James H. Thomason Library

Course Guide

English 313 : Adolescent Literature

Reference Sources

Carl-Christian-Constantin Hansen, The Artist's Sisters Signe and Henriette Reading a Book, 1826 (oil on canvas). Repository: Nordiska Museet, Stockholm, Sweden.  Image source: Bridgeman Art Library Archives.

 

Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and

  Biographical Sources

  Bibliographies, Reading Lists
  Multicultural Books & Authors
  Book Awards    
  Books & Authors database
  Style Guides
Locating Books
  THOMCAT
  PASCAL Catalog
  WorldCat & Interlibrary Loan
Locating Articles & Criticism
  Reference Sources & Criticism
  Journal Databases
  Journal Finder
  Key Journals
Internet Resources
  General YA Lit Resources
  Lesson Plans
 Get Help

denotes recommended resource

 
Reference Sources:   back to top

Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Biographical Resources

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For work overviews, definitions,  biographical sketches, etc., refer to the following library reference works and online reference collections.


Authors of Books for Young People
, Scarecrow Press, 1990.
Main Level, Reference: R 809.89282 Au814A


Gale Biography in Context [Thomson Gale]Discus Logo
Includes reference works such as Authors and Artists for Young Adults, Major Authors and Illustrators for Children and Young Adults, Newsmakers, and Contemporary Authors Online.

Children’s Books and Their Creators, Houghton Mifflin, c1995.  

Main Level, Reference: R 028.16203 C437C
Using index in back of book, refer to the following subjects for relevant entries: “Young Adult Novels” (pp.799-800); “Middle-Grade Fiction” (p. 772).

The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English


Cambridge Guide to Literature in English
[CREDO Reference]

Cambridge University Press, 1993.

The Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature [CREDO Reference], Continuum Pub., 2005.

The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, St. Martin’s Press, 1997.
Main Level, Reference: R 809.38766 En19E



Literature Resource Center [Thomson Gale] Pascal Logo

Online access to Contemporary Authors, Dictionary of Literary Biography, Contemporary Literary Criticism Select, and full-text articles from more than 250 literary journals.


Something About the Author, Thomson/Gale Pub. 
Main Level, Reference: R 928.1 C737S [182 vols]    
Provides brief biographical info, list of works by the author, “sidelights,” and bibliography of reviews/critical sources. Alternating volumes provide cumulative index to all previous volumes.


Twentieth-Century Children’s Writers,  St. James Press,1995. 
Main Level, Reference: R 809.89282 T918T 1995

Provides brief biographical information, list of works by the author (also includes listing of adult titles, if any, written by the author).  Summaries/overviews of authors’ major works are also provided.

Writers for Young Adults, Charles Scribner's Sons, c1997.

Main Level, Reference: R 810.99283 W939W [3 vols]. Use index in back of volume 3 to search by author, title, genre, or subject (e.g. adventure, fantasy, family relations, friendship, identity, humor, etc.)

  Writers for Young Adults (3 Volume Set)

Bibliographies & Reading Lists

 

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Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults,  Beacham Pub., c 1989-1999.
Main Level, Reference: 028.162 B353B [11 vols]
 
Best Books for Young Adults, Young Adult Library Services Assoc./American Library Association, 2000.
Main Level, Reference: R 028.162 C245B

Books for You:  An Annotated Booklist for Senior High: Covering Books Published from 1994-96
, National Council of Teachers of English, 1997.
Main Level, Reference: R 028.52 M213A3 1997

Fantasy Literature for Children and Young Adults: An Annotated Bibliography
. Ruth Nadelman Lynn. 4th ed., Bowker, 1995.   Main Level, Reference: R 016.80883 L993F   

Middle and Junior High Core Collection. 10th ed. Anne Price, ed., H.W. Wilson Co., 2009.  

Main Level, Reference: R 028.52  M584M
Provides brief annotations for each title, as well a recommended grade levels. Search the book's index by Author, Title, or Subject

Senior High Core Collection: A Selection Guide. Raymond W. Barber & Patrice Bartell, editors. 17th ed. H.W. Wilson Co., 2007.

