DR. BICKMORE'S YA WEDNESDAY

Coming-of-Age or Bildungsroman or Both? A Separate Peace Comes to Mind

4/8/2026

Meet our Contributor

Today we are featuring a post from Ed Kardos with a few additions. I held and post a conversation with Ed a few months ago. It was probably the last conversation before my two knee surgeries that began Dec. 1, 2025. Here is the link to that conversation. Ed and I have become friends over the last few months. Ed thinks quite clearly about YA literature and in this case, more specifically, A Separate Peace. One of the most influential books for adolescents over the last 50 years.

Here is the introduction to Ed. Kardos from his own website.

I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.

Coming-of-Age or Bildungsroman or Both? A Separate Peace Comes to Mind by E. G. Kardos

Here is the link to Ed's orginal post.

Coming-of-age or bildungsroman? When you hear the word “bildungsroman” what’s your initial thought? You probably have a good idea of what “coming-of-age” means in literature. For most, bildungsroman is not a term we use or hear regularly. If I had to guess, very few people know much about it. I was among this group until a few years ago as I used the term coming-of-age broadly. However, there are distinct differences between coming-of-age and bildungsroman novels.

The origin of the genre is German, where the word “bildung” means “formative” and the word “roman” means “novel”. Since bildungsroman novels are among my favorites I know plenty of others appreciate this genre. However, it is safe to say that most of us might not recognize the term so I thought I would share some thoughts.

So what is a Bildungsroman?

A bildungsroman is a coming-of-age story highlighting a young person’s psychological and moral development. Typically written in the first person, the protagonist shares their journey to maturity.

You might say that sounds like just another coming-of-age novel. A bildungsroman is always a coming-of-age story whereas not all coming-of-age novels are bildungsroman. A bildungsroman delves into themes of self-discovery and the search for identity. A protagonist’s inner journey including their values, spirituality, and understanding of the world is always a part of the bildungsroman.

A bildungsroman delves into themes of self-discovery and the search for identity.

Coming-of-Age versus Bildungsroman

A coming-of-age novel is a broader designation that oftentimes refers to any novel in any genre that explores the experiences and challenges of a character’s journey from childhood to adulthood. Coming-of-age stories emphasize growing up or coming to terms with the world. The operative phrase is coming to terms with the world. The way I look at it, in a bildungsroman, the protagonist is coming to terms with their view of the world that is found deep within them. As an actual genre or sub-genre, depending on who you talk to, these stories specifically focus on the protagonist’s psychological and moral development.

Although there are others, the major difference between a coming-of-age and a bildungsroman novel is that the protagonist mostly grapples with external challenges. In a bildungsroman the protagonist’s challenges are deep inside of them regardless of where they are in the physical world. Although in some coming-of-age stories, the protagonist struggles with internal issues, their loss of innocence may center more around relationships, sexual awakening, death and mortality, family issues, or social justice concerns.

The Structure of a Bildungsroman

Loss – the protagonist endures a profound emotional loss
Journey – because of their loss, the character embarks on a journey. The journey can be physical in nature, metaphorical, or both. They search for answers to what gnaws at them with hopes to better understand the world and how they fit or must navigate in that world.
Obstacles/conflict and growth – But as the story continues, like forcing a square peg in a round hole, the protagonist makes decisions that are not always the best. They eventually, willfully or not, resolve themselves to accept society’s ways.
Maturity/enlightenment – Psychological growth and change lead to, maturity. Many times the protagonist helps others who are on the same journey.

Although I have found the same books on lists for both bildungsroman and coming-of-age novels, the following, I feel, seem to be good examples of bildungsroman novels:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

What do you think? Are all of these books bildungsroman? Coming -of-Age? What books would you add to the list? Which ones would you remove?

A Review of Sorts – some of my brief thoughts: A Separate Peace by John Knowles

One of my favorite books in this category is A Separate Peace. I first read it at age fifteen and it made an indelible impression on me. It inspired my novel, Cutting of Harp Strings many years later.

The novels I love evoke strong emotions and provoke thought. A Separate Peace does this for me as I experienced each moment alongside Gene during a poignant period of his life. He navigates a friendship—a love—that is difficult for him to understand. I know he would do anything for a “do-over” and I empathize with him and Finny.

Gene, the protagonist, tells the story of when he was a boy full of jealousy and self-doubt to an adult who learns from his mistakes and finally accepts the consequences of past actions.

With World War II as a backdrop, Knowles compares and contrasts both societal and personal loss of innocence. Gene struggles with his complex relationship with his roommate, Finny, as the immorality of war casts a shadow on all they do.

A good book is worth reading many times, and I have done just that. Each time, I learned something new about this once-in-a-lifetime friendship. Like all relationships, it is full of joy and pain. Knowles was a master at lulling us into what seems to be a simple and innocent adventure but is, in truth, a deep and dark journey within. It reminded me that we must always search for the truth. Finding it, however, can be elusive; we may hear the voice within, but listening to it is another matter.

I hope your next read is a bildungsroman. I hope to hear from you.

Considering The Blue Dress with Statistics of Body Images and Eating Disorder

4/1/2026

Meet our Contributor: Lesley Roessing

A middle and high school teacher for twenty years, Lesley Roessing was the Founding Director of the Coastal Savannah Writing Project at Georgia Southern University (formerly Armstrong State University) where she was also a Senior Lecturer in the College of Education. In 2018-19 she served as a Literacy Consultant with a K-8 school. Lesley served as past editor of Connections, the award-winning journal of the Georgia Council of Teachers of English. As a columnist for AMLE Magazine, she shared before, during, and after-reading response strategies across the curriculum through ten “Writing to Learn” columns. She has written articles on literacy for NWP Quarterly, English Journal, Voices from the Middle, The ALAN Review, AMLE Magazine, and Middle School Journal. She now works independently—writing, providing professional development in literacy to schools, visiting classrooms to facilitate book club reading activities and lessons, and posting Facebook strategies, lessons, and book reviews to support educators on https://www.facebook.com/lesley.roessing.

Considering The Blue Dress with Statistics of Body Images and Eating Disorder by Lesley Roessing

“Once I taste the crumbly sweetness of the cookie, I decide to have another. I feel the panic rise up in my body. Three cookies! I’ve messed everything up. My brain says stop but I can’t. Something inside me has to keep going. I’ll be better tomorrow, I tell myself. I’ve already been bad, so I might as well eat whatever I want today.” (28)

According to research, approximately 6-8% of adolescents have an eating disorder. In addition, a survey found an incredible 90% of teenagers have some level of body image concern, with more than one in three (38%) very or extremely concerned; females, gender-diverse youth and those in the LGBTQIA+ community reported the highest levels of body dissatisfaction. These statistics show this is a vital topic be addressed with students. One of the most effective ways is through reading novels in which characters experience these issues. It is easier for students to examine how characters handle or mishandle challenges than to discuss their own behaviors. Through novels, readers not only can see their lives reflected, but they can understand challenges faced by their peers and, thereby, acquire empathy for others.

The world of friendship and social status can be complex and difficult for adolescents to navigate. THE BLUE DRESS presents many of the challenges that middle-school/ high school girls face on a daily basis: friendships, popularity, mean girls and bullying, mother-daughter relationships, body image, and, more frequently now, disordered eating (which is affecting adolescent males in increasing numbers).

Yasmin moved from Iran—where everyone looked like her and she was surrounded by friends and supportive relatives—to the United States a year and a half before. She was friendless until Carmen immigrated from Mexico, and the two became best friends. Both are bullied by kids at their middle school, Yasmin even more because they see her as the enemy and even a “terrorist.” The popular, mean girls make fun of her clothes, her curly hair, and her bushy eyebrows. “I sometimes think about what it would be like to not have to wonder if people in my school or in my neighborhood are staring at me because I’m from an enemy country. How amazing it would be to know this was your place and no one could question you about where you’re from and what you’re doing here. No one could make you feel like you were somehow an intruder in their land.” (111)

In addition, puberty has caused Yasmin’s body to change and, as she gets larger, her mother becomes obsessed with her weight. It seems to culminate when she sews Yasmin a beautiful blue dress for the Persian New Year, a dress she knows will not fit unless Yasmin loses weight. Maman subjects Yasmin to weekly weigh-ins and packs lunches of celery sticks and turkey sandwiches, and, when Yasmin starts skipping dinner to try harder to lose weight, her mother actually is proud of her. Her dieting backfires when she is alone with snacks or at Carmen’s house where Carmen’s loving mother encourages eating.

