LSSL 5385 Literature for Young Adults: Textbook Reflections Chapters 1-5
Textbook Reflections
Chapter 1: This chapter discusses why we share literature with children. Ten reasons and/or benefits are highlighted:
1. Because it is fun. We enjoy sharing about the books we love, and as we do, our enthusiasm spreads and grows in the children around us. When children are having fun, they are engaged.
2. It aids in the acquisition of language and language development. Our vocabulary and language development is directly related to the amount of time spent reading or being read to.
3. Reading develops empathy. Reading allows you to experience empathetic bonds while reading, without having the experience in your real life. Empathy develops kinder and more patient people.
4. Supports life-long readers. As children read more and more books, they can discover if they are serial readers (reading the same genre, authors, etc.) or series readers (reading books that are part of a series). Knowing what children like to read helps us grow readers and gives us a place to start suggesting more books.
5. Allows us to read autobiographically. Reading about people like us can be comforting, help us feel understood, and validate our feelings.
6. Allows us to read vicariously. Reading in this way is like a window to other worlds. It allows children to experience consequences vicariously through characters’ thoughts and actions, rather than having to experience it in their real lives.
7. We can read for philosophical speculation. As children grow, they begin to form their own opinions, and seek answers to the big questions of life. Reading about the world allows children to develop these opinions.
8. Reading can be an aesthetic experience. We can read for joy, pleasure, and appreciation.
9. Literature develops the imagination. Reading allows students to ask the question: “What would happen if…?” Answering this question leads to invention and innovation.
10. Reading transmits cultures. Sharing books about a wide variety of cultures, consistently throughout the year helps children find themselves in books, live vicariously through others, and develop empathy towards cultures they may not experience in their real lives.
Taking all these reasons and benefits into consideration, I now read YA with a different mindset. Previously, I read books for the stories, and always felt like I was racing through just to find out the ending. I now read and appreciate the journey of reading through the book. I love reading about other cultures and people who I can live vicariously through. For example, In The Knife Of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness, I enjoyed reading about Todd and Viola’s journey, past experiences, and all the characters and the settlements that they passed through.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2 covers the different divisions of young people’s literature. The divisions are: 1. Children’s Literature- Children’s literature is aimed at ages 0-8 years old. This includes wordless picture books, picture books, easy readers, illustrated chapter books, and early chapter books (such as Superfudge or Ramona Quimby).
2. Middle Grade/Tween- Aimed at ages 8-12. Examples include (Roller Girl, Raymie Nightingale, etc.). One important thing to note is that Middle school does not necessarily equal Middle Grade. Middle School readers are in the age range of 11-13, so many books aimed at Middle Schoolers may deal with topics that are inappropriate for a Middle Grader, such as love/drama/relationships/LGBTQ issues and difficult topics.
3. Young Adult- Spans ages 13-18. Because this age range is so vast, be sure topics, language, violence level, etc. are appropriate for the age of the reader.
4. New Adult- This division came about in 2009 and is aimed at ages 18-30. New Adult books often feature a protagonist that is slightly older than in Young Adult literature and appeals to an adult audience. Characters are typically in their early 20’s and are heading to college for the first time, or dealing with their first relationship or sexual experience. New Adult characters deal with adult issues often without the supervision of their parents.
Because kids often want to read up (read books about characters who are older than them), middle schoolers often have the hardest time finding books that are both exciting to them and appropriate. I have always lumped Middle Grade, Young Adult, and New Adult books into one category, subconsciously divvying them up into these categories in my mind but not knowing there were actual terms for each age group. I am now able to have concrete examples of topics seen in each age range so that I can choose the book that is most appropriate for the reader.
Chapter 3: There is much more to the anatomy of a book than pages and a cover. Here are some terms to know:
1. Endpapers- the two sheets at either end of the book.
2. Casewrap- underneath a jacket on a hardcover book.
3. Book Block- the main text body of the book after all the signatures and copyright information.
4. Gutter- The blank space between the text and the spine.
5. Headband- small decorative strip of textile used at the top and bottom to fill the gap between the spine and the cover. 6. Backbone- also known as the spine. Knowing these terms and having a better understanding of the book’s anatomy will help me teach students how to treat and take care of books.
