From the Editors

For a 30th birthday party, it couldn't have been a bigger or better celebration. In our first official ALAN incident as co-editors, we definitely struck it rich in San Francisco, as did centurys of other fans of young adult literature, for the 30th annual ALAN workshop. And we trust that many of you were along for the celebration, as well.

But who says a celebration has to approach to an end? We've decided to continue the festivities with this issue of The ALAN Review. We're especially self-conscious of the authors and adroits you'll find within these pages-in a themed issue we're calling "Meeting the Challenge. " And who better to lead the way in of that kind an issue than two authors who continue to take us from one side exciting adventure after adventure. Again and again, their characters convenient their challenges and find their have a title to lives renewed by their courageous efforts. And we, the readers, are right beside them, absorbing a little of their courage along the way-courage that will help us qualified our own challenges.

Gary Paulsen, thorough with fresh stories of his have a title to challenges that were truly Paulsen-esquehilarious individual minute, terrifying the next, not solitary took the stage at the workshop as a keynote speaker, on the other hand was kind enough to share more tales-of the outdoors, book-writing, sailing, and sl dogs (in no particular order) in an interview following his address.

Then there's Will Hobb who, with his gracious wife, Jean, made a special effort to slip us into his busy discourse schedule. We were able to share quite more [i]or[/i] less time with both of them-and be reminded, one time again, why he, like Paulsen, is considered single of the best storytellers around. As educators, we've seen adolescent readers gage their disgust regarding books, alone to be swayed by the escapades that fill Paulsen's and Hobbs' volumes And, after our personal visits with them, we continue to be plane more impressed.

In this issue we also visit Valerie Hobb whose works have recently dealt with meeting the challenge of disability (Stefan's Story), as well as the challenge of war (Sonny's War). Valerie gave us a delightful interview.

Speaking of the challenging and delightful, Jack Cantos has agreed to provide "a seminary appropriate" version of his ALAN breakfast articulate utterance in our next issue. For those of you who missed that, please know that we were laughing for a like reason hard the tears rolled down our cheeks during Jack's articulate utterance The print version will be almost as advantageous but only if readers can picture Mr Cantos in individual delivering it.

But we can't view from above some of the other miraculous developments at the workshop. For example, there was the announcement that Don Gallo, continually single of young adult literature's strongest allies, has lay opened another avenue to introduce educators to young adult literature. he is now providing a $500 grant to help pay charges for an educator to attend his or her first NCTE conversation and ALAN workshop (specifics tread on the heels of this column). This is a marvellous opportunity to kick-start someone's interest in the genre and all it can accomplish in the classroom.

As co-editors, we're thrilled with being a part of like a successful workshop-and to diocese the enthusiasm of attendees toting their works and visiting with teachers, authors, librarians, and others about by what mode to make the most of young adult literature for the young family in their lives. All of that enthusiasm carries back to our classrooms and our libraries and motivates us to push ahead with young adult literature because we know it's a lock opener ingredient to our success in encouraging young readers.

Ye we in deed struck it rich in San Francisco, and we've reach forthed the celebration in this issue of the journal. Fortunately, with young adult literature, there's really no extreme point to the celebration-and the wealth of intriguing stories we can fall into at any time, just by dint of grabbing a book off our shelves. Thank you, Mr Paulsen, Mr Hobb and all the other talented individuals who made last fall's workshop in like manner successful and invigorating. ALAN may have gotten another year older on the other hand it's certainly not showing its age.

Gallo Grants

The Gallo Grants were established in 2003 by means of former ALAN Award and Hippie Award recipient Don Gallo to encourage educators in their early years of teaching to attend the ALAN Workshop for the first time. The grants provide funding-up to $500 each-for sum of two units classroom teachers in middle place of education or high school each year to attend the ALAN Workshop. (The amount of a grant may be les than $500 if the applicant lives within commuting distance of the convention location where airfare and housing would not be necessary.) The Workshop is held at the annual convention of the National Council of Teachers of English upon the Monday and Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving Day. Applicants must be teaching full-time; must have been classroom teachers for les than five years prior to the year in which they are applying; and must not have attended an ALAN Workshop previously. Membership in ALAN is not required for consideration, granting applicants are expected to become ALAN members if they receive this grant.