Final Exam
(Options 1, 3a and 5)
5525.OL1 Adolescent Resources and Behavior
Tara Zandt
Due May 5, 2010
Option 1 – Provide a general overview of young adults and discuss the
relationship of adolescent behaviors, developmental stages of YA and the
theoretical framework in regard to library services.
Adolescence is the period in an individual’s development occurring between the
ages of twelve to nineteen. Although the terms used to describe young adults may vary
along with cultural distinctions regarding when a teenager attains “adulthood”, the
changes occurring within them physically, mentally and socially are significant. In
addition, to the externally visible physical changes, teenage brain development is
occurring at a rapid pace. The prefrontal cortex is the brains’ control system that helps to
decide, judge and control impulses and emotions. It communicates with other parts of the
brain through synapses. In a teenager, their prefrontal cortex and synapse development
are still immature in comparison to an adult. This causes teenagers to be more focused
on pleasure and reward, exaggerate responses and conducting hasty decision making in
comparison to a fully developed adult brain. Hormones and the undeveloped prefrontal
cortex both play a major role in young adult behavior.
Although each young adult experiences growth at their own rate, general stages of
adolescence can be loosely defined. The stage of early adolescence as defined in Library
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Services to Young Adults by Patrick Jones includes ages 12 to 14. At this stage they are
beginning to find their sense of identity. They may be moody or rude and show their
feelings through actions rather than words. They depend less upon their parents and rely
more on peer input. Friendships with others are increasingly important. In terms of
sexuality girls tend to be ahead of boys but both exhibit behaviors of greater interest in
privacy and experimentation with their own bodies. They may be modest and blushing
when discussing sexuality but they also have worries about being normal in their
behavior. The early adolescent is primarily focused on the present and very near future
but is increasingly displaying a greater ability to stay on task when compared to young
children. In terms of ethics and self-direction they are testing their limits and rules upon
them. They may also consider experimentation with cigarettes, drugs and alcohol. They
are also beginning to developing the ability for abstract thought.
The stage of middle adolescence as defined in Library Services to Young Adults
by Patrick Jones includes ages 15 to 16 are characterized by highs and lows. For
example they may have improbable high expectations of themselves and then experience
low self esteem when these expectations are unrealized. They are becoming more
distanced or emotionally withdrawn from their parents and experience a heightened sense
of increased dependence on friendships and peer approval. The choice of peer group also
becomes important in terms of self identity. In terms of sexuality, middle adolescents are
becoming more aware of the opposite sex and increased attention is paid to their personal
attractiveness. Intellectual pursuits are becoming more important and they may be more
interested in career and creative endeavors.
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The stage of late adolescence as defined in Library Services to Young Adults by
Patrick Jones is a period of greater self-reliance and a firmer sense of self. They exhibit
greater stability both in terms of emotions and lees immediacy in obtaining pleasure and
rewards. They take pride in their work and have improved work habits along with an
understanding of consequences in their decision making. This allows them to
contemplate their future the importance in their choice of career for their lives. In terms
of sexuality they are highly aware of their sexual identity and serious relationships are
much more important. Older young adults also are capable of exhibiting concern and
compassion for others and may experience feelings of “true love”. The late adolescent
can set goals and work towards achieving them because they are developing a greater
sense of self, can examine themselves more objectively and are becoming more aware of
their societal position and cultural norms in which they live.
With all these massive changes a young adult experiences, it is incumbent upon
libraries and young adult librarians to provide facilities and services that meet their
developmental needs. Serving young adults is a priority for the individual teen, the
community and society as a whole. Today, corporate society focuses much attention on
the demographics of young adults, they are the age group that corporations wish to
market to. As a community and society we must acknowledge that books, media,
periodicals and internet websites are designed with young adults in mind. We must be
mindful and become an active participant in guiding young adults as they pursue these
avenues. The question becomes how do libraries justify and accomplish this endeavor to
receive continued support?
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Young adult librarians can increase library use by actively developing the
collection and services with the teenager in mind. Developing a strategic plan that
provides the resources and staff to assist teens in both their leisure and informational
pursuits can serve the individual and the community. This, as stated by Jones is a
proactive rather than reactive response to customer needs. Libraries will not contribute to
teen development if that do not remain aware of the continuously changing culture of
teenage lives. By remaining in touch with teens, schools and libraries remain current in
their lives.
Forming relationships with young adults is critical to support student learning and
achievement. This is accomplished through programs and services designed to reach
young adults. If relationships are formed with young adults they will develop a lifelong
attachment to the library and the community. By developing partnerships with
government, schools, businesses and charities, libraries can link with the community and
in turn this may generate funding for continued and enhanced young adult library
services. Collaboration with the community and other agencies has a positive impact on
the developmental growth of young adults.
At a time when teens are growing and seeking their own individuality and
independence providing healthy and beneficial resources and services are paramount
missions of libraries. Teens are moving away from parental influence but they still have
the need for structure and opportunities to develop intellectually and satisfy their creative
endeavors. Children are highly supported by parents and elementary schools and it is
during their middle and adolescent school years that libraries can ensure that no gap is
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created during adolescence. This ensures that the enjoyment of books and learning flows
seamlessly from childhood through adulthood.
Libraries also have the opportunity to provide young adults with literacy and
“knowledge search” skills. Organized programs and services in both school and public
libraries connect teens to information. They also can provide the skills for young adults
to obtain evaluate and utilize information. These are skills and tools they will need as
adults to manage in society. These are sills that will last across their lifetime and will
translate into young adults becoming productive members of society. Assisting students,
schools and parents to provide literacy, recreational, informational services and media is
an extremely important goal and priority for libraries and the community as a whole.
I think that I can summarize some of these points by emphasizing the mission of
young adult librarians in terms of young adult development and the theoretical
framework of library services by using the acronym I discussed in my capstone video.
The term is “REACH”. Young adult librarians must “R”- Remain current in young adult
research and their cultural trends. “E”- Earn the trust of young adults by providing for
both their informational and leisure needs. “A” – Actively and enthusiastically share
knowledge of new technologies and new resources with teens. “C”- Create a safe and
welcoming sense of community within the library environment. “H” – Help young adults
succeed by supporting their individual needs. By actively pursing these goals, libraries
can help to ensure young adults form a strong bond with the library, books, literacy and
learning. Libraries are valuable partners with young adults, schools and the community.
We are all working toward the same goal; the healthy development of young adults into
successful and contributing adult members of society.
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Option 3 – Identify themes in YA literature and using the class discussion
books cite examples that support the characteristics of YA literature.
The overriding theme in young adult literature (YA) is centered on a young
individual finding out about oneself. As Patty Campbell states in our Nielson and
Donelson text, “The central theme of most YA fiction is becoming an adult, finding the
answer to the question “Who am I and what am I going to do about it?” During this
Adolescent Resources and Behavior course, the class read three books that help illustrate
this point and will be used in this essay to help exemplify the characteristics of YA
literature. The three books are Monster, Big Mouth and Ugly Girl and Fat Kid Rules the
World. Regardless of the differences in the plots, the three books characterize the growth
of a young adult responding to a situation which results in the protagonist changing and
maturing thereby shaping who they are and helping to define who they will be in the
future.
The young adult author generally writes from the viewpoint of young people. In
all three books, the main characters are between 16 and 17 years old. The stories are told
in the first person although in the case of Monster Walter Dean Myers utilizes a unique
tool of incorporating a screenplay format for Steve to relate his prospective of the
proceedings of his court case on charges of murder. He also uses the technique to
provide the reader with additional information about Steve’s life before the trial.
An important characteristic of young adult literature is that the main characters
are able to deal with their problems relatively free from the help of their parents. Troy in
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Fat Kid Rules the World must overcome the loss of his mother and his self-conscious
weight problem through a developing friendship with drug addict and awesome guitarist
Curt. In Monster, Steve tries to cope with his problems by stepping out of himself and
creating a movie about his situation. Ursula in Oates’ Big Mouth Ugly Girl stands up for
fellow classmate Matt when he is accused of plotting to bomb the school. She also
comes to the aid of Matt when he is contemplating suicide on a ledge in the forest. In
many cases the protagonist is shown as smarter than their parents as illustrated in Big
Mouth Ugly Girl when Ursula stands up for what she believes in and explains to the
school principal the true story of the conversation Matt had with his friends regarding
“the bombing”. She does this even when her parents, other students and their parents did
not want to get involved. She did the right thing and later others realize the honor in
what she did. Young adult readers are able to identify with these characters and
sympathize with their aloneness and their struggle to gain control over their perceived
weaknesses and grow from their experiences.
