
Discusses how young adult fiction offers new ways of thinking about climate change and definitions of citizenship.The Necessity of Young Adult Fiction argues that YA fiction helps us to think about some of most pressing problems of the twenty-first century by offering imaginative reconceptualizations about identity, nation, family, and the human relationship to the planet. Using examples from YA fiction that range from the Harry Potter series to Nnedi Okorafor's trilogy set in contemporary Nigeria, this book argues that the cultural work of YA fiction shapes readers perceptions, making them receptive to--and invested in--the possibility of positive social change.The novels examined could all be considered "fantastical," but they offer insights into the real world that all readers--and particularly young adult readers--might draw on in order to reimagine social structures and the well-being of the planet. The book is designed to bring readers into the conversation about how we might create cosmopolitan societies that are shaped around conversation and engagement rather than fear and isolation. Each of these novels, in different ways, illustrate the dangers inherent in fundamentalist visions of the world.Through its discussions about the relationships between reading and citizenship, monsters and families, the local and the global, The Necessity of Young Adult Fiction demonstrates that YA fiction is doing some of the most important and creative work in literature today.
This book investigates the critical role of young adult literature in shaping contemporary perceptions of citizenship, identity, and global responsibility. Deborah Lindsay Williams, a scholar of literature and culture, utilizes a framework of literary analysis to examine how narratives marketed to younger audiences function as tools for social engagement. She argues that these texts provide imaginative spaces for readers to confront twenty-first-century challenges, such as climate change and fundamentalism, by modeling inclusive and cosmopolitan social structures.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Scholars and educators frequently cite this work as a significant contribution to the study of children's and young adult literature within a broader sociopolitical context. Readers note that the prose is accessible yet academically rigorous, making it a useful resource for those interested in the intersection of literature and civic education.
Page Count:
160
Publication Date:
2023-03-09
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192848976
ISBN-13:
9780192848970
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