There is a misconception that adolescent literature is not useful in the classroom. On the contrary, adolescent literature can transform the way readers interact with literature and the way readers see and understand the world. Adolescent literature provides encouragement for struggling readers. An introduction to adolescent literature in the classroom is an opportunity for readers to connect to their assigned readings. This particular genre provides a connection to its readers via relatable themes.

Teachers often question whether they should remove classical literature from the classroom, or include adolescent literature in the classroom. Teachers should not move to abandon the classics and replace them with adolescent literature. However, we must find a way to incorporate both into the classroom. When introduced correctly, there is room for both genres to be taught to adolescents. Adolescent literature in the classroom can create an atmosphere of transmorphism, which can shift an often disliked area of study to one that is enjoyable. Therefore, teachers should follow a formula when introducing classical literature to adolescent readers. First, introduce adolescent literature to readers, and then introduce the classical literature when students are mature enough to enjoy and understand such literature. Hence, when a student becomes engulfed in their assigned readings of adolescent literature, teachers will then be able to introduce readers to the classics. After exploring themes in adolescent literature, students will be able to make thematic connections with classical literature. They will be able to make connections from their own lives to those of the characters in classical material they were assigned. The goal is to create lifelong readers, and we can do that by first introducing readers to material that speaks directly to them. To explore this argument, my dissertation draws on a range of literary texts, from those by J. R. R. Tolkien to Lois Lowry, Curtis Sittenfeld, Sapphire, Sherman Alexie, and Suzanne Collins, as well as curriculum-based research.