Young Adult Literature and Adolescent Identity Across Cultures and Classrooms

by Janet Alsup (Editor)

Taking a critical, research-oriented perspective, this exploration of the theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical connections between the reading and teaching of young adult literature and adolescent identity development centers around three key All chapters work simultaneously on two each provides both a critical resource about contemporary young adult literature that could be used in YA literature classes or workshops and specific practical suggestions about what texts to use and how to teach them effectively in middle and high school classes. Theorizing, problematizing, and reflecting in new ways on the teaching and reading of young adult literature in middle and secondary school classrooms, this valuable resource for teachers and teacher educators will help them to develop classrooms where students use literature as a means of making sense of themselves, each other, and the world around them.

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2010

Reviews

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

One major issue with YAL scholarship is that it is dated so quickly. This book felt like something published much longer than 9 years ago.

On a functional level, this book is largely ineffective as scholarship. The connective or thematic thread of the book are loose at best and the chapters are too short to be useful. This is the kind of book I'd maybe require 100- or 200-level college students read, because they don't know any better, but I have to believe there is better material out there that discusses identity, YAL, and classrooms.

Oh--and the chapter by Spanke? Garbage. Total nonsense. He begins his essay by discussing Mary Rowlandson, a white woman who was allegedly captured by Algonquians and escaped from them (and inspired all sorts of racist stories as a result). His premise is that YA books are modern-day captivity narratives. He tries to couch his nonsense with "evidence" from scholars, theorists, and YA authors, but his grasp of YAL seems tenuous at best. Like, does he even read it? There are maybe three or four YA novels in his entire bibliography, and some of his sources date back to 1958 (yes, that's '58, well before YAL was even established as a genre) and the 1970s. Skip it.

[Chea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the style and content of this collection. I think it offers up a lot to consider and chew on when it comes to choosing to read YA as well as what YA to read in the classroom. I particularly enjoyed that it wasn't overwhelmingly in favor of using YA in the classroom and though some of the authors favored that approach other's took the opposite position in order to consider possible drawbacks to reading it with students instead of more canonical works. I loved it!

[EvaLovesYA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brugt til speciale om Young Adult-litteratur (2017)