"Transacting with Literature" Say/Do

The Importance of Young Adult Literature

As English teachers, we love to read a good novel. I LOVE a good YA novel, myself. I'll take that novel with me to the gym as I cycle, to the bath tub as I soak in the bubbles and under the covers as I try to fall asleep. We even have our bookshelves stocked with more YA lit than classic lit. Why might that be? This week's reading sheds some light on the purpose and function of YA literature within the English classroom.

In Rice's "Using Graphic Texts in the Secondary Classrooms: A Tale of Endurance" she discusses her struggle with the implementation and study of graphic novels. Her dedication to the research of popular comics and graphics was inspiring. Through this research she was able to identify which ones were worth investing in, buying and using within her lesson plans and units. It also gave her a perspective into the lives and interests of her students.

Personally, I have not had very many encounters with graphic novels. I have read, "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi and "Fun Home" by Alison Bechdel. I had great experiences with them. I haven't read more because, like Rice expressed, they are more expensive than the traditional novel. The next graphic novel I would absolutely LOVE to read is "Maus" by Art Spiegelman.

From the graphic novels I have read, I saw the value in what they brought to the "table of literature". Take for example, "Fun Home". The title itself has a double meaning, and the text is so complex and contains so much figurative language you don't even know what to do with yourself. "Persepolis" is a historical account of the Middle East and Europe pre-9/11. It walks the reader through what lead up to what made the countries they are today. So, graphic novels have value and they should at least be on the shelves in an English classroom, if not included in a unit or two.

The other readings for this week were activity ideas that could spur on some interest, within to students, to read. My favorite activity that was posted had to have been the book pass. I have never in my life experienced what Sty calls, a "book club", in any of my classes growing up. I was extremely excited when she shared what that was and how to use it in the classroom. Book clubs are the stepping stones to connecting text with text. I think it's ingenious to have a few groups who are all reading different YA novels, but they all still connect to the primary text of the unit. It's a great way to meet in the middle. It also allows for students to see how the canonical or primary text of a unit can still relate to their every day lives by reading contemporary YA lit. I hope to use book clubs and book passes in my future classroom, which isn't too far off! EEK!

In Mike Roberts, " Teaching Young Adult Literature" he suggests surveying your students' reading experiences and interests in order to have a better understanding of your students. This is what I used to model my "do".

I really loved Mike Roberts idea of administering a three part reader's profile. So, I'm going to steal his idea and use it in my classroom. The reader's profile is such a great way to get to know your students' reading interests and this is why I would use it. I would specifically use this in the beginning of the semester. I would use the data that I collect from these surveys to help me make decisions about assigned reading and how I will handle pleasure reading as well. Another way I will use it is to help suggest book titles to students. I want to implement the data I find in my every day lessons so that I can be relevant and relatable to my students.

Part I: Answer each of the following questions.

1. What are your earliest memories of reading?

2. What was the last book you read? Was it for school or your own
reading?

3. How do you choose a book? (Circle as many as apply)

I want to learn something.
I like the author.
The picture on the cover.
A friend recommended it.
My teacher requires it.
The description on the back cover. It’s short.
I like the genre (romance, adventure, fantasy, nonfiction).

4. What is the best book you ever read

5. Do you have a favorite author? If so, who?

6. What would you like to learn more about?

7. If you could be any character from any book, television show, or movie,
who would you be? Why?

Part II: Complete each sentence.

8. When I have time to read . . .

9. To me, books . . .

10. I like to read about . . . 

11. I’d rather read than . . .

12. I’d read more if . . .

Below is a list of book titles and authors. Please circle the title of any book you have read. Then, rank the book on a scale of 1–5 (5 being the highest) based on how good you think that book is.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins  ____
Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman  ____
The Giver by Lois Lowry  ____
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry  ____
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney  ____
Daniel X by James Patterson  ____
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer  ____

Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan  ____
Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling  ____
The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride) by James Patterson  ____
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan  ____
A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer  ____
Cut by Patricia McCormick  ____
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen  ____
Alabama Moon by Watt Key  ____
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson  ____
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers  ____
The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton  ____
Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick  ____

Soldier X by Don Wulffson  ____
Boot Camp by Todd Strasser  ____
Shattering Glass by Gail Giles  ____
Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn  ____
Beastly by Alex Flinn  ____
Holes by Louis Sachar  ____
Unwind by Neal Shusterman  ____
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher  ____
Dairy Queen by Katherine Gilbert Murdock  ____
Gym Candy by Karl Dueker  ____
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer  ____
Artichoke’s Heart by Suzanne Supplee  ____

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder  ____
Pop by Gordon Korman  ____
Summer Ball by Mike Lupica  ____
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper  ____
I’d Tell You I Love You, Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter  ____
The Melting of Maggie Bean by Tricia Rayburn  ____
The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott  ____