We believe that in order to be a good teen services librarian, you need to know and understand teens. This means not only understanding the basics of adolescent development, but also knowing about the world that teens live in and the issues that affect them. Below are some of the posts that we have done on various teen issues. If you would like to share your experience with an issue affecting teens, please contact Karen Jensen (kjensenmls@yahoo.com) to discuss doing a guest blog post.
An A to Z guide of Teen Issues
The “Biggies”
- Discussing body image, gender issues and diversity in YA Lit
- Bibliotherapy: What if we read more? (Developing compassion in tweens and teens)
Addiction
- Understanding the Wild Child: A look at addiction, including technology
- Wild Child Conference 2011: The Power of Presence
- Wild Child Conference 2011: Drug use update
- Wild Child Conference 2011: Teens and Sexual Addiction
Adolescent Development
- Adolescent Development resources
- Adolescent Stages of Development
- Inside the Teenage Brain on Frontline/PBS
- The Teenage Brain and The Teenage Brain Revisited
- Basic Teen Demographics
AIDS/HIV
Aliteracy
Autism and Libraries
- Teen Issues: Autism and Libraries
- On the Spectrum and @ Your Library (Guest post by Matthew Ross)
- Teen Issues: Teens and Autism and Future Horizons
- Autism & Libraries: A Q&A with J. D. Kraus
- Teens and Autism: What does it mean to be “typical”?
- Atticus Was Right: The remarkable story about a boy with autism, a bully, and a book (Guest post by Amianne Bailey)
- Book Review: Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown (sibling with OCD)
- The Power of Reading: Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman
Body Image and Eating Disorders
- Top 10 teen titles dealing with body image and eating disorders
- The Girl in the Fiberglass Corset; a story about scoliosis and eating disorders
- Let’s Hear it for the Boys
- Pop Culture and Body Image Issues for Gay Teens, a guest post
- National Eating Disorders Awareness Week: True confessions from a recovering anorexic
- Every Day by David Levithan, a book review
- Butter by Erin Jade Lange, a book review
- The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, a book review
- Skinny by Donna Conner, a review
- A Second Opinion: Every Day by David Levithan
- 10 Titles that deal with Obesity and Body Image (with links to some good articles)
- Today is Love Your Body Day
- The Effects of Pop Culture on the Body Image of GLBT Teens
- Body Image and Weight Loss
- Sex Sells, but what are we selling? Pop culture and body image issues in tweens and teens
- Take a Second Look: Books that encourage teens to look beyond body image
- Abercrombie and Fitch, Brave and Body Image: Part 1 and Part 2
- Skin and Bones by Sherry Shahan
- How I Came to Love School Uniforms: a discussion of girls, boys and the dangerous message of school dress codes
- An eating disorders booklist, updated 2015
Bullying
- Join the Fight Against Bullying
- A Letter to Teens About Bullying
- Quotable Ra: Stop Bullying. Period.
- When is a Prank More Than Just a Prank?
Censorship
- A Banned Books Week Primer
- Banned Books Week: Teen fiction is . . .
- What if Amy wasn’t pretty: A tale of censorship
- Let’s Talk Access! And why libraries are radically unsafe places and that is a good thing
- The Sacred and the Profane: profanity, self expression and teen programs
Consent
(see also Sex and Sexuality below)
- This is What Consent Looks Like
- How to Talk to Teens About Consent
- Because No Always Means No
- Who Will Save You? Boundaries, Rescue and the Role of Adults in YA Lit. A look at consent and respecting boundaries in relationships outside of just sex.
