Chapter 6: How Do Adolescents Develop?
A goal for a librarian is to match readers to literature
successfully and we do this by knowing who our readers are. Adolescent readers develop in many ways. Physical development is the stage of puberty
an adolescent goes through. This is the
stage where readers ask themselves “am I normal?” and because we all change and
grow at different rates, it is difficult to consider oneself “normal” during
this time. Readers need books with
characters that are going through this same thing. It assures our readers that they will get
through this time and yes, they are in fact “normal”. Adolescents also develop intellectually. Piaget breaks down how kids think and
develop. Children move from concrete
thinking to more abstract the older they get.
Around 14 years old is when abstract thinking can begin to take place. Literature with deep themes and meaning are
understandable at this age. A librarian
must think what intellectual stage an adolescent is in before recommending a
book. We must provide adolescents some
way of getting to a place of understanding with abstract themes. Havighurt provides developmental stages of an
adolescent that helps librarians better understand what adolescents are going
through. Stages from learning to get
along with peers, to working for pay, to changing relationships with parents,
and to defining appropriate sex roles are several examples of what adolescents
experience. Kohlberg enlightens readers
on the development of morals and values a child will experience. Most children are in the pre-conventional
stage where there is simply reward for good behavior and punishment for bad
behavior. Conventional is where an
adolescent follows the rules.
Post-conventional stage is when a person recognizes the laws but
humanity oversees the laws. Literature
speak to children where they are, so reading books with issues with these
different levels help move students to understanding. Maslow gives us a hierarchy of needs for
students. Understanding needs of adolescents
help librarians know just who adolescents are.
The hierarchy begins with physical needs such as food, clothing, water,
and moves up to the need of safety and the need of feeling loved and
belonging. Self-esteem can occur after
those needs and finally the belief that a child can be whatever they want to
be. Books that reflect these needs are
important as well.
While reflecting on this chapter, I found myself excited to
have this knowledge and tools for how to connect with developing
adolescents. The most profound thing I
have learned so far in this course is the importance of readers seeing
themselves in literature and being able to live out someone else’s experiences
through literature. Knowing how
adolescents develop will strengthen my abilities in developing life-long
readers. Understanding adolescent
intellectual development guides me to begin with concrete or pre-conventional
meaning in literature and how to guide them to another level of abstract or
post-conventional themes and meanings.
Havighurst developmental stages stood out to me the most. Reading the stages required me to re-live and
reflect going through the stages myself.
I tried to think of what literature allowed me to see myself in the book
in order to relate. Unfortunately this was
a missing piece for me as an adolescent reader.
I missed out on being an avid reader in my younger years and did not
find the love of reading until my adult life.
Knowing these stages and how adolescents develop will give me the tools
I need to connect young readers with literature and to develop those life-long
readers.
Chapter 7: Literary Elements
Literary Elements Definitions:
Antagonist- The antagonist is the opponent to the
protagonist. The antagonist stands
against what the protagonist is trying to accomplish.
Character- A character can be a person, a figure,
and inanimate object, or animal that carries out the plot of the story. A character makes the plot readable and
interesting.
Conflict- The conflict is the resistance the
protagonist of the story finds in achieving his/her goals or dreams. There is many forms of conflict which
includes man verses man, man verses self, and man verse environment.
Mood and Tone- The mood and tone of a literary text is
the mental and emotional perspective the author creates towards a subject.
Plot- The plot of a story is the sequence of
events. The plot is the happenings that
make up the story line of a literary text.
Protagonist- The protagonist is the central, or main
character of a story. It has been
described as the first character on scene and one the audience may view as the
hero of the story.
Setting- The setting is the time, place, and
environment of a text. The setting
describes the circumstances of the story.
Themes- The theme
of a literary work is the life lesson or moral of the story. The theme may be stated directly or
indirectly by the author but it must be demonstrated from the text. There must be truism in the theme, it may not
only apply to the world of the story, but be global and applied to our world
today. The theme must also be a complete
sentence and is not just one word.
Literary Devices Definitions
Allegory- An allegory is a figure of speech where
the meaning of a greater concept is often abstract. An allegory uses common objects to convey a
much bigger idea.
