The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Teen Literature, by Angela Carstensen, Chicago, IL, ALA, 2018, 190 pp., US$54.99 (soft cover), ISBN 978-0-8389-1726-8

Abstract

Book review: The aim of this book, as part of the American Library Association’s Readers’ Advisory Series, is to provide library staff practical and immediately useful guides for readers’ advisory work. Written by a professional with nearly 20 years’ experience as a school librarian, this book is very informative and supportive for colleagues doing advisory work for teen readership. It follows a genre-based structure to introduce the ‘need to know’ elements for library advisors, which is well-thought-through and user-friendly, including key genres, core titles, key authors, read-alikes, and tips and information sources for keeping up with the trends. All these information helps library staff to become familiar with various genres of teen literature efficiently, and without the need of reading all the titles personally.