Young adult books tend to be concise and focus on specific plot points. This may
include limiting the number of characters and events leading to the conclusion of the
story. In Monster, the story revolves around the murder trial of Steve and background
events that Myers feels are relevant to identify and understand the main character. He
does not digress into Steve’s entire life story nor does he fully develop Steve’s family and
friends. He is brief and to the point in informing the reader that Steve is basically a good
kid and is surrounded by a family who loves him. The same holds true in Fat Kid Rules
the World, the reader knows that Troy is a good student and yet the author does not
provide much detail about his school life. Nor does the reader know much about Curt’s
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background but is satisfied to know that he is a troubled youth with an extremely
problematic family life of low economic means. The reader does not even know much
about Curt except when he is with Troy. To the young adult reader, the book tells of how
a fat kid named Troy befriends a dropout guitarist named Curt and finds the courage to
become a drummer on stage. The focus in Big Mouth and Ugly Girl is on the relationship
between Ursula and Matt along with illustrating the growth of them as individuals. The
story of their relationship focuses on one very important period of time in their lives
illustrating how and why they met and concludes with how they overcame both personal
and social obstacles during their junior year of high school. These three books appear to
have relatively short stories and simple plots but beneath the surface there is a
tremendous amount of growth and maturity taking place within the characters.
Young adult literature includes a variety of characters and settings from multiple
ethnic and cultural groups. Big Mouth and Ugly Girl takes place in an affluent suburb
along the Hudson River Valley north of New York. Fat Kid Rules the World takes place
in a city environment with middle class and lower economic class protagonists. Monster
takes place in Harlem, an economically disadvantaged area of New York City.
Regardless of race, religion or economic circumstances, young adult literature allows
teens relate to the humanity of each of these characters from both a local and global
perspective. All three of these books show the progression of maturity from child
towards adulthood; just in different settings and different cultures. The diversity of
young adult literature allows insight, understanding and enlightenment with the hope that
young adults learn we are all human beings living on this planet together.
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Another characteristic of young adult literature is that authors develop characters
that face challenges, deal with them, adapt and are generally optimistic in their
conclusion. That does not mean that there are always happy endings; it means that the
reader is generally left with hope or understanding at the conclusion. These stories deal
with “credible and believable characters” (Nielson and Donelson 34) who confront
situations with an honest, youthful approach that serves to provide a means of growth of
maturity, perspective and wisdom. In Monster, Steve faces the horrific future of life in
prison or possibly death if convicted of murder. The author truthfully illustrates the
realities of life in jail but ultimately Steve is found innocent. The reader however may
still question his guilt or innocence but the fact remains that Steve has grown from this
experience and I believe that the reader does not expect that anything like this will
happen to Steve again. In Fat Kid Rules the World, Troy did not resolve his weight
problem but he did resolve many other issues such as developing self confidence and
beginning to overcome the loss of his mother. The reader is also left with hope for Curt
as he begins to face his drug addiction problems. Matt, in Big Mouth and Ugly Girl may
have lost his youthful innocence when falsely accused and ostracized by his friends but
he also gained a certain amount of realistic cynicism that allows him to mature and grow
to become a better writer.
A final characteristic of young adult literature is that these books allow exposure
to emotions that are critical in young adult growth and psychology. On the surface, many
of these books may seem like just stories to teens but they allow teens to experience,
process and adapt their own behaviors by exposure to storybook characters’ problems.
Protagonists experience many of the same kinds of emotional issues that their readers do.
