Twilight

In order to gain a more complete understanding of Twilight’s popularity, I gathered and analyzed teen reviews from library websites, news articles, and a fourth and fifth grade classroom.

A summary of my results is detailed below:

1) Teens enjoy Twilight for a variety of reasons. Some embrace the adventure. Others the romance. Still others the book’s more fantastical elements.

2) Young adult’s embrace of Meyer’s first novel logically corresponds to several characteristics of adolescent development. Although many of the teen reviews appear superficial and unsubstantial at first glance, a closer analysis reveals how young adults utilize many of Meyer’s plot elements to address the unique demands of growing up (burgeoning sexual identities, physical transformation).

To conclude, I want to emphasize three points, the last of which is intended to spur a little debate: 1) Teens read Twilight. 2) Teens really, really like Twilight. 3) Quit complaining about Twilight! Young adults are reading. Instead of beating them about the head with vague moralistic sermons, let’s encourage their literary development; let’s encourage them to become independent thinkers who possess the capacity to judge the merit of literary texts for themselves.

*With that being said, I personally find Twilight boring and distasteful.

Doing It

Anyone who sees the title of Melvin Burgess' novel, Doing It, has a fair idea of what this book is about. It is, quite simply, a book about teens and sex. In some ways, it is a teen sex comedy, the literary equivalent of American Pie and its ilk. A large portion of the plot even revolves around someone having a party while his parents are out of town. The characters are even drawn in broad, archetypal terms-- the handsome guy, the fat girl, the geeky guy, the pretty girl-- that are easy for teens readers to relate to. Keeping physical descriptions to a minimum also helps the reader insert himself and his friends into the book quite readily. That having been said, it is a book with layers, and it deals very directly with things that most teens are very interested in. Writing frankly, accessibly, and entertainingly about sex are some serious gifts, and Burgess appears to have all three.

For the most part, this book is about sex at its most basic: the boys pursuing (and being pursued by) the girls, with a bit of the boys against the girls as well. He makes an effort at being egalitarian in this regard, but it's obvious that he's primarily writing for a male audience. There are female points of view expressed in the text, but when it comes to actual sexual encounters, nearly everything is expressed from a male perspective. Along with the sex itself, there is a lot of emotion and teenage drama mixed in as well, and these portions should appeal to and be familiar both genders. There's no way to get through high school without a lot of heartache, and this book gleefully acknowledges that fact.

There are some important adolescent issues dealt with in this book as well. Parental divorce occupies and important place, as do peer pressure and simple sexual confusion. Sexually transmitted diseases are obliquely referred to, and visits to the doctor are encouraged, via one character's humorous fear that he has "cancer of the knob." Perhaps the novel's most serious content is reserved for its depiction of a teacher-student romance that turns emotionally abusive. The teacher, an attractive twenty-something named Ali Young, seduces an impressionable student named Ben. Before long, the relationship turns coercive, and even as Ben becomes more aware of the fact that he is trading a lot of experiences he wants for this illicit relationship, Ali becomes more possessive. The whole episode culminates with Ali staging a bloody-but-ineffectual fake suicide attempt when Ben attempts to leave the relationship. Burgess does a good job describing this relationship in realistic terms, recognizing that Ms. Young is obviously a person in a lot of pain. He makes it clear that a woman is capable of abusing a young man, and if anything Ben's confusion over his situation is even more painful given his preconception that men are stronger than women. Ali is causing a lot of harm, and is using Ben in a profound way, and Burgess makes all of this very clear. If Marilee Sprenger is correct and "adults must act as the frontal lobe for [teens]," then Ali Young has done Ben a tragic disservice. Male or female, the advantages that adults have over teens are profound.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Adolescence is, at its essence, a time of change: physical change, emotional change, and the terrifying promise of change that comes with the beginning to question one's identity. Margaret A. Edwards, the guiding spirit of modern teen librarianship, defined the problem of young adulthood in The Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts: “[Young adults] are people in their teens who have outgrown the role of children and have become eager, anxious understudies of adults,” she writes. Suspended between the two figurative worlds of childhood and adulthood, these adolescents struggle to define themselves, even as their perception of the world around them changes.
So who could be more appealingly relatable to young adults than a character suspended between two identities and two worlds?
Enter Arnold Spirit, the hero of Sherman Alexie's young adult novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Arnold is literally caught between two worlds, and spends much of this delightfully poignant and funny novel trying to make a place for himself in the in-between. At his brand-new, all-white high school, he is Arnold the Indian; at home on the reservation, he is Junior the white-lover. “I felt like two different people inside of one body,” Arnold narrates, adding, “No, I felt like a magician slicing myself in half” (Diary, 61). In the article "Selecting Literature for a Multicultural Curriculum," Rudine Sims Bishop states that "Literature can contribute to self esteem by holding up to its readers images of themselves" (“Selecting,” 4). Though Sims Bishop is discussing the value of multicultural literature for minority readers, this commentary rings true for the young adult readers of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian from all walks of life. All adolescent readers are, on some level or other, grappling with changing worlds and changing identities, and to see their own problems reflected in fiction can give them the self-esteem that seems so scarce in the turbulent teen years.

