In this episode, you'll hear about books in a range of genres that give teens insight into the social and political conditions young people face around the globe. Together they offer a sustained look at war, poverty, and the struggle for human rights, but they also speak volumes about ordinary people and their capacity for hope and resilience.

Tune in to hear about an array of nonfiction books on teen sexuality – some about the mechanics of sex, some about the media and body image, some written by teens themselves. You'll hear about books for older as well as younger readers, boys as well as girls, gay teens as well as those who are straight or questioning.

When it comes to motivating and inspiring teens to read, teen librarians have a lot to teach us. You'll hear about the approaches two teen librarians take to their work with teen readers, ways they go about sharing and promoting new titles, plus a short list of their favorite books for teens.

All readers want to see themselves reflected in the pages of books. Works of Latino literature for teens focus on the experiences of young people from Spanish-speaking countries and cultures. In honor of El Día de los Niños, tune in to hear about a variety of books that celebrate the Latino cultural experience in literature.

While all YA authors focus in some way on the process of young people coming of age, very few do so with the depth and versatility you will find in the novels of Patricia McCormick. Tune in to hear the story behind her latest novel, Never Fall Down, the harrowing and heartbreaking account of Khmer Rouge survivor Arn Chorn-Pond.

Books featuring teens as change agents call attention to young people who are lobbying for change in their schools, communities, and the larger world. Tune in to hear about teens who work for change by participating in political campaigns, defying social hierarchies, and even going to war.

Tune in to hear E. Lockhart talk about creating girl characters who try to ignite social change and challenge social hierarchies, the approach she takes to the writing process, and her thoughts on reader response to her books.

Tune in to hear about works of sports fiction and nonfiction that explore issues of identity and belonging, courage and equal rights, and changes over time in American history and culture.

With publishers releasing new books twice a year, in the spring and the fall, summer is the perfect time to take stock of great new books for teens. Tune in to hear about books that will meet the needs of all kinds of teen readers including works of fantasy and suspense, biography and historical fiction, politics and romance.

In this episode, you'll hear about an assortment of old and new titles featuring teens who live on the margins of middle class society - teens whose lives too often go unseen.

Tune in to hear about an array of recently-published smart romance titles that feature male as well as female narrators, gay as well as straight relationships, and stories of love unfolding in a variety of circumstances.

In the world of young adult literature, there are certain authors readers can count on to engage both their minds and their hearts in a good story. Francisco X. Stork is one of those authors. Tune in to hear how Francisco's novels explore themes of religious faith and ambition, how his own life experiences are reflected in his books, and how he thinks about the diverse Latino characters he has created.

With a new movie version of The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins' story of a dystopian world where children are forced to fight to the death on live television is set to reach an even broader audience. Tune in to hear about the seeds for The Hunger Games story, themes that distinguish the series as an important work of literature, and what the books have to offer teen readers.

In the wake of the American Library Association's annual announcement of Youth Media Awards, tune in for a roundup of top young adult literature award winners from the past year. Jennifer will report on her favorite titles drawn from lists of the year's most distinguished books for teens

Tune in to hear how Coe Booth worked through the challenges of writing Bronxwood, how she makes sense of her characters' actions, and how her books challenge readers to develop critical social consciousness.

In this episode, you'll hear about creative retellings in a variety of genres and forms, including biographies, short story anthologies, verse novels, and picture books.

Readers of picture books and graphic novels know that visual images sometimes tell a story in a way that words cannot. Tune in to hear about newly-published middle grade and young adult fiction, graphic novels, biographies, travel memoirs, and informational books, all of which use visual material in ways that enrich the text's meaning.

Tune in to hear about the seeds behind her newest novel, Everybody Sees the Ants. We'll discuss how several of the novel's key elements came about during Amy's writing process, how The Vagina Monologues connects thematically to elements of the text focused on bullying and torture, and how satire helped her to make a key point about Lucky Linderman's process of coming to terms with the adult world.

Tune in this month to hear two avid tween readers talk about what they look for in a good book, some of their favorite titles, and what adults should know about helping tweens find books they'll want to read.

In this episode, you'll hear about a range of titles that rely on some form of action, mystery, or suspense to draw teens into a page-turning storyline.