Building an ESL Collection for Young Adults: A Bibliography of Recommended Fiction and Nonfiction for Schools and Public Libraries »

LAURA HIBBETS MCCAFFERY is Librarian in the Readers' Services department of the Allen County Public Library, where she has worked with the Fort Wayne Literacy Council and the Three Rivers Literacy Alliance to develop a collection of materials for patrons for whom English is a second language.

A one-stop annotated bibliography of more than 500 recommended titles for young adults

VOYA

In this well-organized bibliography, McCaffery annotates over five hundred titles appropriate for English as a second language students covering topics from sports to parenting. Each topic is subdivided into fiction and nonfiction sections. For each book listed, McCaffery gives basic bibliographic information as well as a Fry reading level and an interest level designation. Her clearly-written annotations provide summaries and make suggestions for possible curriculum uses. Works are included from mainstream publishers as well as those who specialize in ESL or literacy materials. Author, title, subject, and ethnic group indices provide further access to titles. Appendices list distributors of non-print materials, and publishers and addresses of print materials. Most works fall in the fourth to sixth grade reading level range. An index by reading level would have been useful for those trying to locate the few materials included for very beginning English-speakers. It is unclear how selections were made. For example, why is the complete, unabridged version of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (Viking, 1997) included, but only an adapted, simplified version of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (Raintree, 1991)? Also, why did the author consider these particular classics especially appropriate for ESL students? The treatment of series is inconsistent. Some receive single entries for the series, other times multiple titles in the series are given separate entries. Selectors are not told whether the whole series is recommended or simply these particular works, making this less useful for librarians building ESL collections. In spite of these flaws, teachers will find this an excellent source for titles to meet specific curriculum needs. Index. Appendix.

Introduction

Adventure, Mystery, and Suspense

Biographies

Career, Life Skills, Workplace, and Parenting

Ethnic Diversity

History and Geography

Nature and Science

Sports

Non-print

Index