Book description
Today's young adult literature is every bit as complex as the audience
it's written for, unflinchingly addressing such topics as homosexuality,
mental illness, AIDS and drug abuse. In this much expanded revision of
his 1996 book, veteran author Michael Cart shows how the best of
contemporary YA lit has evolved to tackle such daunting subjects without
resorting to sensationalism. He brings his historical survey of this
category fully up to date, covering its explosive growth in the past
decade, and advocating that librarians and teachers look beyond romance
and horror when advising young adults. This survey helps YA librarians
who want to freshen up their readers' advisory skills, teachers who use
novels in the classroom, and adult services librarians who increasingly
find themselves addressing the queries of teen patrons by covering the *
Reading habits of today's teens * Influence of new technologies and
formats * New YA lit awards This insightful and often humorous work
presents the evolution of YA lit in an appealing way, making it equally
useful for students of literary studies. You'll definitely update your
recommended “to read” lists after a spin through Cart's advisory.
"This updated and expanded second edition of Cart's already lively
and comprehensive history of young adult literature (1996) is an
essential resource ... Highly accessible and thorough, the text is a
staple for any study of the canon. Students and newcomers to the
conversation will appreciate Cart's experience and insight. And, once
again, the books he mentions as examples will send readers straight to
the shelves." Michael Cart is a nationally known expert in young
adult literature, which he taught at UCLA before his recent relocation
to the Midwest. A columnist and reviewer for ALA's Booklist magazine, he
is also the author or editor of 20 books and countless articles that
have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The San
Francisco Chronicle, Parents Magazine, American Libraries, School
Library Journal, and elsewhere. The former president of both YALSA and
ALAN, he is the recipient of the 2000 Grolier Award and the first
recipient - in 2008 - of the YALSA/Greenwood Publishing Group Service to
Young Adults Award. He appointed and chaired the Task Force that created
the Michael L. Printz Award and subsequently chaired the 2006 Printz
Committee.
