LSSL 5385 YA Lit. Textbook Reflections

Genres and Formats Genres, subgenres, categories, subjects, and formats? Say, what? Uhm..what is the difference? I can clearly see a dark cloud of confusion hovering over you (and over me too)! If we do not know the genres in literature, we are unable to teach our children what they are, and we do not want to be that type of librarian! Let’s clear this confusion. There are two genres: fiction and nonfiction. What about everything else? Well, it is a subgenre.   Fiction is broken down into two categories: realism and fantasy. Realism is broken into realistic and historical; modern and traditional fall into fantasy. Modern includes soft science fiction, hard science fiction, high fantasy, and low fantasy. Are you still with me? In hard science fiction, science is the main focus of the story. In soft science fiction, science is definitely part of the story, but the character is now the main focus. High fantasy, ingenious writers create new worlds with species and ...

What is YA literature? According to Mertz and England, books must meet certain criteria in order to be considered Young Adult literature. To begin with, the main character must be thirteen to eighteen years of age. The story must be written in the adolescent’s point of view, and the character(s) must undergo an important change in his life similar to what young adults may face in theirs.  Just like teens experience changes in their lives and want to gain their independence, the protagonist must undergo changes and be highly independent.   Changes are important because they force the character to grow and mature in different aspects of his life. This growth is caused by suffering the consequences of his choices. This is important because young adults can learn from their character’s mistakes and can avoid unnecessary suffering. It should also incorporate current issues (even if they are polemical) in the plot. Young Adults literature basically serves as a vehicle ...

Divisions of Young People’s Literature The divisions of young people’s literature are: Children’s Literature, Tween, Young Adult, and New Adult. Children’s Literature is for kids zero to eight years of age. Children at this age may read wordless picture books, picture books, illustrated chapter books or chapter books with very little illustrations. Middle Grade/Tweens cover ages eight to twelve years old. It includes chapter books and graphic novels. Middle School Literature is for children eleven to thirteen years old and are in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade.  Authors who target this specific age group may introduce controversial topics such as homosexuality, sexual abuse physical abuse, and other polemical issues. Usually the stories take place in a middle school setting which allows the readers to quickly connect to the characters and the plot. Young Adult literature is for students thirteen to eighteen years old. As librarians we have to be careful, and, if possible,...

Anatomy of a Book This blog is sweet, short, and to the point. With an excellent visual, it teaches the reader the different parts of a book. And, no, I am not talking about just the front and back cover (everybody knows that). The author, Jenna Homen, goes a little bit more into detail and certainly taught me words I had never heard before: endpapers, casewrap (reminds me of plastic wrap), book block, gutter, headband, and backbone (also known as spine). The end papers are the two sheets of paper that you find at the beginning and end of a book; some may have colors and designs. The casewrap is a little hidden. But, if you lift the jacket (not the one you wear), you might be impressed by the patterns, colors, and images carefully crafted by the designers. The book block is basically all the pages in a book. If you hold the pages together, it looks like a “block.” Whoever decided what the parts of a book were going to be called probably named them with things that would resembl...

Why do we share literature with children? Reading is extremely fun (exercise is not)! It is exciting to see the new books arrive at the library. Reading a new book is like receiving a gift on Christmas (or ten)! It is exciting to read a new book but sharing a book with a child and seeing him enjoy the book is extremely rewarding.  We read for pleasure. We love to lay on our bellies, bring the book close to our face, and laugh or cry with the characters. We simply enjoy reading. It is extremely beneficial for students to read a minimum of twenty minutes a day because literature aids language development and acquisition. They are able to learn one million eight hundred thousand words per year versus the eight thousand words a student who only reads one minute a day learns. The benefits are fascinating! It is recommended for children to read 1,000 books before Pre-K; the words they read can expand their vocabulary. I believe we live in a fallen world, so it is...