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This text provides a literary and/or cultural context for each of Wolff's novels for young people, discusses the characters in terms of the plot and style, analyzes particularly literary elements as appropriate, and summarizes critical response.

Young adults often struggle with confusion or guilt because they perceive themselves as different from others, especially their peers. For some of these individuals, the arts can help them cope with adolescent turmoil, allowing them to express their emotions in poems, stories, painting, songs, and other creative outlets. Sensitive teachers and parents know how important it is for young people to realize that they are not alone in their quest for self-knowledge and finding their way in the world. It can make a difference when readers find something in a book that helps them understand more about who they are and helps them understand others. In Portrait of the Artist as a Young Adult: The Arts in Young Adult Literature, Lois Thomas Stover and Connie S. Zitlow examine books in which the coming-of-age for young adults is influenced by the arts. Stover and Zitlow consider the connection between the arts and a young person's developing sense of self, the use of art to cope with loss and grief, and how young adults can use art to foster catharsis and healing. The young people in these books either identify as artists or use the arts in intentional ways to explore their identities. They often have artistic gifts that make them stand outside the norms of teenage life, yet those gifts also help them find a sense of community. Artists considered in this book include painters, photographers, sculptors, actors, directors, choreographers, dancers, composers, musicians, graffiti artists, and others. The books discussed also explore the ways adults can nurture the artist's development and understand the way young people sometimes use the arts to form their unique identity. Included is an annotated bibliography organized by art discipline, as well as an appendix about using the arts pedagogically, making Portrait of the Artist as a Young Adult a valuable resource for educators, parents, librarians, and young adults.

Not only pointing out works that foster misinformation and stereotypes, this work also examines the number of authors that counteract such messages. It is useful for teachers, librarians, parents, and young adult readers seeking information about American Indian-themed literature for young adults.

Storytellers have long been agents of socialization. This text traces the evolution of female characters in young adult fiction from their passive role in books published prior to the 20th century to their increasingly assertive role in books published in the latter part of the 20th century.

Cooney's large body of work for adolescents defies easy classification. The influences of her talents as an organist who played regularly for her church, the lessons she has learned from her children when they were teenagers, and life experiences that have led her to consider issues of race and gender, are examples of issues that are discussed.

This is a study of the author, illustrator, and radio personality, Daniel Pinkwater. It discusses nearly all of Pinkwater's books, and emphasises his young adult fiction.

In Norma Fox Mazer: A Writer's World, Reed chronicles her discovery that, although Mazer's husband and his work are thoroughly intertwined with and complimentary to her own, the author "is fiercely independent-a feminist."

As Jacqueline Woodson has taken an increasing number of risks with her themes, she has also continued to develop as an artist. This volume includes a critical analysis of how Woodson's life and work intertwine and of the themes and her own goals as a writer and artist.

Girls series books have been popular since the early 1840s, when books about Cousin Lucy, a young girl who learns about the world around her, first appeared. Since then, scores of series books have followed, several of them highly successful, and featuring some of the most enduring characters in fiction, such as Nancy Drew. In recent decades, series books like The Baby-Sitters Club and Sweet Valley High have become staples for young readers everywhere. In Sisters, Schoolgirls, and Sleuths: Girls' Series Books in America, Carolyn Carpan provides a social history of girls' series fiction published in America from the mid-19th century through the early 21st century. Carpan examines popular series, subgenres, themes, and characters found in approximately 100 series, noting how teenage girls are portrayed in girls' series fiction and how girls' series reflect or subvert the culture of the era in which they are produced. Her study also focuses on the creation, writing, and production of such books. This is the first study of American girls' series books to examine the entire genre from its beginnings in the 1840s to the present day, revealing facts about a sub-genre of children's and young adult literature that has rarely been studied. Appendixes in this volume include a listing of the girls' series covered in the book as well as important books about girls' series fiction.

This book offers a critical context for Salisbury's work, discussing his novels in terms of plot and style, analyzing literary themes, and examining critical responses to his work.

