In this month’s ALAN Picks we feature several books that will appeal to students who may be interested in the thriller, mystery and/or horror genres. This column also features several Indigenous authors to help you prepare for National Native American Heritage Month. Man Made Monster by Andrea L. Rogers is a YA collection of horror stories that follows a Cherokee family through multiple generations into the future.

Adolescence in Academia: Scholarly Books about Young Adult Literature In response to the popularity of young adult literature (YAL) in the past two decades, there has been a rise in the scholarship on YAL. From literary criticism to commentary to pedagogy, these books offer YAL teachers, scholars, and enthusiasts other ways of thinking about and approaching the texts. In order to bring attention to this work, the incoming TAR editorial team seeks a column editor for “Adolescence in Academia: Scholarly Books about Young Adult Literature.” This 1,000-1,750-word column, which will appear in each issue, will review two to three scholarly books about YAL, providing an overview and critique of the books and identifying possible audiences and uses for them.

Congratulations Dr. Jennifer Buehler We are proud to announce that Dr. Jennifer Buehler has been selected for the 2025 Ted Hipple Service Award. The Ted Hipple Service Award is given each year to an individual who has contributed to the ALAN organization. It is named in honor of Ted Hipple, the first and long-time ALAN Executive Secretary, who passed away on November 25, 2004.

ALAN Picks: Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month, Mental Health & Coming of Age In this month’s ALAN Picks we feature several books both middle grades and young adult by Asian and Asian American authors. There are also recently released books that tell stories of coming of age, social justice and mental health. Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrations by Lisa Sterle is a graphic novel about a girl trying to fit in with the popular girls, who also happen to be werewolves. Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa is a middle grade historical fiction, coming-of-age story set in Japan.