McFarland Companions to Young Adult Literature
3 total works
This literary companion surveys the young adult works of American author Marion Zimmer Bradley, primarily known for her work in the fantasy genre. An A to Z arrangement include coverage of novels (The Catch Trap, Survey Ship, The Fall of Atlantis, The Firebrand, The Forest House and The Mists of Avalon), the graphic narrative Warrior Woman, the Lythande novella The Gratitude of Kings, and, from the Darkover series, The Shattered Chain, The Sword of Aldones and Traitor's Sun. Separate entries on dominant themes--rape, divination, religion, violence, womanhood, adaptation and dreams--comb stories and longer works for the author's insights about the motivation of institutions that oppress marginalized groups, especially women.
Gary Paulsen surveys the major titles and themes of America's top adventure writer for tweens. Entries cover the Brian and Tucket series and analyze the significance of alcoholism, coming of age, survival, war, and slavery to such bestsellers as Nightjohn, Soldier's Heart, Woods Runner, and Hatchet. Blunt, no nonsense prose in The Rifle, The Foxman, and The Crossing and the witty escapades of Harris and Me and Zero to Sixty illustrate Paulsen's unique range. Tender scenes in The Quilt and A Christmas Sonata attest to his empathy for children stymied by suffering.
Essential to an appreciation of Paulsen's canon are generous citations from his writings and public appearances. A proponent of literacy and uncensored reading, the author communes one-on-one and through letters with troubled kids who have endured the neglect and despair that marred Paulsen's early childhood. Commentary accents the importance of dogs in his life and career as an Iditarod competitor and lover of animals.
Essential to an appreciation of Paulsen's canon are generous citations from his writings and public appearances. A proponent of literacy and uncensored reading, the author communes one-on-one and through letters with troubled kids who have endured the neglect and despair that marred Paulsen's early childhood. Commentary accents the importance of dogs in his life and career as an Iditarod competitor and lover of animals.
A comet in the mounting firmament of third-world, non-white, female writers, Edwidge Danticat stands apart. Danticat is an accomplished trilingual children's and YA author, activist, op-ed and cinema writer, and keynote speaker. Much of her work introduces the world to the cultural uniqueness of Haiti, the first black republic, and the elements of African heritage, language, and Vodou that continue to color all aspects of the island's art and self-expression
This companion provides an in-depth look into the world and writings of Danticat through A-Z entries. These entries cover both her works and the prevalent themes of her writing, including colonialism, slavery, superstition, adaptation, dreams and coming of age. It also provides a biography of Danticat, a list of 32 aphorisms from Danticat's fiction, a guide to the names and histories of the real places in her fiction, lesson planning aids, and a robust glossary offering translations and definitions for the many Creole, French, Japanese, Latin, Spanish, and Taino terms in Danticat's writing.
This companion provides an in-depth look into the world and writings of Danticat through A-Z entries. These entries cover both her works and the prevalent themes of her writing, including colonialism, slavery, superstition, adaptation, dreams and coming of age. It also provides a biography of Danticat, a list of 32 aphorisms from Danticat's fiction, a guide to the names and histories of the real places in her fiction, lesson planning aids, and a robust glossary offering translations and definitions for the many Creole, French, Japanese, Latin, Spanish, and Taino terms in Danticat's writing.