My wife, Laura, an SBH/DH/LDH teacher, turned me on to Gary Paulsen a few
years back.  Most of his works are "outdoor adventures" centered around the
North Woods.  His prose has a lyrical quality--he'll set up a scene and then
get "inside the mind" of his young protagonists, switching back and forth
between first and third person.  I wish he'd been around when I was a young
adolescent tromping the woods.  There's usually a moral component, but he
pulls it off without being preachy.

When I was a pre-teen I liked Henry Gregor Felsen (what is it with me and
these Scandinavian writers?).  I was "into" cars and Felsen's usual subject
matter was teenage hot-rodding.  His books were written in the late
'50s/early '60s, so a lot of the slang was dated and foreign.  One book, Hot
Rod, was on the Children's Best Seller List for over 30 years.

Tolkien was a fave, as well as his good friend, C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The
Witch and The Wardrobe.  Now that I understand the allegory, I find it even
more intriguing.

Kyle

From: Scott Sands [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 1:21 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Hilary's Book (was: Re: Re: Ironies)



I was in Teacher Certification for awhile before graduating as an Individual
Studies candidate.  One of my big hangups was the way English majors
referred to literature written with young adults in mind--"kiddie lit."  The
stuff that's out there today isn't patronizing or dumbed-down in any way.
Particularly, I enjoy Virginia Euwer Wolff (who's done some writing on
disabilities, and writes in a prose-poetry form that's very intriguing), and
Rowling.  Of course, Madeline L'Engle will always be my first love, the way
others might remember E.B. White or Beverly Cleary.

Anyone else have favorite young adult fiction (or kids with young adult
fiction likes, or kids with kids who like YA fiction?  Nephews?  Nieces?
Friends?)

Scott


Scott Sands
5604 S. 297th St.
Auburn WA 98001
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