Adult Literature Research Articles

Reading Young Adult Literature in the EFL Classroom and Beyond

Reading Young Adult Literature in the EFL Classroom and Beyond

Kazakhstan children’s literature in the context of world literature: An experience of ‘distant reading’

The article, based on the methodology of “distant reading” proposed by F. Moretti, presents the first experience of comprehension of Kazakhstani children’s literature from the perspective of world literature. The relevance of the problem is connected both with the growing interest in the phenomenon of children’s literature, which nowadays includes the areas formerly referred to the “adult” literature (New Young Adult Literature), and with the reconceptualization of the very concept of “world literature” against the background of the emergence of alternative terms, such as Global Literature, and in the context of the later rethinking of the phenomenon of “literature of the peoples of the USSR”. Having distinguished three stages of development of Kazakhstani children’s literature, the authors find in each of them a stable set of features as a cultural national “code endowed with its own implicit systematicity” (M. Espagne): firstly, representation in the texts of the features of the national landscape and, especially, fauna, secondly, orientation to the national folklore and, thirdly, bilingualism. The methodology of “distant reading” made it possible to identify at each of the three stages of development of Kazakhstani children’s literature the author’s names that are most responsible for its attachment to world literature. These names turn out to be for the 19th century. Abai Kunanbaev and Ibrai Altynsarin, for the 20th century: Berdibek Sokpakbaev and Maxim Zverev; for the 21st century: Jan Amanii, Liliya Kalaus and Zira Naurzbaeva.

ԹԱՐԳՄԱՆԱԿԱՆ ՄԱՆԿԱԳՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆԸ ՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆ ԱՌԱՋԻՆ ԱՇԱԿԵՐՏԱԿԱՆ ՊԱՐԲԵՐԱԿԱՆՆԵՐՈՒՄ / TRANSLATED CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE FIRST ARMENIAN CHILDREN’S PERIODICALS

This article aims to examine the role and impact of translated literature as reflected in the first Armenian children's and youth periodicals ('St. Burastan. Sahakyan,’ 1851- 1853, Constantinople; ‘Tutak Haykazian,’ 1854-1855; ‘Erkaser,’ 1855, Smyrna). The primary objective is to identify and analyze the content of materials translated for teenage readers. This study serves as an extension of our comprehensive research on children's literature translated in Armenian publications during the pre-Soviet era. The methodology employed in this study incorporates both qualitative and quantitative analyses, along with a historical approach. As part of the comparative analysis, reprints and individual translations of literary works were also examined, as they play a crucial role in shaping independent children's and young adult literature. Translated literature significantly influenced the literary and social landscape of Armenian-European interactions, aiding in the dissemination and preservation of global literary heritage. The Armenian intelligentsia of the time believed that national education and awakening required the adoption and spread of the finest European Enlightenment ideals among Armenian children and adolescents. This goal was pursued through the translation of ideologically relevant literature, which was published in the newly emerging periodicals aimed at students.

An invisible storyteller or a loud recreator? A translator-centered approach to the translation of children’s literature

This paper aims to demonstrate that, like the original author, a translator of children’s literature (hereafter CH. L.) possesses a distinct style or idiolect, shaped by both linguistic and extralinguistic expectations. The study focuses on the first three books of the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, translated into Albanian by Amik Kasoruho, who is renowned for his contributions to the translation of classic adult literature. Given the study’s scope, the analysis will concentrate exclusively on Kasoruho’s creative use of the lexicon in the Albanian translation. Both internal and external factors are considered to identify and analyze translator Kasoruho’s idiolect at the lexical level. Internally, sentences containing words and phrases with common patterns (e.g., archaic terms, dialectal expressions, phraseological units, substandard words) are selected from the target text. These are compared with their counterparts in the source text to determine whether such patterns reflect the author’s style or the translator’s linguistic preferences. Externally, these lexical clusters are assessed against the norms of children’s literature translation (Ch. L. T.) to ascertain whether the translator adhered to or deviated from these norms. The findings suggest that the translator’s linguistic idiosyncrasies significantly influence the translation process.

