ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a range of ways English teachers might utilize young adult literature (YAL) and graphic novels to engage students, appeal to their interests, and connect with social justice issues. Great YAL has compelling and believable adolescent characters, characters who express thoughts and feelings that feel authentic and resonate with readers. Although some classic young adult novels retain their popularity, one reason for the comparatively short shelf life of many YAL texts is that these novels often respond to current social, cultural, or political moments that may feel less relevant to future readers. And young adult readers need believable characters to read about. In recent years there has been an explosion of high-quality graphic novels available for young adult readers. Teaching YAL can entail bumping up against—and often teaching against the grain of—others’ values or expectations. YAL can encourage students to make connections between the ideas, characters, and perspectives they encounter in texts and issues in the world.