To become accepted by the popular Zoe, Yasmin thins her eyebrows, straightens her hair, and really tries to lose weight, even throwing up when she feels she overeats. When she dumps Carmen for Zoe—and a chance at popularity, she finds out that Zoe may not be only another mother-daughter relationship victim and even though they seem to have become friends, Zoe does not stand up for her.

Despite how she was treated, when Carmen finds out that Yasmin is self-harming, she tells their beloved art teacher who involves the school counselor, and family secrets emerge.

This is an essential novel for today’s adolescents to read and discuss, possibly in small groups that provide the safety for sensitive conversations about fitting in and fulfilling expectations. Based on the author’s life, this is above all a story of acceptance. #TalkingTexts

Some more novels/memoirs on Body Image & Disordered Eating to read and discuss together in Book Clubs are

Middle-Level:
LOUDER THAN HUNGER by John Schu
ALL OF ME by Chris Baron
A WORK IN PROGRESS by Jarrett Lerner
SMALLER SISTER by Maggie Edkins Willis
STARFISH by Lisa Fipps
TAKING UP SPACE by Alyson Gerber

Young Adult:
SECOND STAR TO THE RIGHT by Deborah Hautzig
PERFECT by Natasha Friend
PERFECT by Ellen Hopkins
WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson
THE SKIN I'M IN by Sharon Flake

>See other recommendations and reviews of novels and memoirs about “The Immigrant/Refugee Experience” at https://www.literacywithlesley.com/immigrantrefugee-experience.html.

Why John Green’s Nonfiction Matters in the YA Classroom

3/20/2026

Meet Our Contributor:

Stephanie Branson is a fierce advocate for young adult literature and authentic writing pedagogy, with a focus on fostering student engagement through diverse text selections. She has been a literacy leader as a high school English teacher, district-level learning facilitator, and curriculum writer in one of Texas’s largest public school districts for the past 13 years. Stephanie earned her undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University in the Geaux Teach English cohort and her graduate degree from the University of North Texas in Literacy Curriculum and Instruction. She has presented at both the National Council for Teachers of English and the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts. She can be reached at [email protected]. Please connect!

Why John Green’s Nonfiction Matters in the YA Classroom By Stephanie Branson

Sometimes a text just hits you. With its richness. With its literary merit. With its instructional possibility. This experience occurred twice for me with two of John Green’s most recent nonfiction works: The Anthropocene Reviewed and Everything is Tuberculosis. These two texts were catalysts in changing my writing pedagogy and instruction with upper-level high school students in the English classroom. They opened reading and writing doors that were previously welded shut for my reluctant readers and writers. The inclusion of these two nonfiction novels not only engaged my student readers in new ways, but opened up doors to authentic writing instruction that seamlessly blended genres in ways that are seen in “real” world writing scenarios. These two novels did not just engage students, they reframed what “counted” as deep literacy work within the walls of my classroom.

The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human Centered Planet is a rich collection of nonfiction essays born out of a road trip that John and Hank Green took for his Turtles All the Way Down book tour. The brothers would look up reviews of places they passed as they drove and challenged each other to find the most ridiculous review. Through this, the idea for this essay collection materialized. John Green curated this collection of essays to rate everyday ideas and objects on a five-star scale in his life. These essays explore what it means to live in the Anthropocene, our current geologic age defined by a dramatic transformation of earth through technology and human advancement. This essay collection seamlessly blends and bends genres; effortlessly weaving personal narrative, memoir, research, philosophy, humor, argument, and cultural commentary. Green writes through these genres to explore how humans live through and make meaning of a sometimes painful world.

Although The Anthropocene Reviewed is not specially written for the YA audience, this novel is rich in study. It can transform how students read nonfiction texts and works beautifully as a mentor for their own writing and exploration. Taking inspiration from Rebekah O’Dell and Allsion Marchetti’s work surrounding mentor texts, we analyze these essays for voice, tone, author’s style, and specific author’s craft moves. After closely analyzing the diction and syntax as well as zooming out on a few of the essays’ structural components, we begin to draft our own reviews of something banal from our Anthropocene and take that writing throughout the entire writing process. Using this essay collection is a fantastic springboard for student writing that is not just writing work, but also deep thinking work within the classroom.

Additionally, Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection is Green’s newest member of his nonfiction lineup. This book was published under Hank and John Green’s Crash Course Books in conjunction with Penguin Young Readers which aims to produce educational, nonfiction content to students and lifelong learners alike. This text follows the journey of Henry, a young TB patient in Sierra Leone, Africa. Like his prior work,this text doesn’t fit squarely into one singular writing genre. This book blends Green’s personal experiences with Henry, research and historical data surrounding the disease, and challenges human choices that will contain future implications for the disease for generations to come. What I truly admire about this text is John Green’s ability to write something so emotionally raw and human. It is not just about a disease. It reaches into the depths of what we consider it means to be human and forces all readers to question the current choices we are making as a society. It builds upon written literacy, social literacy, and scientific literacy all at once. The humanness of this text allows readers to sit in uncomfortability and grapple with complexity and topics that could be tough, in a very accessible way.

Like the writing work I do with The Anthropocene Reviewed, this text works so nicely with the Mentor Text Framework by Marchetti and O’Dell. The foundation of writing is “Everything is _______.” Students can pick and explore topics in a very human way, blending their own narratives, research, social and scientific ideas, and future implications as they study and write alongside this text. Through this real-world writing, students’ literacy is honored and allows them to deeply think about ideas that truly matter. They are no longer reading and writing about trivial topics, but topics that hold significance and implications for their futures.

These nonfiction texts do not just provide richness in literature study; they assume adolescents and teen readers can handle real-world complexity. A broad YA literacy foundation within the classroom should include contemporary nonfiction texts. Nonfiction lowers the barrier to entry and can re-engage reluctant readers and writers. Sometimes the most powerful YA texts are not only written for adolescents and young adults—but become transformative when these young people are trusted with them.

Studying Phillis Wheatley Peters: Ideas and Books for the Secondary Classroom

3/18/2026

Meet Our Contributor

Margaret A. Robbins has a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from The University of Georgia. She is a Teacher-Scholar at The Mount Vernon School in Atlanta, Georgia. She has peer-reviewed journal articles published in The ALAN Review, SIGNAL Journal, Gifted Child Today, Social Studies Research and Practice, and The Qualitative Report. She recently co-edited a special issue of English Journal. Her research interests include comics, Young Adult literature, fandom, critical pedagogy, and writing instruction.

Studying Phillis Wheatley Peters: Ideas and Books for the Secondary Classroom by Margaret A. Robbins PhD.

Portrait of Phillis Wheatley, attributed by some scholars to Scipio Moorhead

In celebration of Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month in March, Phillis Wheatley Peters is a relevant figure to acknowledge. She was the first Black woman to publish in the United States, and she also gained attention in England during the late 1700s for her excellent writing. Historically, she was an important voice in writing, both as an abolitionist and as a patriot of the Revolutionary cause. I have taught Wheatley Peters’s poetry and related history articles in my G7 Humanities class, which, as many of you know, blends American History and Literature.

This year, G7 Humanities students at my school, including my classes, studied an excerpt of the poem “To the Right and Honorable William, Earl of Dartmouth” by Wheatley Peters. The poem paired well with our study of the historical fiction novel Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, which included an excerpt of Thomas Paine’s famous pamphlet Common Sense. Our students completed a literary analysis and persuasive writing assignment on these texts that my colleague found online at this site (pages 51-58 of the PDF). The assignment combined knowledge of these documents with an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence preamble. I was glad we were able to bring an excerpt of Wheatley Peters’s work into our class in a way that directly connected with the American Revolution history we studied.

Still, I know that for some teachers, using Wheatley Peters’s high-concept writing in the K-12 classroom can be daunting. Therefore, I wanted to pass along a couple of resources that I believe are helpful and want to better utilize myself. The first is a wonderful website called The Genius of Phillis Wheatley Peters: A Poet and Her Legacies, linked here. This website is a wonderful compilation of history and teaching resources for various grade levels and is the long-time project of Dr. Barbara McCaskill, Dr. Mona Narain, and Dr. Sarah Ruffing Robbins. I highly recommend checking out this website for more historical and literary information about Wheatley Peters, as well as a wealth of teaching and scholarship resources.

While visiting Fort Worth, Texas, and Texas Christian University during my spring break week, the first week of March, I had a wonderful opportunity to view the short version of a documentary that I believe is highly beneficial to educators at all levels. The event was on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, and the details about it are linked here. The documentary In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters, the passion project of successful Filmmaker and Director Leslie Askew and experienced Producer Turlough White, is an outstanding overview of Wheatley Peters’s life and legacy. A longer version of the film (approximately 90 minutes) is forthcoming, and Ms. Askew and Mr. White plan to market it to K-12 teachers and academics worldwide. In the shorter version of the film, which is approximately 35 minutes long, I learned a lot about Wheatley Peters that I did not know, particularly in regards to her relationship with her husband, John Peters.

I’ve also read and can recommend two books that The Genius of Phillis Wheatley Peters Project cites on their website on the Teaching Resources Page. One children’s/YA text that is great for classroom use is A Voice of Her Own: The Story of Phillis Wheatley Peters, Slave Poet by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Paul Lee. This book is more of a historical account of Wheatley Peters’s life. The second book I’ve read and can recommend is My Name is Phillis Wheatley: A Story of Slavery and Freedom by Afua Cooper, which takes a first-person narrative perspective and tells Phillis’s story. The books have different writing styles, yet both provide valuable insight into Wheatley Peters’s life, both the triumphs and the struggles. This Canva presentation gives more information about these and other books about Wheatley Peters’s life.

A sculpture of Phillis Wheatley Peters is part of the Boston Women’s Memorial on Commonwealth Avenue in Back Bay. PHOTO: JENNIFER MOORE/GBH NEWS

Phillis Wheatley Peters is a sometimes underappreciated yet very important figure in American History and Literature. Her story is truly an inspiration to current writers. The documentary by Askew and White truly shows Wheatley Peters’s dedication to her art amid difficult circumstances, and the The Genius of Phillis Wheatley Peters website provides additional sources that will assist instructors in teaching Wheatley Peters’s writing, along with tangential texts, more effectively. Whether or not they wish to be writers, I believe students will appreciate Wheatley Peters’s dedication to her craft and the power she realized that her pen held.

Turning the Page Against Patriarchy: Young Adult Literature as a Catalyst for Female Agency

3/11/2026

I love highlighting the work of students. A few months ago Bryan Ripley Crandall send me an email to brag a bit about the work of his students on their final projects. As teacher educators we have been on both sides of looking at student projects. Some time their work is so good we want to shout from the roof tops about their accomplishments. Other times we look at projects and ask ourselves: What was I thinking with that assignment? What was I expecting my students would produce? Frankly, we often need better ideas and often those better ideas come from the work our students produce. From time to time our students creatively interpret the assignments ( both good ones and boring ones.) we give them and we she the world with new eyes, new possibilities.

In this case, Bryan sent me a sample of a student's final project. I was thoughly engaged with what Kathleen Morris turned into to Bryan. I quickly decided it was something I want to share with others through the blog. Katheem agreed to let us post her final project (see the product at the bottom of the post) and write a explanation of how she went about producing her project.

Meet our Contributor

Kathleen Morris studies Communication and Digital Journalism at Fairfield University. She serves as the Editor-in-Chief of The Fairfield Mirror, a role that allows her to hone her skills as a multimedia journalist and highlight the untold stories of her community. Beyond the newsroom, she is an In-Arena Host for NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball games, where she has the privilege of engaging crowds through live announcements and interactive segments. A native New Englander, Kathleen spends her summers behind the counter of a centuries-old country store, an experience that further fuels her passion for the local narratives that connect us all. https://www.kathleenrosemorris.com/

Turning the Page Against Patriarchy: Young Adult Literature as a Catalyst for Female Agency by Kathleen Morris

As a child, I was gifted a journal. Its cover was a glossy pink, adorned with a sequined purple “K” and fastened together with a tiny locking mechanism. It lived in my bedside table, finding a home alongside an eclectic array of trinkets and a stack of dog-eared novels.

When I received it, Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series was fully integrated into the rotation of novels I curled up with each night. I’d clip on my extendable reading light and pore over the pages, captivated by Greg’s youthful narration and fascinated by the idea of documenting daily life through the written word.

I began to incorporate journaling into my nightly routine. With each scribbled story, I captured my elementary school antics and began to develop my own voice as a writer.

This past summer, I moved out of my childhood home. In the process of packing, I was reintroduced to this relic of self-reflection. I began to trace patterns in each entry, noting an evolution as I began to embrace my budding femininity.

The challenges I faced differed from Greg’s and Rowley’s. I was not threatened by the infamous “cheese touch” or a rock-and-roll older brother. Instead, my musings were rooted in the rawness of girlhood. I felt the crush of adolescence, from actual crushes (High School Musical’s Troy Bolton earned several mentions) to the social stings of faltering female friendships.

To navigate the complexity of coming-of-age, I dove deeper into the genre of YA. I met Hermione Granger, who reminded me to be steadfast in my academic pursuits and unashamed of my zest for learning. Jo March found a seat at our table – a proud voice who empowered me to be brave and bold. I was struck by the story of Malala Yousafzai, whose story of perseverance expanded my worldview and pushed me to be a fierce advocate for women’s rights.

From Sequined Journals to Multimedia Journalism

Today, I am a senior at Fairfield University. My fondness for glitter has yet to waver, and I still utilize writing as an outlet for self-expression and introspection. However, I have traded my journal for a laptop. My words are no longer hidden within a nightstand drawer, but published weekly in our student newspaper, The Fairfield Mirror. My passion for storytelling pushed me to embrace digital tools in my creative process, identifying the unique power of graphic design to represent the inner workings of my mind with a distinct dynamism.

My interactive webpage, Turning the Page Against Patriarchy: Young Adult Literature as a Catalyst for Female Agency, encapsulates this journey – reimagining a beloved childhood medium as a digital call-to-action for women of all ages.

This project stemmed from an assignment in my Literature for Young Adults course, taught by Bryan Ripley Crandall, Ph.D. Our exploration of diverse YA texts allowed me to develop a nuanced understanding of the representation of women in this genre. I recognized the necessity of amplifying women’s voices across realms, noting how this amplification has the potential to inspire confidence within girls that will carry them through adulthood and guide them as they navigate a patriarchal society.

In the webpage’s opening letter, I share the following wish: “It is my sincere hope that this multimedia project will reawaken a spark within you – a spark that will remind you to be fearlessly feminine and unabashedly yourself.”

As you explore my project, I encourage you to reconnect with what lit a fire in the soul of your younger self and consider how your personal passions could be translated into this format. To help rekindle that creative spirit and unlock your digital voice, I have included a few techniques below to set you in the right direction:

Leverage Canva’s Webpage Capabilities

To build my webpage, I utilized Canva. I find the platform to be incredibly user-friendly and accessible, as it provides a seamless canvas where I can maintain my distinct visual identity without needing a background in computer programming. While you can access the design software for free, I’ve found that Canva Pro is a worthy investment for the extra creative freedom it offers.

Commit to a Color Scheme

I selected orange as the primary color for my design, as it traditionally symbolizes optimism and aligns with my mission of lighting a fire within young women. To maintain visual cohesion, I relied on one of my favorite tools: Duotone. This feature is available to Canva Pro users and allows you to manipulate the hues of any graphic or image to create a sophisticated, monochromatic look. It was essential to ensure that every visual element fit seamlessly within my curated palette.

Incorporate Multimedia Elements

I added a handful of videos throughout the project – ranging from Taylor Swift’s The Man music video to Emma Watson’s powerful HeForShe campaign speech. Canva allows you to link and embed YouTube videos that can be watched directly from the page, keeping your viewer engaged without ever having to leave the site.

Additionally, I integrated an original video I filmed on my iPhone and edited in DaVinci Resolve, featuring five testimonials from fellow students. I deeply valued their insights and felt it was essential to add their voices to the project, turning a digital space into a communal dialogue.

Look to the Experts

If you are new to the platform, I’d highly recommend diving into tutorials on YouTube and Instagram. I recently discovered Roger Cole’s videos (@mysocialdesigner on Instagram) and find his tips to be incredibly helpful for mastering design tricks.

