Understanding how
adolescents develop and the stages that they go through physically, mentally,
and emotionally is so important to us as teacher librarians. Whether they are
dealing with the physical changes of puberty or the emotions of their teen
years, if we can dive into a deeper comprehension of where they are
developmentally, we can provide them with tools and books that will aid in
their development in a positive way.
Starting with puberty, kids are in such an uneasy time of change. Physically, new things are happening that often lead to feelings of insecurity, clumsiness, and awkwardness. Books can be a great resource for kids to reassure them that they aren't alone in this time, and that the things they are going through are completely normal.
Adolescents also go through an intellectual change, where their thoughts and capacity for mature thought processes start to evolve. When kids are young, they operate on a very "concrete" basis: facts, base level thinking, and they do what they are told. As they start to grow and reach those teen years, they can adopt a more "abstract" level of thinking: i.e. "what is the theme of this book?" They start to understand purpose and motivation behind actions, and they start to develop their own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs on a moral level.
Relationships change, as we often see in literature. Adolescents start to develop a different relationship with friends, as well as with members of the opposite sex. They choose a "vocation," and develop specific interests that give them purpose and passion. It's a perfect opportunity to provide them with books that can validate their feelings, expand their growing imaginations, or just give them a break from the stress of everyday life! Allowing them to read simply for aesthetic enjoyment is a huge part of why we want to develop lifelong readers- it can evoke emotions, provide an outlet for creative thought, and encourage empathy.
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