Young Adult Articles

     My first article from Seventeen magazine discusses the pressures teen girls face to be the smartest, thinnest, or prettiest. 74% of teen girls feel pressure to be “perfect,” and four out of five girls say they are overwhelmed by the pressure. Several teens featured in the article talk about their problems with depression, cutting, and eating disorders.

The author encourages girls to talk to someone they trust when their emotions are out of control. Creative outlets like photography and painting were also mentioned as ways to deal with stress.

     I am thankful that issues like cutting and eating disorders are openly being discussed with real teens and teen star Demi Lovato. I feel it is so important for young people to see that everyone has the same self-doubts, and that everyone feels the pressure to be perfect. I have had numerous students in the past that cut themselves because of emotional issues in their personal lives; they did not know of any other way to deal with the pain that they felt on a daily basis. I agree that teens should talk to someone they trust or seek professional help. The idea of finding a creative outlet is also good advice. These issues are felt by most teen girls, and I think it sends a positive message that everyone feels this way about some issue in their life and asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of.

My second article came from the School Library Journal and discusses new ways media specialists can promote reading. The author recommends that media specialists post favorite books on the library’s website to encourage patrons to read. By providing links to reliable websites that contain recommended reading lists, media specialists have a valuable outreach tool. Online newsletters emailed to patrons are also mentioned to help promote reading and library services. Online chatting is another way to connect and help patrons with reference questions. Another way to expand reading promotion is online book discussion groups. The media specialist chooses a book and then fosters discussion through the website. The online book discussion is an excellent way to reach many more readers and is a more convenient way to ensure the love of reading continues.