I know reading and writing may be the last thing on most students’ minds this summer, but it’s really what I’m looking forward to. Actually, I’ve already finished one book and it’s the best book I’ve read in a LONG time. I may have even liked it more than “Hunger Games.” Actually, I did like it more than “Hunger Games.” But I’ll get to that in a minute.

I actually wanted to post about summer writing workshops for young writers who want an opportunity to be creative this summer. The San Jose Area Writing Project has youth programs held at San Jose State (you might end up in one of my old classrooms … or I may haunt you …) to help young writers refine their skills. The San Jose Area Writing Project is run by a couple of awesome professors at SJSU who personally helped me through the credential program, and who are very connected to the schools in the community. They are continuing to educate teachers with their Saturday workshops and summer programs, and they are looking to educate the youth as well. This writing project is promoting literacy and a love for reading and writing throughout the South Bay, and I adore them for it. So if you love to write, or even just like to write, consider this workshop! :)

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The more time I spend in the classroom, the more I realize that teens today are fun, yet sophisticated. Fortunately for them, the current young adult authors know that, and write books accordingly. One of my favorite YA authors is Scott Westerfeld, and he recently wrote a bit about why he thinks teens love a good dystopian story. He joined a few other authors in the discussion, and the New York Times published it here.

Scott Westerfeld believes teens have to answer to many demands, but aren’t given much freedom in return:

Schools are places where teens are subject to dress codes, have few free speech rights, and are constantly surveilled, where they rise and sit at the sound of a bell. Is it any wonder that dystopian novels speak to them?

Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld wrote an interesting sci-fi series that starts with Uglies, and he just completed another trilogy that starts with Leviathan. I read Uglies in college and loved it, and I just read Leviathan and can’t wait to read Bohemoth (the next one in the series).

One of the other authors in the discussion is Paolo Bacigalupi who wrote The Windup Girl. I haven’t read it, but I loved what he had to say in his part of the discussion.

I suspect that young adults crave stories of broken futures because they themselves are uneasily aware that their world is falling apart.

Paolo Bacigalupi

It’s a great discussion - check it out!