Beyond YA Literature
Selecting Adult Books with
Teen Protagonists
Why YA Lit
Isn’t Enough

Largest audience
for YA literature is
in grades 5
through 9

“Students will enjoy
and appreciate
literature” is an
information literacy
standard
 A learning and
High school
students are reading teaching principle in
Information Power
less than ever
before

Havighurst’s Developmental
Tasks for Adolescents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
New and more mature relations with agemates
Masculine or feminine social role
Accepting one’s physique
Emotional independence of parents
Assurance of economic independence
Selecting/preparing for occupation
Preparing for marriage/family life
Developing skills for civic competence
Socially responsible behavior
Set of values and ethical system
Young Adults
Like to Read
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Fun*
Learn*
Bored*
*SmartGirl/Teen Read Week
Friends*
Pleasure**
**NEA
Stages of Literary
Appreciation

Early Adolescent


Middle Adolescent


Escape from social pressures
Coming-of-age stories
Late Adolescent

Personal values and social significance
Reading Preferences
1980s
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Young people
Mystery
Humor
Adventure
Love
Sex
Movies
Famous People
Romance
Horror
1990s
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Romance
Adventure
Suspense
Non-fiction
Classics
Science
fiction
Detective
Fantasy
Sports
2002
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Adventure
Mystery
Fantasy
Horror
True Stories
Romance
Sports
Science
fiction
Biographies
Hobby
Adult Books
for Older Teens

Adolescent main characters

Sophisticated personal/social issues

Completion of developmental tasks

Successful transition to adulthood

Strong plot in genre teens like
How Do We Find Them?

Reviewing sources for librarians




School Library Journal
Library Journal
Booklist
Popular reviewing sources


Publishers Weekly
New York Times Book Review

Catalogs, bookstores, Amazon

Reading widely
Appropriateness –
A Matter of Degree

Sex
Explicitness and Sophistication

Language
Degree and Context

Violence
Degree and Context

Illegal/Unacceptable Activity
Drugs, Prostitution

Other Troublesome Topics
Mental Illness, Family Problems, Religion
Appropriateness –
Making It Work For Us








Know our patrons
Know the community
Selection and challenge policies
Supportive administrators
Selection advisory committee
Feedback from readers
Selection rubric
READ
Model Selection Rubric
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating





The Secret Life of Bees
Sue Monk Kidd
The Secret Life of Bees
by Sue Monk Kidd
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews



Popular Genre
Overall Rating





Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood





Girl with a Pearl Earring
by Tracy Chevalier
Girl with a Pearl Earring
by Tracy Chevalier
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews




Popular Genre
Overall Rating





Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood




The Hunt Club
by Bret Lott
The Hunt Club
by Bret Lott
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability




Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating









The Snow Garden
by Christopher Rice
The Snow Garden
by Christopher Rice
Selection Criteria



Literary Quality


Appropriateness
Readability

Reviews

Strong Plot

Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating





Gap Creek
by Robert Morgan
Gap Creek
by Robert Morgan
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood








Popular Genre
Overall Rating





Back Roads
by Tawni O’Dell
Back Roads
by Tawni O’Dell
Selection Criteria

Literary Quality


Appropriateness
Readability


Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating








All the Pretty Horses
by Cormac McCarthy
All the Pretty Horses
by Cormac McCarthy
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness




Readability

Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating








The Lovely Bones
by Alice Sebold
The Lovely Bones
by Alice Sebold
Selection Criteria

Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating












Some Things That Stay
Sarah Willis
Some Things That Stay
Sarah Willis
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews



Popular Genre
Overall Rating





Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood





Snow Falling on Cedars
David Guterson
Snow Falling on Cedars
David Guterson
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness



Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating










A Heartbreaking Work of
Staggering Genius Dave Eggers
A Heartbreaking Work of
Staggering Genius Dave Eggers
Selection Criteria

Literary Quality
Appropriateness


Readability
Reviews


Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating








Nowhere Else on Earth
Josephine Humphreys
Nowhere Else on Earth
Josephine Humphreys
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews



Popular Genre
Overall Rating





Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood





Cruddy: An Illustrated Novel
Lynda Barry
Cruddy
Lynda Barry
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality


Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating











Into The Wild
Jon Krakauer
Into The Wild
Jon Krakauer
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating













Like Water for Chocolate
Laura Esquivel
Like Water for Chocolate
Laura Esquivel
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating













The White
Deborah Larsen
The White
Deborah Larsen
Selection Criteria

Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews





Popular Genre
Overall Rating


Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood





Twelve
Nick McDonell
Twelve
Nick McDonell
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality



Reviews
Strong Plot


Appropriateness
Readability



Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood

Popular Genre

Overall Rating



The Liar’s Club
Mary Karr
The Liar’s Club
Mary Karr
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood







Popular Genre
Overall Rating






Lucky
Alice Sebold
Lucky
Alice Sebold
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality


Appropriateness


Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating









The Dive from Clausen’s
Pier Ann Packer
The Dive from Clausen’s
Pier Ann Packer
Selection Criteria
Literary Quality
Appropriateness
Readability
Reviews
Strong Plot
Dev. Tasks/ Issues/
Trans. To Adulthood
Popular Genre
Overall Rating













Sources
Havighurst, R. 1972. Developmental
Tasks and Education. New York:
Random House.
 National Education Association.
Reading Survey. 2001.
 SmartGirl. Teen Read Week 2002.
Latest Survey Results.

Contact Info

mheath@anderson2.k12.sc.us

http://webpages.charter.net/msheath

Belton-Honea Path High School
11000 BHP Highway
Honea Path, SC 29654