IST 578 – Young Adult Literature
University at Albany
Syllabus –Spring 2015
Joyce R. Laiosa
518-439-7839 (Home: No calls after 10:00 p.m.)
518-331-2400 (cell-you may text)
Email: jrlaiosa@gmail.com
jlaiosa@albany.edu
SCHEDULE
(Note: Readings and assignments are due on the date listed. The instructor reserves the right to adapt to current circumstances as the semester progresses, making changes to the syllabus if necessary.)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is an introductory survey of literature for young adults (ages 12-18), with an emphasis on current authors. Includes a discussion of the characteristics, needs, and reading interests of teenagers, a critical study of the literature, an overview of basic selection tools, practice in booktalking and usage of the literature with Common Core Learning Standards.
REQUIRED READING
Books may be read in any edition, hardcover or paperback. You best friend is a library card to your local public library. You don’t have to purchase all these titles.
SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT (NOT REQUIRED BUT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
Horning, Kathleen T. From Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children’s Books,
Revised Edition. Harper Collins, 2010.
• I find this book extremely valuable for assessing literature. It will help you with book notes and make you aware of what to look for. However, it is a tool that is evaluating children's literature, not young adult literature. There is a crossover in age categories: children's literature goes to age 14, while young adult literature starts at age 12.
January 27
NO CLASS: Instructor at ALA Midwinter Conference
Begin reading on your own, as well as sending a paragraph to Blackboard introducing yourself to the class. Read ONE from these four choices: I want all four books to be discussed; please send in which book you will be reading to Blackboard. All four titles must have a reader.
Classic YA Literature:
Choices: Forever by Judy Blume; The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier; The Outsiders by S.E.
Hinton; and Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
February 3

NO CLASS - Instructor still at ALA Midwinter Conference.
Read: Current Realistic Fiction Title: Choose ONE from list; notify class through Blackboard of your title choice. Each title must be read by at least two people from class.
The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson; The Fault in Our Stars by John
Green; We Were Liars by E. Lockhart; and Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell.
Assignment for Feb. 17th (you may want to begin this now):
1.
Interview a young adult (age 12-18) about his or her reading interests. (See end of syllabus for helpful questions.) If you don’t have a sibling, cousin, or know someone in that age range, visit a public library and ask a librarian to introduce you to someone in that age range. If they are in a library, chances are the librarian knows them - even a little.
2.
Observe a group of young adults at a mall or gathering place. Think of yourself as an anthropologist observing a group of people you didn’t know. How have teens changed since you were a teen? How have they remained the same?
3.
Explore the YALSA website ( www.ala.org/yalsa ). What features can help you as a student?
What features will help you as a teacher and librarian?
February 10
Questions about syllabus? Fully explained.
What makes YA Lit? Why are awards important? What are the YA awards?
Discussion of History of YA Literature.
Characteristics of Realistic/Contemporary YA Novels
Discussion of our classic titles vs. current realistic fiction.
Book Notes - we will go over the style the instructor wants, as well as what needs to be included, in detail. Hand out list of Teen magazines.
February 17
Assignments Due:
Booknote for Realistic Fiction
Write-up from interview/observation. Discuss observations in class.
Post your thoughts to Blackboard about the YALSA website.
Cultural Diversity: Read How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon; Brown Girl Dreaming by
Jacqueline Woodson AND Monster by Walter Dean Myers OR The Absolutely True Diary of a
Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Book Notes for 3 Cultural Diverse Titles.
Magazines for Teens - Be prepared to discuss teen magazines.
Discussion of diversity/multiculturalism/inclusion in literature/collections/assignments
February 24
Read TWO books from the YA Nonfiction 2015 Nominees:
Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw; The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the
Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming; Ida M. Tarbell: The Woman Who Challenged Big
Business- and Won! by Emily Arnold McCully; The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the

Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin; and Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by
Maya Van Wagenen. Post your choices to Blackboard, so that all books will be covered by at least 2 readers.
Booknotes due on both titles.
Discussion of Nonfiction: how to evaluate, use in curriculum; Core Curriculum assignments.
March 3
Graphic Novels:
Read: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang; March: Book One by John Lewis and
Andrew Aydin; and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Collection Development; Core Curriculum; Visual Learners; Art
Picture Books for Young Adults
Hot Topics in YA - hand out assignments/articles
March 10
Read The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak and Revolution by Deborah Wiles and How I Became A
Ghost by Tim Tingle
Book Notes for 3 Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction in Curriculum; CCLS in relationship to Hist. Fic.; pairing books with nonfiction; bibliographies of age-appropriate books.
Discussion of professional resources; VOYA ( Voice of Youth Advocate journal); SLJ ( School
Library Journal); Booklist; Horn Book. [Instructor will arrange for everyone to get a copy of
VOYA prior to discussion.]
March 17
Spring Break! - NO CLASS.
March 24
GUEST SPEAKER: School Librarian Christina Menetti of Voorheesville Middle School and
Clayton A. Bouton High School (VCSD)
Hot Topics in YA! Begin Presentations and Discussions
Discuss Final Assignment - Hand out material on Booktalks/Bookmarks
March 31
Read The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, any title by Ellen Hopkins; The Watch That Ends the
Night by Allan Wolff OR
A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson
Book Notes for 3 Novels-in-Verse
Discussion of the format: reluctant readers? rich vocabulary?
Guest Speaker: Chrissie Morrison, Immediate Past President of YSS/NYLA; YA librarian at
East Greenbush Public Library