Main Level, Reference: R 028.52 Se57S
Provides brief annotations for each title, as well a recommended grade levels. Search the book's index by Author, Title, or Subject.

Great Books for High School Kids: A Teacher’s Guide to Books that Can Change Teens’ Lives. Beacon Press, 2004. 
Upper Level, Circulating Collection: 028.535 G798G


Masterplots II: Juvenile and Young Adult Fiction Series. Frank N. Magill, editor.
Salem Press, c1991[ 4-vol. set]; c1997 [3 vol. supplements].
Books for readers aged 10 to 18. Each essay includes the genre/plot type, time period, locale, principal themes, , and recommended ages. a brief one- or two-sentence summary, and brief description of principal characters,  Articles are divided into three sections: "The Story", "Themes and Meanings," and "Context."   Set includes a subject index as well as title and author indices.
Main Level, Reference:
R 808.8 M272M6  

Nonfiction for Young Adults: From Delight to Wisdom, Oryx Press, 1990.
Upper Level, Circulating Collection: 011.62 C245N

Speaking for Ourselves, Too: More Autobiographical Sketches by Notable Authors of Books for Young Adults, National Council of Teachers of English, 1993. 
Main Level, Reference: R 928.21 Sp31S

 
Characters in Young Adult Literature, Gale Research, 1997.
Main Level, Reference: R 809.3 G412C

Juniorplots 3: A Book Talk Guide for Use with Readers Ages 12-16, Bowker, 1987.

Upper Level, Circulating Collection: 028.1 G412J3

Seniorplots: A Book Talk Guide for Use with Readers Ages 15-18,  Bowker, 1989.
Upper Level, Circulating Collection: 028.1 G412S


Science and Technology in Fact and Fiction: A Guide to Young Adult Books, Bowker, c1990.  
Main Level, Reference: R 016.5 K381S2


The Indian Subcontinent in Literature for Children and Young Adults:An Annotated Bibliography of English-language Books, Greenwood Press, 1991.
Main Level, Reference: R 015.54062 K528I

 

Picture This: Picture Books for Young Adults: A Curriculum-Related Annotated Bibliography, Greenwood Press, 1997.

Main Level, Reference: R 028.55 M437P

 

Building an ESL Collection for Young Adults: A Bibliography of Recommended Fiction and Nonfiction for Schools and Public Libraries, Greenwood Press, 1998.
Main Level, Reference:
R 016.4282 M123B

The Book Scene: Especially for Teens, Minneapolis Public Library, 1995.
Main Level, Reference: R 011.62 B644B


Great Books for Girls: More than 600 Recommended Books for Girls Ages 3-14,
  Rev. ed., Ballantine Books, 2002.
Main Level, Reference: R 028.16242 Od2G

Serving_Boys_Through_Readers'_Advisory. Michael Sullivan.  American Library Association, 2010 [NetLibrary ebook].

Contents: Understanding the appeal of genre fiction -- Adventure -- Romantic suspense -- Suspense -- Thrillers -- Gentle reads -- Horror -- Romance -- Women's lives and relationships -- Literary fiction -- Mysteries -- Psychological suspense -- Science fiction -- Fantasy -- Historical fiction -- Westerns


Comics to Classics: A Parent's Guide to Books for Teens and Preteens, International Reading Association, c1988.
Upper Level, Circulating Collection:
028.162 R251C

What Do Young Adults Read Next?: A Reader's Guide to Fiction for Young Adults, Gale Pub., 1997.

Main Level, Reference: R 016.813008 Sp35W v.2  

Contains entries for approximately 1500 books published from 1988-1992 and ten indexes to their series, awards, time periods, locales, subjects, characters' names and descriptions, audience age levels, authors, and titles.