Allusion- An
allusion is a figure of speech where an author refers to a subject matter by
making a reference to a very familiar object, person, place, etc. The reader is responsible for understanding
the reference in order to understand the authors meaning.
Archetype- An archetype is a reference to a concept,
person, or object that serves as the original idea.
Deus ex Machina- A deus ex machina is often criticized
when used in a literary text. It refers
to the incidence when a concept or character is brought into the story in order
to resolve the conflict or have a pleasing solution.
Hyperbole- A hyperbole is an exaggerated and
overemphasized statement in order to get an effect or stress a specific
point. The statement is usually not
practical.
Imagery- Imagery is one of the strongest devices
in literature. The author uses imagery
by the use of words and phrases to create mental images for the reader. The reader is able to visualize what the
author is describing.
Metaphor- A metaphor refers to a meaning by
comparing two subjects with similarities and shared traits.
Motif- A motif is any element, subject, idea, or
concept that is constantly present through the entire story. It is the repeating of a theme that dominates
the work.
Point of view- The point of view of a story refers to
who is telling or narrating the
story. The most common points of view
are first person, where the story teller is in the story, and third person,
where the story teller is outside the story.
Simile- A simile is comparing two things with
similarities and shared traits by using “like” or “as”. This helps the reader be able to understand
what the author is trying to convey.
Symbolism- Symbolism may have several layers of
meaning. Symbolism uses an object or
action that means something more than the literal meaning.
It is important to understand and be able to identify these
literary terms while assessing literature and reviewing books for children and
young adults. As I was researching many
of these terms, I found myself reflecting on literature that had examples of
these devices and how these devices were used in order to gain
understanding. I teach 4th
grade reading currently, so many of these devices we use in class and many we
do not. The old saying “if you don’t use
it, you lose it” came to mind in that I am very comfortable with the terms I
teach and refer to in my classroom. The
terms that required extra investigating for me was allegory and des ex
machine. Deus ex machina fascinated me
with how it is criticized in literature.
As a reader, I have found myself frustrated when a plot line has ended
with deus ex machina. As a future
librarian, I will need to know and understand literary devices to properly
connect with readers and match them to books successfully. I read an article by Nancy Pearl that changed
my views with referring books to readers.
I love Nancy’s theory that we must ask readers what was it about the
book that they liked. If a reader likes
the figurative language and descriptive words, then other books with the same
figurative language devices would be a successful recommendation. If a reader enjoyed the symbolism a book had,
then it would be important to understand that literary device to match the
reader to more literature.
Chapter 8: Awards and Lists
Printz – The Michael
L. Printz Award exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. Story, voice, style, setting, accuracy,
characters, theme, illustrations, and design are many of the elements
considered. The YALSA announces the
winner yearly in January.
YALSA Excellence in
Nonfiction – The award honors the best nonfiction book published for young
adults, ages 12-18, during November 1-October 31 publishing year. The winner is announced annually at the ALA
Youth Media Awards in January and is released by the press.
Great Graphic Novels
For Teens – This is a list of recommended graphic novels and illustrated
nonfiction for ages 12-18 years old. The
list is prepared yearly by YALSA and is announced on the Hub.
Best Fiction For
Young Adults – This list is fiction titles published for young adults in
the past 16 months that are recommended reading for ages 12-18 years old. The BFYA Blogging Team announces the list in
January.
Margaret A. Edwards
Award – This award began in 1988 and honors an author, as well as a
specific boy of his/her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young
adult literature. It recognizes an
author’s work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing
questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the
world. It is announced in January by
YALSA.
ALEX Award – The
ALEX Award honors 10 books written for adults that have a special appeal to
young adults. It is for ages 12-18 and
is selected from the previous years publishing.
This is announced in January.
Odyssey Award – This
award honors a producer for the best audiobook produced for children and/or
young adults. It is released by the
press in January.
Morris Award – The
William C. Morris Award honors a book published by a first-time author writing
for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. It is announced annually at the ALA Youth
Media Conference and a short list is published in December.
