Contemporary young adult literature is a relatively new genre. This guide provides an overview of the burgeoning field, focusing primarily on fiction. Included are 32 chapters on particular themes of special significance to young adults, including Abuse, Sexual Violence, and Healing; Families, Traditional and Redefined; Imagined Futures; Supernatural and Alien Beings: Confronting the Other; and War's Impact. Each chapter provides critical discussions of several important works, beginning with one or more classics and ending with a list of recommended fiction on the same theme. An appendix groups works according to additional themes, and a selected bibliography cites important critical resources. Among the works discussed are: "The Buffalo Tree"; "The Chocolate War", "Dance on My Grave"; "The Facts Speak for Themselves"; "Hard Love"; "The Harmony Arms"; "Letters from the Inside"; "Monster Love"; "Necessary Roughness"; "Slave Day"; "Tangerine"; and many more. Librarians and teachers will find this guide useful in recommending works to young readers, as well as for choosing texts to suit curricular needs. Many of the texts have been the topic of brief book reviews but not critical articles. Thus, this guide lays the groundwork for further critical discussion.