 

Multicultural Books & Authors

 

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African Children’s and Youth Literature,Twayne Publishers, 1995. 
Upper Level, Circulation: 820.99282 Os1A

Books by African-American Authors and Illustrators for Children and Young Adults, American Library Assoc., 1991. 
Main Level, Reference: R 016.8108 W672B

Hispanic Literature Criticism, Gale Research, c1994.    
Main Level, Reference: R H860.9 H625H [2 vols]

 

Hispanic Literature Criticism, Supplement, Gale Research, 1999. 

Main Level, Reference: R H860.9 H625H [suppl]

Hispanic Writers : A Selection of Sketches from Contemporary Authors, Gale Research, c1991.
Main Level, Reference: R H860.9 H625H2 

 

Multicultural and Ethnic Children's Literature in the United States, Scarecrow Press, 2007. 
Main Level, Reference: R 810.93529 G428M 

 

Multicultural Writers Since 1945: An A-to-Z Guide, Greenwood Press, 2004. 
Main Level, Reference: R 809.045 M919M 

Native American Literatures: An Encyclopedia of Works, Characters, Authors, and Themes, ABC-CLIO, 1999.
Main Level, Reference: R 810.9897 W617N

 

Books Awards

 

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BOOK AWARD LISTS   

 

  Children's Book Awards International, 1990 through 2000. Smith, Laura. 

  McFarland & Co., 2003.  Main Level, Reference:  R 809.89282 Sm61C
 

  Children's Book Awards International:  A Directory of Awards and  Winners,

  from Inception Through 1990.  Smith, Laura. McFarland & Co., 1992.
  Main Level, Reference: R 028.162079 Sm61C


 
The Coretta Scott King Awards, 1970-2009. 4th ed. Henrietta M. Smith, editor. American

  Library Association, 2009. [NetLibrary eBook]

  Newbery & Caldecott Awards: A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books. Horning, Kathleen.T.   

  American Library Association, 2009. [NetLibrary eBook]

   Booklists and Book Awards 

  Young Adult Library Services Assocation (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association.

 

 

Books & Authors database

 

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 The Books & Authors database offers new ways to explore the endless possibilities and combinations of books, authors, genres and topics. Combining over 140,000 titles, 50,000 authors, and thousands of read-alike, award winner and librarian's favorites lists, Books & Authors helps bring readers and literature together. Through the use of expertly written and arranged content and a dynamic, cutting edge user interface, Books & Authors makes exploration of genre fiction and essential non-fiction fun! By leveraging our entire award-winning What Do I Read Next? collection, patrons and students alike can be sure that their next big read comes with a BIG recommendation  (From Gale database descriptions).

 

Style Guides   back to top

Writing Center, Presbyterian College
Citation styles, writing guides, and scheduling an appointment with a tutor.

Humanities: Documenting Sources [Research and Documentation Online], Bedford/St. Martins, 2003.

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed., Modern Language Association, 2009.
Main Level, Reference: R 808.02 M72M. Copy also available at Reference Desk.

The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style [CREDO Reference Collection] Houghton-Mifflin, 2005.

This authoritative survey of English usage, grammar, and style offers guidance on almost any writing problem imaginable. Arranged in a single, easy-to-use A-Z list, the guide's entries include examples and quotations that show not only correct and incorrect usage but also the relative effectiveness of different expressions in context.

 

Finding Books

 

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THOMCAT

Use the online catalog to locate books in Thomason Library. You can search by author, title, keyword, or subject.

  • When searching for a PERSON, use AUTHOR or SUBJECT search, with last name first:

  Angelou, Maya [as AUTHOR]  
  Angelou, Maya [as SUBJECT]  
  Cormier, Robert [as AUTHOR]  
  Cormier, Robert. Chocolate War [as SUBJECT/specific work]  
  Gaiman, Neil  [as AUTHOR]  
  Gaiman, Neil  [as SUBJECT --in PASCAL catalog]  
  • SUBJECT searching requires use of Library of Congress subject headings. The terms below are examples of subject headings related to Postcolonial literature:
 

Language Arts Secondary United States

  Young adult literature -- Stories, plots, etc
  Young Adult Literature Study and Teaching Middle School
  Young Adults—Books and Reading
  Minority teenagers -- Books and reading -- United States
   

 

Subject searching is an effective and precise method of searching the catalog, however, KEYWORD searching has benefits, also.