The House on Mango Street

The House on Mango Street brings the experience of adolescence to life through the unique voice of Esperanza, a girl growing up in the Latin quarter of Chicago. Esperanza’s story contains many of the most common elements one would expect in a story of growing up: family strife, discovering the opposite sex, and school woes, but her Mexican background makes her tale stand out, as most YA novels have white, suburban protagonists. The House on Mango Street also differs from typical YA literature because the author, Cisernos, uses a series of vignettes told from Esperanza’s perspective to bring her world to life.
The novel touches on a number of themes which all adolescents will understand and identify with as they read. Esperanza, like many teens, looks for ways to assert her independence from her family. She does this by doing things like getting a part time job and staying at school to eat lunch even while the rest of her family goes home. She also wishes to rename herself to escape the legacy of her grandmother, who was also called Esperanza. The idea of community and cultural identity are also explored througout the House on Mango Street, and teens, who need "strong, caring communt(ies)" (Search Institute 1) in order to thrive, will appreciate the neighborhood where Esperanza lives and what it means to her. The book also looks at sexual maturation, though in subtle ways such as Esperanza and her friends talking about what they will do when they "get hips." Adolescent girls will especially identify with the main character as she talks about her concerns and hopes for herself and her appearance as she matures.
The House on Mango Street gives readers a lot to think about while bringing a world to life, and it deserves its place as a YA standard.

American Born Chinese -- Gene Leun Yang

Through three entwined plots, American Born Chinese explores relationship and identity development. The first storyline is a retelling of the Monkey King; the second is about a friendship between an American born Chinese (Jin) and a Taiwan-born Chinese (Wei-Chen); and the third is about a teenage boy (Danny) and his stereotypical Chinese cousin Chin-Kee).

Through Jin's friendship with Wei-Chen and his developing romantic interest in Amelia, American Born Chinese demonstrates developing stable and productive peer relationships (Havighurst) and appeals to the needs of the social self (Hughes-Hassell and Agosto).

After being thrown out of a dinner party, the Monkey King becomes ashamed of his bare feet and demands that all his monkey subjects wear shoes. It takes being trapped under a mountain of rock for five hundred years for him to realize that he is a monkey and monkeys do not need to wear shoes. Similarly, Jin is so embarrassed by his heritage that he rejects it completely and turns into Danny. Both the Monkey King and Jin's experiences appeal to a YA's development of a personal sense of identity and their need for information on forming self-image.

Chink-Kee is the embodiment of negative Chinese stereotypes: his outfit and hairstyle are reminiscent of the political cartoons of the 1880s, during the Chinese Exclusion Act, he knows the answer to every question the teacher asks, he eats "clispy flied cat gizzards wiff noodles" and his singing would probably embarrass William Hung. By including a character like Chin-Kee, Yang allows his readers to challenge their stereotypes and develop their personal value system.

