Twisted Podcast

Laurie Halse Anderson has also created a podcast to promote the release of her new book, Twisted.

Teen Book Review - Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak and Fever 1793, is back with Twisted.

Tyler Miller returns to school in the fall of his senior year torn between his bullied past and his new "bad boy" reputation. At a wild weekend party, a difficult choice sets into motion a school-wide scandal. A great book, sometimes touching, sometimes heartbreaking, and often hilarious, sure to become one of the top teen books of 2007

Teen book buying reaches new levels

A week and a half ago, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published an interesing article about the number of teens buying books. It seems that a large teen population and a surge in the quality of young adult literature have combined to create unprecedented levels of teen book buying and library use. It's certainly good news for those of us who value reading and teen books.

Using Music to Bring Life to Poetry

When I was a teacher, I enjoyed incorporating music in my poetry units. I thought it was a good way to ease students in to the study of poetry by starting with something that was a bit more familiar. Check out my article, Using Music to Bring Life to Poetry, at Associated Content to read more about this practice.

Shiny - Young Adult Speculative Fiction E-zine

Shiny is a new speculative fiction e-zine for young adults. Right now, the e-zine is in the planning stages, but it looks like an interesting publication to keep an eye on. If you're an author, check out the blog's first post for submission guidelines. Readers can pre-order a downloadable copy for AUS$3.

Random Reading Thoughts

I just can't resist the library. I have piles of books to read, but I can't resist checking out the new releases and browsing around the place when I'm in the area. I rarely leave without at least one book, if not several. I think it's a sickness. Does anyone else have this problem?

Have you ever been the first person to check out a library book? That happened to me with two books yesterday. It felt like I'd found a new treasure, and I was excited that I was the one who got to it first.

For instance, I returned volume 2 of Kare Kano to the library, and noticed volume 3 on the shelf and immediately snatched it up (it was one of the new books I was talking about). Now, I'm looking up information on future volumes. Yet I can't say that I entirely like the series. I get annoyed with the characters, and I've found some of the situations they've ended up in fairly contrived or silly. Yet I still find myself wondering what happens to the main characters and their relationship. I don't know if that makes me a hopeless romantic or just hopeless.

Teacher Resource - Reading Reminders by Jim Burke

One of my all-time favorite teaching resources is Reading Reminders: Tools, Tips, and Techniques by Jim Burke. Even though I'm not currently teaching, and I've sold a few of my resource books because I didn't think I'd be using them any time soon, I just can't make myself part with this one. Jim Burke writes with a straightforward style while giving you a sense that he's a seasoned professional, sharing with you the tips that have made him a success. The book is a compilation of 100 reading strategies, and it includes numerous reproduceable graphic worksheets. This is a real hands-on book that is sure to leave you with ideas for your own classroom.

Dealing With Inappropriate Content

Teen book authors are creating some of the best young adult literature in years as the stories, characters and overall craft of the writing become increasingly sophisticated. But along with increased quality comes increased realism. Sex, drugs, bullying, underage drinking, shoplifting, and other negative behaviors all find their way into today's best and most popular teen books. What should you do if you're faced with content in a teen book that you feel is inappropriate? Read more at All Info About Teen Reading.

Quick Book Review - La Línea by Ann Jaramillo

Yesterday, I had the chance to read La Línea by Ann Jaramillo, and I highly recommend it. The book is on a highly topical subject - illegal immigration to the United States. However, La Línea doesn't speak to the current political debates on the topic. It follows two young teens as they head for la línea, the border, from their home in San Jacinto. They want to be reunited with their mother and father who went north years before in search of better opportunities. The author says she was inspired by her own ESL middle school students, many of whom had to go through similar experiences to make it to the U.S. It's a short but powerful work.

Teen Reading Organization - ALAN

The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE (ALAN) is a leading group dedicated to promoting young adult literature. Visit the group's website for interviews, book reviews, and news.

Teen Book Reviews

On occasion, I write teen book reviews for other sites, and I wanted to share some of these great books with AIA Teen Reading visitors. Visit my list of non-AIA teen book reviews for more great reading.