Chapter 4: Chapter 4 address the common misconceptions people have about genres. The term genre is often used incorrectly. There are only two genres: fiction, and nonfiction. Everything else is a subgenre.
The subgenres under fiction include fantasy, which is broken down into modern (hard science fiction, soft science fiction, high fantasy, and low fantasy) and traditional (folktales, ballads, fairytales, fables, myths, and legends), as well as realism, which breaks down into modern and historical fiction. Nonfiction includes informational texts, being either biographies (autobiographies or memoirs), narrative nonfiction, or expository nonfiction.
Typically, subjects and formats are mistakenly labeled as genres. Subjects include chick lit, guys reads, horror, mysteries, sports fiction, etc. The format that books are in can be poetry, drama, novels, chapter books, short stories, picture books, or graphic novels.
Genre-fying a library is becoming more popular, however, it sets students up to strictly browse and tempts them to only “stay in their lane”. Genre-fying can be exclusionary towards genders or embarrass readers for liking a certain subject. Students should be taught the proper meaning of genres, subgenres, subjects, and formats, to better understand the set up of a library and the books that they like to read.
I, too, mistakenly used the term genre, and have seen the genre-fication of libraries beginning to take over. I did this in my own classroom library but going forward I think I will steer clear of doing this. As an avid reader of romances, I do feel embarrassed sometimes going into the romance section of a bookstore, and I can understand how that makes students feel. Although it happens, no one should ever feel ashamed for reading their favorite books!
Chapter 5: Young Adult literature is a subgenre that features a young protagonist character and is written from their point of view. The characters are usually very independent and change drastically throughout the story. The subject matter confronts issues facing our youth today. It is typically told over a short period of time and in a limited setting.
Knowing the characteristics of Young Adult literature is important in both identifying books that fit into the YA category and for teaching about YA literature.
Chapter 1: This chapter discusses why we share literature with children. Ten reasons and/or benefits are highlighted:
1. Because it is fun. We enjoy sharing about the books we love, and as we do, our enthusiasm spreads and grows in the children around us. When children are having fun, they are engaged.
2. It aids in the acquisition of language and language development. Our vocabulary and language development is directly related to the amount of time spent reading or being read to.
3. Reading develops empathy. Reading allows you to experience empathetic bonds while reading, without having the experience in your real life. Empathy develops kinder and more patient people.
4. Supports life-long readers. As children read more and more books, they can discover if they are serial readers (reading the same genre, authors, etc.) or series readers (reading books that are part of a series). Knowing what children like to read helps us grow readers and gives us a place to start suggesting more books.
5. Allows us to read autobiographically. Reading about people like us can be comforting, help us feel understood, and validate our feelings.
6. Allows us to read vicariously. Reading in this way is like a window to other worlds. It allows children to experience consequences vicariously through characters’ thoughts and actions, rather than having to experience it in their real lives.
7. We can read for philosophical speculation. As children grow, they begin to form their own opinions, and seek answers to the big questions of life. Reading about the world allows children to develop these opinions.
8. Reading can be an aesthetic experience. We can read for joy, pleasure, and appreciation.
9. Literature develops the imagination. Reading allows students to ask the question: “What would happen if…?” Answering this question leads to invention and innovation.
10. Reading transmits cultures. Sharing books about a wide variety of cultures, consistently throughout the year helps children find themselves in books, live vicariously through others, and develop empathy towards cultures they may not experience in their real lives.
Taking all these reasons and benefits into consideration, I now read YA with a different mindset. Previously, I read books for the stories, and always felt like I was racing through just to find out the ending. I now read and appreciate the journey of reading through the book. I love reading about other cultures and people who I can live vicariously through. For example, In The Knife Of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness, I enjoyed reading about Todd and Viola’s journey, past experiences, and all the characters and the settlements that they passed through.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2 covers the different divisions of young people’s literature. The divisions are: 1. Children’s Literature- Children’s literature is aimed at ages 0-8 years old. This includes wordless picture books, picture books, easy readers, illustrated chapter books, and early chapter books (such as Superfudge or Ramona Quimby).