(NE)KANONSKA ČITANJA: SAVREMENE TEORIJSKE KONTROVERZE I PROUČAVANJE ROMANA ZA DECU I MLADE U ČASOPISU DETINJSTVO (2000–2020)

The paper illuminates some aspects of the influence of the literary canon debate on the institutionalization of specific theoretical approaches in the interpretation of children’s novels. This genre, as evidenced by many thematic issues of the journal Childhood in the first de- cades of the twenty-first century, provides fertile ground for the institutional legitimization of literary theories whose postulates imply a demand for challenging or re- forming the canon, such as cultural Marxist, gender, postcolonial, and other readings that dominantly rely on the category of individual and collective identity. In this research, the role of the Childhood journal in the academic institutionalization of these methodologies is analyzed within the context of a specific paradox. The study of children’s and young adult literature has proven to be a favorable environment for non-canonical and anti-canonical readings, although the entry of these explorations into the academic framework is undeniably marked by a struggle for legitimacy and status of the subject of study. In simpler terms, while inviting to challenge the literary canon, the theory of children’s literature requested the authority for children’s and YA literature similar to that of the literary canon for adults. The aim of the paper is to describe the literary-theoretical paradigms on which the study of novels for children and young adults in the journal Childhood relies, using the major currents of literary theory on a global scale as a reference-comparative framework.

Young Adult Literature: From Romance to Realism, Fourth Edition

Young Adult Literature: From Romance to Realism, Fourth Edition

Columns: Telescopes: Possibilities in Yal: “Liberating Futures” through the Eyes of Diverse YAL Authors

The column editor describes how this column will highlight diverse young adult literature authors in future issues.

ДЕТИ «БОЛЬШИЕ» И «МАЛЫЕ»: «ДЕТСКИЙ» ФЕЛЬЕТОН ВАСИЛИЯ СЛЕПЦОВА В КОНТЕКСТЕ ПОЛЕМИКИ О ДЕТСКОЙ ЛИТЕРАТУРЕ И ВОСПИТАНИИ 1860-Х ГОДОВ

The article analyzes Vasily Sleptsov’s feuilleton A Spring Walk with Children Along the Streets of Saint Petersburg (1863), part of the Petersburg Notes cycle. Addressed to progressive youth of the 1860s, the feuilleton is seen here as evidence of ongoing public debate about the role of childhood in shaping man and citizen, as it seeks to find the most appropriate way to write for and about children in a changing socio-political environment. The study examines the uniqueness of Sleptsov’s literary form. On the one hand, it could be described as a feuilleton; on the other hand, it reveals signs of various genres of children’s educational literature. This use of a genealogically complex form may indicate similarities in rhetorical strategies employed by writers and educators in discussions about younger generations, whether they be children or young adults. It is also suggested that in the 1860s, children’s literature and childhood discourse were influenced not only by literature for adult readers but also by the tradition of critical reflection. Sleptsov’s feuilleton can be considered an example of reverse genre transfer, as it explicitly demonstrates how narrative forms adapted by children’s literature influence adult literature.

Are You Mad? – Young Adult Literature, Mental Illness and the 'Mad Genius' in the EFL Classroom

Are You Mad? – Young Adult Literature, Mental Illness and the 'Mad Genius' in the EFL Classroom

Using Young Adult Literature and Visual Commentary with Multilingual Learners in Middle Grades Social Studies

Using Young Adult Literature and Visual Commentary with Multilingual Learners in Middle Grades Social Studies

Lost in Title Translation: A Comparative Analysis of English-Persian Book Titles for Children and Adults

The titles of translated books have a significant impact on their marketability, as they are among the first features perceived by potential readers. This study focuses on the strategic differences in the translation of book titles for children and adults, an under-researched area in translation studies. To this end, 100 English book titles for children and 100 English book titles for adults were selected, translated into Persian, and analyzed according to Newmark’s communicative translation and semantic translation and Vinay and Darbelnet’s (1994, 2004) model. The analysis shows that, according to Newmark, 74 children’s book titles were translated using the communicative translation and 26 using the semantic translation. Of the book titles for adults, 75 were translated using semantic translation and 25 using communicative translation. The analysis of the titles based on Vinay and Darbelnet’s model showed that the titles of the translated children’s books were mostly rendered using a modulation process. In contrast, literal translation came first in the books for adults. The use of different procedures and approaches by Iranian translators shows that the translation of children's books requires different skills. The greater number of modulations in children’s books compared to adult literature also shows more creativity to appeal to the younger audience. This study has implications for various bodies in the translation industry, including translators, translation educators, and policymakers for publishers in the translation market.

