From a 40-year perspective, Don Gallo examines the field of young adult literature, comparing it to ice cream--its various flavors and levels of richness. The article proclaims the profundity of the field and the quality of its writers, summarizes historical highlights, defends it against its detractors, and explains the importance of helping…

While young adult literature increases adolescents' motivation to read, and adolescents choose to read young adult novels over more canonical works when given opportunities to choose, the authors present yet another reason for teaching young adult literature in the middle school classroom: it provides a medium through which adolescents and their…

Friendship lies at the very heart of the middle school experience. Here are books to help students navigate those waters, recognize what (and who) has value, and determine what kind of friend they want to be.

Certainly a major bump in the literacy road today is the apparent conflict between school literacies and the preferred literacy activities of students outside of school. After family conversation about a nephew who was getting poor grades in language arts, Hall shares her thinking on the dilemmas of what constitutes literacy, how literacies kids…

Presents an interview with award-winning author Karen Hesse, discussing her writing for children and young adults. Discusses how ideas for particular books arose, as well as the research and writing processes that went into them. Appends reviews of nine books by Karen Hesse. (SR)

Presents two lists of young adult literature titles totaling 100 works. Notes that the first list includes books with lasting appeal and the second list includes some new and notable books to fill a summer reading list. (SG)

Presents student-written summaries about nine science fiction, mysteries, humor, historical fiction, classics, and books that may become classics that the students felt were the best books they ever read. (SG)

Suggests some criteria for evaluating young adult (YA) literature. Presents three ideas for criteria, and annotations of 12 YA novels published in 2001 or 2002 that meet the criteria. (SG)

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)

Shares some novels that can reinvigorate a "dormant reader." Presents annotations of nine titles and some additional titles related to the main nine titles. (SG)

Presents an annotated bibliography of nine books that kids think are great. Recommends the books on the basis of pure enjoyment. (SG)

Describes the author's experience as a student teacher facing an angry parent who challenged a book choice (a young adult novel by Chris Crutcher) that caused otherwise bored and disinterested students to read with interest and passion. (SR)

Offers brief descriptions of 14 recently published books for young adult readers that deal with difficult topics but that also shed light and offer hope. Organizes them into: collections of stories and poems; stories that deal with memoirs, memories and dreams; and stories of friends and family. (SR)

Offers brief descriptions, written by middle schoolers, of 12 books for adolescents, novels in which children and young people endure hardship and struggle, and triumph over the odds. (SR)

Offers brief descriptions of 12 recently published books of young adult literature that offer voices from history, real kids with real problems, and whispers from the future. Discusses two simple guidelines for recommending books to students, and notes three suitable adult books as well as three resources for locating adult books that will be of…