Text Messages: Recommendations for Adolescent Readers

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Episode 9 — A Conversation with John Green

Though John Green is too humble to say it, he's one of the best authors writing for teens today.  In the three novels he's written so far, John provides readers with smart characters, humorous situations, and deeply philosophical themes.  Tune in to hear John discuss why he writes for teens, what he believes readers can gain from their English classes, and some of the thinking behind his newest book, Paper Towns.

After listening to this episode, be sure to print out this list of recommended titles to take to the library or book seller.

Recommendations in this episode include

• Looking for Alaska (Dutton, 2005)
• An Abundance of Katherines (Dutton, 2006)
• Paper Towns (Dutton, 2008)
  

Published December 3, 2008

About the Host

Jennifer Buehler taught English for ten years before earning a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan’s Joint Program in English and Education. As a high school teacher, she developed an 800-book classroom library designed to engage and inspire her ninth grade students as readers. Watching students select reading materials led Jennifer to expand her own reading accordingly, allowing her to match books successfully with teens’ wide-ranging tastes and interests.

As a teacher consultant with the Eastern Michigan Writing Project, Jennifer regularly led workshops on young adult literature for parents, area teachers, and students in university methods classes. Now Assistant Professor of English Education at Saint Louis University, Jennifer teaches classes on English methods and young adult literature. She is an active member of NCTE's Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN), and she served on ALAN’s first Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee.