I’m In a Bad Romance: Building a display with ya lit about abusive relationships, a guest post by Cindy

February 5, 2014 by Karen Jensen, MLS 1 comments

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

In February 2013, I put together a books display called Bad Romance. It was a play on the Lady Gaga song. I wanted to exhibit books that had abusive or unhealthy relationships. I also wanted to put out information for teens that were in these kinds of relationships. The books focused on physical and emotionally abusive relationships and also included books about stalking and kidnapping.

Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year.

My “go to” book about abusive relationships is always Dreamland by Sarah Dessen. I read it when I was in high school and it was really powerful. I could feel the pain Caitlinwas in and still remember wanting to help her.

Other titles that have abusive relationships include Stay by Deb Caletti, Rage: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters, Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn, Bitter End by Jennifer Brown, Don’t Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala, and But I Love Him by Amanda Grace.

I did also include books such as Stolen by Lucy Christopher about stalking and kidnapping and Twilightas well because of the stalking elements in the book.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.

This display was very popular and most of the books showcased were checked out.

One in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

To help teens involved in abusive relationships, I included the phone number for the Domestic Abuse Hotline. Also, included in the display were some of our nonfiction collection books dealing with abusive relationships that gave suggestions on how to get out of an unhealthy relationship.

For more information visit Love is Respect.Org (where the statistics come from)

Cindy Shutts is the Teen Services Librarian at the White Oak Library District in IL. You can follow her on Twitter at @cindysku.

Filed under: Collection Development, Dating, Teen Issues, Violence

Read or Leave Comments

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

I’m In a Bad Romance: Building a display with ya lit about abusive relationships, a guest post by Cindy

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Related Posts

SLJ Blog Network

Your Fall Newbery/Caldecott 2025 ‘Hey, Keep an Eye Out’ Lists

Early Sleepy Lines: A Cover Reveal(ish) and Q&A About Wheetle by Cindy Derby

DC Announces Fall 2025 Graphic Novels | News

A Mock List Comparison: Newbery Contenders from Other Mock Newbery Sites

Talking with the Class of ’99 about Censorship at their School

Ruth Chan: The Making of the Graphic Novel Memoir UPROOTED

Related Articles on SLJ

“Today, I’m Going to Talk About Hope” | M.T. Anderson Accepts the 2019 Margaret A. Edwards Award

Five Debut YA Authors On Their Challenges, Surprises, and Advice for Teens

Author LaDarrion Williams on YA Debut 'Blood at the Root' | 5 Questions and a Rec

4 Debut YA Authors Center LGBTQIA+ Characters

Some of YA's Biggest Names Collaborate on "Blackout," a 2021 Release About Black Love

Comments

Archives

I’m In a Bad Romance: Building a display with ya lit about abusive relationships, a guest post by Cindy

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Related Posts

SLJ Blog Network

Related Articles on SLJ

Reader Interactions

Comments

Archives

Follow This Blog