Response to Chapter Six "Of Times, Teens and Books"

Chapter six of Adolescent Literacy: turning Promise into Practice, "Of Times, Teens and Books," by Teri S. Lesesne outlined the ways in which Yong adult fiction is changing to match societal changes. Lesesne began the chapter by explaining how books once marketed to an older audience are now being read by younger children  as a result of their changing "resources, abilities and interests" (2007, p. 62). In response to these changes in their audience, publishers have begun to publish an increasing amount of books in different genres addressing many different issues relevant to teens today. As I read I was amazed at all the different literature available to students and teachers today. Lesesne filled the chapter with references to different works of fiction providing a brief plot summary of each, the inclusion of these titles and their explanation alerted me to the variety of issues teens face today and how they can be discussed through reading. As a future teacher, I found this to be very empowering as I will be able to find literature for all my students to connect to that will help them  enjoy reading more. I was particularly intrigued by the idea of using a graphic novel to reach students struggling with reading, this would be a wonderful thing to start a class with in order to increase student involvement and confidence in the course.