Representing the rainbow in young adult literature : LGBTQ+ content since 1969

Title:

Author:

Jenkins, Christine, 1949- author

ISBN:

9781442278066

Publication:

Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield, [2018]

Physical Description:

xvi, 293 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Contents:

Part I: A survey of LGBTQ+ literature : 1. Young adult literature in the pre-stonewall era -- 2. Young adult literature of the 1970s -- 3. Young adult literature of the 1980s -- 4. Young adult literature of the 1990s -- 5. A new literature for a new century -- 6. Young adult literature since 2010 -- Part II: Breaking down the barriers : 7. Bisexual inclusion in young adult literature -- 8. Transgender and intersex inclusion in young adult literature -- 9. Comics and graphic novels with LGBTQ+ content -- 10. Desperately seeking information: young adult nonfiction with LGBTQ+ content -- Conclusion: What a wonderful world? -- Appendix A: bibliography of LGBTQ+ titles: fiction, comics and graphic novels, and nonfiction -- Appendix B: bar graphs representing LGBTQ+ portrayal, narrative role, and growth in young adult fiction -- Appendix C: book awards for LGBTQ+ young adult books -- Appendix D: model for LGBTQ+ portrayal/inclusion in young adult fiction.

Abstract:

Discussions of gender and sexuality have become part of mainstream conversations and are reflected in the work of more and more writers of fiction, particularly in literature aimed at young adult audiences. But young readers, regardless of their sexual orientation, don't always know which books offer well-rounded portrayals of queer characters and situations. Fortunately, finding positive role models in fiction that features LGBTQ+ themes has become less problematic, though not without its challenges. In Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature: LGBTQ+ Content since 1969, Christine A. Jenkins and Michael Cart provide an overview of the LGBTQ+ literary landscape. An expanded version of The Heart Has Its Reasons, this volume charts the evolution of young adult literature featuring characters and themes that resonate with LGBTQ+ readers and their allies. In this resource, Jenkins and Cart identify titles that are notable either for their excellence--accurate, thoughtful, and tactful depictions--or weaknesses--wrongheaded, stereotypical, or outdated portrayals. Each chapter has been significantly updated, and this edition also includes new chapters on bisexual, transgender, and intersex issues and characters, as well as chapters on comics, graphic novels, and nonfiction. This book also features an annotated bibliography and a number of author-title lists of books discussed in the text that will aid teachers, librarians, parents, and teen readers. Encompassing an array of sexual and gender identities, Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature is an invaluable resource for young people eager to read books relevant to them and their lives--back cover.

Subject Term:

Young adult literature, American -- History and criticism.

Homosexuality in literature.

Sexual minorities in literature.

Homosexuality in literature (OCoLC)fst00959825

Sexual minorities in literature (OCoLC)fst01904663

Young adult literature, American (OCoLC)fst01183139

LGBTQ+ youth literature.

Youth literature (LGBTQ).

LGBTQ+ literature https://homosaurus.org/v3/homoit0000972

LGBTQ+ people https://homosaurus.org/v3/homoit0000915

Geographic Term:

USA

Genre:

Literary criticism

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Literary criticism.

Local Subject:

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE COLLECTION

Added Author:

Cart, Michael

Other Format:

Online version: Jenkins, Christine, 1949- Representing the rainbow in young adult literature. Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, 2018 9781442278073 (DLC) 2017060085

Available:

Library	Call Number	Material Type	Status
Searching... State Library of Oregon	810.9353 Jenki	4-Week Loan	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Discussions of gender and sexuality have become part of mainstream conversations and are being reflected in the work of more and more writers of fiction, particularly in literature aimed at young adult audiences. But young readers, regardless of their sexual orientation, don't always know what books offer well-rounded portrayals of queer characters and situations. Fortunately, finding positive role models in fiction that features LGBTQ+ themes has become less problematic, though not without its challenges. In Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature: LGBTQ+ Content since 1969, Christine Jenkins and Michael Cart provide an overview of the literary landscape. An expanded version of The Heart Has Its Reasons, this volume charts the evolution of YA literature that features characters and themes which resonate not only with LGBTQ+ readers but with their allies as well. In this resource, Jenkins and Cart identify titles that are notable either for their excellence--accurate, thoughtful, and tactful depictions--or deficiencies--books that are wrongheaded, stereotypical, or outdated. Each chapter has been significantly updated, and this edition also includes new chapters on bisexual, transgender, and intersex issues and characters, as well as chapters on comics, graphic novels, and works of nonfiction. This book also features an annotated bibliography and a number of author-title lists of books discussed in the text that will aid teachers, librarians, parents, and teen readers. Encompassing a wider array of sexual identities, Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature is an invaluable resource for young people eager to read about books relevant to them and their lives.