A master storyteller, John Marsden is Australias best known writer for young adults. Marsden first found success with the publication of So Much To Tell You. Since then he has gone on to publish many popular and well-recognized titles, including those in the Tomorrow Series and The Ellie Chronicles. In his books, Marsden explores adolescents caught in a world of opposites, of innocence and guilt, idealism and realism, and joy and despair.Marsdens world view and his faith in adolescents serve as the backdrop for John Noell Moores critical readings of Marsdens major novels. In John Marsden: Darkness, Shadow, and Light, Moore investigates the full spectrum of Marsdens work, beginning with the authors life as a teacher and writer. Throughout the book, Moore weaves together Marsdens recurring themes, chief among them writing and storytelling as ways of constructing identity in the transition from childhood to adulthood and the ability of young adults to endure hardships and overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. The book is a valuable addition to the current scholarship on young adult literature and will be welcomed by middle and high school English teachers and students alike.

Society does not make it easy for young people, regardless of their sexual orientation, to find accurate, nonjudgmental information about homosexuality. It makes it even more difficult for young homosexuals to find positive role models in fiction either written or published expressly for them or-if published for adults-relevant to them and their lives. The Heart Has Its Reasons examines these issues and critically evaluates the body of literature published for young adults that offers homosexual themes and characters. Cart and Jenkins chart the evolution of the field of YA literature having GLBTQ (gay/lesbian/bisexual, transgendered, and/or queer/questioning) content. They identify titles that are remarkable either for their excellence or failures, noting the stereotypic, wrongheaded, and outdated books as well as the accurate, thoughtful, and tactful titles. Useful criteria for evaluating books with GLBTQ content are provided. Books and resources of all types are reviewed based on a model that uses the category descriptors of Homosexual Visibility, Gay Assimilation, and Queer Consciousness/Community. An annotated bibliography and a number of author-title lists of books discussed in the text arranged by subject round out this valuable reference for teachers, librarians, parents, and young adults.

At the request of her many fans, Patty Campbell, editor of the Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature series, has selected some of her best essays, articles, columns, and speeches in Campbells Scoop. These pieces define the boundaries between childrens and adult literature and review the trends, censorship, problems, and glories of the genre. Other essays reflect on some concerns and interests of young adult literature as it has matured: the verse novel, ambivalent endings, violence, the sometimes dubious value of awards and honor lists, the graphic novel, and the difficulties of the genres recent overwhelming success. A section titled "e;Inside ALA"e; looks at the authors many years of service to that organization with, among other pieces, a firsthand look at the Best Books committee at work and a report of her attempt to unite booksellers and librarians in common cause.Many of these selections show the idiosyncratic wit and passion that have made Campbells column a favorite with Horn Book readers: an exploration of the meaning of the glut of YA novels with death as a theme or character; an indignant denunciation of the fictional abuse of animals; a snarky analysis of "e;chick lit;"e; and a technical review from the belly-dancing critic of a YA novel featuring that ancient art. On a more serious note, Campbell pleads for what she calls "e;Godsearch"e; in books for teens and pays tribute to her late friend Robert Cormier. Without question, the essays in Campbells Scoop provide readers with the unique insights of an advocate who is passionate about young adult literature and its future.

Although the United States prides itself as a nation of diversity, the country that boasts of its immigrant past also wrestles with much of its immigrant present. While conflicting attitudes about immigration are debated, newcomersboth legal and otherwisecontinue to arrive on American soil. And books about the immigrant experienceaimed at both adults and youthare published with a fair amount of frequency.In Immigration Narrative in Young Adult Literature: Crossing Borders, Joanne Brown explores the experiences of adolescents as portrayed in young adult novels. Her study features protagonists from a wide variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds in order to provide a complete discussion of the immigration experience of young adults. In this volume, Brown analyzes young adult novels that portray various aspects of the immigrant experiencejourneys to the shores of the United States, the difficulties of adjustment, and the tensions that develop within family units as a result of immigration. Brown also examines how ethnicity, religion, and country of origin affect the adolescent characters adjustment to their new country, as well as the process of moving from social outsiders to accepted citizens.This thoroughly researched book includes theories of adolescent development and perspectives on immigration itself applied to the literary analyses. It also offers a framework for anticipating the success of young immigrants and relates this analysis to the novels Brown discusses. With an appendix of additional novels for further reading, this book will be a useful resource for librarians and teachers of adolescent literature, as well as for students, both those born in the United States and those who are immigrants themselves.