Finally, the graphic novel hints at the disconnect between American-born Chinese and foreign-born Chinese. When Jin justifies kissing Suzy, he says to Wei-Chen, "Maybe I think she can do better than a FOB like you." By making readers aware of these tensions among Chinese Americans, Yang helps the reader develop cultural competency and cultural identity.

Malcolm X: A Graphic Biography

This graphic biography looks at the civil rights movement through the life of Malcolm X. His struggle contains many themes relevant to young people. As an adolescent, Malcolm deals with the loss of his own parents. He feels like an outsider, even in his own foster family. In the big cities of Boston and New York he finds independence, but he also falls in with a bad crowd, experiments with drugs, and eventually lands in jail, where he is redeemed through reading and writing. Even as an adult Malcolm struggles with his identity. When he decides to leave the Nation of Islam, he comes into conflict with his mentor (and father figure), which will eventually lead to his death.

The images draw you into the story, investing it with emotion. In this way, graphic novels can be good for inexperienced readers; the pictures allow them to follow the story. They can also be enticing for reluctant readers who are skeptical of books.

This story serves as a good historical guide. For many readers, it can offer an introduction to the civil rights movement, and for others more versed in the subject, it can allow them to view it with a fresh perspective. The book shows respect for teens with its honesty, for example, by not glossing over Malcolm's indiscretions as a young man. Also, in pointing out possible inconsistencies in Malcolm's autobiography, it teaches young adults to think critically about the world around them.

Doing it Right: Making Smart, Safe, and Satisfying Choices About Sex

Bronwen Pardes’ book, Doing it Right: Making Smart, Safe and Satisfying Choices About Sex, is an example of a good piece of informative writing. Pardes’ “zesty” and “up-to-date”[1] informational approach to sexual education makes her book appealing to young adults who are searching for answers to their questions about sex. Pardes’ experiences, writing style, and organization of her book exemplify the characteristics, developmental needs, informational needs, and changing world of today’s teens.
Pardes provides a captivating cover for her readers that intrigue them before they open the book. The first three words of the title, “Doing it Right,” are captivating because it is in young adult terms. The title of the book sets the stage for “a reading level, vocabulary, and a tone of writing that are at a consistent level appropriate to the intended audience.”[2] The organization of the book also captivates its readers. It begins with background knowledge of the author. She gives her credentials and motivations for writing the book. The book then goes on to discuss what sex is, sexual development, sexual protection, ways to have sex, sexual orientation, masturbation, sexually transmitted diseases, unfamiliar sexual terms, orgasms, sexual abuse, and where readers can get more information. In each chapter she provides a question and answer section. The questions are from real young adults, who she has come in contact with. By writing in terms young adults can understand and organizing her book in a way the focuses around young adult questions, Bronwen Padres provides a book that is appropriate to the needs of its readers.
[1] Selection Criteria for Young Adult Resources, Suggestions for Evaluating Informative Nonfiction, INLS 530, 2008.
[2] Selection Criteria for Young Adult Resources, Suggestions for Evaluating Informative Nonfiction, INLS 530, 2008.


Dana McCullum

Freedom Walkers by Russell Freedman

With “Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott”, Russell Freedman presents a dramatic portrayal of the times that tells a story, rather than simply reveals facts. This compelling tale is laid out like a novel, each chapter building on the prior, and is enhanced with photos and quotations that give the reader a clear and personalized account of the event. Characters are introduced and woven through the story using their own words to convey their thoughts and feelings of frustration and determination. Although Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. take prominent roles, Freedman also focuses on the hundreds of community boycott heroes. These heroes are shown to stand by their pledge of non-violence through harassment, bombings, and arrests. Even when the Supreme Court declares the bus segregation laws unconstitutional, the boycott leaders prepare for more violence by teaching the community how to respond to white harassment with courtesy and goodwill. This book contains chapter notes to support the quoted material, an annotated bibliography and an index.