Author Notes

Christine A. Jenkins is associate professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is coeditor of Handbook of Research on Children's and Young Adult Literature (2011) and coauthor (with Michael Cart) of Top 250 LGBTQ Books for Teens (2015).
Michael Cart is a columnist and reviewer for ALA's Booklist magazine and has also written countless articles that have appeared in the New York Times. Parents, American Libraries, School Library Journal, and elsewhere. He is the author or editor of more than twenty books. including Young Adult literature: From Romance to Realism, Third Edition (2016).
Jenkins and Cart are coauthors of The Heart Has Its Reasons: Young Adult Literature with Gay/Lesbian/Queer Content, 1969-2001 (Scarecrow Press, 2006).

Summary:

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Jenkins, an associate professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Cart, a columnist for Booklist, build upon their research in this in-depth overview of LGBTQ+ YA literature from 1969 to 2016. Each chapter discusses a mix of broad themes and trends relevant to each decade and insightfully analyzes significant titles-with enough summary that librarians need not have read the books discussed to understand their importance. The authors replicate their helpful framework, originally introduced in their work The Heart Has Its Reasons (2006), which separates queer literature as a whole into three phases: "homosexual visibility," "gay assimilation," and "queer consciousness/community." Though there are some revisions, about a third of the content is pulled directly from the duo's previous work. The rest expands into the contemporary LGBTQ+ publishing landscape. Notably, new content includes additional chapters about comics and graphic novels (and, briefly, manga), nonfiction, and literature with bisexual, transgender, and intersex characters. The burgeoning LGBTQ+ middle grade market and prominent series fiction such as "Sweet Valley High" and "Pretty Little Liars" are also mentioned. Though Jenkins and Cart use the acronym LGBTQ+ (rather than the previous work's GLBTQ), their coverage generally doesn't extend beyond LGBT-mostly because of the lack of existing literature. The authors acknowledge the limitations of their research and, in the conclusion, reestablish their plea for more nuanced representation in the future. -VERDICT An essential update for scholars. The bibliographies will invaluably help round out LGBTQ+ collections.-Alec Chunn, Eugene Public Library, OR © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Choice Review

With this expanded, updated version of The Heart Has Its Reasons (CH, Sep'06, 44-0157), Jenkins (Univ. of Illinois) and Cart (reviewer and editor) present a thorough overview of fiction and nonfiction for and about LGBTQ+ young people, focusing on work in English mostly set in North America. In part 1, the authors provide a chronological survey of the fiction in six chapters, from gay-themed adult novels of the 1940s through YA fiction as recent as 2016. Each chapter sorts the literature reviewed into three broad categories: "Homosexual Visibility," or stories about coming out; "Gay Assimilation," stories that include LGBTQ+ characters whose orientation is not the focus of the plot; and "Queer Consciousness/Community." Part 2 covers bisexual, transgender, and intersex inclusion; graphic novels; and nonfiction. Jenkins and Cart are, respectively, a lesbian and a gay man, and they are also engaging writers and discerning readers. Their enthusiasm for the literature is contagious. This book will make an excellent companion to Caren Town's LGBTQ Young Adult Fiction: A Critical Survey, 1970s-2010s (CH, Dec'17, 55-1280). Town's study delves more deeply into queer and literary theory, but the present volume describes and analyzes a longer list of books. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers. --Cynthia A. Bily, Macomb Community College

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction	p. xi
Part I A Survey of LGBTQ+ Literature
1 Young Adult Literature in the Pre-Stonewall Era	p. 3
2 Young Adult Literature of the 1970s	p. 17
3 Young Adult Literature of the 1980s	p. 35
4 Young Adult Literature of the 1990s	p. 65
5 A New Literature for a New Century	p. 93
6 Young Adult Literature since 2010	p. 125
Part II Breaking Down the Barriers
7 Bisexual Inclusion in Young Adult Literature	p. 149
8 Transgender and Intersex Inclusion in Young Adult Literature	p. 161
9 Comics and Graphic Novels with LGBTQ+ Content	p. 181
10 Desperately Seeking Information: Young Adult Nonfiction with LGBTQ+ Content	p. 191
Conclusion: What a Wonderful World?	p. 221
Appendix A Bibliography of LGBTQ+ Titles: Fiction, Comics and Graphic Novels, and Nonfiction	p. 225
Appendix B Bar Graphs Representing LGBTQ+ Portrayal, Narrative Role, and Growth in Young Adult Fiction	p. 261
Appendix C Book Awards for LGBTQ+ Young Adult Books	p. 265
Appendix D Model for LGBTQ+ Portrayals/Inclusion in Young Adult Fiction	p. 271
Index	p. 275
About the Authors	p. 293

Available:

Bound With These Titles

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Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Summary:

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Choice Review

Table of Contents