English teachers have always had a hard time getting kids to read books, but in recent years the problem has spread and taken new directions. The rejection of books by teens and young adults has become a common feature. One by one, recent studies and surveys have charted the decline. With the advent of the Digital Age, teens have more diversions…

The International Reading Association's Position Statement on Young Adolescents' Literacy Learning states, "It is during the middle years of schooling that most students refine their reading preferences, become sophisticated readers of informational text, and lay the groundwork for the lifelong reading habit." As the National Assessment of…

In 2001, the Australian Centre for Youth Literature released "Young Australians Reading," a report on the reading attitudes of Australia's 10- to 18-year-olds prepared by Woolcott Research, that suggests there is a large body of young people who are waiting for guidance, support, and inspiration if they are to become lifelong readers.…

Notes that just a few years ago, the death knell of young adult fiction was ringing steadily. Suggests that the emerging trend may be a redefinition of the genre that divides books into those aimed at 10- to 14-year-olds and those aimed at teens 15 and up. (RS)

Combines a personal anecdote involving success with one aliterate student and results of research on the reading habits of adolescents. Presents an annotated list of 50 books for "tough guys" that match the reading habits of that particular group. (RS)

Examines the role of literature in the middle school curriculum and how this role affects young adolescents' reading habits. Argues that literature's role lies in the aesthetic experience of literature as an end in itself. Considers the necessity of ensuring that students understand this personal payoff of reading. (JPB)

These six briefs summarize what researchers and practitioners have learned on several education-related subjects. They can be used by educators and community organizations in newsletters, handbooks, and school calendars. In "Foreign Languages in America? Gimme a Break!" a case is made for the importance of foreign language instruction for students…

Provides an overview of the needs of the adolescent, contemporary trends impacting the adolescent, and 16 action steps which library professionals might take to be in touch with the reluctant adolescent reader. A summary of adolescents' responses to a questionnaire concerning adolescent reading issues is included. (EJS)

Discusses results of survey of senior high school student attitudes toward reading for pleasure and suggests ways in which librarians, working with students, teachers, and parents, can integrate pleasure reading into curriculum and home; i.e., provide appealing materials, recommended bibliographies, networks for sharing information about books,…

Offers reasons why popular literature, such as the work of Judy Blume, and the literary "classics" do not keep adolescents interested in literature and reading. Suggests several authors and books that are especially suited to the reading needs of young adults. (RL)

Papers on children's services presented at the 1984 IFLA general conference include: (1) "Children's Literature in Kenya: Staggering Problems, Limited Successes, and Some Signs of Hope" (Ellen Kitonga, Kenya), which identifies some basic problems with respect to children's literature in Africa and suggests possible courses of action; (2)…

Papers presented at a roundtable session on research on reading at the 1985 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference provide an international and historical perspective on reading. They include: (1) "Research on Reading in Czechoslovakia" (H. Kolarova-Palkova, Czechoslovakia), a historical account of the development of…

Nine separate articles addressing various aspects of library services to gifted youth include a philosophy statement and discussion of school media centers, reading guidance, leisure reading habits, computer use, critical television viewing, resources and referrals, programs involving community agency cooperation, and selected resources for…