Chapters 1-5

Chapter 1 – Why do we share literature with children?

            Being an educator, I was told from several at my campus that a benefit of having children read literature is to help them build their vocabulary.  I agreed, understanding that x-amount of minutes equals to an x-amount of new words that will get added to their word bank.  Unfortunately, this became a motivator for some teachers (myself included) at our campus.  There was no longer any purpose or reasoning behind the choice that we, as teachers, made in choosing the books we chose for our classes to read.  It wasn’t until I overheard one of my kids say that they wish they could read a more ‘modern’ book that I realized just how far off the path of promoting a love for reading I had fallen.  For the past three years, I have made it a point to listen to my kids and ask them what they would like to read and/or are interested in reading.  I have also been able to build up my classroom library to hold high-level interest books that are meant to: 1) Be fun to read; and 2) Get the reader to reflect on their surroundings and connect to the characters.

After listening to Dr. Perry and Dr. Lesesne, I can honestly say that I now have a better understanding of why we should be sharing literature with our kids.  I’m hoping to incorporate a reading day (perhaps Friday) that would allow the students to really read a book of their choice.  In doing so, I hope that the young readers will become even more aware that books can also connect them more to the world around them.  There are so many things happening in a child’s life in high school (I teach 9^th grade), and sometimes students need to know that they do matter and that they do ‘count,’ no matter their gender, race, or cultural background.  With this thought in mind, I will definitely make it a point to add more diverse books to my classroom library, as well as continue to ask my students what their interests are.

Chapter 2 – Divisions of Young People’s Literature

            I am so glad that Dr. Perry went over the divisions of YA.  I spent a good majority of the summer building my classroom library, but I was always hesitant in purchasing some books because I couldn’t tell if they were suitable for high school kids.  However, after listening to the video created by Dr. Perry, I now feel like I would be able to select appropriate books because all I would need to do is compare the theme, setting, or characters within a book to that of the life that a tween or young adult may have.

Overall, this introduction to the divisions of YA will really assist teachers and librarians (including parents) in determining which books are appropriate for their young readers.

Chapter 3 – Anatomy of a Book

            I can definitely see the importance of knowing what binds a book together, especially the parts (endpapers, casewrap, book edges, headband) that add a uniqueness to the book.  Authors and illustrators spend so much time determine which paper is best suitable for their illustrations, as well as selecting a cover.  Will the book itself just be a casebound book, or will it have a decorative jacket?  If it has a jacket, then what does the casewrap look like underneath?  If children saw how much time and effort is put into the making of a book, then perhaps they will have more respect for the book?  Artists never want to ruin or disclaim someone’s work, and many hope to be able to care for it in some way.  Perhaps if children knew about these things that make up a book, then perhaps they will not be so quick to discard.  And, who knows – maybe the casewrap will catch a reluctant reader’s eye.

Chapter 4 – Genres and Formats

            I have always been a part of a library that utilizes the Dewey Decimal System.  It wasn’t until I became a teacher at Lopez ECHS that I was introduced to genrefied libraries.  The more that I am around my 9^th graders, and the more time that I spend with my reluctant readers, I can honestly say that I’m glad that our Lopez ECHS library is organized as a genrefied library.  Students who do not know what they like to read, but know what type of movie or TV show they enjoy watching, can definitely get the help they need and not feel too embarrassed to ask for help because they can just go to the section of the library they want.

            However, after listening to Dr. Perry, I can now see how the term ‘genrefied’ is being misused and/or misleading to readers.  A frustrating part of this though is getting everyone to change their mindset about the differences between genre and sub-genre and format.  And, in actuality, I can see why poetry (for example) would be known as a format than a genre.  I will also guiltily admit that our library is using many of those subjects/categories (classics, paranormal, etc.) as genres.  But, once again, how do you change the mindset of people to refer to these as categories?  The more that I keep listening to Dr. Perry, the more I can see that terms should be appropriately used.  However, and though I do not know the entire research behind a ‘genrefied’ and a ‘non-genrefied’ library, I can still see a stronger reasoning as to why a librarian should categorize their library.  It will help first time readers find books of interest to them, especially those reluctant readers.  With this thought in mind, perhaps it might be best if ‘genrefied’ libraries take place at the elementary level?  And I’m pretty sure that there are other ways for librarians to display a subject found within a fiction genre, such as creating a display that showcases a mixture of subjects (like historical romance) in various formats in either fiction and non-fiction literary works.

Chapter 5 – What is YA literature?

            Now that I have a better understanding of knowing what exactly YA literature is, especially what constitutes something to be YA, I feel much more confident when I go out and select books for my classroom library.  I will also feel more self-assured when I’m directing my students to various places/locations around the library as they try to find books of interest to them.  Furthermore, I enjoy the fact that these books – these characters – offer young readers a place to go to and turn to.  The fact that these books focus on the development of children, tweens, and teens make them a necessary tool in the lives of young adolescents.  As Dr. Lesesne mentioned earlier, readers want to read about themselves and read about characters that they can connect to because they want to experience the world around them the only way they know how – through a book.

My Reflection:

One new perspective that I now have for YA literature is that it is not only meant for young adolescents.  As a 31-year-old, I am still reading YA books and I am learning more and more about myself every day.  These books were my comfort when I needed to get away for a bit and helped guide me through high school and college.  Now, as a teacher, I am trying to get my students to find that one special book (I call it ‘The One’) that they just fall in love with, and it makes them want to pick up another book from the author, series, or subject matter.