The Next Chapter…

To conclude, I invite you to explore one final avenue of inspiration: the Westport Library’s Research Guide, “Zine Activism: No-Filter Feminism.” This resource provides vital historical context on the Riot Grrrl movement of the 1990s – a pivotal era that empowered young women to bypass gatekeepers and reclaim their narratives through independent cultural production.

Turning the Page Against Patriarchy: Young Adult Literature as a Catalyst for Female Agency serves as a modern equivalent to these underground publications. It is a vessel for female fierceness and a living invitation for women of all ages to pick up their own pens, turn the page on the patriarchy and author a future defined by their own agency

Graphic Novels–The Hidden Treasures of Teaching:Humanity, Worldview, Understanding, and Connection inEugene Yelchin’s I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You

3/4/2026

Meet the Contributor: Susan James

Dr. Susan Densmore-James is a professor of literacy at the University of West Florida (UWF) and the Founder and Director of the Emerald Coast National Writing Project at UWF. Before her professorship, she was a reading specialist for secondary students, where she was “gifted” the name of “The Book Dealer”. She now teaches pre-service teachers at UWF and works with middle and Young Adult (YA) authors. Her true joy is in connecting young readers with life-changing books.

Graphic Novels–The Hidden Treasures of Teaching:Humanity, Worldview, Understanding, and Connection inEugene Yelchin’s I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You by Susan James -- The Book Dealer

The Admission

It has taken me an entire career to give graphic novels their due. I deeply apologize for not doing so sooner, as quite honestly, these gems are among the most powerful of all teaching tools and represent one of the biggest omissions from my curriculum during my first 15 years of teaching. I have since made up for this in spades.

My first experience with a graphic novel was in my master’s program in 2005 when I was assigned to read Maus (1992) by Art Spiegelman. I distinctly remember my annoyance at completing the required assignment, struggling to juggle both the text and the artwork. I was an English minor, but goodness sakes–not a comic book lover. I completed the assignment and moved on without much thought, even though I am an avid reader of historical works and firmly believe in stories providing us a moral compass for how we live our lives. I feel ashamed by this reaction to Spiegelman’s groundbreaking work of art (which I have read over and over again since) and continue to share the error of my ways in order to help educators and parents avoid making my same mistakes.

The Epiphany

The gravity of my mistake hit in 2009 when I began teaching struggling high school readers. These readers had lost all confidence in themselves, and I spent a great deal of time planning how to teach them to be active readers. I had to discover ways to explicitly teach metacognitive skills in reading and had a particularly difficult time teaching inferencing, a skill that many of my students were far from mastering. I can recall my desperation when I used picture books like Tight Times by Hazen (1983) to prompt juniors and seniors to consider the illustrations without reading the text. My instruction was scaffolding on steroids. First, I encouraged the teens to deeply examine facial expressions, body language, and minute details to consider what was not explicitly stated in the text. As a community, we discussed their predictions based on only images and drew conclusions. The illustrations supported students in making these connections more concrete.

I then had the biggest epiphany of all: these students lacked background knowledge. Tough Times is a book based on a family struggling due to a nation’s economic downturn, which many had not discussed or read about before. Most had spent years dodging reading due to their lack of success with it. I knew I needed to give them a sense of success, and I also knew that as they were exposed to a wider array of topics, their interest in new content would be piqued. This is when I was reminded of graphic novels and started to see their power for students.

As we slowly made progress, I knew the next challenge would be how to move from actual illustrations to just words. Again, I had to explicitly teach how words, just like the illustrations we discussed at length, can imply information not explicitly stated in text.

Graphic novels offered my secondary students a powerful tool: first, and probably most importantly, these books gave my reluctant readers the opportunity to feel successful (many for the first time ever). They were more willing to determine the meaning of words, as they learned vocabulary in authentic contexts (actually reading). Watching them engage in discussion provided evidence of higher-order thinking through deep analysis. Honestly, this approach was the wind beneath their wings. Suddenly, students were wanting to learn more about economics throughout the nation's history, and they were eager to utilize their new skills with other books on various interesting topics.

Luckily, graphic novels have rightfully been given a prominent place in literacy instruction (and not just in my classroom). Truly, they are a teaching tool treasure that so many teachers have been given. These nuggets of wisdom were the magic in my classroom that inspired my students to see reading as a communal activity that allowed for meaningful conversations. These books changed everything for my students.

The Power of Using Graphic Novels with Pre-Service Teachers

This experience with young adults was the driving force behind furthering my education as a researcher and professor of literacy in a School of Education. As many of our readers know, many teacher education programs are waning at universities across the nation. Just over the past few years, what used to be a robust cadre of students in our School of Education programs has become what feels like a crime scene of dwindling enrollment. Whereas once I taught a full section of English Education students, now I am combining social studies education with my English pre-service teachers into one very small class.

It has been a unique experience, and my first thought was how I would entice two groups of students to read and discuss books that would be beneficial to students in today’s world and assist them in providing instruction that centers around literacy and their specific disciplines.

The first day, I had students sit in their respective groups, gave them chart paper, and had them define their two disciplines. Once finished, I had them tape their definitions to the front of the room. We then methodically circled all the words the two disciplines had in common. The result? English and social sciences connect based on four words: Humanity, Worldview, Understanding, and Connection. This is a insightful and powerful epihany from young pre-service teachers.

The Experiment

I have had many conversations with my academic colleagues across Florida, and we have shared various strategies for navigating the tough terrain of engaging with books in the classroom. As a secondary educator for seventeen years, I always was a proponent of involving parents and guardians in the education of their young people, even creating a letter I shared with each parent, inviting them into the decision process and giving students and parents choice in reading. It was always a way to build a larger community and ensure students were reading books that were right for their family.

Several of my social science students came armed with graphic novels, which I had given as an option. All the English Education students brought in traditional narrative fiction. The graphic novels were the hit.

One young man brought in the book by author Eugene Yelchin. This book literally took our collective breath away. As Troy shared several parts to the book, we learned about the story of the young Yevgeny living in Leningrad in the 1980s. It is the only book out of the 14 books brought to class by my students that every single student bought for their personal collection. I have always used “anchor text” that every student would read to ground us in common conversations, but by allowing the students to share their choice books, I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You became that anchor naturally by student choice. For this semester, I did the same. I invited the English Education and social science students to visit a library and bring in one middle grades or YA book they wanted to read and share with the class. We focused our Essential Questions on our core words (humanity, worldview, understanding, and connection), and that is when the magic began.

Eugene Yelchin

The Magic

Yelchin’s graphic novel tells the truth behind life as a young adult living in Leningrad in the ‘80s. This young man named Yevgeny tries to realize his dream of being an artist while having to operate in an underground art scene to safely create and share the art that he loves. His fears range from the constant surveillance of the KGB to his worry about being forced to fight in Afghanistan. He feels the push/pull stress from his best friend who begs him to leave to safety and his mother and grandmother who have accepted their fate as Russians.

During this time, he falls in love with an American activist named Libby, and their relationship is at first awkward (like all young love), but it blooms into a love that could possibly even mean survival for Yevgeny. Over the course of the book, Yevgeny’s journey gives him a true, uncensored insight into the operations of his government, and as he knows he will be drafted into the war, he ends up working in Siberia in the theatre before being institutionalized. The art and prose work to expose the bleak absurdities of life in Cold War Russia, but it’s the deeply human moments that keep the reader reading and also keeps the reader hoping.

When I asked students to reflect on why this book was “the one” (as they called it) for them this semester, the conversations continued for many class periods. I frantically scribbled down as many of their thoughts about our experiment. Students commented on how Yelchin’s work was an “artistic masterpiece that was dark, but at the same time it was filled with the humor that the mother and grandmother brought to the story, and the love and joy of the relationship between Libby and Yevgeny.”

Troy, the young man who brought us the book, said he loved how it allows him to see that Yevgeny is no different than the students in the class. “He has hopes and dreams and finds love. But it also teaches us the dangers of living without freedoms.” My students spoke about the generational divide between Yevgeny and his mother and grandmother. Two exchange students, one from Germany and one from South Korea, brought in books that were being read by youth in their countries (one being the amazing graphic memoir entitled Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls), and suddenly, the magic of them “dealing books” to one another was a sight to behold.

On the last day of class, we had Booksgiving (a lovely idea I learned from rockstar English Educator Brooke Eisenbach from Lesley University). I collected books from my book closet from years of attending the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) to gift to the students. There were tears as we said goodbye, but trust me, these students are very much still part of my life, as they constantly send me book titles to read.

