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…

A study of formula fiction books was conducted to determine how these books fit into women's lives, what images they bring to mind, and what uses they serve. Seventy-two women from the ages of 18 to 70 read a Harlequin Romance novel by Sue Byfield. Then the group participated in several focus group discussions, a qualitative indepth technique that…

The Chinese people have great regard for those who read widely, yet little is known of the extracurricular reading behaviors of Chinese students. This study drew on data from two national surveys to investigate the amount of time Taiwanese college students spend on extracurricular reading. Findings are interpreted in relation to prior research on…

Seven scholars respond individually to these questions: Do you read many contemporary novels? If you do, whose novels do you read and for what reasons? If you no longer read many contemporary novels, why have you ceased to do so and what kinds of reading have supplanted them? (Editor/SJL)

Explores the enormous attraction for young readers of series books (such as Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and currently "The Baby-Sitters Club"). Discusses what children might learn from such reading, often thought of as pap literature by adults. (SR)

A survey was conducted to determine how much and under what conditions students read voluntarily. Subjects, 844 secondary students, completed a questionnaire that was then analyzed using the Crosstabulation Subprogram of "Statistical Package for the Social Sciences" to correlate results with students' sex, grade level, scholastic…

The "Harry Potter" series has become a phenomenal success with children. "Harry Potter" books in print worldwide is in excess of 116 million, and they have been translated into 47 languages. What might account for this huge popularity? While the characters and events are certainly engaging, funny, original, and creative, they…

This advisory resource provides a method of understanding the criteria that a reader uses to judge a novel, and recommends titles that fit those criteria. Each book was assigned a primary appeal characteristic of Setting, Story, Characters, and Language. Some were also assigned a secondary appeal characteristic. The book is divided into four…

Presents an interview with Greg Bear and David Brin, two science fiction writers who started Reading for the Future, an international project geared toward secondary school students that shows teachers and librarians how science fiction inspires young readers. Discusses programs that have come out of this group; standards for books geared toward…

Intended for the junior high school or secondary school English teacher, the articles and features in this journal focus on young adult literatue and the adolescent audience. The first article, Zibby Oneal's "Writing for Adolescents: Pleasures and Problems," describes the responsibilities of authors of adolescent fiction, while the second article,…

This second revised edition of a guide to books for adolescents is designed for use by parents, teachers, and librarians and has been rewritten to reflect the most recent developments in education and society. New chapters discuss reading rights or censorship, drama, literature by and about women, and science fiction and fantasy. Other chapters…

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)

Discusses reading with pre-teens Francine Pascal's "Sweet Valley Twins: Best Friends," one of a series of pre-romance novels featuring identical twin sisters. Interviews six girls using the Symbolic Representation Interview (SRI) about the good girl/bad girl dichotomy in novels and other media. Provides comments by Tom Romano and Diana Mitchell.…

Superior high school students (975 finalists in the NCTE Achievement Awards Program) were surveyed to find what one book was most significant to each of them in their high school experiences, and the reason for the significance. In response to questionnaires, the students cited 416 different titles, 72% of which were novels. The top 10 books were…

Presents the viewpoints of a tenth grader on novels for young adults that portray troubled teens dealing with alcoholism, drugs, depression, suicide, sexual abuse, and violence. Suggests that contrary to adult opinions that these novels are not always age-appropriate, they in fact broaden teens' outlooks and prepare them for the real world. (LRW)