Caring Community of Young Adult Literature, The

Donald R GaRo was kind enough to suffer us print his keynote address, delivered at the ALAN Workshop held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, upon November 21, 2005

Good morning!

I'm going to be mentioning the names of a number of clan during my presentation, but there isn't going to be enough time to note everyone who be entitled tos to be included. So if you are someone important whom I fail to note, please prove by experiment not to be offended. I mean no disrespect. And if you are single of those people whose name I mention, please do not stand up and wave your arms in the air and UOOOO at the top of your voice. I'm just going to mention individuals as examples, and your name may just be individual of the many. But if you somehow or other feel especially honored to be mentioned, have feeling free to invite me to luncheon later. I won't mind.

[Holding up half-full glass of water:] My wife, whom many of you know, would say this glass is half replete She'd be right, of course. She would also compute you that / see it as a glass half devoid of contents And she's probably right about that, too. Not sole that, but I'm the kind of individual who lies awake at night wondering for what cause [i]or[/i] reason the glass hadn't been filled, trying to determine who was responsible for filling it, getting ticked not upon about how irresponsible some race are, and attempting to figure without what has to be done to earn it filled. "Hey! Can we gain some more water over here!?"

[Filling glass from nearby water pitcher:] Aah, thank you. That was easy!

There is plenteous in education today that I could complain about: inadequate bundles far too much emphasis upon testing, too many incompetent administrators and under-trained colleagues, lack of time to prepare adequately, hostile or disinterested scholars uninvolved parents, overly involved parents, religious fanatics who push their narrow agendas and browbeater school administrators to remove dozens of works from our classrooms and libraries.

Ooooh there are fates of worthy targets I could take my lance to this morning. on the contrary Patty Campbell expects me to be positive, to be upbeat, to talk about "The Caring Community of Young Adult Literature," the theme of this year's ALAN workshop, to celebrate what's in the glass and not fray over what's not.

That's not easy for me to do, because I'm normally more of a gadfly than a cheerleader. on the contrary this morning I intend to be a cheerleader, albeit without a short, pleated skirt and pompom I'm going to do this because I regard with affection young adult literature. It's been a field I've valued and championed for nearly 40 years. Beginning with the publication of The Outsiders through S.E. Hinton, The Contender by means of Robert Lipsyte, and Mr and Mr Bo Jo Jone through Ann Head in the late 1960 my career has grown alongside that of contemporary young adult works Helping to nourish young adult literature in a variety of ways has given me a actual productive and satisfying life. I be fond of what I do:

* reading dozens of superior books each year-like Chris Lynch's National work Award Finalist, Inexcusable

* writing articles and reviews about volumes and teaching, as I do in my English Journal rounded pillar "Bold Books for Teenagers"

* editing anthologies of brand of recent origin short stories about and for teenagers (you have a transcript of my next one in your packet-titled What Are You Afraid Of?)

Young adult literature diets my daily life as I

* read professional journals like VOYA and The ALAN Review

* management workshops for teachers and librarians across the political division

* interview and correspond with dozens of fascinating authors-such as Joan Bauer, Walter Dean Myers, Nancy Garden, Laurie Halse Andersen, Alex Flinn, Graham Salisbury, Tamora Pierce, and other authors you will hear from today and tomorrow

* interact with like-minded colleagues in middle academys high schools, colleges, and libraries-like Patty Campbell, Sarah Herz, Teri Lesesne Walter Mayes, Mary Arnold, Patrick Jone Michael Cart, and others whom you will have the opportunity to adapted here.

I value the talks I've had with talented editors and creative publishers. I am thankful for the many congenial marketing and publicity family who send me books, and with Amazon and other wholesalers, paperback distributors, and salespeople in bookstores who make those volumes available for purchase.

I cherish my talks with teenagers during seminary visits, and meeting readers at book-signings.

I can envision no better life for myself.

And this event-this annual, two-day ALAN workshop that I have attended almost each year since the first individual 31 years ago-is always the high point of my professional year. 1 wait for it will be the high point of your professional year, too, because this is the largest gathering of authors who write for teenagers, and of educators who support young adult literature, that you will find anywhere upon the planet! So I am extremely happy to be a part of this extravaganza with you all this morning.

How many of you have at no time attended an ALAN Workshop before? Raise your hands way up high.

How many of you have attended a whole destiny of ALAN Workshops, maybe ten or more? Stand up please. Are those first-timers going to have a useful time here? [YES?]