In a series of probing, innovative essays, Marc Aronson explores the true potential of Young Adult literature and revels in the passion of its readers he exposes the real problem with teenagers and reading: adult myths, projections and blind prejudices.

This book looks at how popular young adult literature fetishizes virginity. Christine Seifert examines how and why so much romance and dystopian fiction-the two most popular genres in YA lit-have focused on what she calls "abstinence porn"-a phenomenon that has broken out since the appearance of Twilight on the market.

This volume examines adolescent sexuality and how it is represented in young adult literature. The authors show how sexual content in such books can contribute to a richer and more fulfilling reading experience for teens.

Since her first book, Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast, was published in 1978, Robin McKinley has enchanted young adult readers for more than thirty years. This study is the first in-depth analysis of McKinleys works, including her award-winning books The Blue Sword (Newbery Honor, 1983) and The Hero and the Crown (Newberry Medal, 1985). In Robin McKinley: Girl Reader, Woman Writer, Evelyn Perry examines McKinleys novels and short stories as grouped into three categories: those set in Damar, which introduce and develop the rich geographic, social, political, and linguistic history of McKinleys secondary world; the retellings of folk and fairy tales, which reveal not only McKinleys encyclopedic knowledge of source stories but her respectful and highly literate approach to their contemporary adaptation; and her other works, less easily categorized but generally most recent, written for more mature readers, and featuring a diverse set of influences from vampires to homeopathy. Perry also explores the feminist articulation of character and social settings that are dominant themes running through McKinleys works.Anyone interested in Robin McKinley and her work, including secondary and post-secondary students, faculty, and librarians, will find Robin McKinley: Girl Reader, Woman Writer a valuable resource.

Teen readers have always been fascinated by monsters, but lately it seems like every other young adult (YA) book is about vampires, zombies, or werewolves. These works are controversial, since they look at aspects of life and human nature that adults prefer to keep hidden from teenagers. But this is also why they are so important: They provide a literal example of how ignoring life's hazards won't make them go away and demonstrate that ignorance of danger puts one at greater risk.In They Suck, They Bite, They Eat, They Kill: The Psychological Meaning ofSupernatural Monsters in Young Adult Fiction Joni Bodart examines six different monstersvampires, shapeshifters, zombies, unicorns, angels, and demonsin YA literature. Bodart first discusses the meaning of these monsters in cultures all over the world. Subsequent chapters explore their history and most important incarnations, comparing the same kind of creatures featured in different titles. This volume also contains interviews with authors who provide additional insight and information, and the bibliography includes a comprehensive list of titles featuring the various monsters.Analyzing the most important and well-written series and titles for teens, They Suck, They Bite, They Eat, They Kill will be useful for parents, teachers, and anyone else hoping to understand why teens want to read books in this genre and what some of the benefits of reading them might be.

This book shows how authors of young adult literature use the creation of names for people, places, events, inventions, animals, and imaginary concepts as one of their most important literary techniques. Chapters address how authors use names to stretch readers' emotions, to reveal ethnic values and differences, to create 'other worlds,' and to establish tone. Other chapters focus on how authors use names to help readers remember who is who, such as J. K. Rowling in the Harry Potter books, or to communicate separate messages to adults and to young readers, as exemplified by Richard Handler in the Lemony Snicket books. Names and Naming in Young Adult Literature equips readers with the interest and the skill to make similar observations about names and naming when they read other books. Looking at the names an author has chosen to use is a wonderful first step in introducing readers to the concept of literary criticism as something to help readers get more pleasure and information from their reading. Public and school librarians, college instructors of young adult literature, teachers of creative writing, high school English teachers, and anyone else who is interested in young adult literature will find this book extremely interesting.

