At the request of her many fans, Patty Campbell, editor of the Scarecrow
Studies in Young Adult Literature series, has selected some of her best
essays, articles, columns, and speeches in Campbell's Scoop. These
pieces define the boundaries between children's and adult literature and
review the trends, censorship, problems, and glories of the genre. Other
essays reflect on some concerns and interests of young adult literature
as it has matured: the verse novel, ambivalent endings, violence, the
sometimes dubious value of awards and honor lists, the graphic novel,
and the difficulties of the genre's recent overwhelming success. A
section titled "Inside ALA" looks at the author's many years of service
to that organization with, among other pieces, a firsthand look at the
Best Books committee at work and a report of her attempt to unite
booksellers and librarians in common cause. Many of these selections
show the idiosyncratic wit and passion that have made Campbell's column
a favorite with Horn Book readers: an exploration of the meaning of the
glut of YA novels with death as a theme or character; an indignant
denunciation of the fictional abuse of animals; a snarky analysis of
"chick lit;" and a technical review from the belly-dancing critic of a
YA novel featuring that ancient art. On a more serious note, Campbell
pleads for what she calls "Godsearch" in books for teens and pays
tribute to her late friend Robert Cormier. Without question, the essays
in Campbell's Scoop provide readers with the unique insights of an
advocate who is passionate about young adult literature and its future.
