Suggesting that literature dealing with the Vietnam War can have a dramatic impact on students, this paper assists teachers in selecting young adult literature on the war, discusses a variety of assignments, and presents student responses to the literature. The paper begins with a discussion of the three main types of young adult literature: combat narratives; the war at home; and the legacies of the war--the refugee experience, and the impact of the war on the children of the generation that came of age during the war. The paper then discusses designing instruction that engages students, including key questions for discussion and study, writing assignments, discussion questions for a particular work (an oral history of the war), and follow-up writing assignments. The paper next considers an approach to use with Mary Downing Hahn's "December Stillness"--having students complete and discuss the results of an "opinionnaire" about homelessness which can then be used as a framework for studying some key aspects of the novel. The paper also discusses five writing assignments based on the novel. Examples of how some students have responded to literature of the Vietnam War are also provided. Thirty-five references, a 21-item annotated bibliography, two lists of discussion questions, writing assignments, a small group assignment, and the opinionnaire form on homelessness are attached. (RS)