Contemporary children's and young adult literature : writing back to history and oppression

This book explores contemporary children’s and young adult novels writing back to history and oppression. Divided into three distinct yet interconnected parts, this thematic study analyses selected novels from across the globe, drawing on current critical debates to investigate how these narratives raise vital questions about identity, power and language. Examinations of children’s and young adult novels from Britain, Ireland, Sweden, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand offer fresh readings of established texts, and provide important critical perspectives on lesser-known works. The book also examines the use of genre in children’s and young adult literature, including crime fiction, dystopia, coming-of-age, and historical fiction. Addressing vital social justice themes in contemporary children’s and young adult novels, such as human trafficking, postcolonialism, disaster, trauma, and gender and race inequality, the book presents a critically informed analysis of these compelling literary works and their engagement with social and cultural debates. Dedication 6 Contents 8 Permissions 10 Acknowledgements 11 Introduction 12 Part One 38 “How I Wish That They Would Want Me” 39 “I Act the Part of the Dutiful Daughter” 65 Part Two 90 "Ship of Dreams" 91 “No Ship is Going to Sink with My Family on It” 113 “You Have to Look Deeper” 137 Part Three 160 “The Rock-Bottom of My Family’s Fall from Grace” 161 "Last Girl Alive" 184 “She Was Going, Our Kahu. She Was Going into the Deep Ocean” 209 Conclusion 231 Works Cited 235 Index 255 2