September 18, 2013

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Style or Substance? One Teen Makes the Point | YA Underground

From Crack to College

Amy Cheney is constantly on the look-out for books that will engage her incarcerated teens, but estimates that only about one in five that she encounters will pass muster. That’s why she is so excited about a new self-published title, From Crack to College & Vice Versa.

Reader Expectations for ‘The Art of War,’ Snitches, and 50 Cent | YA Underground

Changin the Game Plan

How much do our expectations influence our reading? Sometimes it’s the cover that throws you off, or maybe the author’s back story. And then again, what we think is great may not ring the bell for the teens we serve. Amy Cheney presents several titles that have met her teen readers’ expectations, including classics, self-help narratives, and YA novels for reluctant and urban readers.