Guest Blogger Susannah Harris is the manager of AdLit.org, a national multimedia initiative offering resources to the parents and educators of struggling readers and writers in grades 4-12. Susannah has been a tutor herself for more than 16 years working with a range of organizations including The Higher Achievement Program and Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, She is the Volunteer Coordinator for The Community Club, a tutoring program serving middle and high schools students in Washington, D.C.

October 12-18 is Teen Read Week–an annual event sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)–to encourage teens to read for the fun of it and explore all the great resources libraries have to offer. This year’s theme is Books with Bite @ Your Library and YALSA has some great ideas for promoting books and libraries as well as a new booklist of 100+ books that teens can really sink their teeth into.

Though the official celebration just lasts one week, every week is Teen Read Week at AdLit.org, where we’re all about adolescent literacy. We add new themed booklists and interviews with top young adult authors every month.

In addition to our great resources on young adult literature, AdLit.org offers articles and resources on reading instruction–everything from achievement to writing.  And we like to bring people together for a little reading fun as well.  Check out Just for Fun for contests and activities for teens.

If you’re a teacher or librarian, we have a contest for you too.YALSA, Mirrorstone Books, and AdLit.org are looking for the best Teen Read Week celebrations that involve significant collaboration between teachers and librarians. Share your ideas, and you could win some fabulous prizes, including an author visit from Kimberly Pauley or a D&D game session run by author Geno Salvatore. Entries, which include a 300-word description of your Teen Read Week Celebration, must be submitted to YALSA by November 7, 2008. Contest form and official rules.

Finding books that suit both teens’ interests and reading abilities isn’t always easy, so don’t be afraid to ask for help in finding great books to engage the reluctant adolescent readers in your life.  Get to the library to talk with your own librarian or check out The MashUp, AdLit.org’s blog about books for teens, written by our very own YA Lit advisor (and librarian) Jamie Watson, who was recently named a “Mover and Shaker” by Library Journal magazine. Each week, Jamie reviews new books and offers suggestions for finding books for teen readers.  You may even find some titles that tempt you to get bitten right along with your teen readers!