight developmental tasks that teenagers must undertake as they move toward adulthood: discovering one's sex role in our culture, developing relationships with peers, achieving an easy…

Presents an annotated list of the 10 best fiction and the 10 best nonfiction young adult literature published in the 1980s. Notes that the books mix popularity and quality into a cake of reading motivation. (RS)

Describes how the author helps his students understand the power of books and the impossibility of predicting what book will profoundly affect a person, by asking two questions: "What book made the biggest difference in your life?" and "What was that difference?" Describes the profound impact on the author's life of John…

Discusses the great role that nonfiction plays in the leisure reading habits of today's teenagers and suggests that teachers should provide recommendations of this material. Describes several works of contemporary nonfiction appropriate for the young adult audience. (JD)

Discussion of adolescent readers and adolescent literature focuses on adult books for adolescent readers. Topics include historical views; promoting free reading for teenagers; nonfiction, biographies, and interviews with real teens; and the need for lists of appropriate and popular adult books for teenagers. (LRW)

Suggests that if adolescents are going to get hooked on poetry and read and write more than an occasional sample, they need to have teachers share with them poetry they will enjoy. Considers a study by Karen Kutiper of middle school student poetry preference. Presents conclusions from this study along with a list of the 25 most popular poems. (SG)

A survey of the course content, reading lists, assignments, and grading procedures used in 63 adolescent literature courses across the country. (RL)

Presents an annotated list of best articles on young adult literature from 1912 to the present. Divides the articles into sections on the rationale for young adult literature, the dimensions of young adult literature, using young adult literature in the classroom, and censorship and the young adult novel. (TB)

Suggesting that the vital element nonfiction lacks is professional attention, this book shows the literary qualities of nonfiction as well as defining its importance for young adults. The book discusses seven issues related to information books, each issue making up a single chapter. The first chapter addresses the reading interests of teenagers,…

Assesses the qualities and drawbacks of high-interest easy reading books and lists the best of these books that are currently available. (SRT)

Argues the importance of giving students the freedom to choose from available literature which encompasses both fiction and nonfiction and respond freely to those works that speak directly to them. Provides a list of nonfiction books for inclusion in a reading workshop for young adults. (KEH)

Discusses research on young adults' reading interests, their nonfiction reading interests, interest in nonfiction across ability levels, sex differences in nonfiction reading interest, pleasure versus curriculum, and the role of teachers and librarians. (RS)

Concerned with the need to stimulate reading pleasure for older adolescents, this document outlines a high school reading unit that capitalizes on the perennial popularity of series books such as Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Tom Swift. Suggested activities include having students reflect on their personal reading and write a fictional sketch…

Provides a descriptive bibliography of titles that show the significant role books play in a young person's existence. Includes a letter excerpted from "Dear Author" magazine, from a 14-year old to "Charlotte's Web" author E.B. White telling how the book changed her life. (AEF)

Visual literacy--an increasingly important skill that has lately been added to the wide range of skills that reading/English teachers are expected to teach--can be coupled with lessons in literary appreciation through the medium of the adolescent novel. Since students participate in a great deal of television viewing, it is as important for them…