The following is my reflection of Chapters 1 through 6 of my Young Adult Literature textbook:
Lesesne, T. S. & Karin Perry. (2016). YA literature textbook.
Table of contents available here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zKJ3mRS3RHcrsyGAT_606buFycZ1Ap_4YwpAwBobnUY /edit?usp=sharing
Chapter 1: Why do we share literature with children?
This chapter was very eye opening. It never occurred to me that reading has so many different benefits for children. I always thought you should read to become smarter, but there is so much more to it than that. I loved the notion of children living vicariously through the characters and seeing the consequences of actions in a book, without having to endure the outcomes themselves. I also love how children can be exposed to different people and cultures though books. This knowledge can also teach empathy and understanding of how others live. Reading is essential for children to become well rounded individuals. I have read to my son at least 20 minutes a day since birth and this chapter really reinforced the need for me to continue this.
I absolutely loved the YouTube video by John Green you shared. I am a sucker for random, fun facts, especially about some of my most beloved children's books. It was surprising to hear so many children's books were written by individuals who never had children.
Chapter 2: Divisions of Young People’s Literature
It was interesting to learn there are 4 divisions in young people's literature: children's, middle grade/tween, young adult and new adult. I was glad that the distinction between middle grade/tween literature and middle school level was made. This can be a confusing area for librarians and I found this chapter to be a very clear explanation of it. The division of new adult was one I hadn't heard of. I had a hiatus from reading during college and this division of books would have been perfect during that time.
Chapter 4: Genres and Formats
When it comes to genres, you can simplify it to fiction and nonfiction. Some subgenres on the fiction side include realism, which branches off into realistic and historical, and fantasy, which branches off into traditional and modern. All these branches break off into even more subgenres as well. On the nonfiction side, some subgenres include informational, biography, narrative and expository. There are also many branches of subgenres here as well. There is a distinction between subgenre, subject and format. Unlike subgenre, which is how the book is classified, subject is the category or type of book, like war books or horror. Format is the form of the texts, like short stories, novels, and graphic novels for example.
Chapter 5: What is YA literature?
In this chapter I learned what characteristic classify a book as young adult. Some of the characteristics include a youthful protagonist, a point of view for a young adult, confrontation, change in the life of the main character, a main character who has to deal with the consequences of decisions and action, and gives the reader a sense of how adolescents grow as individuals.
Chapter 6: How do adolescents develop?
This chapter explains how adolescents develop intellectually, morally, developmentally, physically and as a reader. All adolescents develop physically at their own unique rate and pace. I learned how important it is to have literature which answers any questions or concerns they have on their development. Intellectually, teenagers begin to understand abstract concepts and we must aid them by scaffolding. Teenagers also begin to form peer groups based on mutual interest and similarities. Morals are in a constant state of developing and books can aid in forming their moral compass. Books can play a large part in teaching teenagers empathy and give them an understanding of how others live.
Lesesne, T. S. & Karin Perry. (2016). YA literature textbook.
Table of contents available here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zKJ3mRS3RHcrsyGAT_606buFycZ1Ap_4YwpAwBobnUY /edit?usp=sharing
Chapter 1: Why do we share literature with children?
This chapter was very eye opening. It never occurred to me that reading has so many different benefits for children. I always thought you should read to become smarter, but there is so much more to it than that. I loved the notion of children living vicariously through the characters and seeing the consequences of actions in a book, without having to endure the outcomes themselves. I also love how children can be exposed to different people and cultures though books. This knowledge can also teach empathy and understanding of how others live. Reading is essential for children to become well rounded individuals. I have read to my son at least 20 minutes a day since birth and this chapter really reinforced the need for me to continue this.
I absolutely loved the YouTube video by John Green you shared. I am a sucker for random, fun facts, especially about some of my most beloved children's books. It was surprising to hear so many children's books were written by individuals who never had children.
Chapter 2: Divisions of Young People’s Literature
It was interesting to learn there are 4 divisions in young people's literature: children's, middle grade/tween, young adult and new adult. I was glad that the distinction between middle grade/tween literature and middle school level was made. This can be a confusing area for librarians and I found this chapter to be a very clear explanation of it. The division of new adult was one I hadn't heard of. I had a hiatus from reading during college and this division of books would have been perfect during that time.
Chapter 4: Genres and Formats
When it comes to genres, you can simplify it to fiction and nonfiction. Some subgenres on the fiction side include realism, which branches off into realistic and historical, and fantasy, which branches off into traditional and modern. All these branches break off into even more subgenres as well. On the nonfiction side, some subgenres include informational, biography, narrative and expository. There are also many branches of subgenres here as well. There is a distinction between subgenre, subject and format. Unlike subgenre, which is how the book is classified, subject is the category or type of book, like war books or horror. Format is the form of the texts, like short stories, novels, and graphic novels for example.
Chapter 5: What is YA literature?
In this chapter I learned what characteristic classify a book as young adult. Some of the characteristics include a youthful protagonist, a point of view for a young adult, confrontation, change in the life of the main character, a main character who has to deal with the consequences of decisions and action, and gives the reader a sense of how adolescents grow as individuals.
Chapter 6: How do adolescents develop?
This chapter explains how adolescents develop intellectually, morally, developmentally, physically and as a reader. All adolescents develop physically at their own unique rate and pace. I learned how important it is to have literature which answers any questions or concerns they have on their development. Intellectually, teenagers begin to understand abstract concepts and we must aid them by scaffolding. Teenagers also begin to form peer groups based on mutual interest and similarities. Morals are in a constant state of developing and books can aid in forming their moral compass. Books can play a large part in teaching teenagers empathy and give them an understanding of how others live.
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