Donna Jo Napoli has received acclaim for her young adult works and is especially known for her historical novels and her retellings of myth and fairy tales. In this full-length critical study, Hilary S. Crew integrates criticism and biographical information to illuminate Napolis many novels, as well as other writings by Napoli such as her essays on writing for young people and her book, Language Matters.A comprehensive critical analysis of 19 novels, Donna Jo Napoli: Writing with Passion provides an understanding of how Napolis life and profession as a professor of linguistics influences her writing for young adults. The novels analyzed in this study include Napolis retellings of such fairy tales and myths as The Magic Circle, Zel, Bound, Beast, and Sirena; novels whose stories are drawn from religious and traditional sources such as Song of the Magdalene, Breath, and Hush; such historical works as The Smile, Daughter of Venice, and two novels set during WWII, Stones in Water and Fire in the Hills; and her most recent book for young adults, Alligator Bayo. An interview with Napoli concludes this significant resource for those working with young adults.

One of the most revered authors of young adult books, Richard Peck has penned several critical and commercial successes including Dreamland Lake, The Ghost Belonged to Me, and the National Book Award finalist, A Long Way from Chicago. Peck's novels have also received prestigious awards including the Edgar for Are You in the House Alone? and the Newbery Medal for A Year Down Yonder. He is also the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the National Humanities Medal, the ALAN Award, and the National Endowment for the Humanities Medallion. In Richard Peck: The Past Is Paramount, authors Donald R. Gallo and Wendy J. Glenn recount the highlights of Peck's life, focusing on his world travels, his accomplishments as a teacher and his renowned writing career. Gallo and Glenn examine Peck's 30 novels, as well as his short stories and children's books, poems, essays and other nonfiction. An additional chapter analyzes themes, characters, and style in his writing. The appendixes list Peck's many honors and prizes, as well as film adaptations of his works. The extensive bibliography cites all of Peck's primary and secondary works, along with sources of interviews, speeches, prayers and credos, articles about him, and sources of reviews of each of his books. For fans and scholars alike, Richard Peck: The Past Is Paramount is the most authoritative resource about the life and work of this beloved author.

Much has been written about the state of Black adolescence_often from a sociological point of view situating Black teens in an at-risk category. However, through her characters, young adult author Janet McDonald (1954-2007) presents the wide range of adolescent life. McDonald especially presents to readers the multifarious views of society in relation to the self-efficacious drive of urban teens to rise above their circumstances by any means necessary. Janet McDonald: The Original Project Girl is a bio-critical study of McDonald and her work as it relates to the contributions she has made to the genre of teen fiction. It explains McDonald's profoundly realistic fiction, which holds wide appeal for teens in search of answers to the coming of age mystery. Catherine Ross-Stroud, in her study of McDonald's works and interviews with the author, has put together a comprehensive resource that will be a useful research tool.

After spending more than a decade as a journalist in South Asia, Suzanne Fisher Staples turned to writing realistic novels about young people coming of age in modern Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India, as well as the United States. Her elegant prose and compelling character development draw readers into lives and cultures that are always warmly appealing. In Suzanne Fisher Staples: The Setting Is the Story, Megan Lynn Isaac explores the award winning novels of this unusual writer. Comprised of eight chapters_one exploring each of Staples's works (six novels and a memoir) and an additional chapter detailing the critical reception of her most famous books, the Pakistani trilogy (Shabanu, Haveli and The House of Djinn)_Isaac considers the predominant themes, characters, and settings of each work and provides background information about the countries, religions, art forms, and other aspects of the cultures of South Asia that are central to Staples's writing. Original material from the author's interviews with Staples provides new insights into her work and experiences. Biographical information about Staples, both in chronological and narrative form, is also included, as well as a comprehensive bibliography of scholarly material related to Staples. This book will help scholars and fans of Staples to explore the themes and literary techniques employed by her, as well as to deepen their understanding of the cultures and traditions upon which she draws.

Known for her commitment to excellence in education, Sharon Draper was named National Teacher of the Year in 1997. In 1994 her first novel, Tears of a Tiger, was published, and since then she has written more than fifteen books for middle and high school readers. Tears of a Tiger received the John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and her novels Forged by Fire and Copper Sun have both won the Coretta Scott King Award. Most of her books have been featured on the American Library Association Best Books list, their Top Ten Quick Pick list, and IRA's Young Adult Choice list. In Sharon M. Draper: Embracing Literacy, author KaaVonia Hinton reveals how Draper became an exceptional teacher and writer, and how she uses her writing to urge young people to embrace literacy. Hinton also explores how Draper has made a lasting contribution to the field of young adult literature. This book-length study examines both her life and work and will benefit all students, teachers, and scholars in the field of young adult literature.