Developmental Assets
- Asset Builder’s Coalition Support Materials
- Is there power in the message? Putting positive images of teens in the media
- Where Everybody Knows Your Name (Connected Learning)
- Asset Building 101 (Part of Serving Full T.I.L.T. series)
Diversity
- Racial Stereotyping in YA Literature
- Race Reflections, Take II
- Building Bridges to Literacy for African American Male Youth Summit recap, part 1
- Friday Reflections: Talking with Hispanic/Latino Teens about YA Lit
- See also the Diversity in YA Tumblr by Cindy Pon and Malinda Lo
- Middle Grade Monday: Publishing and Diversity, with action items
- Middle Grade Monday: The Fight for Diversity
- By the Numbers, a breakdown of teen demographics
Faith and Spirituality
- Faith and Spirituality in YA Lit: A Discussion (Introductory Post)
- YA Librarians Ally Watkins and Karen Jensen Discuss Faith and Spirituality in YA Lit, part 1
- Because you gotta have faith
- Top 10 Titles: ‘Cause You Gotta Have Faith
- A discussion of faith and science in Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande
Family
- Siblings? We don’t need no stinking siblings Family size in ya lit
- Multigenerational relationships in ya lit
Gender Issues
- I’m Just a Girl? Gender issues in YA Lit
- Girls Against Girls
- Teach Me How to Live: talking with guys about ya lit with Eric Devine
- Let’s Hear It for the Boys: Boys and body image
- Who Will Save You? Boundaries, Rescue and the Role of Adults in the Lives of Teens
- The Curious Case of the Gender Based Assignment
GLBTQ
- GLBTQ YA Resources for Building a Collection and Supporting Teens
- You want to put WHAT in my YA?
- Taking a Stand for What You Believe In
- Annie on My Mind and Banned Books Week on My Calendar
- Queer (a book review)
- Top 10: For Annie and Liza (Annie on My Mind)
- A YA Resource guide by Amanda MacGregor
- National School Climate Survey Results about GLBTQ Experiences in School
Hazing
- Hazing and PRESS PLAY, by Eric Devine
- Take 5: Hazing
- Breaking Tradition: Brutal Youth author Anthony Breznican on the fight against hazing
- Initiation Secrets: Press Play and a look at hazing rituals by Eric Devine
- Bearing Witness to Violence, a guest post by Eric Devine
- Take 5: Five thoughts I had while reading Brutal Youth
Human Trafficking
- Fear in Writing, Fear in Life by Kim Purcell
- Human Trafficking, you can get involved and help by Kim Purcell
Hunger and Poverty
- Can We All Just Stop Saying the Internet Is Free Now Please?
- Rich Teen, Poor Teen: Books that depict teens living in poverty
- Working with youth who live in poverty
- Sunday Reflections: This is what losing everything looks like
- Sunday Reflections: Going to bed hungry
- Sunday Reflections: A tale of two libraries
- Sunday Reflections: Are schools disriminating against the poor?
- Sunday Reflections: Poverty doesn’t always look the way you think it does
- Sunday Reflections: All I Want for Christmas is the Chance to Go to College
- Feeding Teens at the Library: Summer and Afterschool Meals
- The Economy as Villain in The Year of Shadows by Claire LeGrand
- Book Review: PANIC by Lauren Oliver
- Book Review: HUNGRY by H. A. Swain
- Not All Educations Are Created Equal
- Teens and Poverty: PBS Newshour Discusses Being Homeless and Trying to Graduate High School
- Sunday Reflections: Dasani, Poverty, and Education (by Robin)
- Sunday Reflections: Torchwood Children of Earth, a reflection on how we think about children in poverty among us
- Teens and Poverty: An updated book list
- Sunday Reflections: Becoming a Statistic
- Impoverished Youth: More Than Have of America’s Public School Children Now Live in Poverty
- Teen Homelessness and NO PARKING AT THE END TIME by Brian Bliss
Additional Sources:
Social Mobility:
Cycles of Poverty:
- Breaking the Cycles of Poverty in Young Families
- Cycle of Poverty Hard to Break in Poorest U.S. City
- The Cycle of Poverty and Poor Health
How Poverty Affects Schools:
Incarceration and Teens
- Racial Stereotyping in YA Literature
- Working with Incarcerated Youth Take II, a reflection
- Understanding Justice
- Teens with Incarcerated Parents
- Take 5: Doing Time
Mental Health
- Top 10: Books dealing with mental health (guest post by Kim Baccellia)
- How Mental Illness Tried and Failed to Ruin My Life (guest post by Robison Wells)
- Mental Health Medications Are Not Your Enemy
- List of Lists: Teens and Mental Health Resources
Obesity and Body Image
- Every Day by David Levithan, a book review
- Butter by Erin Jade Lange, a book review
- The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, a book review
- Skinny by Donna Conner, a review
- A Second Opinion: Every Day by David Levithan
- 10 Titles that deal with Obesity and Body Image (with links to some good articles)
- Today is Love Your Body Day
- The Effects of Pop Culture on the Body Image of GLBT Teens
- Body Image and Weight Loss
- Sex Sells, but what are we selling? Pop culture and body image issues in tweens and teen
- Take a Second Look: Books that encourage teens to look beyond body image
- Abercrombie and Fitch, Brave and Body Image: Part 1 and Part 2
Politics
- Occupy the Capitol: Engaging Teens in Politics
- How Blackout by Robison Wells Led Me to Question What Teens May Be Learning About the Government
- Fight the (abuse of) power: government in YA fiction
Popular Culture
Poverty
- Can We All Just Stop Saying the Internet Is Free Now Please?
