Teens on the Margins

Young adult literature is dominated by stories of middle class teens, but many young people out there face a different set of challenges. Their lives are constrained by poverty, neglect, or abuse. They live in foster care or group homes, in shelters or on the streets. They experience trauma and they struggle to survive. 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.

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

Books featured in this episode:

• America by E.R. Frank (Atheneum, 2002)
• Something Like Hope by Shawn Goodman (Delacorte, 2011)
• Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012)
• Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers (Amistad, 2009)
• Recovery Road by Blake Nelson (Scholastic, 2011)
• How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr (Little, Brown 2011)
• Double by Jenny Valentine (Hyperion, 2012)
• The Children and the Wolves by Adam Rapp (Candlewick, 2012)