2. Middle Grade/Tween- Aimed at ages 8-12. Examples include (Roller Girl, Raymie Nightingale, etc.). One important thing to note is that Middle school does not necessarily equal Middle Grade. Middle School readers are in the age range of 11-13, so many books aimed at Middle Schoolers may deal with topics that are inappropriate for a Middle Grader, such as love/drama/relationships/LGBTQ issues and difficult topics.
3. Young Adult- Spans ages 13-18. Because this age range is so vast, be sure topics, language, violence level, etc. are appropriate for the age of the reader.
4. New Adult- This division came about in 2009 and is aimed at ages 18-30. New Adult books often feature a protagonist that is slightly older than in Young Adult literature and appeals to an adult audience. Characters are typically in their early 20’s and are heading to college for the first time, or dealing with their first relationship or sexual experience. New Adult characters deal with adult issues often without the supervision of their parents.
Because kids often want to read up (read books about characters who are older than them), middle schoolers often have the hardest time finding books that are both exciting to them and appropriate. I have always lumped Middle Grade, Young Adult, and New Adult books into one category, subconsciously divvying them up into these categories in my mind but not knowing there were actual terms for each age group. I am now able to have concrete examples of topics seen in each age range so that I can choose the book that is most appropriate for the reader.
Chapter 3: There is much more to the anatomy of a book than pages and a cover. Here are some terms to know:
1. Endpapers- the two sheets at either end of the book.
2. Casewrap- underneath a jacket on a hardcover book.
3. Book Block- the main text body of the book after all the signatures and copyright information.
4. Gutter- The blank space between the text and the spine.
5. Headband- small decorative strip of textile used at the top and bottom to fill the gap between the spine and the cover. 6. Backbone- also known as the spine. Knowing these terms and having a better understanding of the book’s anatomy will help me teach students how to treat and take care of books.
Chapter 4: Chapter 4 address the common misconceptions people have about genres. The term genre is often used incorrectly. There are only two genres: fiction, and nonfiction. Everything else is a subgenre.
The subgenres under fiction include fantasy, which is broken down into modern (hard science fiction, soft science fiction, high fantasy, and low fantasy) and traditional (folktales, ballads, fairytales, fables, myths, and legends), as well as realism, which breaks down into modern and historical fiction. Nonfiction includes informational texts, being either biographies (autobiographies or memoirs), narrative nonfiction, or expository nonfiction.
Typically, subjects and formats are mistakenly labeled as genres. Subjects include chick lit, guys reads, horror, mysteries, sports fiction, etc. The format that books are in can be poetry, drama, novels, chapter books, short stories, picture books, or graphic novels.
Genre-fying a library is becoming more popular, however, it sets students up to strictly browse and tempts them to only “stay in their lane”. Genre-fying can be exclusionary towards genders or embarrass readers for liking a certain subject. Students should be taught the proper meaning of genres, subgenres, subjects, and formats, to better understand the set up of a library and the books that they like to read.
I, too, mistakenly used the term genre, and have seen the genre-fication of libraries beginning to take over. I did this in my own classroom library but going forward I think I will steer clear of doing this. As an avid reader of romances, I do feel embarrassed sometimes going into the romance section of a bookstore, and I can understand how that makes students feel. Although it happens, no one should ever feel ashamed for reading their favorite books!
Chapter 5: Young Adult literature is a subgenre that features a young protagonist character and is written from their point of view. The characters are usually very independent and change drastically throughout the story. The subject matter confronts issues facing our youth today. It is typically told over a short period of time and in a limited setting.
Knowing the characteristics of Young Adult literature is important in both identifying books that fit into the YA category and for teaching about YA literature.
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