Young Adult Literature Resources

Many of our students will do their last sustained reading (of the curl-up-and-lose-track-of-time variety) during their middle or high school years; others will find themselves hooked for the first time on books that speak to them in ways they never thought possible; still others will find that one book, that one single read, that becomes and remains their very most favorite book ever.

These are important reading experiences, and the only way we can support such moments is by knowing as much as we possibly can about the books our students want to read. Use the links below to help you locate the literature and reviews you need to build your classroom library, create booklists, develop unit plans, locate reviews of specific books, or simply to make yourself more aware of the rich variety of YA literature.

The Virtual YA Index
Created in 1997 by library consultant and former YA librarian Patrick Jones, this index highlights Young Adult Web pages from public libraries across the country. It's a great place to browse for recommendations from some of the people who know YA literature best: YA librarians.

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) is a division of the American Library Association. This site features various booklists (e.g., Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Outstanding Books for the Collegebound) and award winners. You can hardly go wrong on this one.
amazon.com
Almost too easy! This is one of the best sources these days for quick reviews by people who've actually read the books, many of them middle and high school students themselves (plus some published reviews as well). If you focus more on the "Wish List" function than on the "Shopping Cart", you can use the "People who bought this book also bought. . ." feature to build some fairly comprehensive lists of related titles without overloading your credit card!		 powells.com
Some people like this site (attached to the real live bookstore in Portland, Oregon) better than Amazon: the home page features reviews and popular links. It just seems a little more book-oriented than Amazon somehow. (The young adult literature will be under "Children's".)
The ALAN Review (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents, NCTE)
You'll have to do a bit more digging here, but each issue features excellent reviews, as well as articles of interest. This is a journal worth subscribing to if you're serious about young adult literature.		 Teachers at Random
Random House Children's Books publishes this excellent resource. You'll find reviews, teachers' guides (by title, by grade, by theme, by discipline, even by time period), author interviews and a monthly feature, "A Word from Pat Scales" written by one of the country's pre-eminent YA librarians.

Reading Rants!
Created and maintained by Manhattan middle school librarian Jen Hubert as a "commercial-free, fresh and funky home on the internet" for teenage readers, this site has a "No Adults Allowed!" feel. Where else will you find lists like "Historical Fiction for Hipsters" and "Just 'Fanging' Around"?!

Teenreads.com
Information and features designed around teenage readers. This site is part of The Book Report Network, a group of Websites developed by Carol Fitzgerald and devoted to books and readers.

Kay Vandergrift's pages
An award-winning site maintained by a Rutgers University professor. It's a rich resource, one I come back to time after time.

 

titlewave
This is a project of the Follett publishing company, and it's a great tool for building lists of various kinds. On the Follett homepage, choose "School Library Resources", then "Titlewave". You have to complete a registration form, but there's no cost. After you're registered, you can store your lists and edit them--a great teacher tool!

Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site
Carol Hurst,a former elementary school teacher, is a well-known lecturer, storyteller and language arts consultant. Her Website combines reviews and thematic booklists with actual teaching techniques and suggestions for using YA literature in the classroom.

Nonfiction Titles for Teens It isn't always easy to find good quality nonfiction for young readers: this collection from the Evanston, Illinois Public Library is a great starting place.

 

This page revised May 27, 2004