This talk delivered at the "Focus '86...The Curriculum and You" Conference by an author of books for young adults, focuses on the problem of teenage suicide. The characters and situations of three books are described with emphasis on the need for human values within the community. (CLB)

While folklore, fairytales, and fantasy vary in definition, they possess the common elements of supernatural beings, strange locales, and imaginative content. Folk tales, originally intended for all ages, were meant to convey lessons about moral behavior and group values; good was rewarded and evil punished. In contemporary literature, high…

This paper argues that a value structure must be developed and taught in the schools. The values and principles contained in the Humanistic Manifesto II are examined in the context of current adolescent literature. Discussed are such books as "It's Not What You Expect" and "Mom, The Wolfman and Me" by Norma Klein; "First Person Singular" by Vida…