ABSTRACT
Young Adult Literature (YAL) has a long history of engaging readers and of reflecting the world far and near to those who read it. Fiction has dominated what young adults read for several decades, causing some adults to wonder if teens will balk at reading anything else. We know young adults may go through a poetry phase. They may read religious works and holy texts. They may read magazines that appeal to special interests such as fashion, Hollywood updates, or perhaps photography. But will teens engage with nonfiction in as intense a manner as they absorb fiction? This central question has driven much of my professional inquiry over the last twenty or more years.