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Some of these include self esteem, bullying, peer pressure, sexuality, physical changes,
independence, ethical dilemmas, and position in society as more explicitly discussed in
the developmental tasks outlined by Robert J. Havighurst (Nilsen and Donelson 36). For
example an emotional issue in Fat Kid Rules the World is Troy’s battles with self-esteem
and his physical image in being overweight. In Big Mouth and Ugly Girl Matt and Ursula
face peer pressure and ethical dilemmas. In Monster Steve is forced to “grow up” in a
hurry because of his incarceration and faces the prospect of not having any sort of future.
All three of the books discussed above deal with many of these issues and at deeply
personal levels. By reading these books, the young adult reader can internalize and
process these emotions with the result that these books may help them grow and mature
psychologically.
In terms of literary appreciation, these books touch on various stages of literary
appreciation and will appeal to young adults at different levels. The stories provide a
young adult the ability to “lose oneself in the story” because the books are written at a
level and with a style that is relatable to them. Some young adults will be able to “find
oneself in the story” because the characters have believable human motives and readers
may share many experiences and feelings with the characters. Finally some readers will
“venture beyond themselves” and find the experiences in the books applicable to their
behavior with respect to their role and contributions to society. These books allow
readers at this stage of literary appreciation to form opinions about peer pressures, justice,
conformity and individuality. These books are fantastic opportunities to allow readers at
this level to compare and contrast their lives to the characters in the stories and form their
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own opinions and responses thus helping the young adults formulate who they are and
define where they fit in society.
Option 5 – Several noted personalities were instrumental in the growth of
the YA library resources and services. Identify three such individuals, their
contributions and discuss the paradigm shift created by the publication of
“Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts”. In addition, contributions should
include at least four YA Awards and details.
Some may state that Margaret A. Edwards made her career as a young adult
librarian. But the fact is young adult librarianship was more than a job to her. It was her
passion and her life. Her commitment to teenagers and the dedication and devotion to her
profession still influence young adult librarianship today. The continuing publication of
the Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts allows current and future librarians access to
her timeless wisdom and guidance.
Margaret A. Edwards defined the book and the teenager as the foundation of the
young adult librarian. She emphasized books and reading and expected young adult
librararians to be knowledgeable about their product – books. Today, it may encompass
more than books but the principle remains the same – know your material so that you can
encourage literacy, learning and reading. Edwards also respected the individual teen.
She felt that young adult librarians should understand an individuals needs and desires in
order to become a better advocate for them. By understanding a young adult, a librarian
can become more capable in assisting a youth in finding solutions to their own problems.
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Margaret Edwards also exemplified the qualities of good leadership. She may
have provided the general vision of young adult librarianship but she encouraged
communication, growth and development of these ideas among her staff. This in turn
allowed them to evolve in to more effective librarians themselves and fulfill their
personal potential. In effect, she has provided the basis for which young adult librarians
can establish their own vision of valuable and effective library service to young adults.
The Margaret A. Edwards award has been created to honor authors and bodies of
work who have made lifetime contributions to literature for young adults. The first
award was presented in 1988 to S. E. Hinton. It is presented by the Young Adult Library
Services Association (YALSA) a division of the American Library Association. Some
other awards that honor young adult authors are the ALEX award given annually to ten
books that have “special appeal” to young adult readers, the Michael L Printz award for a
book that exemplifies literary excellence, Coretta Scott King Award which honors a
black author and illustrator whose works encourage and promote world unity and peace.
Recipients of these and other awards have made valuable contributions to the world of
young adults. A few of these award winning authors are S. E. Hinton, Richard Peck and
Walter Dean Myers.
S. E. Hinton was the first recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1988 for
The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, Tex, and That Was Then, This is Now. She was born in
1948 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was revolutionary in writing about real young adults and
their real problems. She wrote about the people and environment that she encountered as
exemplified in The Outsiders in which a fifteen year old boy named Ponyboy Curtis is
raised by his brothers after the death of his parents. She was just a high school girl when
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she wrote the book and observed in her own life the separation of students by social
groups. She was recognized as one of the most influential (and controversial) young
adult authors in her time. She was also awarded a Media and Methods Maxi Award in
1975 for The Outsiders. In 1997 Hinton received the Arrell Gibson Lifetime
Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book. In 1998, Hinton was
inducted into the Oklahoma Writers hall of Fame at the Oklahoma Center for Poets and
Writers of Oklahoma State University.