Freedom Walkers provides young adult readers with connections to what they are learning in the classroom. Dramatic storytelling and an accessible reading level gives students, particularly reluctant readers, an alternative to their textbook. Freedom Walkers enables young adults to connect and contrast what they are learning about history with what is going on in their world today, particularly in light of the inauguration of our first African American president. The photos used in the story add evidence to the words and draw in the reader’s interest. Freedman’s handling of the subjects of racial bias and non-violent protest provide opportunities for informal discussion and debate both in and out of the classroom.

Freedom Walkers provides important role models to help teens develop emotionally. Throughout the book, Freedman shows the boycott participants as patient, determined and able to exhibit self-control in spite of the pressure put on them to respond to harassment and violence. These adult role models are particularly important to urban youth who may be exposed to violence in their households or community. They see that non-violence can be a successful way to respond to harassment and to create change.

Most importantly, this book provides young adults with the opportunity to develop the reflective self. Confronting bias in any form is an important step in a teen’s personal growth. Freedom Walkers makes the reader contemplate their own personal value system, sense of civic duty and prompts some important self-examination. “Am I brave enough to stand up for what is right, regardless of personal sacrifice?” Teens might find themselves examining what they consider to be their “community” and what that “community” stands for.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen takes the romance genre and builds a serious and contemplative novel that teenage girls can easily relate to.  Remy, a recent high school graduate, has had countless boyfriends but always ends the relationship before it gets serious.  Her mother, on the other hand, is working on marriage #5.  Remy is happy to have her last summer before college to hang out with her friends (and maybe a summer boyfriend) but has her plans changed when she meets Dexter, a musician that begins to break down Remy's harsh exterior.

Dessen juxtaposes Remy and Dexter's relationship with Remy's mother and her new husband, Don, that shows how Remy's defensive nature is to keep herself from being hurt like her mother.  The novel directly addresses several conventions of the romance novel: readers become emotionally attached to the characters, the novels empower women, that it provides an escape from reality, and that sex happens only within happy, monogamous relationships.  This Lullaby exemplifies most of these conventions, but also challenges the reader's notion of a romance novel.

Most importantly, Dessen captures an awkward and important developmental stage in her novel and addresses issuses accompanying it without judgment.  Remy has a past of sleeping around and is often drinking with her friends.  Dessen does not demonize these acts, but compares them with how Remy acts when she is in a satisfying relationship and when she isn't drunk.  This switch from having ever-changing realtionships to a single, serious relationship is not portrayed as an abandonment of independence, but as a stage in creating a firm identity and developing emotional stability. 

Luckily, the discussion of these serious topics occurs within realistic teenage dialogue and honest emotions.  This Lullaby allows readers to see themselves or people they know in the characters and learn from the plot how to deal with these traits.  While the story does have a sappily happy ending, both Remy and her mother are better off for the chances they have taken.  Establishing independence looks different for various people and relationshops, and This Lullaby lets readers know that this is OK.

Here in Harlem

Here in Harlem, written by Walter Dean Myers, is a collection of poems intended to reflect the many voices and life experiences of Harlem’s inhabitants. The collection is an excellent resource for YA readers because it can be used as a tool to enrich many aspects of their developmental needs. The poems are particularly inspiring for African-American and urban YAs, and yet they are relatable enough so that people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds can learn from and enjoy them.

Each poem in Here in Harlem is written in the voice of a different townsperson. The titles of the poems are simply the names, ages and occupational status of the speakers. The collection is interspersed with historical photographs of actual Harlem residents which help connect the poems’ fictionalized characters to real faces. Here in Harlem is a particularly valuable resource for aiding in the development of several areas of urban teens - the social self, emotional self, reflective self, creative self and cognitive self – as defined by Hughes-Hassell and Agosto in Everyday Life Information Seeking of Urban Teenagers.

Additionally, most of the characters in the collection provide healthy role models for YAs. Interestingly, at the end of the book there is a list of real people and places intended to spark further interest and inspiration.

