ABSTRACT
Young adult readers develop their appreciation for literary works by reading and reflecting on them and sharing their ideas with others. Terminology that describes similarities and differences among literary texts and identifies important elements within texts greatly aids this reflection and sharing. This chapter considers the implications of genre labels for selecting, interpreting, and discussing literature. Next, literary elements are defined in conjunction with classroom activities that help readers use those concepts in discussion and in writing. The final sections of the chapter focus on the terminology of contemporary metafictive literature and the ways that teachers can use the technique of bridging between texts to add richness to literary conversations.
