The authors share findings from a recent study of teens who freely select to read texts typically marginalized by schools (dystopia, vampire, romance, horror, fantasy), revealing the distinct functional and psychological benefits of pleasure reading. The students who participated in the study that the authors report on were eighth graders who…

Notes that teachers may feel intimidated by the sheer number of recommended young adult literature titles. Presents annotations of eight young adult works that have appeared on at least three other lists of recommended books for 1995. (RS)

Author recommends use of mystery stories in English classes, and describes six categories of mystery. (SP)

The novel is important to teach; there is no one novel, though, that every student needs to read; flexibility and ingenuity are called for. (JH)

A high school teacher has used a novel by Stephen King as her end-of-the-year literature unit to teach her students. She suggests how this selection helps in achieving her goals to get students to practice reading and discussing literature and to apply these skills beyond the English classroom.

Fifteen teachers report on the literary works they use in their classrooms, as well as the teaching methods used with these works. (RL)

Questions the value of classic literature in teaching secondary school students to read for pleasure. Suggests that a better vehicle for the same goal is young adult literature like "The Outsiders." (TB)