Mixed-heritage people are one of the fastest-growing groups in the United States, yet culturally they have been largely invisible, especially in young adult literature. Mixed Heritage in Young Adult Literature is a critical exploration of how mixed-heritage characters (those of mixed race, ethnicity, religion, and/or adoption) and real-life people have been portrayed in young adult fiction and nonfiction. This is the first in-depth, broad-scope critical exploration of this subgenre of multicultural literature. Following an introduction to the topic, author Nancy Thalia Reynolds examines the portrayal of mixed-heritage characters in literary classics by James Fenimore Cooper, Mark Twain, and Zora Neale Hurstonstaples of todays high school English curriculumalong with other important authors. It opens up the discussion of young-adult racial and ethnic identity in literature to recognizeand focus onthose whose heritage straddles boundaries. In this book teachers will find new tools to approach race, ethnicity, and family heritage in literature and in the classroom. This book also helps librarians find new criteria with which to evaluate young adult fiction and nonfiction with mixed-heritage characters.

Adolescence is a time of growth, change, and confusion for young women. During this transition from childhood to adulthood, sex and gender roles become more important. Meanwhile, depictions of females_from the hyper-sexualized girls of music videos to the chaste repression of Purity Balls_send mixed messages to young women about their bodies and their sexuality. Over the last several decades, authors of young adult novels have been challenged to reflect this concern in their work and have responded with varying degrees of success. In Learning Curves: Body Image and Female Sexuality in Young Adult Literature, Beth Younger examines how cultural assumptions and social constraints are reinforced and complicated through common representations of young women. Each chapter analyzes a recurrent theme in the history of young adult literature, including issues of body image, pregnancy, abortion, lesbianism, and romance. By examining selected novels for their sexual content, situating them within their social and historical context, and analyzing their discursive qualities, the author reveals the multitude of complex ways that society depicts teenagers and their sexualities and offers a critique of patriarchal culture that gives value to the female experience.

This book examines the life and work of Pete Hautman, whose more than 15 books for young adults cover a wide ride of diverse subjects. Chapters will explicate his work, offering critical commentary on the content, style, and standard literary elements, beginning with his first YA novel, Mr. Was (1996).

Celebrates the accomplishments of YA authors acclaimed for producing high-quality comedies, who have not yet been treated in a book-length bio-critical study. Simultaneously, it reminds readers that no matter how funny an author of fiction may be, if he shows off his wit in ways that fail to play a natural role in advancing his narrative, he is not writing good fiction. To demonstrate this, humorous passages are presented to illustrate the contribution a sense of humor can make to a work of fiction. The book is arranged topically to facilitate a comparison of distinctive treatments by various authors of adolescent life events, such as sibling rivalry, bullies, and first dates.

Inspired by a vivid dream, Stephenie Meyer, a stay-at-home mom, wrote a manuscript that started a worldwide sensation that has yet to abate. In 2005 her debut novel, Twilight, crashed onto the shore of teen literature like a literary tsunami. Four books later, she had become the top-selling author in the world. When the final book in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn, was released in 2008, more than a million copies were sold on the first day alone. The popular culture phenomenon of Stephenie Meyer and her writing is much more than the sum total of her weeks on the bestseller list, however.Stephenie Meyer: In the Twilight looks at the life and work of this author, beginning with her childhood and covering her teen years and life before stardom. This volume also profiles Meyer's world since becoming a cultural icon. In addition to discussing Meyer's writing style, the chapters also explore each of her books, with a final chapter focusing on her presence in social media and public events.As young and old continue to devour her every word, this volume puts into perspective the work and impact that Meyer has around the world. Stephenie Meyer: In the Twilight will be of interest to teachers and librarians, as well as to middle and high school studentsnot to mention adultswho are interested in learning more about their favorite author.