This examination of the literary effectiveness of young adult literature from a critical, research-oriented perspective answers two key questions asked by many teachers and scholars in the field: Does young adult literature stand up on its own as literature? Is it worthy of close study?

The treatment is both conceptual and pragmatic. Each chapter discusses a topical text set of YA novels in a conceptual framework-how these novels contribute to or deconstruct conventional wisdom about key topics from identity formation to awareness of world issues, while also providing a springboard in secondary and college classrooms for critical discussion of these novels. Uncloaking many of the issues that have been essentially invisible in discussions of YA literature, these essays can then guide the design of curriculum through which adolescent readers hone the necessary skills to unpack the ideologies embedded in YA narratives. The annotated bibliography provides supplementary articles and books germane to all the issues discussed. Closing "End Points" highlight and reinforce cross-cutting themes throughout the book and tie the essays together.

About the Author
Crag Hill is Assistant Professor of English Education at the University of Oklahoma, USA.

Reviews

".... Addressing themes and literary devices central to the success of the best YA literature, the collected essays easily show why such works are popular with teens and worthy of rigorous examination. ... It is the meticulously researched analyses in the chapters that follow that readers will truly appreciate. Hill carefully chose essays that examine the theoretical foundations of young adult literature and that will foster meaningful discussion in the classroom about the legitimacy of the texts. ... this volume is powerful ammunition for a battle that should have been won long ago. Summing Up: Essential. All readers." - D.C. Greenwood, Albright College, in CHOICE, November 2014

".... a welcome addition to the expanding knowledge base that is growing as young adult literature is indeed coming of age." - Judith A. Hayn, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, USA

".... a landmark work that demonstrates that YA literature is worthy of serious literary criticism, that it is, indeed, literature. The authors in this collection do not shy away from complex readings; instead they forge new ground. Each chapter serves as a model and a theoretical foundation for other scholars to stand on as the field of YA literature moves forward." - Steven T. Bickmore, Co-Editor of The ALAN Review, From the Foreword

Book Information
ISBN 9781138646544
Author Crag Hill
Format Paperback
Page Count 220
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 308g