Description: "From Hans Christian Andersen, Dr Seuss and Lewis Carroll to Disney and the Harry Potter series, this is a comprehensive introduction to studying the infinitely varied worlds of literature for children and young adults. Exploring a diverse range of writing, The Bloomsbury Introduction to Children's and Young Adult Literature includes: - Chapters covering key genres from fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to picture books, graphic novels and fairy tales - A history of changing ideas of childhood and adolescence - Coverage of psychological, educational and literary theoretical approaches - Practical guidance on researching, reading and writing about children's and young adult literature - Explorations of children's and young adult film, TV and new media In addition, "Extending Your Study" sections at the end of each chapter provide advice on further reading, writing, discussion and online resources as well as case study responses from writers and teachers in the field. Accessibly written for both students new to the subject and experienced teachers, this is the most comprehensive single volume introduction to the study of writing for young people"--]cProvided by publisher.
Brief description: Karen Coats is Director of the Centre for Research in Children's Literature at Cambridge University, UK. She is author of Looking Glasses and Neverlands: Lacan, Desire, and Subjectivity in Children's Literature (2007), and co-editor, with Shelby A. Wolf, Patricia Enciso, and Christine A. Jenkins, of the Handbook of Research on Children's and Young Adult Literature (2010).
Review Quotes: "Imagine sitting down with a brilliant friend whose scholarly expertise makes her an ideal guide through the history and context of children's and YA literature. She is thorough, reflective, and humorous. She steps into complex or troubled waters and never muddies issues or sounds churlish or superior. In short, she is a born teacher who also happens to be a terrific writer. Coats's readable The Bloomsbury Introduction to Children's and Young Adult Literature provides such an experience. In 12 accessible chapters, Coats (Illinois State Univ.) covers genres from folktale to novel to drama and forms such as graphic novels and picture books. She also takes on children's media and informational texts and provides new theoretical frameworks for examining the "in-betweens" of children's and YA lit. Coats demonstrates that everyone seeks patterns as part of learning, and she provides techniques and patterns of analysis for students new to the field. All these qualities--when joined by resources, chapter "talk backs," discussions of canon, multiculturalism, and sound advice for writing about literature (from close readings to conference papers)--make this book truly one of a kind. Summing Up: Highly recommended." - CHOICE