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RE: Recent Trends in Books for Children and Teens
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From: Gardow, Pamela <pgardow_at_ecasd.k12.wi.us>
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:15:48 -0600
Following are some trends or expansion of trends that have impressed me.
Graphic Novels: Interesting expansion continues . . .
I've noticed many popular fiction authors jumping into graphic novels: Holl y Black, Cecil Castellucci, Barry Lyga, David Small, Steven King. Popular series are now being revised as graphic novels: Maximum Ride, Alex Rider More and more classics and nonfiction texts are adapted as graphic novels: The Origin of the Species: a Graphic Adaptation, the 9/11 Report, Beowulf, and tons of Shakespeare as well as lots of new graphic biographies.
We're reaching out to an audience that will read graphic novels, or prefer the graphic novel format, often to the exclusion of other types of reading. This is a very good thing, in my opinion, because teens will not only hav e a good experience reading the graphic novel, they may be led to other boo ks by the same authors and expand their reading tastes.
Use of Art
Ever since The Invention of Hugo Cabret, we've seen more and more illustrat ed novels: Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, The Graveyard Book, Lips Touch: three times, Leviathon. Then, there is the innovative expansion of art used with text, especially w here the art advances the story in place of text. Take a look at My name i s Jason. Mine too: our story, our way, by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffi n, which is an incredibly creative kind of memoir written in a combination of art and poetry. Lips Touch: three times uses art to expand the story. I was also blown away by The Photographer by Emmanuel Guibert, the story of a reporter in 1986 Afghanistan. It is a combination of art and photograph y characterized as a "graphic novel/photo journal." Chris Wooding's Malice uses a graphic novel/comics world within his novel, and incorporates pages of graphic novel.
Illustrated poetry collections seem to be increasing: River of Words, Swee thearts of Rhythm by the fabulous Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Jerry Pinc kney, not to mention an increasing number of poems turned into picture book s such as My People by Langston Hughes.
I think this expansion of graphic novels and use of art reflects our increa sing need to be literate in more than just text. Our need to be able to in terpret and draw inferences from various forms of media, advertising, and g raphic symbols, is expanding and the literature is reflecting that trend.
Unreliable Narrators
There seems to be more use of the unreliable narrator (particularly with ps ychological implications.). I first started noticing it with Sonya Hartnet t's brilliant Surrender, and more recently with books like: Now You See He r By Jacquelyn Mitchard and The Miles Between, Mary Pearson's FABULOUS ne w book. Perhaps this says something about our willingness to see and discu ss issues of mental health with less stigma than has occurred in the past.
Classic Literature as Key Ingredient I have noticed an increase in embedding literature (particularly classics) within novels. (Examples come from Alex award winners like Mr. Pip - Great Expectations; and The Eyre Affair -Jane Eyre.); Other contemporary YA nove ls include: poetry of (Walt Whitman?) in Paper Towns by John Green; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies; Wednesday Wars - Shakespeare; King Dork - The Ca tcher in the Rye, and Crime and Punishment in Northrop's Gentlemen.)
This trend is just fun (at least for me) and perhaps an indication of a ver y literate YA audience! Pam
Pam Gardow, Library Media Specialist Advisor, Teen Literacy Initiative Memorial High School 2225 Keith St. Eau Claire, WI 54701 715-852-6309 pgardow_at_ecasd.k12.wi.us
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This email was scanned for viruses at the gateway of the Eau Claire Area Sc hool District (ECASD). ECASD is in no way responsible for the content of th is email or possible damage to your computer or network as a result of open ing it or any attachments associated with it. (PM1)
Received on Thu 19 Nov 2009 01:15:48 PM CST
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:15:48 -0600
Following are some trends or expansion of trends that have impressed me.
Graphic Novels: Interesting expansion continues . . .
I've noticed many popular fiction authors jumping into graphic novels: Holl y Black, Cecil Castellucci, Barry Lyga, David Small, Steven King. Popular series are now being revised as graphic novels: Maximum Ride, Alex Rider More and more classics and nonfiction texts are adapted as graphic novels: The Origin of the Species: a Graphic Adaptation, the 9/11 Report, Beowulf, and tons of Shakespeare as well as lots of new graphic biographies.
We're reaching out to an audience that will read graphic novels, or prefer the graphic novel format, often to the exclusion of other types of reading. This is a very good thing, in my opinion, because teens will not only hav e a good experience reading the graphic novel, they may be led to other boo ks by the same authors and expand their reading tastes.
Use of Art
Ever since The Invention of Hugo Cabret, we've seen more and more illustrat ed novels: Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, The Graveyard Book, Lips Touch: three times, Leviathon. Then, there is the innovative expansion of art used with text, especially w here the art advances the story in place of text. Take a look at My name i s Jason. Mine too: our story, our way, by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffi n, which is an incredibly creative kind of memoir written in a combination of art and poetry. Lips Touch: three times uses art to expand the story. I was also blown away by The Photographer by Emmanuel Guibert, the story of a reporter in 1986 Afghanistan. It is a combination of art and photograph y characterized as a "graphic novel/photo journal." Chris Wooding's Malice uses a graphic novel/comics world within his novel, and incorporates pages of graphic novel.
Illustrated poetry collections seem to be increasing: River of Words, Swee thearts of Rhythm by the fabulous Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Jerry Pinc kney, not to mention an increasing number of poems turned into picture book s such as My People by Langston Hughes.
I think this expansion of graphic novels and use of art reflects our increa sing need to be literate in more than just text. Our need to be able to in terpret and draw inferences from various forms of media, advertising, and g raphic symbols, is expanding and the literature is reflecting that trend.
Unreliable Narrators
There seems to be more use of the unreliable narrator (particularly with ps ychological implications.). I first started noticing it with Sonya Hartnet t's brilliant Surrender, and more recently with books like: Now You See He r By Jacquelyn Mitchard and The Miles Between, Mary Pearson's FABULOUS ne w book. Perhaps this says something about our willingness to see and discu ss issues of mental health with less stigma than has occurred in the past.
Classic Literature as Key Ingredient I have noticed an increase in embedding literature (particularly classics) within novels. (Examples come from Alex award winners like Mr. Pip - Great Expectations; and The Eyre Affair -Jane Eyre.); Other contemporary YA nove ls include: poetry of (Walt Whitman?) in Paper Towns by John Green; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies; Wednesday Wars - Shakespeare; King Dork - The Ca tcher in the Rye, and Crime and Punishment in Northrop's Gentlemen.)
This trend is just fun (at least for me) and perhaps an indication of a ver y literate YA audience! Pam
Pam Gardow, Library Media Specialist Advisor, Teen Literacy Initiative Memorial High School 2225 Keith St. Eau Claire, WI 54701 715-852-6309 pgardow_at_ecasd.k12.wi.us
***************************************************************************
***
This email was scanned for viruses at the gateway of the Eau Claire Area Sc hool District (ECASD). ECASD is in no way responsible for the content of th is email or possible damage to your computer or network as a result of open ing it or any attachments associated with it. (PM1)
Received on Thu 19 Nov 2009 01:15:48 PM CST