As they were making their final selections, one of the English Education students from the class read her comment from the course review survey. She thanked the social studies student for sharing I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This that I will forever remember. “This book started it all for us. We all found a book we loved and could discuss. Without reading the stories of others, we have a set belief about how other people are based on seeing images and viewing media that might not be true. This book was that jumping off point for us to read about histories of others around the globe. We were able to compare how another country has been governed and think about what we want for our own country. The art assisted in making these connections even more heart wrenching and impactful. Dr. James, do you realize this ties back to what we said about our disciplines on day one? It is all about humanity, having a worldview, understanding each other, and through this understanding, connecting. It is more important than ever that we are reading these stories. Especially from cultures we do not know much about. It is the only way we will understand and connect.”

I have never ended a fifteen-week-course feeling my work had been fully done. This semester, I felt closer to that reality. But was it really me who worked this magic? I have to say the class was successfully led by an amazing group of pre-service teachers who realized the power of graphic novels to make their world a little bigger, to humanize cultures different from their own, to create their own, new understandings about the world, and to connect as a true community of readers.

References

Hazen, B. S., & Hyman, T. S. (1983). Tight times. New York, NY: Puffin Books.

Hills, T. (2024). Feeding ghosts: A graphic memoir. New York: Farar, Straus, Giroux.

Spiegelman, A. (1996). The complete maus: A survivor's tale. Pantheon.

Yelchin, E. (2025). I wish I didn’t have to tell you this. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick

The Story of My Anger, The Poetry of Car Mechanics, and Frankenstein

2/25/2026

Before we get started, I have to say that Melanie is one of the great ones. When I landed at The University of Georgia to work on my PhD I ended up having Melanie as an office mate. She was brilliant and kind. I also thought I was a big reader, but quickly found out that Melanie read two or three books for every one I read.

When Jackie Bach and I were considering applying to be editors for The Alan Review, the most inportant contribution I made was suggesting that we include Melanie.. We did and it was a great move.

Over the last twenty years I have learned to trust Melanie. Her work is fantastic and every time I work with her or read something she has done I learn something new.

Thanks Melanie.

Meet our Contributor: Melanie Hundley

Dr. Melanie Hundley is a Professor in the Practice of English Education at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College; her research examines how AI, digital and multimodal composition informs the development of pre-service teachers’ writing pedagogy. Additionally, she explores the use of AI, digital and social media in young adult literature. She teaches writing methods courses that focus on AI, digital and multimodal composition and young adult literature courses that explore diversity, culture, and storytelling in young adult texts. She teaches AI and literacy courses including AI and Storytelling. Her current research focus has three strands: AI in writing, AI in Teacher Education, and Verse Novels in Young Adult Literature She is currently the Coordinator of the Secondary Education English Education program in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College.

The Story of My Anger, The Poetry of Car Mechanics, and Frankenstein by Melanie Hundley

Across genres and centuries, writers have used powerful imagery and emotional intensity to explore what it means to feel broken, misunderstood, and determined to survive. For those of you who share my love of verse novels, I have two amazing works to introduce: The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez and The Poetry of Car Mechanics by Heidi E. Y. Stemple. Both novels offer rich, beautiful poetry and deeply relatable narrators. What I find especially powerful about these works is their language; each layers vivid imagery, precise diction, and emotionally charged metaphors to capture the experience of feeling fractured while still reaching toward healing. Through sensory detail and striking figurative language, the speakers transform anger and grief into expression, allowing readers to witness not only their suffering but also their resilience that carries them forward.

Currently, I am working with teachers who are teaching Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. As I working and creating materials for the two verse novels, I am noticing powerful connections among the three texts. All three works reveal the painful struggle of being defined by the perceptions and expectations of others. In The Story of My Anger, Yuli resists cultural stereotypes and silencing forces that attempt to shape her voice and identity, transforming anger into self-definition rather than submission. In The Poetry of Car Mechanics, Dylan finds peace in poetry, car mechanics, and bird watching; he finds challenges in family and expectations. In Frankenstein: A Modern Prometheus, Mary Shelley crafts a creature whose appearance dictates how others treat him, forcing him into a monstrous role he did not choose. Together, these texts illustrate how identity can be imposed from the outside and how individuals must struggle to reclaim the right to define themselves.

The connection to Frankenstein lies in the shared exploration of alienation, identity, and the longing to be understood. In The Story of My Anger and The Poetry of Car Mechanics, the speakers use poetic language to express feelings of being misunderstood, judged, or defined by others. Similarly, the Creature in Frankenstein struggles with rejection and isolation, shaped by society’s fear and cruelty rather than his own intentions. All three works reveal how being labeled or rejected can fracture one’s sense of self, while also showing the human desire for connection, recognition, and dignity.

Additionally, imagery plays a crucial role in each text. Shelley uses stark descriptions of light, darkness, and deformity to mirror the Creature’s emotional suffering, while Méndez and Stemple employ lyrical imagery and metaphor to give voice to inner turmoil. Together, these works demonstrate how language and imagery can transform pain into expression and challenge readers to reconsider who is truly “monstrous” — the outcast, or the society that refuses to see their humanity.

Frankenstein: A Modern Prometheus may seem to be a distant text for many of our students, these verse novels can help provide insight and connection. In Sit and Simmer (a poem from The Story of My Anger), Juli describes how her anger builds, how it develops, and how she tries to control it. Like the Creature, anger is something that builds and builds.

Sit and Simmer

In The Story of My Anger, Yulieta Lopez, the main character, talks about her anger not as a sudden explosion, but as an emotion shaped by silence, pressure, and the expectation to remain controlled. In the poem “Sit and Simmer,” anger is described through vivid physical and elemental metaphors—a fire, smoke, an internal force that grows more dangerous the longer it is contained.

This understanding of anger closely connects to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, particularly to the Creature’s experience of rejection and isolation. Like Lopez’s speaker, the Creature does not begin with rage; his anger develops as he is denied voice, recognition, and belonging. Together, these texts invite readers to consider anger not as an inherent flaw, but as a response to being unseen, unheard, and misunderstood.

Read the following poem. What do you notice? What words and phrases stand out to you?

Sit and Simmer

My name is Yulieta Lopez
and this is the story of my anger,
and how it became
a five-alarm fire I tried
to smother silent
but it spun into an asteroid
that slammed around inside me
and begged to be let out--
I didn’t want to play the part
of the angry Black girl
so I tried to keep the fire
constrained in my belly
but it slithered out and snaked
itself around my throat--
a rope of smoke
that caused friction
in the folds of my body
and the longer I let it sit and simmer
the harder it became to just breathe. (Mendez, 2025, p. 4)

What emotions stand out to you when you read or hear “Sit and Simmer”?
How does the title itself set the tone for the poem? What does it mean to “sit” with something? To “simmer”?
What is happening in the poem literally — and what’s happening emotionally or symbolically?
Identify one or two key images that describe anger. How does Mendez visualize or embody the feeling?
How does her choice of verbs (for example, words like boil, simmer, stew, burn, swallow) shape how we experience anger in the poem?
How does Mendez use cooking language as metaphor? What does that suggest about where anger comes from or how it’s contained?
What does the speaker’s use of sound (repetition, rhythm, pauses) reveal about control or release?
How does the speaker describe anger as something that lives inside the body rather than something expressed outwardly?
How is this similar to the Creature’s experience with anger in Frankenstein?
- What causes the Creature’s anger?
- What happens when he is ignored, rejected, mistreated, or silenced?
At what moments in the novel does the Creature’s anger “sit and simmer,” and when does it finally erupt?

Language and the deliberate choices poets and authors use to create an image or idea for a reader are part of the focus of this next poem. The poem, The Poetry of Car Mechanics, highlights the preciseness of language and description. Dylan’s search for order and meaning mirrors the Creature’s search for meaning and understanding. Both figures attempt to interpret the world around them and define their place within it, suggesting that language and interpretation are essential tools for constructing identity and finding purpose.

