The activities in this guide align with
Common Core State Standards
and fit into the curriculum for grades 9–10Laurie Halse Anderson’s young adult novels offer a respectful and honest view of the difficult issues faced by teens today. Wildly popular with teens and teachers alike, Anderson’s novels tackle deep, devastating topics such as rape, eating disorders, sexual abuse, violence, bullying, and post-traumatic stress disorder. While some people see contemporary realistic fiction for teens as problem literature, the organizing principle of this guide is different. Some time ago, an educator told Anderson that these books are best described as resilience literature.
How to use this guide:
This guide is designed as a comprehensive teaching tool for educators who use Anderson’s novels in the classroom. Teachers who use only one of the novels will find discussion questions, research projects, and essay prompts specific to each novel.For the work on the books:
Speak
Prom
Catalyst
Twisted
Wintergirls
The Impossible Knife of Memory