Richard Peck was born in 1934 and began his career as a high school teacher and
was transferred to a junior high school to teach English. He did not enjoy teaching junior
high school and decided to quit and attempt a career as a writer. Ironically, many of his
observations of these students influenced his writing. In 1977 hew was awarded the
Edgar Allan Poe Award, Best Juvenile for Are You in the House Alone? He was also the
recipient of the ALAN award in 1990 and 2005. He was awarded the Margaret A.
Edwards Award in 1990 for: Are You in the House Alone?, Father Figure, The Ghost
Belonged to Me, Ghosts I Have Been, Remembering the Good Times and Secrets of the
Shopping Mall. He was awarded the Newbery Medal in 2001 for his novel A Year down
Yonder.
In an interview, Peck states that the most exciting stories are about unusual people
doing unusual and unique things. He has included humor in many of his stories and
young adults find his characters interesting and varied. For example: Are You in the
House Alone? Is a story about a school girl named Gail who is raped by one of the most
popular boys in the school but nobody believes her story. In Father Figure, Jim is a
surrogate father to his 8 year old brother until his mother’s suicide when the boys must go
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and spend the summer with their father who had previously abandoned them. The Ghost
Belonged to Me mixes humor with the supernatural in a tale about Alexander who must
find out about the ghost of Inez Dumaine.
Peck has not only contributed to young adult literature appreciation but has also
shared his teaching expertise by providing his list of “ten questions-accompanied by
Ulterior Motives” as displayed on page 368 in our Nilsen and Donelson textbook. These
questions are designed to assist teachers in creating meaningful questions and enhance
discussion when students read and respond to books.
Perhaps one of the most prolific and honored authors is Walter Dean Myers. He
was born in 1937 in West Virginia but raised in Harlem, New York. His mother died
when he was two years old and was raised as a foster child in New York City. He
dropped out of high school joined the Army and did attend some courses at the City
College of New York (the same college that my father attended around the same time!).
He worked at various jobs while writing at night. His career began in earnest when he
began writing books for young adults.
When he was a young child, he found that most pictures in the books he read
showed children “different” them him. This inspired him to write books that centered on
African-American characters. Most of his works are based on his Harlem neighborhood
often depicting the struggles of young adult urban life. He has also published multiple
volumes of poetry and non-fiction works about the African-American experience in
history.
Myers is a two time Newbery Honor award winner and a five time recipient of the
Coretta Scott King Award. He was also a two time National Book Award finalist and the
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first ever recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult
Literature for the book Monster in which a 16 year old boy named Steve is charged in the
murder of a Harlem drugstore owner. He is also the 1994 Margaret A. Edwards award
for Fallen Angels, Hoops, Motown and Didi, and Scorpions. These books are quite
varied in plot and illustrate his skillful writing ability. Fallen Angels is a story about
seventeen year old Richie Perry’s time in Vietnam and illustrates the agony and horrors
of war due to his experiences in watching his troop mates die. This book is also on the
list of the American Library Association’s list of frequently challenged books due to its
language and depiction of the Vietnam War. Hoops is a story of Lonnie and his Harlem
basketball team. Motown and Didi is a moving story in which the title characters try to
devise ways to escape the harshness of their neighborhood. Scorpions is a story about a
boy named Jamal who attempts to perform well in school and live up to his father’s
expectations while being challenged by his role as a gang leader.
These and many other authors have contributed much toward youth development
deserve tremendous credit for their contributions and bodies of work in young adult
literature. But in addition to recognition of authors, the people who have worked behind
the scenes in promoting literacy, reading and young adult services should also be
recognized and honored. Those who have dedicated their lives, fought for and advocated
support for young adult library space, material, and staff played an integral role in
creating the library systems we have today. If it were not for people like Enoch Pratt,
Joseph Wheeler and especially Margaret Edwards just to name a miniscule few, the
platform for young adult authors’ works and the mission of free and equal access to these
materials may not have been possible.
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