The Poetry of Car Mechanic

“The Poetry of Car Mechanics” is the opening poem in the verse novel The Poetry of Car Mechanics by Heidi E. Y. Stemple. The poem introduces the main character Dylan and his search for order, belonging, and self-understanding through the world of car engines. “The Poetry of Car Mechanics” connects to Frankenstein, A Modern Prometheus through a shared focus on humanity’s desire to create order out of chaos using both art and science. In the poem, the speaker finds clarity inside an engine, a world of logic and repair, unlike the confusing “real world.” Similarly, Victor Frankenstein turns to science to make sense of life and death, believing knowledge can control disorder. Both texts suggest, however, that science alone is not enough. Just as car mechanics requires intuition and creativity, Dr. Frankenstein’s work relies on imagination as much as method, revealing that human creation carries emotional and moral consequences beyond control.

Read the poem below. What specific details do you notice? Underline the words or phrases that stand out to you.

The Poetry of Car Mechanics

There is a certain poetry
in car mechanics.
Part art,
part meter and math,
part discovery.
Lifting the hood reveals
a world I know--
not like the real world
with its
mixed messages
and verbal
land mines.
Missing pieces
and ones that don’t quite fit--

like me.

When I’m inside an engine,
everything makes sense.
The motor sings.
I can tune the sour notes,
fix the broken parts.
Less doctor
than partner.
I wish the world around me--
with its broken parts,
with my broken parts--
was more like a car engine. (p. 13)

Directions: You are going to use “The Poetry of Car Mechanics” as a template for writing your own poem about one of the characters or events in the novel Frankenstein. This type of writing is called dependent authorship; it means you are using the structure, shape, line breaks, and formatting of one writer’s work to create one of your own. Writers have use this type of writing for centuries to learn the craft of writing, in homage, in parody, and to honor other artists.

Choose one key character from the novel (Dr. Frankenstein, the Creature, etc.)
Use the dependent authorship template below for your version of the poem
Write in first person
Your poem should include
- at least one metaphor or extended comparison
- sensory imagery(sound, touch, taste, sight, etc.)
- words and phrases that reflect/show the emotional state of the character

Brainstorming:

Place the characters name in the center of a brainstorming cirlcle. Then radinating five lines spaced evenly anser the following five questions.

1. What does your character understand deeply? What do your character understand better than other people?

2. What does he/she use to bring order and control to their world?

3. Where does your character feel safe? Where does your character feel powerful?

4. What parts of the world confuse, threaten, or reject your character?

5. What does he/she feel comfortable or in control doing?

Use the structure, line movement, and craft of "The Poetry of Car Mechanics" as a model. Keep the poem’s skeleton (line breaks, comparisons, shifts), but replace the ideas with your own experience and subject.

The Poetry of __________________
Based on the poem The Poetry of Car Mechanics by Heidi E. Y. Stemple

There is a certain poetry
in ____________________.
Part ____________________,
part ____________________and ____________________,
part ____________________.
____________________ reveals
a world I know--
not like the real world
with its

and ____________________
____________________.

and ones that ____________________--
like ____________________.
When I’m inside ____________________,
everything makes sense.
The ____________________ ____________________.
I can ____________________,
____________________.
Less __________________
than __________________.
I wish the world around me--
with its _____________________,
with my ____________________--
was more like ____________________.

By ____________________

Preservice teachers’ YA favorites and instructional ideas

2/18/2026

Meet our Contributor: Liz Pilon

Liz Pilon serves as the Instructor of English Education for her alma mater, Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Housed in the English department, she teaches Communication Arts and Literature Methods, Young Adult Literature, and Reading and Writing Methods for Secondary Education among other English courses. One of her favorite parts of her job is having the opportunity to visit her preservice teachers during their clinical hours and watch them teach secondary students in local schools. Her research interests include YAL, trauma-informed instruction, and best practices in assessment. She is a member of NCTE, ELATE, and ALAN.

Preservice teachers’ YA favorites and instructional ideas by Liz Pilon and Students

As part of my young adult literature course, preservice teachers were required to expand their YAL horizons and read texts and genres different from what they would typically pick up to read themselves. They created a book log for each book with information about the text, research supporting their evaluation, and teaching tips. I then asked students to revise their work for their favorite text and share their ideas with the blog! What follows is part two of a two part series (with part one was posted in November here is the link.) Why? I simply couldn’t pick my favorites to share! I hope you enjoy the perspectives of these preservice teachers as much as I do.

Meet Reese Hauck

Reese Hauck is an English Education student at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. She loves to read and looks forward to igniting a similar passion in her students. Her favorite past times include thrifting, buying a latte from a local coffee shop, and spending time with her friends.

Every Day, by David Levithan, illustrated by Dion MBD

In the graphic novel by David Levithan, Every day, A wakes up and finds themselves in a new body. Forced to live out someone else’s day, doomed to wake up someone else the next morning. They’ve come to terms with their lonely life, unable to form lasting friendships, have a pet, or know the strength and comfort of a parent’s guiding hand. One day, however, A wakes up in Justin’s body, it starts out like any other, but soon A meets Rhiannon, Justin’s girlfriend. They spend the day on a whirlwind date, leaving A unable to forget her no matter how much they try. They decide to bear all to Rhiannon, and the two develop an unsteady connection amidst the chaos that is their lives. As their story progresses, A finds themselves each day wanting more and more to live in the same body forever, and Rhiannon must decide if she can love someone who is no one at all.

Graphic novels, while fun, are a bit trickier to categorize reader recommendations for than a traditional narrative novel because the considerations teachers must take are not only related to the difficulty and quality of the writing but also depends on the illustrations to decipher. I had a tough time deciding where this novel belonged in relation to defining it within an age group, but I feel I’ve settled on the range between grades 10-12. I initially felt that maybe it would work best for 8-10, but there is a scene that is a bit more suggestive than I would recommend for an 8th grader. I think this would be a really good novel to use for a whole-class novel, and I think it explores a lot of pertinent themes that upper-high school students will feel are relevant to them. Some of such themes I noted were, identity, gender identity, loneliness, friendship and autonomy. Pairing this novel with one where students are writing narratively is something I would lean into, as I think that reading a graphic novel will help students connect imagery to written description.

Creating a unit, or even just a lesson around a graphic novel is a fun experience, especially because they are out of the norm of what students have come to expect they will be reading in class. Because of this, it’s important for us as teachers to lean into that and use it to our advantage. A few quick ideas for integrating this novel into a classroom setting are as follows; have students take a scene from the graphic novel and rewrite it in narrative form, this will test their ability to decipher meaning from the illustrations and their ability to connect those meanings to the actual text. Another idea is having students create their own scene for this novel. The main character is a new person every day, so students could create a “day” for A, complete with the illustrations, and write a short paper to describe the story they were telling in their graphics. My last idea I will mention is having students in groups pick a scene from the novel and act it out as though they are the ones inside the illustrations. Through this activity, students will display their ability to look deeply enough into the novel to understand characters’ tone and emotions within their given scene.

Meet Sarah Schroeder

Sarah Schroeder is a preservice English teacher at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. After graduating, she hopes to teach in a high school classroom. She has a primary interest in speculative and dystopian fiction and hopes to incorporate the genres in her future curriculum. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her pets, and listening to music.

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

The year is 2575, and the planet Karenza is under attack. In the midst of a war between two mega corporations, a post-breakup Kady and Ezra are evacuated onto separate spacecraft. Though they appear to be in the clear at first, they soon face another unexpected challenge. After the AI for the fleet takes an unexpectedly deadly action, communications are cut, and questions begin to arise. With the clock ticking as an enemy ship approaches the fleet, Kady and Ezra must look into the cause of the AI’s action, leading to a discovery darker than they ever expected. With thousands of lives on the line, they must put aside their past and work together to get their fleet to safety.

This book is structured as if it were made up of uncovered files, which are placed in chronological order to deliver the story. It involved multiple points of view, including some first and third person accounts. The author also has creative text formatting for different battle scenes throughout the book. Some take the form of artwork, while others involve slowly rotating the page to read the text. It provides a great opportunity for students to explore works outside of the more “traditional” book format.

This book would appeal most to students ranging from 10th to 12th grade. Since there is a similarity in age between the main characters and students in these grades, there are many situations and interactions throughout the book that students may relate to. Its unique structure might also be appealing to more reluctant readers. It also discusses AI and the ethics surrounding it, which is very topical at the moment.

This book has a large focus on ethical decision-making and how censorship is harmful. It also covers a lot of topics such as war, grief, and love. Due to this, there are a few content sensitivities to keep in mind. Early on, there are portrayals of mass killings, terror attacks, violence, and loss of loved ones. It also includes a lot of implied profane language, which is established to be “censored” purposefully at the very beginning of the book.