Although my paper goes into further detail about the above mentioned themes, I wanted to use part of this post to share my favorite poem in the collection:

Reuben Mills, 34

Artist

Vien red, bruise purple

The pallet of my soul drips slowly

Onto the canvas of this life

Flashing amber, blinding white

Garish hues screaming through the night

Orange reflections on a switchblade knife

Undertaker gray, church organ-gold

Moonlight glimmer against mahogany

A moire pattern edged in strife

Moody midnight shadings of the blues

Pink raised welt on amber back

A rich tapestry of muted hues

All to create the pointillist color of black

The Name of the Game was Murder by Joan Lowery Nixon

In this novel, Nixon has done a great job creating a character that is modeled after teenage behavior while instilling values that will help her readers with their developmental needs.
Nixon's main character Samantha exhibits many classic teen characteristics, which makes her an easy person for teens to relate to. Her impulsive nature is referenced many times in the book, as she makes hasty decisions that are not always the best ones. In one instance, she makes a decision to visit her Aunt Thea when most adults would have seen reasoning against the idea. Her parents are constantly telling her "slow down and think this out," (Nixon, 10) but her impatience always wins out and Samantha realizes the possible error of her ways after she has acted upon her ideas. As quickly as she makes decisions, she is also rather easily bored. "People-watching was interesting for only so long," (Nixon 31) she thinks after having spent a minor amount of time observing a few of the other characters in the book.
Just like other teens, Samantha cares very deeply for her peer relationships. She is constantly thinking what parts of each situation she encounters she will share with her friend Darlene. When something exciting happens, her first thought is also of how much Darlene would love it.
Nixon also forwards the developmental needs of her readers through Samantha's decisions. She provides adult role models for support but also allows Samantha to see their flaws. In the beginning, Samantha idolizes Augustus because he is a famous writer. As she gets to know more about him, she finds he a hot-tempered man who has seen failure in the beginning of his career. These flaws allow Samantha to grow in her psychosocial development - her identity as a writer and feeling she has to learn that from another writer. Aunt Thea also provides a winning personality to appreciate, but has made her own mistakes. This realization that adults and parents are not perfect is an important method of development for Samantha and other teens according to the AACAP.
Nixon does well to provide examples of the Havighurst traits through Samantha during the course of the story. Samantha is very creative and participates in activities which emphasize this daily. Writing in her journal also shows her commitment to learning. Samantha furthers her learning and creativity with Darlene by creating and solving codes - all of which help cognitive development with hypothetical, abstract, and verbal problems (Piaget). This cognitive ability is able to help Samantha solve the mystery that poses as a problem concerning her aunt. As she works her way through this code to discover a hidden manuscript and a murderer, Samantha also faces the ethical dilemma of discovering a group of people's potentially harmful secrets versus knowing them to unveil the murderer. While most of the adults reach a consensus that no one shall read the manuscript to protect everyone of its harmful content, Samantha believes in her own value to uncover the murderer because it is the socially responsible thing to do. Once she has discovered the manuscript and the murderer - she agrees that while some of the evidence in the manuscript is not socially responsible, it benefits her personal values to destroy it and save the people she cares about from harm.

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Klause

Annette Curtis Klause’s 1997 novel “Blood and Chocolate” is a tale of a teenage werewolf and her struggles to fit into suburban American society. From page one, the novel appeals to readers’ appetites for action, mystery, and romance in its depiction of the conflicted life of 17-year-old Vivian Gandillon, a high school student who is part of a secretive werewolf pack in suburban Maryland. Vivian’s world is convoluted by her burgeoning sexuality as well as the tug-of-war she experiences between the expectations of her family and those of her peers. The book’s frank discussion of Vivian’s sexual desires, as well as her experiences with grief, loss, and loyalty to family, have made it a popular if controversial title for young readers in the decade since its publication.