  • If you are unsure of the exact title or the correct subject heading to use, try a KEYWORD search using two or three of the most significant words from the title or subject you are trying to find. Place phrases in "quotation marks."
  • Connect words with AND, OR, NOT to focus your search.
  • Try truncation at the end of a word stem to retrieve singular, plural, and other variations of the word.  Use an asterisk (*) to truncate from 1 to 5 characters. Use a double asterisk (**) to include word endings with an unlimited number of characters.

 

KEYWORD Searching Tips

 
Add an ASTERISK * to the root of a word

for TRUNCATION.

This will usually expand your search results,

 by retrieving any variations on the word stem.

For example:
adolescen* = adolescent, adolescents, adolescence

 

    >>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<

Use AND between words to narrow your search.
In this
example, all items retrieved must have

BOTH the phrase young adult* AND the word book*

 

 young adult* AND book*

 

   >>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<

Use OR between words/phrases to expand your search and
group words in OR statement with parentheses
(  )

 

(teen* OR adolescent* OR young adult*) AND novel*

Try KEYWORD Searching

with ThomCat, other Library Catalogs,

& the Library's journal databases.

PASCALCAT -If you need books in addition to those found at Thomason Library, try your search here for books in other academic libraries in SC. Through PASCAL Delivers, you can order books online for delivery within 3-4 working days. This service for current PC students, faculty, and staff is a project of PASCAL- Partnership Among SC Academic Libraries. Borrowers will be notified by e-mail when requested items arrive at Thomason Library. Click here for searching and ordering tips.

WorldCat – A catalog of books and materials at libraries worldwide. Try searching here to find ALL books available on a topic. Materials available at Thomason Library are highlighted and others can be borrowed through ILL or searched in PASCALCAT.

Interlibrary Loan - ILL is available to PC students, faculty and staff in order to share resources between libraries. Check link for instructions.



Locating Articles & Criticism:   back to top
Reference Sources & Criticism    

 

Literature Resource Center [Thomson Gale]
Biographical, bibliographical and contextual information from the Contemporary Authors and Dictionary of Literary Biography databases, as well as full-text criticism from the Contemporary Literary Criticism Select database. Contains full-text journal articles from more than 250 literary journals, critical essays, author biographies, and definitions of literary terms from Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature.

Journal Articles   back to top

Academic Search Premier [EBSCOhost]

Provides coverage for a broad range of disciplines, including literature and education. Includes a large number of full-text articles and links to full-text in other databases.

ERIC Educational Resource Information Clearinghouse   [EBSCOhost]
The most comprehensive index to materials in education, ERIC provides full-text of more than 2,200 digests along with references for additional information and citations and abstracts from over 1,000 educational and education-related journals.  Also provides indexing/abstracts for ERIC Documents, which include conference proceedings, research reports, speeches, curriculum guides, etc.  

MLA International Bibliography  [EBSCOhost]
Indexes critical literary and language scholarship and provides access to journals and serials published worldwide, as well as books, essay collections, working papers, proceedings, dissertations, and bibliographies. Nearly 45,000 records are added annually.

JSTOR  
Arts & Sciences Collections I, II, & III contain an archive of over 350 full-text journals which are searchable through JSTOR or accessible through Journal Finder, which guides the user to full-text articles available at Thomason Library. The collections include journals in economics, history, political science, sociology, and humanities. This archive covers the full run of journals from the first issue of volume one; however, the most current three to five year issues of the journals are not available as specified by the publishers in their agreements with JSTOR.

Project MUSE Basic Undergraduate Collection  
Current and recent volumes of 112 core journals in the humanities and social sciences.

Journal Finder back to top

Search Journal Finder to determine if PC has full text for the journal, magazine, or newspaper article you need. Library databases are connected by Journal Finder and lead you to full-text when available.


