This Is My Life

Wadham plumbs the depths of YA realistic fiction by providing annotated bibliographies focusing on myriad subjects explored in the so-called "problem" novels. They range from dark and heavy with subject matter like runaways and drug abuse to lighter fare, such as student elections and first love. The first part deals with themes nearly universal to teenagers, while the next two sections focus on extreme issues such as crime and violence, abuse, drugs and alcohol, racism, pregnancy, and homelessness. The narrow scope of the book allows for a great deal of depth in the individual chapters and subchapters. With more than 1000 shared, this book is a valuable resource with many practical applications, but especially collection development and reader's advisory.—Jennifer Barnes, Gleason Public Library, Carlisle, MA