- Rich Teen, Poor Teen: Books that depict teens living in poverty
- Working with youth who live in poverty
- Sunday Reflections: This is what losing everything looks like
- Sunday Reflections: Going to be hungry
- Sunday Reflections: A tale of two libraries
Pregnancy
- Having a child with a chronic health issue
- Pregnancy complications: Hyperemesis Gravidarum and termination
- What does October 15th mean?
- Shelftalkers: Knocked Up Teens
- Teen Pregnancy, Teen Moms and Breastfeeding
- Teen Pregnancy Loss Resources
Reluctant Readers
- What is a “Reluctant Reader”?
- Tips from a Librarian parenting a “Reluctant Reader”
- Take 5: Resources for Working with Reluctant (Teen) Readers
- The True Confessions of a NON Reluctant Reader, a librarian parenting a reluctant reader
- Top 10 Tips for Parents (and teachers and librarians) for Helping Your Reluctant Reader
- What if We Read More?
- What if it’s more than Reluctant Reading? A tween’s struggle with dyslexia
- Challenge Accepted! A school librarian talks about Reluctant Readers
Sex and Sexuality
- The #SVYALit Project Index
- What It’s Like for a Girl: How Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama made me think about the politics of sexuality in the life of girls
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month, talking to teens about consent and rape part 1 and part 2
- Should there be sex in YA books?
- Plan B: What Youth Advocates Need to Know
- Because No Always Mean No, a list of books dealing with sexual assault
- Who Will Save You? Boundaries, Rescue and the Role of Adults in YA Lit. A look at consent and respecting boundaries in relationships outside of just sex.
- Incest, the last taboo
- This is What Consent Looks Like
- Street Harassment
- An Anonymous Letter to Those Who Would Ban Eleanor and Park
- Take 5: Important books on a difficult topic (sexual violence)
- Sexual Violence Resource Guide
Shoplifting
- Discussions in Trinkets by Kirsten Smith
Social Justice and Innovation
Suicide
- 13 Reasons Why: Teens and Suicide
- O Captain, My Captain: A reflection on Robin Williams, depression and suicide
- Take 5: Books about Suicide
Teen Participation
- Draw It: Teen Summer Reading Club art contest
- Putting the “Teen” in your Teen Space
- Teens Got Talent: Empowering teens and creating buy in
- Teen volunteers
- Youth Empowerment: social campaigns aimed towards getting teens involved
Violence
- The Day After: resources to help kids cope
- Bibliotherapy: What if we read more?
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month, talking to teens about consent and rape part 1 and part 2
TLT Projects and Discussions
The Sexual Violence in YA Project, using YA literature to discussion sexual violence in the life of teens
The Faith and Spirituality in YA Lit Discussion, using YA literature to discussion a diversity of faiths in the life of teens
The Mental Health in YA Lit Discussion, using YA literature to discuss mental health issues in the life of teens
Using YA literature to discuss poverty in our world and in the life of teens