Author Jago taught middle and high school students for 32 years and now directs the California Reading and Literature Project at UCLA. In this curriculum development guide for middle and high school English teachers, she gives advice on using demanding literature to motivate and engage students. She warns of the uses and abuses of reading aloud and film in the classroom and offers ideas on developing students' vocabularies, mapping complex sentence structures, and holding students accountable for their reading. She notes the limitations of objective tests and recommends unconventional summative assessment and essays. The author lists recommended books of many types, from short classics to contemporary novels about romantic relationships, action and adventure, books about the Middle East, and contemporary issues. Boxes of quotes from real teachers, a short conversation with the author, and chapter discussion questions are also included. This second edition contains new material on pairing contemporary YA books with classic texts. The book is illustrated with b&w classroom photos and numerous examples of student work. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)