 

Search or Browse

Journal Finder

by Title, Full Text Online, Subject, or by Database name

 
  • Note the date of the journal issue you need before following Journal Finder link.
  • Default search is Journals by Title in Full Text. Type the title of the journal or magazine in the empty box .
  • You may need to select your title from the results. Click on the title you seek.
  • Results for your title include up to three categories: Full Text Resources in your library (in print), Full Text Resources Online, and Indexing Only (not full text).
  • Note the "dates available" in the Full Text category. Click on a database that covers the date you need.
  • Choose year and issue OR volume and issue, then look through the contents of that issue for the article you need. Articles are usually listed in page number order and are available in HTML or PDF format.



Key Journals   back to top

 

 

ALAN Review Published  three times per year. by the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents, a division of the National Council of Teachers of English. (Note: The Thomason Library has online access for this publication from 1994-2004 only)

 

Booklist  Published by the American Library Association, provides reviews of recently published books. The “Books for Youth” section provides categories “Books for Older Readers, “Books for Middle Readers,” and “Books for Young Readers.”

 

English Journal (Junior and Senior High)  Library has print issues from 1947 to present.  Online access is from publisher’s site. Follow instructions provided in Journal Finder to access this title.

 

The Horn Book Guide to Children's and Young Adult Books. Two issues per year. Includes short, critical annotations of all hardcover trade children’s and YA books published in the U.S. within a 6-month period (novelty books, board books, and mass market titles are reviewed selectively). Fiction is arranged by genre or school grade level. Nonfiction listed by Dewey classification.  

 

Horn Book Magazine  A bimonthly journal containing reviews of children's and young-adult literature, articles, editorials, and interviews of authors and illustrators. Designed for professionals and academics in the field of children's books. Horn Book Guide, published each spring and fall, provides "short, critical reviews of virtually every hardcover trade book published in the United States for young people" (from publisher's description).

 

Language Arts  Focuses primarily on issues concerning children of preschool through middle school age.

The Horn Book Guide

 

Children's Literature Association Quarterly

Children's Literature in Education is today's foremost source for stimulating articles and interviews on noted children's authors, incisive critiques of classic and contemporary writing for young readers, and original articles describing successful classroom reading projects. In addition, the journal offers timely reviews on a variety of reading-related topics for teachers and teachers-in-training, librarians, writers, and interested parents.

 

Children's Literature in Education Critical evaluation, analysis or commentary for librarians, teachers, students, writers and interested parents on social issues reflected in books, interviews with authors and illustrators and accounts of classroom practice and experience.

 

Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy  Peer-reviewed, intended as an open forum for the literacy & language arts education of older learners. Goals are to encourage innovative ways of teaching & studying literacy & to address problems faced by educators.

 

School Library Journal  Provider of news, information and reviews for librarians and media specialists who serve children and young adults in school and public libraries. Includes reviews of books, multimedia, and  technology.

Web Sites

 

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General YA Lit Sources   back to top


ASTAL: Alliance for the Study & Teaching of Adolescent Literature

Annotated listings of multicultural books for young adult readers. Also includes teaching activities and ideas for specific multicultural young adult books.

Authors and Illustrators on the Web  Site maintained by librarian Jamie Boston. Includes links to web sites in a variety of categories, including "Author/Illustrator Web-Based Projects," "Author Blogs," and "Teacher Resources."

 

Books R4 Teens - Book summaries, teaching ideas, related media and texts, and links to related web sites. Site developed by the College of Education, University of Texas at Austin.

Cynthia Leitich Smith's Children's & Young Adult Literature Resources  

Features: In Their Own Words: Interviews with Children's & YA Authors & Illustrators; Book Awards, Favorite Reads, Diverse Reads.

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Assocation, a division of the American Library Association). Of particular interest is the organization’s Booklists and Book Awards



 Lesson Plans     back to top

Lesson Plans Library: Literature. From the Discovery Education web site (Discovery Channel). Provides lesson plans based on specific literary works, with a breakdown by Grades 6-8 and Grades 9-12.  

 

Web English Teacher: Young Adult Literature  Lesson plans &other resources for works by approximately 80 authors

 

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