Literature can also force students to take a moral position concerning a book, thus giving them opportunities to evaluate how they handle specific situations in their own lives. In summary, using quality literature can assist in exploring self-identity, influencing positive behaviors, and developing critical thinking that can help students deal with their emotions and experiences. Many books available for adolescents are appealing and address their specific needs and interests. Themes such as racial issues, culture, family compositions, and peer pressure are prevalent in adolescent literature. Books reviewed for this article revealed a wide variety of books readily available to students.
Most adolescents can identify with the problems faced by characters in the books.
This particular book focuses on the Holocaust, but the themes are universal. A strong sense of family support is the common element that helps the characters succeed despite adversity. Characters in these books can help foster an understanding of language barriers. Gang violence is another prevalent theme in adolescent literature. Various family compositions in literature appeal to adolescents.