This article examines two comic book adaptations of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" produced for teenage readers and used in school classrooms. It seeks to understand the ways in which particular kinds of literacy are being implied and constructed through the textual practice of multimodal adaptation. It presents a close reading of sections of…

"Learning with Literature in the EFL Classroom" provides a comprehensive, in-depth and state-of-the-art introduction to literature learning in EFL contexts. Paying attention to both theoretical and practical concerns, the study focuses on a wide range of literary genres, different age and ability groups and new topics for literature…

When readers of contemporary adolescent literature are encouraged to participate in conversations about what is considered canonical literature, the literary value of adolescent reading expands past narrowly defined borders. Several recent adolescent novels provide access to the classics and may generate interest among middle school students in…

This article reports the findings of a study that investigated the role of graphic novels in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) to International Baccalaureate students (aged 15-16) in TED Ankara College Foundation Private High School. Two intact 10th grade classes were randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups who studied…

Notes that the use of Young Adult literature to introduce the complex literary concept of the archetype is ideally suited to teachers of gifted students in high school classrooms. Discusses how once students understand the concept of archetypes in literature, they can begin to make deeper connections among all of the literary works that they read.…

Discusses Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," especially the characters of Long John Silver and Jim, and why the novel continues to be read today by adolescents. Discusses, also, the character of Jimmy Little, the adolescent protagonist of "Somewhere in the Darkness," a contemporary novel. Furnishes questions for…

Contends that historical fiction is popular with young readers and has much to offer them. Provides frameworks for selecting and teaching such novels and for linking them to classics from the same historical period. (RS)

This book is based on two assumptions: the classics comprise the canon of literature that is mostly taught in schools; and most teachers are familiar with adolescent literature but are unsure how to incorporate its use in classrooms. This book provides the necessary information so that teachers may confidently use young adult novels in conjunction…

Although young adult literature is often recommended as a reading bridge to the classics, Stallworth insists that the genre deserves a prominent place in the middle school canon in its own right. She describes several examples from middle school classrooms of how young adult novels can enhance tweens' "life literacy" by both helping them develop…

Presents nine answers to frequently asked questions about "Adolescent Literature," sometimes called YA (Young Adult Literature), including: what YA literature is, why it did not exist before 1967, why educators read YA literature, YA's relation to the classics, building a classroom library of YA books, essential resources for teachers, and some…

Describes a method for sparking interest in classic literature by having students develop a table of comparison of the major similarities in plot, character, theme, and structure for a young adult novel and a classic work. Illustrates with a comparison of "The Catcher in the Rye" and "The Stranger." (HTH)

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)

Many high school students are on a quest to find out who they really are. Using the theme of "Searching for Identity" in both "A Fine White Dust" and "Great Expectations" will help students identify their feelings. Cynthia Rylant's "A Fine White Dust" has easier language than "Great Expectations,"…

All people have to deal with feelings of loneliness, isolation, fear, and lack of acceptance, especially in the teenage years. Both of the novels "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes" and "Frankenstein" deal with these issues. By 10th grade, students are really searching for who they are and what they want out of life. It is…

Lois Lowry's award-winning novel, "The Giver," chronicles the strength of Jonas, an adolescent boy of 12 who lives in a utopian society. In the Community everyone is equal, and there is only a gray routine of existence. But Jonas is singled out by "The Giver," a wise old man who teaches Jonas the range of human emotions, and…