Given the format of this text, there are many activities that can be incorporated when teaching it. Here are some that I have come up with:

Since Illuminae has a unique layout, familiarizing students with it early on is beneficial for their reading experience. Once the book has been handed out to the students, give them a few minutes to flip through the book. You can also list some specific pages for them to look at so they can see the full span of different text formats within the book. Afterwards, have the students flip to the first page of the book and take a moment to read it. This page provides context for the book’s format and provides a good example of the tone of the book.

Illuminae also provides a great opportunity to discuss author decisions when writing a text, and how those decisions influence the storytelling. Have students work together to create a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts Illuminae with traditional formats of books. Students can then discuss why they think the author decided to structure Illuminae in such a specific way, how the format might impact their reading experience, and how the book might reinforce some general themes within the book.

Since Illuminae is structured as a case file, it does a great job of portraying how evidence helps support a point. Since the format of the novel is such a focal element of the book, providing students a chance to create a project themselves in a similar format is a great way for them to continue exploring the decisions authors make when writing. Have students create a “case file” about a theme present throughout the book. The first page included in this file will be where they list their thesis related to their theme. As students read the book, whenever they find a passage or page that supports their thesis, they will scan it and print it out. Then they will annotate on the page, explaining how its content supports their thesis.

This activity can also be adapted to analyze characteristics of different characters. In this version, students will pick a character from the text and create a “profile” for them. The first page in their folder will include a drawing of the character based on the book, words that they think describe the character, and why the character is important to the story. Students will then utilize the annotated pages to support what they included in the character profile.

Meet Peyton Moench

Peyton Moench is a preservice English teacher at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. She is a passionate advocate for diversity in young adult literature and is dedicated to creating empathy through textual engagement. Peyton loves reading and solving puzzles and hopes to teach high school English when she graduates.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

In a series of personal essays, journalist and activist George M. Johnson recounts his journey growing up as a Black queer man in New Jersey and Virginia. Throughout the book, Johnson discusses his experiences with bullying, gender, masculinity, sexuality, family, and finding ways to embrace his identity amidst societal challenges. Blending his personal narrative with social commentary, Johnson invites Black queer boys to find guidance and representation in his experiences and encourages all teens to consider how race, gender, and sexuality intersect with systems of oppression. All Boys Aren’t Blue challenges readers to see the necessity of representation and the power of storytelling to evoke change.

Johnson’s memoir is best suited for mature adolescent readers, particularly those in grades 11 and 12, due to its discussion of heavy topics. Because the book addresses sexuality, trauma, racial and homophobic slurs, and sexual assault, teachers should ensure the classroom environment is conducive to having safe and supportive discussions. Before or while introducing this book, it would be helpful to establish a classroom code of conduct so that the teacher and students all have the same understanding of what behavior and speech is acceptable and unacceptable during conversations. Creating a community agreement at the start of the unit will help ensure a safe and respectful classroom environment.

All Boys Aren’t Blue provides great opportunities for inclusive discussions about diversity and representation, systemic racism, microaggressions, and gender roles and expectations. Johnson’s narrative inspires conversations about how literature can validate people’s lived experiences and amplify the perspectives of those who have been historically underrepresented. For queer students and students of color who identify with Johnson’s struggles, All Boys Aren’t Blue serves as a source for reassurance, affirmation, and inspiration. For other readers, Johnson’s essays evoke empathy, foster an understanding of marginalized people’s struggles, and motivate the audience to become activists for both systemic and personal change.

To explore the topics of intersectionality and identity while reading All Boys Aren’t Blue, students could create visual personal identity maps, in which they highlight different parts of who they are (e.g. personality, environment, gender, race, etc.) to get them thinking about how the intersectionality of one’s identity can shape their experiences. It would also be helpful to have students create character/theme journals as they read. In these personal journals, students can track how Johnson explores the topics of masculinity, Blackness, queerness, and family and connect these topics to their own identities and experiences or to broader societal conversations. With this activity/project, students will be both analyzing Johnson’s writing while also using it as a model for their own, drawing on his ideas as inspiration for their own personal writing.

After finishing the book or towards the end of the reading journey, students could engage in a full class discussion, facilitated by the teacher. This conversation might center on the heavy topics discussed in All Boys Aren’t Blue and why the book is often challenged in schools, which could lead to a broader discussion about book banning, representation, and censorship in general. The class discussion could also focus on the power of storytelling to foster empathy. These activities and conversation topics will invite students to think critically about both literature and lived experiences by reflecting on their own identities and recognizing how personal stories can shape understanding and inspire change.

YA Lit as a Place of Rest During Unsettling Times

2/11/2026

Meet the Contributors:

Laurel Taylor and Beth Ebenstein Mulch are librarians at Alexandria City High School's King Street campus. Both authors are adjuncts at local universities, teaching young adult literature.

Laurel Taylor is a high school librarian and adjunct professor at George Mason University. She began her career in education as a high school English teacher before deciding she wanted to spend even more time with books. She earned her MLIS from Old Dominion University in 2020 and has been working in the Alexandria City High School library ever since. When she is not advocating for young adult readers, you can find her throwing a ball for her dog in one hand with a book in the other.

Beth Ebenstein Mulch is a high school librarian and adjunct professor at The Catholic University of America. She began her career in publishing before earning her MLIS degree from Catholic University. She has been an instrumental leader in keeping the Alexandria City High School library current and accessible to students while also maintaining resources to support all academic programs throughout the school. Beth is a determined advocate for her library making sure to always center access and equity in the decision-making about her library.

YA Lit as a Place of Rest During Unsettling Times by Laurel Taylor and Beth Mulch

Books are often described as an escape. Even under normal circumstances, reading is a way to pause whatever is going on in life and live in another world for a while. But in times like these, when everything seems to be unsteady and every day seems to have a new report of something unprecedented happening, young adult readers can benefit from reading as a way to rest from the chaos going on around them. Below are several ways that young adult literature can be a place of rest for young adult readers of all ages.

We are librarians in a large, diverse high school outside of Washington, DC, so you can imagine what the last year has been like. As we work to support our students, we realize that teaching them about news literacy and research skills is a vital part of our jobs, but we also realize that helping them find books that meet their needs is equally important. While we often are helping our students find books for a history project or their English class’s independent reading project, we also take seriously the task of helping students become lifelong readers who find reading a comfort. When a student comes in looking for a book, common questions we ask are, “What are you in the mood for?” and “Do you want a happy book, an intense book, something that has twists?”

As the outside world around our school has become more unsettling and confusing and unpredictable, we have embraced our role in helping students find books that allow them to take a break from the current events around them and rest. While that might seem like we are just checking out sweet love stories to every student who walks in the door, that’s not what rest and comfort and escape looks like to every young adult reader. Below we will discuss several of the ways young adult literature can function as rest in these unsettling times.

A Place that Feels Familiar

We recently came back from six snow days. I (Laurel) saw two of our frequent library visitors, and asked if they had gotten some good reading in while away. One of them lit up saying she had re-read the first Percy Jackson book and it had been such a comfort read. Then she said she started reading the second book in the series and loved it. From the look on her face, I could tell that re-reading a favorite from middle school had been just what she needed. Sometimes when readers find themselves in unfamiliar territory in the real world, going back to a book world they know and love can be comforting. Going back to a story that they are familiar with and that doesn’t hold surprises can be the rest their minds need. Books like Percy Jackson and Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Raina Telgemeier’s Guts and Sisters can be a gift.

A Genre That Feels Predictable

As much as young adult readers might love a twist they didn’t see coming, when the daily news has become a thriller, turning to genres with predictable outcomes can be comforting and restful. Years ago I (Laurel) was discussing my love of Jane Austen with a colleague. He said that he didn’t really like reading her books because the ending was predictable. I told him that was exactly what I loved about her books. In a world where sometimes the bad guys get away with their evil deeds and the good guy doesn’t always win, I loved a book in which I knew at the end that the noble characters would end up happy and the schemers would get what they had coming.