Though its sexual content has made it a divisive title (and its literary merit is of questionable quality), “Blood and Chocolate” is in many ways properly suited to the interests of young adult readers. The novel’s strength lies in its adherence to the issues young adult readers look for in fictional works. Teens traditionally look for books that help them better understand the world around them, and whose characters’ tribulations mirror teens’ own issues and problems. According to “Connecting Young Adults and Libraries,” issues related to four common themes appeal to teens of all backgrounds: independence, excitement, identity, and acceptance. “Blood and Chocolate” hits on all four of these themes throughout the book, though the underlying message of self-acceptance and identity seems to be the largest facet of the book.

Slot Machine by Chris Lynch

In Slot Machine, Chris Lynch looks at one month in the life of Elvin Bishop, a slightly overweight yet amusingly clever adolescent, as he attends a three-week “camp” designed to ease the transition into high school. Elvin quickly realizes, however, that this “camp” is really just a systematic method to find each incoming boy’s athletic “slot” for high school. While his two best friends, Mikie and Frankie, seem to thrive in the new environment, Elvin, with little athletic ability and a slightly cynical view of the entire situation, spends his time desperately trying to determine where he belongs. Jumping from “slot” to “slot,” Elvin ultimately ends up in the most absurd, unexpected place of them all – the art sector. While he is resistant at first, it is here where Elvin truly feels like himself and relates to those around him.

Lynch’s insightful treatment of prevalent teenage issues, especially those of body image and trying to “fit in,” set against his entertaining and intriguing storyline, ultimately encourages an adolescent reader to consider and begin formulating an answer to the age-old question of “Who am I?” As Elvin grows, learns, and emerges from camp just a little bit more mature than when he entered, readers alike are encouraged to stay true to who they are, to discover new aspects of themselves, and to embrace change and discovery. The writing is hysterically entertaining, the storyline is strong, and the message is clear; Lynch’s story is a worthwhile read.

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Matilda Cook is the 14 year old daughter of a Coffee House proprietress and granddaughter of soldier in the War for Independence; her grandfather calls her a “Daughter of Liberty”. At the beginning of the book, it is August 1793 in Philadelphia, the US capitol, and there are reports of a fever near the docks. Mattie is a young adolescent with typical problems and concerns and with grand dreams for the future. She and her mother are frequently at odds, Mattie is growing rapidly, and her mother is looking for a husband for her, though Mattie has a boy friend, Nathaniel.

Her world is about to undergo a dramatic change. Yellow fever sweeps the city, attacking all classes from refugees to the upper. Her best friend, Polly, is one of the first to die and her Mother becomes ill. Mattie’s mother wants Mattie away from the danger. She orders Mattie and her grandfather to flee the city. They comply only to find that yellow fever has spread beyond the city limits. The city turns to chaos as yellow fever spreads, claiming many victims and many more evacuate the city. Many challenges face Mattie during these chaotic times and we watch her grow from the frustrated adolescent to a responsible young lady.

Though the novel is historical fiction about Yellow Fever in Philadelphia in 1793 and the consequences, Matilda is portrayed as a typical young adult going through the stages of adolescent development.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

In Westerfeld's novel Uglies, he follows protagonist Tally Youngblood as she approaches her sixteenth birthday. In this anti-Utopian society (in which a utopia is a sinister cover), on a teen's sixteenth birthday, he or she undergoes massive surgery to become a "Pretty." Before this surgery, everyone normal is considered to be hideously ugly. When Tally's friend Shay disappears the night before their birthday, Tally is told she cannot become pretty until she finds Shay. Finding Shay is more than a simple search and retrieve mission, however, and Tally quickly learns why the surgeries to make uglies pretty also causes personality shifts. This, coupled with Tally's realization that beauty is subjective, and in her society, controlled by a "pretty committee," helps Tally to break out of her self-deprecating mindset to realize that while beauty on the outside can be manufactured, no technology can create the strength and sense of community found amongst the smokies (the rebel community to which Shay had fled). This novel helps young adults realize that though we might consider outward appearance to be of the utmost importance in our society, we are simply responding to the outside influences, much as Tally had. This book offers the idea that there's more to success in life than being pretty, a message that young adults will embrace.