Realidade virtual, literatura e educação: narrativas imersivas para crianças e jovens

ABSTRACT In this article, we discuss the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies for the creation and adaptation of stories aimed at children and young adult, focusing on the specificities of their usage protocols. We begin by introducing narratives in VR and their connection to the field of children and young adult literature. Subsequently, 360º videos targeted at children and young people are presented, along with the reading and engagement protocols that arise from their peculiarities. Starting from the field of Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR), we discuss about the main challenges posed by this medium for the enjoyment of immersive works, based on the analysis of the work Invasion!, produced by the Baobab studio. Thus, we conclude that both the production and reception of narratives in Virtual Reality presuppose the management of the viewer’s vision and attentional focus, considering the reading protocols already learned and naturalized through other media.

Removing Barriers to Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Fiction with Preservice Teachers

This comprehensive mixed-methods study sought to investigate the impact of integrating contemporary Young Adult (YA) literature into an introductory-level special education survey course. The primary objectives were to assess whether this integration led to significant improvements in both academic cognitive knowledge and empathetic knowledge regarding individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study involved 135 undergraduate students enrolled in this course between fall of 2016 and spring of 2020. To gauge the effects of YA literature on their perceptions and insights, participants were required to complete a questionnaire containing four open-ended questions. These responses were subjected to a rigorous analysis employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. Additionally, participants were asked to provide feedback through a student satisfaction survey, which was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. The findings of this research provide compelling evidence that the integration of YA realistic fiction into the college classroom significantly enhances students’ academic cognitive knowledge and fosters a deeper empathetic understanding of individuals with ASD.

How Young Adult Literature Gets Taught: A review of a pedagogical manual for teacher educators, secondary teachers, and librarians

AbstractHow Young Adult Literature Gets Taught: Perspectives, Ideologies, and Pedagogical Approaches for Instruction and Assessment (Bickmore et al., 2022) seeks to provide guidelines for teacher educators and secondary English teachers on how to teach young adult literature (YAL). This 15‐chapter manual includes chapters written by experts in YAL (including higher ed professionals, a high school English teacher, and a librarian), which offer resources for teaching YAL based around various theoretical frameworks and include detailed reading lists, guided discussion questions, and more.

Decoding speech information from EEG data with 4-, 7- and 11-month-old infants: Using convolutional neural network, mutual information-based and backward linear models

BackgroundComputational models that successfully decode neural activity into speech are increasing in the adult literature, with convolutional neural networks (CNNs), backward linear models, and mutual information (MI) models all being applied to neural data in relation to speech input. This is not the case in the infant literature. New methodThree different computational models, two novel for infants, were applied to decode low-frequency speech envelope information. Previously-employed backward linear models were compared to novel CNN and MI-based models. Fifty infants provided EEG recordings when aged 4, 7, and 11 months, while listening passively to natural speech (sung or chanted nursery rhymes) presented by video with a female singer. ResultsEach model computed speech information for these nursery rhymes in two different low-frequency bands, delta and theta, thought to provide different types of linguistic information. All three models demonstrated significant levels of performance for delta-band neural activity from 4 months of age, with two of three models also showing significant performance for theta-band activity. All models also demonstrated higher accuracy for the delta-band neural responses. None of the models showed developmental (age-related) effects. Comparisons with existing methodsThe data demonstrate that the choice of algorithm used to decode speech envelope information from neural activity in the infant brain determines the developmental conclusions that can be drawn. ConclusionsThe modelling shows that better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each modelling approach is fundamental to improving our understanding of how the human brain builds a language system.

A Cognitive Interpretation of Annie of Green Gables from the Perspective of Conceptual Blending Theory

Translation of children’s literature has always been an important part of the study of translated works. From the perspective of conceptual blending, translation is a dynamic cognitive process involving multiple interactions among the translator, source language author and target language reader, and simultaneously binding and creative unity. Different from adult literature, children’s literature has its own particularity, so we should pay attention to translation methods and means. Based on conceptual blending theory, this thesis uses the theoretical research method and case analysis method to interpret the two processes of the cultural blending of the source text and the source text and the target language in Ma Ainong’s translation of Anne of Green Gables. In the process of blending, the translator projects some elements of the original text space and the target language space into the target language space, connecting the interaction between the source language author and the target language reader and activating the cultural cognitive framework of the target language reader. Conceptual blending theory provides a new cognitive perspective for the interpretation of children’s literature translation.