April 7
Read Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin
Read October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Leslea Newman OR Aristotle and
Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Book Notes for 2 LGBT Books
Banned Books Week will be discussed as well as challenges to library material; censorship and how to prepare for challenges.
April 14
Fantasy-Science Fiction
Read Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, and two more titles. List will be provided by instructor, or student may suggest one or two titles.
Book Notes due for Fantasy-Science Fiction
Discussion of characteristics of fantasy, dystopian literature, and science fiction.
Purchasing power of popularity, films and series.
April 21
Sibert Award Books (Nonfiction): Read two award winners, one MUST be from the “Scientists in the Field Series.” These will be appropriate for middle schoolers. Do not use one for younger children. If you have any doubts, ask instructor!
Book Notes for 2 Nonfiction books
Discussion of the series; narrative nonfiction; booktalking these titles.
April 27
Read ONE Fun Book! List will be provided by instructor; you may suggest any title.
Book Note for Fun Book
Discussion of favorite genre’s; what books get kids reading; how your booktalks entice.
Storytelling for Young Adults
May 5
Booktalks
ASSIGNMENTS Book Notes – 25%
YA Interview/Observation – 15%
Hot Topic! Presentation – 15%
Booktalk/Bookmark – 30%
Class Participation/In-class Exercises – 15%
Grades for this course will be assigned to students as follows:

A
B+
B-
94-100
86-89
80-82
A-
B
C+
90-93
83-85
76-79
C
F
73-75
0-69
C-
I
70-72
Incomplete
The incomplete grade is intended ONLY for students who are not able to complete the assigned course work on schedule due to serious illness or other highly unusual personal circumstances.
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Book Notes – 25% of grade
This course creates an immersion in young adult resources and literature. The book notes are a record of that plus a bibliographic tool to assist the student in future professional work.
Book Notes for all books except Classic are due on the date that we discuss the book.
All reading notes may be turned in EARLY at any time throughout the semester.
A brief entry is to be made for each item read or examined. Begin each item with a complete citation; including author, illustrator, title, publisher, and copyright date. Include other useful information, such as appropriate age range or grade level (generally a three year span), category or genre (along with subjects, topics, or themes), plot annotation, writing style, and assessment of quality or utility. Other titles that relate to the entry may also be mentioned. Personal responses to the literature are important. Entries should not be merely plot summaries.
Primarily, the entry should include information that might prove useful when booktalking this title to young people; in the writing of a review; the development of a library program; or in otherwise presenting this resource to teachers and administrators with notes about specific passages for reading aloud, and/or literary elements such as plot, characterization, point of view, setting, style, and theme. Reading Notes should be kept to one page (if possible) and may be single-spaced. These are graded with a check, check plus or a check minus.
To receive 25 points for all Book Notes, the student should show improvement (if the first couple of notes are graded with a check minus), thoughtful responses to the literature and completed notes for all assigned books EXCEPT the "classic" book.
YA Interview Assignment/ Observation– 15% of grade
Understanding young adults is central to the provision of services and programs developed for them. The purpose of this assignment is to begin to raise your awareness of this population, especially in the context of library and information services.

Talk with a young adult to attempt to determine the factors that influence her/his reading, viewing, listening, and library use. In your paper, be sure to include information about your relationship with the young adult. Use the following items as an interview guide:
Demographic Information:
-Age/Sex
-educational/employment aspirations
Reading/Viewing/Listening History and Influences:
Childhood Experiences: home/school/library/other
Young Adults Experiences: home/school/library/other
Questions: (These are suggestions - some of these should be asked, though.)
1.
What is the title of the last book you read for pleasure?
2.
What is the title of the last movie you watched and enjoyed?
3.
If you have a choice between a really good novel and a really good informational book on a topic you’re interested in, which would you choose?
4.
What are some topics you would like to read about?
5.
What’s the title of the best book you ever read?
6.
What’s the title of the best movie you ever saw?
7.
Who’s your favorite author (or authors)?
8.
Which magazines do you like to read?
9.
What do you read on the Internet?
10.
Do you prefer to read eBooks or print books?
11.
Do you like to listen to audiobooks?
12.
Do you talk with others about reading?
13.
Do you ever seek help from librarians? Why or why not?
I DO NOT want questions and answers. This is a paper summing up your conversation, your observations, the interest level of your subject/s. I also want your observation of teens at the mall, etc. included in this paper. It should be about 2-3 pages long (double-spaced).
Hot Topic! Presentation. (More on this later.) 15% of grade
Booktalk/Bookmark Assignment – 30% of grade
Select a topic or theme for a booktalk to a class of students or to a gathering of teachers. It will include five books on your topic. It may include graphic novels, picture books, fiction and/or nonfiction. You will read all books in order to booktalk each one within a time limit of 10 minutes. You will also prepare a bookmark for every student in the class, as well as the instructor. You must have the books with you, or able to project your book covers on a screen.
You will not be writing Book Notes for these five books.
(I prefer to know your books before you present - just so there are no surprises from me to you.
The YA books should be recently published - within the last 10 years. If you want to use an

adult book, it should have won an Alex award. There are exceptions to all these rules that is why it is best to discuss this ahead of time with instructor.)
Attendance, Participation – 15% of grade
Students are expected to complete all required reading and contribute intelligently to class discussions, as well as in-class exercises based on the weekly readings. If you are ill, or can not attend a class, please let the instructor know as soon as you are able.