Read this. Read it now: Risha Mullins -- Censorship at its Finest: Remembering. (Post has been removed by author.)
Risha's story made me cry for a hundred different reasons-- the way the YA community rallied behind her, the crushing blow of realizing that though your heart may be good and generous there are a million other people whose hearts are turned black with hate, prejudice, and fear. But mainly it made me cry because it reminded me of exactly how I felt when I taught (7th and 8th English/Language Arts, 2006-2009). I too met with red-tape and hateful attitudes, though unlike Risha (who fought the good fight) I received this bullying without any particular "cause" for its existence. To this day, I can decipher no real reason for it. I cried because that feeling of being bullied and ostracized, of people having it out for you, and of needing to document everything and constantly look over your shoulder really hit home with me.
2 Comments on Why The Academic Study of Young Adult Literature Is So Vitally Important, last added: 10/5/2010
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Viewing Post from: a heart on a wire
the highs and lows of creation -- and everything in between.
By: emily j. griffin,
on 10/5/2010
Blog: a heart on a wire (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Blog: a heart on a wire (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Speak Loudly, YA Academia, Censorship, Add a tag
I agree with you about the importance and legitimacy of YA literature. It's an uphill battle when bookstores represent the genre as an array of kissing books.
Nothing wrong with kissing books, mind you. Just as I think there's nothing with space opera, horse opera, epic fantasy or anything else that people want to read. But academe doesn't treat sci fi, westerns, or fantasy much better than they treat YA.
The books within those genres break out and get classified as literary.
Hopefully YA and MG books can do that with increasing frequency.
Bridge to Terabithia changed my life.
I agree with you. YA, SciFi, Fantasy, etc aren't treated with the same credibility as others. When I was searching for grad programs, I was dead-set against a literary, haughty program. However, the sad truth is there's very little to choose from besides that. Some 'popular fiction' focuses popping up here and there, but for the most part they're considered the Red Headed Stepchildren of literary studies.
In particular, the thing about YA (of all genres) that is so vitally important is that during adolescence everything you read, watch, take-in becomes a part of your growth and development, playing a part in structuring your long-term memory and experiences. In my opinion, an important opportunity to cross lines of Lit and Psych and create something amazing and life-altering.