Revealing reviews: employing Tripadvisor to explore children’s experiences at medical museums

Today more than 170 medical museums in 29 countries across the globe welcome tourists. Given their long history and increasing popularity, it is surprising that researchers have ignored medical museums, now heralded as must-see dark tourism destinations. This paper explores the experiences of young tourists visiting three such medical museums. To launch this research into medical museums, we chose an untapped data source for child tourism: Tripadvisor reviews. Although Tripadvisor reviews appear frequently in adult tourism literature, they have yet to be used in child tourism research. Using specific exclusion and inclusion criteria, we gathered and analyzed 97 online comments that depicted young tourists’ reactions. Qualitative analysis using descriptive coding yielded four themes, from physical illness and disgust to fascination and delight.

Neurodevelopment of Attention, Learning, and Memory Systems in Infancy

Understanding how we come to make sense of our environments requires understanding both how we take in new information and how we flexibly process and store that information in memory for subsequent retrieval. In other words, infant cognitive development research is best served by studies that probe infant attention as well as infant learning and memory development. In this article, we first review what is known about infant attention and what is known about a selection of learning systems available in infancy. Then, we review what is known about the interactions between attention and these systems, focusing on infancy when possible but highlighting relevant child and adult literatures when infant research is yet scarce. Finally, we close by proposing a path forward, which we believe will result in a clearer understanding of the interactions between attention and memory that govern infant learning.

Judging a Book by its Cover: Examining Reader Reception of Peritexts in Queer Young Adult Literature

The rise of LGBTQIA+ and queer young adult (YA) literature has led to an increased diversity in the range of texts available for young readers. The covers of these texts use various design elements to market to their target audiences, employing signifiers to indicate a narrative’s queer themes that range from subtle coding to explicit representation. This article presents findings from a qualitative research study at a regional university in Australia, which explored reader responses to peritexts used by queer YA books in a context where book bans that target marginalised identities, including queer identities, are increasing around the world. Queer-identified research participants aged 18-30 engaged in focus groups, discussing and analysing pre-selected queer YA texts over the course of eight months. Participants had a range of responses to the peritexts, including finding that signifiers of queer themes were affirming to their own identities and could be indicators of allyship in public spaces. Participants also discussed the potential risks associated with publicly consuming a book explicitly presented as queer through its peritext, emphasising concerns around vulnerability, exposure, and a lack of safety. This article uses a theoretical framework of critical social theory and queer theory to shed light on the relationship between peritext and reader response in queer YA literature, providing insights into how these elements contribute to readers’ understanding and engagement with queer narratives, and the potential value of peritext for queer and non-queer audiences.

Is Puffin a Plus for Diversity in Young Adult Literature? The Move from Peacock to Puffin Plus

From 1981 to 1994, Penguin Books published literature for young adults under the ‘Puffin Plus’ imprint. Although Penguin had been publishing young adult literature since 1962, through its ‘Peacock’ imprint, Puffin Plus’s editors tried to radically alter the way that books for teenagers were selected and marketed in order to increase their readership. But while Puffin Plus editors attempted to connect with readers through covers that mimicked magazine and advertising techniques, they ignored contemporary teens’ political activism and interest in the cultures and lifestyles of their peers. This had particular consequences for how Puffin Plus readers understood the place of Black British and British Asian teenagers as part of the book world. While Puffin Plus fiction did include more depictions of characters of colour, and nonfiction, short story and poetry collections included authors of colour, issues of race and racism remained largely elsewhere in time or place. White British racism, whether institutional or individual, was either ignored or, in some cases, erased. As Penguin Random House, one of the largest publishers of young people’s fiction in the world, continues to struggle with diversity and inclusion today, this article looks back to the historical roots of publishing for young adults during a time when, like today, Britain’s population was becoming more diverse and activist.