There are People who don't read YA!!!?!

Yes indeed, there are people who don't read YA. This is incomprehensible to me because, I read YA because I work with teens all day. I read YA because I write YA. I read YA because I love it. And if you took any of these things away, I would still be a reader of YA.

I'm thinking of it because my Young Adult Literature elective was so popular at scheduling time that they had to add three sections into the schedule. Only problem is with my English classes, my creative writing, my new Speculative Fiction class, I can't teach all of them!

The guy who is teaching the extra YA Lit class is a good English teacher. But he doesn't read YA. I use Hunger Games and Speak with my 10th grade classes, he uses The Hobbit. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I worship Tolkien. Nonetheless, I would not teach The Hobbit as a class book.

So this brings me back to...there are people, readers! who don't read Young Adult! My mom reads it because I pass books along to her. My husband reads it, though he loves MG more. My friends read it. But some adults, particularly those my age and older, don't.

I guess because it's not for them. But, like someone on Absolute Write pointed out in a recent thread about adults reading more YA, everyone (every adult, I should say) has been through the trauma that is adolescence.

I just feel so lucky to be in contact with the world of YA literature so completely, otherwise I would have missed some fabulous books.

Anyway, because I want those kids who signed up for the Young Adult literature class that I created to have the best possible experience, I'm working on my curriculum and book list, even though I'm not teaching it until second semester.

Picking the right selection of books is hard. There are a lot of variables, for class books I pick books that appeal to a wide variety of students. For a literature class I can pick books more specific to a certain type of reader.

I don't give absolute choice because part of the goal of the class is to expose students to new books. I give a list of 30-40 books and they have to pick 3. (this is for a 9 weeks class). My hope is to find books that appeal to all the students, and also introducing them to different books that appeal to them. Last year we were wildly successful, with kids who had only read sci/fi, fantasy, and Manga falling in love with 13 Reasons Why, with kids who refused to consider non Sarah Dessen type realistic books loving Wicked Lovely.

I'm working on my list, will post it tomorrow. Any suggestions that you think HAVE to be on the curriculum for a Young Adult Literature class?

The power of a classroom library

I was just thinking what an amazing thing my classroom library is. Before I get started, let me say that my school library is astounding. Really, great books, a librarian who spends money on books rather than just computers or other things (we have a $400 globe purchased by the previous librarian $400!) I give her a list of books several times a year, and she buys them.

But there's something about having books in the classroom that's just so so so awesome. It's pretty expensive to keep up...I go to our local library sale and get some decent books, and I buy a lot of books...

On a daily basis students and former students stop in to see what I'm reading, and to discuss books with me, and to borrow books. It makes me very happy. Being surrounded by books makes me happy. I lose books every year, and I hate that, but I also know that the students who end up with the books probably have less financial ability to buy books than I do.

So a student asked me today to buy her an Ellen Hopkins book that she couldn't get from the library. I'm not really comfortable taking money from students, even to buy them things if they can't get to a book store, so I told her I would buy a copy for the classroom.

Having students value books is so priceless!