Outstanding Books for
the College Bound – This list of books offer opportunities for readers to
discover new ideas and targets students in grades 9-12. Readers will gain more understanding about
our diverse world and be able to build a foundation to deepen their response to
it. The list is developed every five
years.
Popular Paperbacks – This
list is created each year by a committee.
The list is of books that encourage young adults to read for
pleasure. The list is books available in
paperback and represent a variety of themes and genres. The list is prepared to be released for
January.
Quick Picks for
Reluctant Readers – This list is aimed to encourage reading among teens who
dislike to read. Criteria is based on
physical appearance, style, fiction, and informational books. The final list is available on the Hub.
Readers’ Choice – This
list is the most popular teen titles and seeks to encourage a wide audience of
librarians, educators, teens and young adult literature enthusiasts is making
the choices. The books are titles in the
given year and covers broad genres.
Books are voted on in November and winners will be posted online the
first week of December.
Teens Top Ten – This
list of titles is chosen by teens. Teens
choose their favorite books of the previous year. Readers ages 12-15 vote online. The winners are announced the week after
“Teen Read Week”.
Amazing Audiobooks – Every
year, YALSA’s Amazing Audiobooks Blogging Team selects a list of notable audio
recordings that is significant to young adults.
The audio recordings are from those released in the past two years. The list will be complete by December 31st
and released on the Hub.
YA Choices – This
list is created annually and encourages adolescents to read. The books are selected by the readers so they
are popular with middle and secondary school students. This is a trusted source of book
recommendations.
Lone Star Reading
List – This list is recommended by public and school librarians from the
Young Adult Round Table. It encourages
students in grades 6-8 to explore a variety of current books. This list is made annually and is nominations
are available after October 1st.
TAYSHAS Reading List
– The motive with this list of titles is to motivate young adults to become
lifelong readers and to participate in the community of readers in Texas. The list is designed for young adults of
Texas in grades 9-12. Books considered
are published in the two years prior to the list being published. Criteria considered for this list is for
balance in areas such as genre, gender appeal, interest, subject, and difficulty.
Maverick Reading List
– The Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List is recommended reading that is
developed by public and school librarians from the YART. The list encourages students in grades 6-12
to explore a variety of current books.
This is for recreational reading.
Edgar Award For
Mystery – This award is dedicated to promoting higher regard for crime
writing and recognition and respect for those who write mysteries.
NCTE Award for
Excellence in Poetry for Children – This award honors a living American
poet for his or her aggregate work for children ages 3-13. The award also recognizes the excellence in
children’s poetry. This award considers
the art and craft of the work, the contributions of the poet, the evolution of
the work, and its appeal to children.
The award is presented during the NCTE Annual Convention.
Orbis Pictus – The
Orbis Pictus Award recognizes the excellence in the writing of nonfiction for
children. The book must be published in
the calendar year and may include biography, textbooks, historical fiction,
folklore, or poetry. Criteria for the
awards is accuracy, organization, design, and style. The book must appeal to grades K-8.
Batchelder Award – The
Batchelder Award is awarded to an American publisher for a children’s book
considered to be the most outstanding of those books originating in a country
other than the United States. It is also
in a language other than English during the preceding year. The award encourages the exchange of quality
children’s books by recognizing U.S. publishers of such books in
translation.
Scott O’Dell Award
for Historical Fiction – The Scott O’Dell Award honors an author’s writing
on historical fiction. The award is
meant to increase interest of young readers in the historical background. The book must be published in the previous
year.
Pura Belpre Award – The
Pura Belpre Award is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and
illustrator. The work best portrays,
affirms, and celebrates the Latino culture and is also an outstanding work of
literature for children and youth. Two
medals shall be awarded annually at the Annual Conference of the ALA. One for an author, and one for an
illustrator.
Schneider Family
Award – The Schneider Family Book Award honors an author or illustrator for
a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for
children and adolescent audiences.
Sibert Award – This
award honors the author and illustrator for the most distinguished
informational book published in the United States in English during the
preceding year. The award is
annual.
