Thematic Guide to Young Adult Literature - Hardcover

Alice L. Trupe

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0313332347 ISBN 13: 9780313332340

Publisher: Greenwood, 2006

Synopsis

Contemporary young adult literature is a relatively new genre. This guide provides an overview of the burgeoning field, focusing primarily on fiction. Each of the 32 chapters is devoted to a theme of special significance to young adults, and provides brief critical discussions of several related literary works. Chapters close with lists of fiction for further reading. An appendix groups works according to additional themes, and a selected bibliography cites relevant critical studies.

About this title

Review:

"Trupe offers this book as a point of departure for critical discussion of fiction for young adults, whom she defines as between 12 and 17 years of age. The 32 chapters take up such expected themes as dating, friendship, abuse, school life, sexual orientation, parental relationships, and violence (including sexual violence), but the author extends the notion of theme by including chapters on imagined places, imagined futures, retellings of traditional tales, and so on. Trupe begins each chapter with paragraph or two introducing the theme and follows with a description and analysis of a number of texts....[t]his book's main audience will be teachers, school librarians, beginning education majors, and precocious young adults. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, professionals, general readers." - Choice

"[A] treasure trove for librarians, teachers, youth counselors, or anyone else working with teens or in a position to influence their reading choices. It also serves as an outstanding guide for those trying to gain some insight into the young adult mind." - Library Collections, Acquisitions and Technical Services

"We encourage librarians, teachers, parents, and young adult readers themselves to consult to learn the state of YA literature today and to select appropriate reading material." - Feminist Collections

"Designed as an introduction to the genre, synopses compare and contrast style, imagery and other key focal points of more than 150 young adult novels....Recommended as a young adult literature reference and collection development tool for teachers and homeschoolers new to teen literature, as well as both school and public libraries." - Christian Library Journal

"Detailed discussions and interpretive summaries of 158 young adult novels (plus one series) are provided in this thematic approach to YA literature." - VOYA

"Divided into 32 sections, each of which addresses selected books that speak to significant themes, this resource draws attention to both contemporary and historical titles. In each chapter, easy-to-read and engaging descriptions and summaries of the novels chosen for their thematic content (between four and six per chapter) are supplemented by a general introduction to the issue. Following the narrative, a brief bibliography of similarly themed works is appended. Trupe's attention to older and oft-forgotten fiction is admirable and likely reflects the real contents of school and public library collections." - School Library Journal

"Intended as an introduction to critical discussion of some of the best fiction for young adults, this guide would be especially useful for teachers and librarians who are new to the field and either need to recommend titles or use them as a part of the curriculum. The material is arranged in 32 chapters, each on a specific theme that has significance to teen readers, such as Addressing Addiction, Insiders and Outsiders, and War's Impact. Brief summaries of more than 150 works dating from the 1950s to 2004 are provided along with analysis of form, characterization, point of view, and symbolism, and a discussion of how the book fits the theme. Each chapter concludes with a list of additional titles on the same topic. Alternative thematic groupings are offered in the appendix, along with a selected bibliography of secondary sources. This text would be a practical addition to middle- school, high-school, and public libraries." - Booklist/Professional Reading

"This resource for librarians, teachers, and teens identifies some of the best fiction for young readers available today. The volume is organized into 32 chapters dealing with such themes as addiction, dating, friendship, poverty, sexual identity, religion, and war. Each chapter offers a critical introduction to three to eight novels and concludes with a list of additional reading recommendations." - Reference & Research Book News

Synopsis:

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.

About this edition

• Publisher: Greenwood
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0313332347
• ISBN 13: 9780313332340
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272