Books That Don't Bore 'Em: ... || Stuff they will wanna read...
Written: Jan 22 '08 (Updated Jan 22 '08)
Product Rating:
Pros: Excellent analysis of the basics of Young Adult fiction. Hundreds of suggested works.
Cons: Common themes of YA fiction carry heavy baggage, not explored deeply here.
The Bottom Line: Excellent resource for teachers of Young Adult fiction. While the themes of today's YA fiction continue to draw controversy and fervent discussion, its value is reaffirmed here.
sleeper54's Full Review: James Blasingame - Books That Don't Bore 'em: Youn...
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Anyone reading these words has surely discovered the lure of the written word, the power of written language to draw a reader into the thoughts, the mind, the imagined world of the writer. We lucky readers can only imagine what is missing from the lives of those who find their recreation only in physical activities, mindless video/computer games, or movies.
Books That Don't Bore 'Em: Young Adult Books That Speak to This Generation is author James Blasingame's effort to help teachers of young adults realize "a wondrous experience is just one book away for every teen reader." It is a mission worth the effort and he arms his readers with the understanding, the resources, and the motivation to help teachers reach every reader with that 'just one book' that might turn every student into a life-long reader.
Blasingame outlines several key components that need to be found in every book deemed worthy of being called young adult, 'YA', fiction. Readers should identify with characters and issues they experience in their daily lives. Plot driven, non-preaching, and written in language they can understand; YA fiction should help young adults navigate the rocky shoals of adolescence, helping them 'figure out' who they are and find their role or 'place' in their 'real-world' life.
A divisive touchstone in today's burgeoning YA fiction world is the topic of issues. Stories of changing family structure, gender/sexual identity, physical/sexual abuse, drug abuse, racial conflict, and more are all commonly found in quality YA fiction. Blasingame notes removing these themes from stories available to young readers greatly reduces their ability to find stories that match the realities they and/or their friends face every day, leaving stories that fail to capture their interest as readers.
Blasingame is a fervent supporter of the reader-response method of teaching literature. He outlines attributes of the classroom that are important to allow all readers-students to bring their own interpretations of a story/book to a group examination of a story. This type of analysis is found challenging by many because it negates the traditional belief that a story has a pre-defined meaning not subject to 're-negotiation' by the reader or the group.
Choosing books for student and classroom use is also discussed. It is discouraging to note that Blasingame's guide for 'evaluating' books/stories places emphasis on established writers and publishing houses, awards won, the author having "a proven reputation for quality work." That must be discouraging for the new writer looking to break into the field of YA fiction.
Books That Don't Bore 'Em: ... is chock full of lists of stories/books suitable for group reads, read-alouds, book circles, and independent reading. Other lists point out specific writers, themes, genres, and topics. Everything from abuse and addiction to stories about "things do not go according to plan" and many more.
The book concludes with brief biographies of many of the writers whose works are featured here. All have selected bibliographies, with a short summary of the works, and many feature a short Q&A interview section. Blasingame believes the reader who makes a connection with a character and a story might be drawn further into the reading world by learning a bit about the author and their other works. This biography/bibliography section actually comprises more than half the book. I actually found it quite interesting to learn the stories of the authors.
The Bottom Line
James Blasingame, a noted university-level Young Adult Literature educator, shares his passion for 'infecting' young people with the 'joy' of reading. Despite not strongly addressing the issue of what is appropriate for any given reader, classroom, or school district, Books That Don't Bore 'Em: Young Adult Books That Speak to This Generation is a great resource for any teacher or home-schooler seeking guidance in the field.
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