Trupe offers this book as a point of departure for critical discussion of fiction for young adults, whom she defines as between 12 and 17 years of age. The 32 chapters take up such expected themes as dating, friendship, abuse, school life, sexual orientation, parental relationships, and violence (including sexual violence), but the author extends the notion of theme by including chapters on imagined places, imagined futures, retellings of traditional tales, and so on. Trupe begins each chapter with paragraph or two introducing the theme and follows with a description and analysis of a number of texts….[t]his book's main audience will be teachers, school librarians, beginning education majors, and precocious young adults. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, professionals, general readers.” —Choice
“[A] treasure trove for librarians, teachers, youth counselors, or anyone else working with teens or in a position to influence their reading choices. It also serves as an outstanding guide for those trying to gain some insight into the young adult mind.” —Library Collections, Acquisitions and Technical Services
“We encourage librarians, teachers, parents, and young adult readers themselves to consult to learn the state of YA literature today and to select appropriate reading material.” —Feminist Collections
“Designed as an introduction to the genre, synopses compare and contrast style, imagery and other key focal points of more than 150 young adult novels….Recommended as a young adult literature reference and collection development tool for teachers and homeschoolers new to teen literature, as well as both school and public libraries.” —Christian Library Jourbanal
“Detailed discussions and interpretive summaries of 158 young adult novels (plus one series) are provided in this thematic approach to YA literature.” —VOYA
“Divided into 32 sections, each of which addresses selected books that speak to significant themes, this resource draws attention to both contemporary and historical titles. In each chapter, easy-to-read and engaging descriptions and summaries of the novels chosen for their thematic content (between four and six per chapter) are supplemented by a general introduction to the issue. Following the narrative, a brief bibliography of similarly themed works is appended. Trupe's attention to older and oft-forgotten fiction is admirable and likely reflects the real contents of school and public library collections.” —School Library Jourbanal
“Intended as an introduction to critical discussion of some of the best fiction for young adults, this guide would be especially useful for teachers and librarians who are new to the field and either need to recommend titles or use them as a part of the curriculum. The material is arranged in 32 chapters, each on a specific theme that has significance to teen readers, such as Addressing Addiction, Insiders and Outsiders, and War's Impact. Brief summaries of more than 150 works dating from the 1950s to 2004 are provided along with analysis of form, characterization, point of view, and symbolism, and a discussion of how the book fits the theme. Each chapter concludes with a list of additional titles on the same topic. Alternative thematic groupings are offered in the appendix, along with a selected bibliography of secondary sources. This text would be a practical addition to middle- school, high-school, and public libraries.” —Booklist/Professional Reading
“This resource for librarians, teachers, and teens identifies some of the best fiction for young readers available today. The volume is organized into 32 chapters dealing with such themes as addiction, dating, friendship, poverty, sexual identity, religion, and war. Each chapter offers a critical introduction to three to eight novels and concludes with a list of additional reading recommendations.” —Reference & Research Book News
Divided into 32 sections, each of which addresses selected books that speak to "significant themes," this resource draws attention to both contemporary and historical titles. In each chapter, easy-to-read and engaging descriptions and summaries of the novels chosen for their thematic content (between four and six per chapter) are supplemented by a general introduction to the issue. Following the narrative, a brief bibliography of similarly themed works is appended. Trupe's attention to older and oft-forgotten fiction is admirable and likely reflects the real contents of school and public library collections. However, it comes at the exclusion of key newer titles, such as David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy (Knopf, 2003) and Julie Ann Peters's Luna (Little, Brown, 2004) under "Sexual Identity, Sexual Desire." Furthermore, Trupe lists Nancy Garden's Annie on My Mind (Farrar, 1992) in the bibliography but fails to address this breakthrough title in the body of the chapter's narrative. The critical commentary promised in the introduction varies in depth and detail; one of the best discussions is found in the author's pithy analysis of Carol Plum-Ucci's The Body of Christopher Creed (Harcourt, 2000). The focus on "issue books" invites comparison to Sharon Spredemann Dreyer's The Bookfinder (American Guidance Service); the organization and scope of this book pales in comparison to that long-gone guide.-Amy S. Pattee, Simmons College, Boston Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
