BIOGRAPHY IN THE LIVES OF YOUTH (H/C)

RESEARCH FROM PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT BIOGRAPHY IS ASSUMING A POWERFUL ROLE IN THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING OF YOUTH. BIOGRAPHIES PRESENT ROLE MODELS, AND DEFINE ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIORS, SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS, AND VALUES. THEY ALSO DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS REWARDED IN SOCIETY AND WHAT IS LESS VALUED. THIS BOOK CONSIDERS SELECTION AND PROGRAMMING ISSUES IMPORTANT, BUT GOES BEYOND THAT AND SEEKS TO RELATE BIOGRAPHY FOR YOUTH WITHIN THE LARGER ARENA OF SCHOLARSHIP AND RESEARCH IN TERMS OF ITS LITERARY, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL IMPACT AND IMPORTANCE. LUKENBILL'S OVERALL GOAL IS TO HELP LIBRARIANS, TEACHERS, AND YOUTH WORKERS BETTER UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF BIOGRAPHY, AND WAYS IT CAN BE USED. THE BOOK CONTRASTS THE INFLUENCES OF OUR CURRENT CELEBRITY-AND-MEDIA-DRIVEN CULTURE WITH THE ROLE LIBRARIANS, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS CAN PLAY IN THE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH. THE USE OF BIOGRAPHY IN THE SCHOOL IS PRESENTED AS A FUNDAMENTAL TOOL OF INSTRUCTION, EMPHASIZIN