Having read all of these young adult books, I had to go a step deeper; to analyze them using Making the Match by Teri S. Lesesne. Here is an outline of that analysis in outline format.
PART 1: Chapters 1-4 - Knowing
the kids:
1.
Chapter 1 - 4
a.
Key concepts
i.
Understanding the Age of young adult readers
varies from 4th grade into college aged. This is a transition period between childhood
and adulthood. Different people reach it
at different times. Each student may be
in a different part of the transition into a more mature reader.
ii.
The inner child – Every person carries with them
the knowledge and experiences from their earlier years.
iii.
YA culture – This is a fast changing world that
the young adult lives in. there are
changes in fashion, slang, and what is “in” or acceptable teen behavior and
what is “so last year.”
iv.
Physical development of adolescents are often a
topic of their thoughts and conversations with other adolescents.
v.
There is a HUGE shift during this time in the
mental state of students from concrete learning to abstract.
vi.
Books need to be developmentally appropriate for
the reader’s maturity level.
vii.
Kohlberg discusses three levels to moral development:
preconvention, conventional, and postconventional.
viii.
Richard Havighurst has a theory of developmental
tasks that all healthy adolescents should be able to fulfill.
ix.
There are stages in the development of a
lifetime reader.
x.
YA readers prefer mysteries for the heightened
suspense. They occasionally want
humor. Nonfiction appeals to at risk readers. Unfortunately, kids do judge books by their
cover.
xi.
Reluctant readers need a narrowed selection of
books to choose from.
xii.
Teachers and librarians need to accept student
interests and not try to always get them to read a harder or longer book. Students want to keep books longer than the
two week checkout period. Students get
excited to meet authors.
xiii.
Students at this age still loved to have books
read aloud.
xiv.
Students want to hear about good books.
xv.
Using surveys and questionnaires can help you
get to know your students and their interests.
2.
Examples from required reading
i.
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda –
Younger students in the young adult age range (4th-6th
grade will be able to understand the inner workings of the school and the
social circles that it discusses. Every
school has these cliques or groups that young adult readers can understand.
ii.
Auggie & Me is another example of
this idea of where do I fit in, what do people think of me, how do I make
friends… All three of these characters
dealt with issues that are still current and relevant to young adult readers.
iii.
Gabi, A girl in Pieces is an example of
dealing with physical, mental and sexual development during her senior
year. She is self-conscience of her body
and how boys see her.
iv.
Speak & Period 8 may be above the
developmental appropriateness for some students. Speak deals with a rape victim and how she
deals with her freshman year. This book
would not be appropriate for most 4-7th grade students. Period 8 contain some very graphic
language. The students are seniors. This
would not be appropriate for intermediate students.
v.
Annie on My Mind, Gabi, a girl in Pieces, George,
and Monster all deal with the different levels of morality we find.
vi.
In the book, The Absolute True Diary of a
Part Time Indian, Junior displayed
some of the developmental tasks listed by Havighurst. He had a change in relationship with his
parents and childhood friends when he decided to move schools. He had a deep set of morals and values. Many of the things going on in the
reservation where against these morals and values. He had a realistic picture
of the world and was finding his place in it.
3.
Future applications
a.
As a librarian, I can use the information about
the inner child to help me pick books for students.
b.
Whether it is to purchase books for the library
or to help students find books, I need to be aware of the cultural aspects that
the child lives in to keep my library current.
c.
I need to be aware of whether a student has made
the switch to abstract learning. Some
symbolic books may not work for them, because they will miss the depth of these
books.
d.
Will the students understand and enjoy this book
based on their level of moral development?
Books always make people think and question their ideas. I need to know
if they will be ready for the topics in a book I might recommend.
e.
The better I know my students and their
interests, the better connection I can make with them. They need to know that I have their best
interests at heart when trying to choose a book for them.
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