The same is true for certain genres of young adult literature. Knowing that a YA romance book will have a happy ending or that the end of a dystopian novel will lead to the hero overthrowing a corrupt system can be just what is needed in these moments of uncertainty. While the path to the resolution can be intense, nerve-racking and suspenseful, knowing that everything will work out in the end can make reading an important escape from the uncertainty young adult readers are facing around them. Reading a book like Better Than the Movies not only provides some levity and joy, but since it follows the classic rom-com requirements of a happy ending, readers can feel safe knowing that things will work out in the end no matter how messy the relationship gets in the third act.

A Place That Feels Like Home

For young adult readers whose life experiences can feel unique and isolating, reading can be a way to feel at home. Books like Other Words for Home and House on Mango Street can allow YA readers who see their communities being attacked in the news and on the streets to find a place that feels familiar and reminds them that they are not alone. Even in the university course I (Laurel) teach about YA literature, my college readers mention how comforting it is to see their own experiences reflected in the novels we read and to have a character who is going through what they have experienced. There is something so important about knowing it’s not just you. And there is something so validating about seeing your experiences in print.

Sometimes the comfort comes from young adult literature characters that are able to express something you’ve thought but couldn’t put into words. Sometimes it’s healing to see a character go through your experience and have others, either in the book or in discussions about the book, empathize with what you have experienced. If nothing else, for readers who live in communities in which the majority of people do not share their culture or experiences, seeing a character discuss food your family eats or traditions your family observes is a comfort and a reassurance.

An escape into another world

It can seem like a curiosity that young adult readers would be drawn to intense, scary, or thrilling books at times when everything around them feels intense and scary, but even these books can be a place of rest. Why do our students come in looking for dystopian books like Scythe or fantasy books like The Children of Blood and Bone when they are already living in such unsettling times? We’ve decided that maybe escaping into another world, even if it is scary, is helpful when this world is too much. Fantasy and dystopia are genres that allow the reader to become fully immersed in another world and someone else’s struggle. They allow the reader to channel their energy and feelings into some other place outside of their reality. Maybe it’s a place to expend that anxiety or energy when it feels like you’ve done everything you can in the world you actually live in. Or maybe it’s because experiencing a character overcoming challenges and danger gives hope in a time that can feel hopeless.

Maybe you can’t find a way to stop the cruelty you see on the streets of a major US city, but after doing what you can, maybe seeing a hero in a fantasy novel save their community from cruelty is the comfort needed in these days.

Maybe as a teen, readers feel like their voices don’t have much weight, but reading Hunger Games empowers them and makes them believe that they are strong and capable of affecting change.

Conclusion

While reading is always a good idea, and as librarians we will always encourage young adult readers to take time to read, in moments like we find ourselves in, reading can be a rest, an escape and a comfort, and the typical arc of young adult literature makes it a particularly restful place. Young adult characters typically learn lessons, overcome their struggles, and grow into better versions of themselves. Even when the situations and circumstances around them don’t resolve, they often end the book with a better sense of how to navigate their world and relationships. And they often find an inner peace and/or strength that we all need to be reminded of. All things all of us are looking for as we find ourselves weary from our current historical moment.

Welcome to the 2026 YA Summit

2/10/2026

Welcome to the current summit!

It is just around the corner: Feb. 26 and 27, 2026

All of the work beind the scenes.

Putting on a Summit involes quite a bit more work than just selecting a date and sending out a few emails. Of course, you have to find a date that doesn't have too many conflicts, You need to find a University that will host the event whether it is an online or face to face event. There needs to be a group of people who decide on a theme, write the call for proposals, advertise the event, recieve the proposals, and evaluate the proposals. After that the program needs to be built and presenters notified, advertising need to continue and then the entire group has to hope and pray that people decide to attend the event.

Each one of these steps is quite a bit of work, nevertheless most of the people that get involved in these projects find them rewarding when they finally begin. In my own experience, I have always found the events to be stimulating and rejuvenating. I always left the event ready to finish a lagging project or excited to start a new one. The inspiration does come from the authors who presented at the summit, but more often the inspiration comes from those scholars, teachers, librarians, and graduate students who are sharing their projects. It is comforting to find out who is do what and for what reasons.

I know for a fact that many projects resulting in articles, books, and presentations began as a conversation at one of the various summits that have been held since that first summit in 2014 at Louisiana State University. Maybe your next collaborative project will begin after listening to a presentation or having conversation with someone at the 2026 YA Summit.

You can find out more about the summit at this link.

You can also find out about the breakout sessions as well as more information about those people behind the scenes.

In the meantime check some of the things the people on the committee are anticipating as they await the summit..

Before you go to far, registar for the summit at this link.

Meet those behind the Summit.

Michelle Falter

I am looking forward to the YAL Summit because I am at a small institution in which I am the only person who is interested in teaching and learning about young adult literature. I am craving conversation about YA literature with other teachers and scholars! In a time when young adult literature is so contested in our contemporary political climate, I cannot think of something more important than talking about the value of books and the diverse stories and identities highlighted within them for adolescents with my peers!

Amy Piotrowski

The YA Summit is a great opportunity to hear from authors and learn about what exciting work is being done in the teaching and research of YA literature. This event brings together people from different backgrounds and from different geographic locations to learn with each other. The discussions at the Summit with reinvigorate your teaching, connect researchers, and provide community around books that we and our students can enjoy.

Brady Nash

I'm excited to join the 2026 Young Adult Literature Summit because it gives me the chance to connect with YA scholars, teachers, and authors all in one day. Without having to travel or spend a whole lot of money, I get to learn new teaching strategies, discover new books to add to my list, and even meet authors whose work I love. It's an easy and fun way to continue learning and exploring in the field of YA scholarship and teaching.

Gretchen Rumohr

I'm looking forward to reconnecting with some of my favorite colleagues, meeting new YA friends, and celebrating all things YA with some stellar authors!

Leilya Pitre

I am looking forward to the 2026 Young Adult Literature Summit because it offers a unique opportunity to learn from authors, teachers, and fellow YA scholars about the latest research in the field, to engage in exploring new YA titles, and to share practical, adaptable strategies for including YAL into the secondary and college classrooms.

Jinan El Sabbagh

I always look forward to the YAL Summit because it is a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and joyfully experience YA Lit. Its virtual setting allows my students and me to access the latest in teaching, researching, and discussing YAL lit. We meet and hear from so many amazing folks who we would not have otherwise. From authors, middle and high school students, scholars, educators, and librarians, so many new and well-known voices, all speak to the power of words and stories. I always leave energized, with quite a few more book recommendations to add to my list!

Jessica Wiley

I am looking forward to the community and connection from all participants. I enjoy this space where we can be engaged, vulnerable, and present without judgment. I am always looking for new ideas, creativity, and the joy of YA Lit!

Melanie Hundley

I am looking forward to the upcoming YAL Summit because it is a conference that celebrates all things young adult literature. I enjoy how it the Summit brings together scholars, teachers, and authors to learn from each other; it is such a vibrant community centered on books and stories and the people who love them!

Sidra Zaheer

I’m really looking forward to the YAL Summit because it brings together the people who care deeply about young adult literature; teachers, scholars, authors, and readers, in one shared space. YAL matters because it helps young people make sense of identity, belonging, and the world around them, and this Summit takes that work seriously. I’m especially excited about the conversations that push us to think more critically, compassionately, and creatively about the texts we teach. It’s an honor to be part of a committee committed to thoughtful dialogue, diverse voices, and meaningful engagement.

Here is the link to the Summit and Registration

Keynote Author E. Lockhart

E. Lockhart has been one of the most succesful and influencial Young Adult authors over the last couple of decades. She has been publishing YA fiction since 2005. Her first book was the first in the Ruby Oliver series, The Boy Friend List.

In 2008 her novel, The Dispeputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks was on the short list for the National Book Award for Young People Literature.

In 2014 she made a big impact with the publication of We Were Liars. The hard cover book was on the New York Times seller list for over 40 weeks and the paper back version stayed on the bestseller list for over three years.

This novel was followed by two more novels, Family of Liars and We Fell Apart forming a trio of books within the Sinclair universe and leading into a Prime televsion series.

The quality of these books is sufficient to establish Lockhart as a commanding force in the YA world. However she has a variety of standalone novels and several novels written with co-authors that all deserve attention.

As if that isn't enough to keep her busy she has a host of children's book written under her real name, Emily Jenkins.

Here is the link to the Summit and Registration

Other Attending Authors throughout the Program

Photos are linked to the authors website or a website about the author where you can find out more about there work.

I don't believe we have ever had such a wide range of authors attending and presenting.