Teri Lesesne begin this chapter with a reference to Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changing." The Dylan song was written as a political statement to "wake up" adults to remind them that things were changing and they needed to either get on board, or get out of the way of those who were willing to step forward. Lesesne asserts that, as in Dylan's era, times now are changing also, and along with that, "adolsecents themselves have changed" (p. 62). Since adolescents have changed so much, "It makes sense, then, that the books we offer this new generation should also reflect this paradigm shift in how adolescents negotiate their interaction with one another, their way through school and life, and their reading" (p. 62).
Throughout the chapter, Lesesne references many recent works that have been written to mirror the lives of today's adolescents, often dealing with realistic topics, such as prescription drug abuse, bullying, sexual orientation, and illness. While some of these topics may be difficult to deal with, by discussing them in the classroom, we can help students think critically about those difficult topics. Students may see their own lives and/or emotions in those of the characters, and Lesesne points out "that in discussing the alienation the bullying characters feel or the embarrassment those bullied often suffer, we give teens with those same emotions a safe context for discussing how 'those characters' feel without having to admit they may be describing themselves."
I know that this chapter was very exciting for me, as I have always tried to offer literature which I think my students will be interested in and relate to. I have had many students who are reluctant readers beg not to stop reading when I find a book that captures their interests, so I do believe selection of literature is vital, but unfortunately something that is taken away from teachers in the interest of "prescribed" reading programs.
Lesesne also offered some excellent resources, including her book I will definitely check out, "Making the Match: The Right Book for the Right Reader at the Right Time, Grades 4-12." Lesesne also has a blog: professormana.livejournal.com.
