Discusses, from the perspective of the co-editor of the National Council of Teachers of English's annotated yearly booklist for high school students, new young adult literature and trends. Presents annotations of adolescent literature on hot topics (AIDS, abuse, death), choices and transitions, poetry, nonfiction, diversity issues, and historical…

Supports the use of novels in music classes to activate student interest in an unfamiliar field. Shows how "Come Sing, Jimmy Jo" (K. Paterson), "Pennington's Seventeenth Summer" (K.M. Peyton), and "Jazz Country" (N. Hentoff) can enhance music learning because characters engage in aesthetic judgment, struggle with…

Presents brief responses from six educators describing the best young adult novel they have ever read, and why they chose that book. (SR)

Advocates the use of novels in art education to offer students insights into ways an artist sees the world and approaches an artistic task. Specifically discusses Colby Rodowsky's "Julie's Daughter," Zibby Oneal's "In Summer Light," and Elizabeth de Trevino's "I, Juan de Pareja" as young adult novels that focus on artistic endeavor. (GEA)

Using young adult literature from other countries in the classroom provides a common ground from which to build the tolerance and appreciation of cultural diversity so needed in today's world. By viewing books from other countries as artifacts of culture, it is possible to learn about other lands and their peoples. It is also possible to…