Library & Information Science, Course 262: Resources for Young Adults.
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Young adult literature is saturated with adolescent issues and problems which are usually recognized, confronted, and dealt with. Through both fiction and non-fiction literature, teenagers are able to learn and grow through characters who also face the trials of the teen years. These include but are not limited to being late-bloomers, early-bloomers, victims of abuse, unpopularity, divorce, awkward romantic situations, and any other feature or feeling that makes them different or undesirable to their peers. While these are valid teenage woes, there exists a group of adolescents who wake up every morning wondering not what to wear to school, but whether they will live to see tomorrow.

 Chronic and terminal illnesses do not discriminate against children and teenagers. Luckily, support systems exist in several forms, with books being one of the more effective ways of coping with difficult situations. Some are written to educate, some to comfort, and others to help heal through laughter, understanding, and sharing through similar experiences.

Coping/Inspirational

Berger, L., et al.. I Will Sing Life. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1992. Seven children who have confronted life-threatening illnesses and attended Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp tell their unique stories of how to seize life, to magnify and glorify it, and be grateful for its gifts

Cameron, H. Different But the Same: Young People Talk About Living With Serious Illness. New York: Lothian Publishing Company, 1998. Adolescents suffering from chronic and terminal illnesses discuss their circumstances and what it takes to live day to day.

Cheney, G.A. Teens with Physical Disabilities: Real-Life Stories of Meeting the Challenges. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 1995. In eight monologues, teenagers relate their experiences with coping with muscular dystrophy, deafness, paralysis, and other physical challenges.

Huegel, K. et al. Young People and Chronic Illness: True Stories, Help, and Hope. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishers, 1998. Written by a young woman with Crohn's disease, this book is a source of strength, inspiration, and sound advice for young people diagnosed with chronic illnesses.

Krementz, J. How it Feels to Fight for Your Life. New York: Fireside Books, 1989. Fourteen children and adolescents tell about their diseases, medical procedures, family life, and hopes and fears.

Kriegsman, K.H., et al. Taking Charge: Teenagers Talk About Life and Physical Disabilities. USA: Woodbine House, 1992. Discusses such topics as independence, self-esteem, relationships, and sexuality from the perspective of teenagers with various physical disabilities.

O'Toole, D. Facing Change: Falling Apart and Coming Together Again in the Teen Years. Burnsville, ND: Mountain Rainbow Publications, 1995. Facing Change is founded on the belief that young adults can make effective choices that can transform pain into resilience, Facing Change gives an abundance of practical ideas and choices that will assist young people through grief.

Specific Illnesses

Betschart, J., & Thomas, S. In Control: A Guide for Teens with Diabetes. Minneapolis, MN: CHRONIMED Publishers, 1995. Just as the title states, this is a useful and educational guide for teens that explores diabetes and its implications.

Ford, M.T. 100 Questions and Answers About AIDS: A Guide for young People. : New Discovery Library Binding, 1992. Answers 100 common questions about AIDS, what causes it, how it is spread, and how to protect yourself from getting it. Includes interviews with four young people living with HIV infection.

Gravelle, Karen et al. Teenagers Face to Face with Cancer. New York: Messner, 1989. Sixteen young people, fifteen of them cancer patients, describe their experiences with the disease and how they deal with family, friends, and school while coping with their illness.

Kittredge, M. Teens with AIDS Speak Out. : J. Messner Library Binding, 1992. Teenagers with AIDS describe how they became infected and what it is like to live with the disease

Lutkenhoff, M., & Oppenheimer, S.G. Spinabilities: A Young Person's Guide to Spina Bifida. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House, 1997. A mixed bag of essays by a variety of health care professionals considers a wide range of issues related to Spina Bifida i an effort to help those who have it become more independent.

National Cancer Institute. Help Yourself: Tips for Teenagers with Cancer. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute, 1980.

Nixon, S. From Where I Sit: Making My Way with Cerebral Palsy. New York: Scholastic Paperbacks, 1999. This is a biography of a girl who suffers from Cerebral Palsy, and includes her experiences and attitudes towards the disease and its implications.

Silverstein, Alvin, et al. Cystic Fibrosis (Venture Book). New York: Franklin Watts Inc., 1994. Written for children and teens, the authors explain what Cystic Fibrosis is, how it is transmitted, and how it affects those who have it, paying particular attention to the respiratory and digestive problems it can cause.

Fiction

Hamilton, Virginia. Bluish: A Novel. Bluesky Press, 1999. The kids call her Bluish because leukemia is making her pale. But one girl finds Bluish fascinating and encourages her friends to reach beyond their fear.

McDaniel, Lurlene. Angles Watching Over Me. New York: Bantam Books, 1996. A cynical teenager discovers that angels appear in the most unexpected places when sixteen-year-old Leah is hospitalized during the holiday season and meets a large, warm, and loving Amish family.

McDaniel, Lurlene. I Want to Live. Starfire Publishers, 1995. Dawn Rochelle turns fourteen and her leukemia has been in remission for almost a year. But now she needs to receive a bone marrow transplant from her brother.

**Lurlene McDaniel has over 30 other fictional books dealing with illness and death**

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