The Best Young Adult Books of the Decade and How to Use Them in Your Program

(Grades 6-12)

Presented by Jonathan Hunt
Outstanding Teacher, Library Media Specialist, and Young Adult Literature Expert

Designed for Secondary Teachers and Both School and Public Librarians

An exciting overview of the best young adult books published in the last ten years and dozens of hands-on, practical strategies to use them in your program
A fast-paced, entertaining day filled with booktalks, read-alouds, storytelling, and a wide variety of ways to inspire and motivate your teens to read
A wealth of outstanding materials to interest your students – novels, informational books, poetry, picture books, graphic novels, and much, much more
An extensive resource handbook filled with booklists by title, author, subject, and interest level – a resource you will use for years to come

Practical Ideas and Strategies

The field of young adult literature is as exciting and dynamic as it has ever been! With hundreds of young adult books being published every year and thousands being published over the last decade, the job of selecting books for a wide variety of students has become a very challenging task. To make this task much easier, outstanding presenter and Newbery Committee member, Jonathan Hunt will take you on a whirlwind tour of the best young adult books of the decade and show you exciting ways to use them in your classroom or library program.

In this fast-paced seminar, Jonathan will share his passion and enthusiasm for young adult books, dozens and dozens of book recommendations, and proven strategies for fostering and promoting literacy and a love of reading. Teachers and librarians who work with young adults will receive invaluable guidance and inspiration from this energizing day.

You will leave with a wealth of titles you'll want to share, proven techniques to utilize these materials successfully with your students, and a comprehensive resource handbook filled with extensive booklists, outstanding ideas and resources you can use immediately.

Ten Key Benefits of Attending

Discover the Best Young Adult Books of the Decade
Young adult literature has come of age! It's not just contemporary problem novels anymore. Come explore the wealth of literature available – historical fiction, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, poetry, nonfiction, picture books, graphic novels, and more
Preview the Best, New Young Adult Books
See the best, new young adult books that have been published recently … Learn which ones have been getting "buzz" so you can pass that excitement on to your students
Integrate Irresistible Books Across the Curriculum
There are books to capture teens' interest for every aspect of the curriculum – reading, writing, math, history, science, and more … Find out which books they are and how to use them in your program to extend and enrich learning
Uncover the Pleasures of Nonfiction
Nonfiction reading skills are critical to students' success in school and life … If practice makes perfect, learn how to help your students practice on more than just challenging textbooks and standardized testing
Explore the World of Fantasy Beyond Harry Potter
Fantasy is a very empowering genre for many students … Find the best titles to recommend to teens, whether they are novice fantasy readers or confirmed enthusiasts
How to Motivate, Engage and Challenge Teen Readers
Perhaps our greatest challenge is not so much teaching students how to read, but teaching them to love reading … Discover innovative ways to create dynamic reading environments that will foster this
Tap into Media that Supports Reading
Move beyond books to harness the power of technology … Appealing, easy-to-use audiobooks, videos, television, magazines, newspapers, and computer software to support reading in your program
Spotlight on Award Winners
Discover the best, new award winners and how to use them in your program … Learn from a Newbery committee member how these books are chosen and how to use this model to create a dynamic reading community in your own classroom or library
Reach All Your Students
Take the frustration out of finding the right books for your English language learners, struggling and reluctant readers, or students with learning disabilities … How to find the best books and strategies for all your students
Learn the Best Ways to Keep Yourself Current
Discover the best websites, listservs, journals, and professional organizations … Timesaving ways to stay current on the literature and trends in young adult literature

Outstanding Strategies You Can Use Immediately

How to use the best young adult books of the past decade to enrich your program
Which great books are best to use with your reluctant readers
What the latest award winners are and how they were selected
How to use the most appealing audiobooks, videos and computer software to support teen reading
Tips for finding irresistible books for every area of the curriculum
Where to find the best online resources for young adult books
Challenging titles and proven strategies for working with your gifted and talented readers
The best books and most effective strategies to use with your English language learners
Highly motivating poetry collections and verse novels for the young adult audience
Proven strategies to attract your students' interest and keep their attention through engaging booktalks
A fresh approach to vocabulary and comprehension strategies – classroom-proven and ready-to-use
Great books for reading aloud
The best nonfiction for teens – for reports as well as for pleasure reading
New ideas for whole class and small group instruction as well as book reports
How to find new titles that deal positively with multicultural issues
A variety of books that deal with contemporary teenage issues
Picture books for older readers and how to use them in your program
The best fantasy novels for teens – going beyond Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings
Engaging books and effective teaching strategies for students with learning disabilities
Crossover titles that appeal to adults and teens alike

A Message From Your Seminar Leader

Dear Colleague:

Reading is a key skill not only in school, but also in life. After we learn to read, we truly do read to learn, and most of us find some measure of pleasure in doing so. Indeed, many of us have come to think of reading not just as a skill, but also as a leisurely activity. Matching the right book to the right reader at the right time is an important part of the development of a reader, but many things can complicate this – poor reading skills, poor book selection, apathy, competing interests, or an underexposure to books, among other things.

No teacher or librarian wants to hear those awful words, "I'm bored. There's nothing to read." Clearly, there's too much to read! Thousands of young adult books have been published over the past decade. Selecting the best books for teen readers can be a daunting task. Which ones are relevant? Which ones will work with your students? Which ones will help you accomplish your goals?

I have read thousands of books and reviews and it's a pleasure to have the opportunity to play matchmaker. In our daylong seminar, we will take a look at the best teen books published over the past decade, especially the more recent titles. We will talk about dozens of books and their practical application in the classroom or library. Come prepared for a stimulating day filled with wonderful books and great strategies you will want to use immediately with your students.

Reading is fun; reading is pleasurable. If we can communicate this enthusiasm to our students we will create lifelong readers and enable them to be successful in life. I look forward to meeting you and working with you toward this common goal.

Sincerely,
Jonathan Hunt

P.S. If you're looking for books that will capture the interests of your teens, this is the seminar for you. If you're looking for a fun-filled day of talking about books and teens and practical ways to bring them together, I know you will enjoy our day together.

Who Should Attend

Educators serving Grades 6-12: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/Media Specialists, Public Librarians, Library Aides, Title I and Special Education Staff, Reading Specialists, and Administrators.

Special Benefits of Attending

Extensive Resource Handbook
Each participant will receive an extensive resource handbook specifically designed for this seminar. The handbook includes:

An annotated bibliography of the best young adult books of the decade
Practical strategies, activities, ideas, and tips for using these books in your program
Innovative ways to use the best teen literature to reach all of your students, from the struggling to the highly capable
An extensive list of resources to keep yourself current on the "best of the best" teen books

Meet and Share
Participants will have opportunities throughout the day to discuss young adult books and teen issues.

Consultation Available
Jonathan Hunt will be available at the seminar to answer your questions and discuss the unique needs of your own program.

On-Site Training Guarantee

BER is not a booking agency that just finds a presenter who presents on the topic you requested. Rather, we only recommend highly experienced BER presenters who have consistently received outstanding evaluations from educators attending their trainings.

Consequently, we provide a strong program guarantee.

We guarantee you'll be fully satisfied or you'll owe us nothing after your on-site training event.