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Laurie Halse Anderson

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Novels such as Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why encourage readers to think critically about the world and its complexities. Both of these novels are on National Public Radio's list of top 100 best-ever teen novels; they have both held spots on the New York Times Bestseller list; both have been put on required reading lists for secondary classrooms; and, because both novels deal with social problems relevant to young readers, they may be an effective way to teach social justice. While these two novels are neither magical nor fantastical as advocated by the opponents of social realism, they do highlight realistic and gritty portrayals of life and its complexities. Speak shows a young survivor making choices …show more content…
She believes we have fallen short on our responsibility as parents because "we have created a world where they are surrounded by images of sexuality; yet we struggle to talk to the kids honestly about sex, the rules of dignity and consent. So many teens out there are operating in a vacuum; they're operating in adult situations without any adult support or advice" (CNN.com). Anderson discusses how Speak is about "teen rape, the pressures of high school and the insularity of small-town life, but most importantly, it’s about overcoming stigma" (CNN.com). She believes that one of the most painstaking aspects of being a teen is figuring out what the world really looks like and "if you find someone in a book, you know you're not alone and that is what's so comforting about books" (CNN.com). For some teens a book that paints a rosy picture would be meaningless because they are already living out some of the darker issues presented in contemporary realistic fiction. Another award winning young adult author, Sherman Alexie echoes this sentiment stating, “I don't write to protect [kids]. It’s far too late for that. I write to give them weapons--in the form of words and ideas--that will help them fight their monsters" (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com). Anderson notes that a teacher who uses Speak in her classroom calls it 'resilience literature', a term of which Anderson is proud. Classroom discussions about this book present great teaching moments to discuss sexual abuse, depression and reaching out to fellow

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