Stonewall Award – These
awards are presented to English Language books that have exceptional merit
relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience. The Israel Fisherman Non-Fiction Award,
Barbara Gittings Literature Award, and the Mike Morgan and Larry Romans
Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award are considered the Stonewall
Awards.
As a future librarian, it is vital I know and understand
each of these awards and lists. Understanding the criteria these awards and
lists are based on with give me tools for recommending books to readers. As I was reading over these awards and lists,
I found myself reflecting on books I have read myself that fit in to several of
these categories. I am also imagining
different scenarios and how I can use this knowledge to better match readers
with literature. If a student is a
reluctant reader, I know I can begin with Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers as
a starting point. If a child would like
to read mystery novels, I will refer them to the Edgar Award for Mystery
list. Knowing and understanding criteria
for lists and awards is a powerful tool for a librarian.
Chapter 9: Poetry
Poetry is a form that literature can take, it is not its own
genre. Poetry can be found in multiple genres
including fantasy, historical fiction, realistic fiction, and traditional literature. Poetry is the most neglected form of
literature. There are several theories
why that is. Many people have had bad
experiences with poetry or they simply do not feel comfortable with it. We need to understand that it is not always
about dissecting the poem, but sometimes it can be about enjoying it. A research study took place on elementary
students and poetry. It was found that
kids prefer narrative poetry and they disliked free verse and haiku poems. Kids enjoy the play with language in a poem
and prefer funny poems, poems about familiar experiences, and animal
poetry. Children also have a preference
for contemporary poems probably because they are more familiar and can
recognize the language. Criteria for
poetry will include visual images so children can expand their
imaginations. Poems don’t need to be
brought down for kids. Good poetry
allows kids to interact with them. The
enjoyment comes from the familiarity of knowing what is coming so a poem needs
to also be repeated. More criteria for
evaluating poetry for children may include asking is the subject of the poem
something with which children would be familiar? Young readers need a poem to rhyme to
scaffold them into poetry. The rhythm
and sound play a role as well. Does the
poem stir emotion and can children understand it? There are many reasons why we share poetry
with children. The first is so children
enjoy it. Poetry also provides knowledge
of concepts and increases vocabulary.
Poetry helps children identify with people and situations and helps
children understand their own feelings.
Poetry grants insights to their feelings and universal emotions.
I am personally very passionate about poetry as a 4th
grade reading teacher and a future librarian.
I have experienced children being reluctant when it comes to poetry and
very uncomfortable with this form of literature. I have also witnessed children being forced
to dissect a poem that is not developmentally appropriate for them on state
assessments. As the lecture stated, a
child would rather read a poem about the experience of climbing a tree than a
poem about comparing a tree to the purpose of life. We forget sometimes as educators, that
children can just enjoy poetry. We do
not need to be the reason a person feels uncomfortable with poetry in their
adult life. It is a valuable tool
knowing criteria for evaluating poetry while working with children and
adolescents. When we are able to choose
and recommend quality poetry for our readers, we provide experiences for them with
the literature they cannot find elsewhere.
Chapter 10: Historical Fiction
Historical fiction is any story set in the past. The problem with children is they have a
difficult time deciphering what “in the past” means. Historical fiction allows readers the opportunity
to vicariously experience what it might have been like to live in a different
time and place. There is some criteria
for evaluating historical fiction. The
text must tell a good story that blends beautifully with historical
events. The facts of the historical
period must be accurate. Many readers
rely on these facts and trust their credibility. The values of the time period must be brought
to life in the text and everything must be consistent with the social
milieu. It is important the theme of the
story relate to contemporary readers.
I had no idea how much I enjoyed historical fiction until I
took the Children’s Literature course this summer. When we discussed this genre, I realized most
of the novels I enjoyed as a child fit in this genre, and even now as an
adult. Knowing how to evaluate
historical fiction will strengthen my practices on title selections, book
recommendations, and assisting teachers with curriculum based lessons. Knowing awards and lists to refer to that
honor works of literature in this genre is an excellent starting point for
recommendations. In my experience,
children like reading about events that really did happen. It usually brings about deep discussions and
further inquiry. I would like to do a
better job promoting this genre with students.
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