Discussions of gender and sexuality have become part of mainstream conversations and are being reflected in the work of more and more writers of fiction, particularly in literature aimed at young adult audiences. But young readers, regardless of their sexual orientation, don’t always know what books offer well-rounded portrayals of queer characters and situations. Fortunately, finding positive role models in fiction that features LGBTQ+ themes has become less problematic, though not without its challenges. In Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature: LGBTQ+ Content since 1969, Christine Jenkins and Michael Cart provide an overview of the literary landscape. An expanded version of The Heart Has Its Reasons, this volume charts the evolution of YA literature that features characters and themes which resonate not only with LGBTQ+ readers but with their allies as well. In this resource, Jenkins and Cart identify titles that are notable either for their excellence—accurate, thoughtful, and tactful depictions—or deficiencies—books that are wrongheaded, stereotypical, or outdated. Each chapter has been significantly updated, and this edition also includes new chapters on bisexual, transgender, and intersex issues and characters, as well as chapters on comics, graphic novels, and works of nonfiction. This book also features an annotated bibliography and a number of author-title lists of books discussed in the text that will aid teachers, librarians, parents, and teen readers. Encompassing a wider array of sexual identities, Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature is an invaluable resource for young people eager to read about books relevant to them and their lives.

Years before Ann Landers and Dear Abby, there was Pegge Parker, a 21-year-old high school graduate who began writing a daily advice column for teenagers in the Harrisburg Telegraph (Pennsylvania) in the 1940s. She named her column ¿Teen Topics and invited her teen readers to send her their problems. In these selected columns, you¿ll discover the quandaries that helped to shape the Greatest Generation¿and realize not much has changed.As Pegge¿s columns grew in popularity, she was invited to prestigious events at West Point Academy, New York¿s elite gatherings, and even the Indian Embassy. She mingled with Generals and royalty, movie stars and music legends¿all of which became daily entries in her column. Pegge skillfully and tactfully handled such dilemmas as grammar, dating, etiquette, grooming, travel tips, cooking and more. With no formal writing education, but a definite flair with the pen, Pegge furthered her career as a reporter in Washington, D.C., and Fairbanks, Alaska, and then moved ahead as a foreign correspondent in China, India, and South and Central America. She is the author of Diapers on a Dateline, detailing her time in India, juggling a demanding career, a new husband and five children in a foreign land. She also wrote Alias Pegge Parker, the story of an adventurous young woman who forged an exciting and successful career in the male-dominated field of foreign correspondence. With her husband, John Hlavacek, she coauthored Freelancing in Paradise covering their years living and working as freelance journalists in the Caribbean.

Paul Tripp shows parents how to take advantage of their children's teen years, drawing on practical, hopeful strategies shaped by God's Word. Features a revised study guide and bonus chapter.

Parents may survive the terrible twos and the first years of school all right, but the teenage years bring entirely new and alien creatures. So, parents have a choice: either send that teenager to boarding school and visit him when he reaches normalcy again (in about ten years) or choose to experience the best, most fun years of life--together! The secret is in how the parental cards are played. With his signature wit and commonsense psychology, internationally recognized family expert and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Kevin Leman helps parents communicate with the "whatever" generation establish healthy boundaries and workable guidelines gain respect--even admiration--from their teenager turn selfish behavior around navigate the critical years with confidence pack their teenager's bags with what they need for life now and in the future become the major difference maker in their teenager's life Teenagers can successfully face the many temptations of adolescence and grow up to be great adults. And parents, Dr. Leman says, are the ones who can make all the difference, because they count far more in their teenager's life than they'll ever know . . . even if their teenager won't admit it (at least until she's in college and wants to know how to do the laundry).

Today Dounya Awada is a 24-year-old, devout Muslim, happy, healthy, and very much alive. But just a few years before, she nearly starved to death. Her struggle began when she was six years old. Little Dounya wanted nothing less than to be perfect, like her mother. She pushed herself hard every day, excelling in schoolwork and at home. She had to be the cutest, prettiest, smartest girl in the room. The slightest hint of imperfection led to meltdowns and uncontrollable tantrums. Her parents loved her fiercely but were unable to understand what was happening to their little girl. In Dounya's culture, food is nearly synonymous with love. Dounya began to eat to fill the growing need within her. She grew in size, eventually hitting over 200 pounds at just age 15. Food became her only friend. Her peers mocked her. She felt utterly alone. As is the case for someone with dysmorphia, Dounya's obsession with food did a turnabout, and she began rigorous exercising and dieting. But even a substantial weight loss didn't satisfy her. She looked in the mirror and still saw the fat girl she used to be. She began the ugly cycle of bingeing and purging, until she weighted just 73 pounds"--

There are plenty of resources about teen services that focus on YA readers’ advisory and programming ideas. But the basics of day-to-day service to teens in the library setting, a discipline requiring specific skills, is all too often glossed over in professional literature. As a result many LIS grads begin serving teens armed with an incomplete understanding of why their job is both important and unique, and what they need to know from day one. This compromises their effectiveness as both young adult librarians and advocates for teen services. In this down-to-earth book, former Library Journal Mover & Shaker Velásquez explores real-world challenges and obstacles to teen service that often present themselves, offering solutions and guidance for both new YA librarians and those wanting to freshen up their approach. Presenting fresh ways of thinking about the role of the teen services librarian and how it fits into the organizational structure, Velásquez Combines field-tested approaches with current research to tackle common teen library service issues such as truancy, curfews, programming philosophy and mission, privacy, and organizational resistance, whether subtle or overtAddresses each topic from the perspective of working with teens, family members, fellow colleagues, and community stakeholdersPresents realistic strategies to help shift a library’s culture towards one that embraces teens and teen servicesShows how to get the most out of a library’s teen space, discussing factors like location, age restrictions, time of day restrictions, and staffing, plus suggestions for using the shelf-space of the YA collection as a starting pointThis book goes beyond the “what” and “how” of teen services to get to the “why,” ensuring that both new and experienced practitioners will understand the ways teens want to use public space, discover and create information, and interact with peers and adults.

Mend: A Story of Divorce is the first in a series of graphic novels written by young adults for their peers. Sophia, the fourteen-year-old author and protagonist, tells the heart-wrenching story of her parents’ divorce. She was just nine years old, happy and enjoying life with her mom, dad, and little brother in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unexpectedly, one night, a violent argument disrupted her sleep and shattered her life. The next morning, her parents told her the dreaded news—they were getting divorced. Her dad was moving to California, while Sophia and her brother would stay with their mom. Any child who has experienced the trauma of divorce will understand Sophia’s reactions: First, she blamed herself. But then, she remembered a note a teacher once wrote on her report card, and was inspired to focus on bringing both parents back into her life. Even if they could not be under the same roof, she thought, they could still share in caring for her and her brother. Sophia’s story will resonate with children (and adults) who have faced a split in their family, or who have friends dealing with divorce. The book includes helpful advice for parents, as well as a special Teacher’s Corner page. Zuiker Press is proud to publish stories about important current topics for kids and adolescents, written by their peers, that will help them cope with the challenges they face in today’s troubled world.