Lucy SchallCritiques

Features YA novels published between 1997 and 2001. Each title has a summary, booktalk, related activities and related works. Books are divided into themes and sub-themes: "Challenge: We Meet a Powerful World" and "Strangers Judge." Booktalks aren't that exciting but a good source for teachers and librarians.

Interesting categories for many of the books listed in the contents. Some have cross-over potential that the teacher librarian might look into. The lexile score, while not in every school, helps but also hinders. More interesting is the developmental relationship of many books to students in school today. A professional facilitation of this information is needed. The book is updated with history about important recent contributors to our society included (Steve Jobs). Strategies for book-talking are simple and complete, not new. This book works for some readers’ advisory work, but understanding the audience is paramount to this happening. Perhaps one of the best things this book offers is information beyond the book – the additional information can be enlightening for readers of all types.

Nicely put together, this book offers suggestions for various booktalks that can be used to discuss various teen issues. While aimed at the teen audience, there is information in this book to suggest that it isn't just for teens. Preteen issus especially are well represented. From historical issues to contemporary concerns, from heritage to conflict and multicultural concerns, this book offers much. Well organized with interesting comments on what the book's issues are. Excellent ideas abound. For each entry there is information about where to find more information regarding the author, a review, or a book trailer. Know the subject well and its tangential issues! For public and school programs. Now if only book interaction were so simple with teens...

Excellent selection of up to date titles that can be book used with tweens and teens. Organized by value theme, it respects the lens of the author and offers ways to use the book in sensitive areas that reflect concerns of many teens today. it also offers suggestions that allow for flexibility of use and has strong ties to a curriculum. The reader response areas can be quickly turned into discussion topics, and the f"related connections" are sound. Recommended.

Schall has assembled several hundred titles of interst to teens. For each book, she provides a plot summary, read aloud suggestions, a sample brief booktalk, questions for teens to address after reading the book, and an annotated bibliorgraphy of related titles. Thus, this book is more than an assembly of booktalks and is much more useful. The genres covered include issumes, comtemporary, adventure/survival, mystery/suspense, fantasy/science fictionhistory, and multiple cultures. This is an excellent collection of titles with complete indexing maing it a very useful handbook. Our suggestion is to have teens create similar guides to their favorite titles on wikis – thus building a whole reading community. Student presidents of virtual book clubs can use this volume to suggest titles to other readers.

Targeting teens, this book covers the basics.

From School Library Journal
Schall introduces specific themes in YA literature and a number of activities tied to them. The human search and struggle are reflected throughout each chapter heading-"The World Reacts," "We Act," "Forces Try to Confound Us," "We Struggle and Give." Each subtopic includes at least five books (fiction and nonfiction) with a summary/description, a short booktalk, activities for students/teens, and a list of related works (some of which are highlighted in other chapters). These subtopics include family decisions, nature's patterns, spirituality, good versus evil, disease, hate and prejudice, the supernatural, and trust. The author's clear, brisk writing will encourage professionals to use many of the books as jumping-off points for a discussion. The short booktalks lend themselves for use in reading either over the intercom or on television announcements. While Jennifer Bromann's Booktalking That Works (Neal-Schuman, 2001) and Carol Littlejohn's Keep Talking That Book! Booktalks to Promote Reading, Volume III (Linworth, 2001) contain many useful ideas, this guide will help take librarians further with great ideas for motivational activities and will be useful as a tool for curriculum connections.
Jana R. Fine, Clearwater Public Library System, FL
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Schall provides more than 100 booktalks for titles published between 1997 and 2001. The majority are fiction, but there is a good selection of nonfiction as well. The author introduces each one with a clear, concise summary, followed by a short booktalk with just enough information to whet teens' appetites. The "Related Activities" section that follows each one will be most useful to teachers, especially those who teach English or the social sciences. The final section, "Related Works," is an excellent resource for reader's advisory as well as for further booktalking ideas. Following Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, for instance, Schall refers readers to an interview with the author published in Voya, a nonfiction book about rape, and two fiction titles that deal with sexual assault and abuse. School librarians will find this volume particularly relevant, especially if they are working with teachers to integrate more YA literature into the curriculum, but public librarians will benefit almost as much from the wealth of suggestions.
Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.