Mixed Heritage In Young Adult Literature (Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature) (Volume 32)

This book is a critical exploration of how mixed-heritage characters (those of mixed race, ethnicity, religion, and/or adoption) and real-life people have been portrayed in young adult fiction and nonfiction. It opens up the discussion of young-adult racial and ethnic identity in literature to recognize, and focus on, those whose heritage straddles boundaries. VOYA A part of the Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature series, Reynolds's work is a critical investigation of the often-unexamined topic of mixed heritage characters in adolescent literature. Reynolds traces the most prevalent patterns and speaks to the politics and ideologies underpinning the representation of a variety of multiracial, multiethnic, and interfaith characters. Reynolds begins by exploring the evolution of the archetypical mixed race character as seen in classic texts (i.e. Jane Eyre), and moves on to the more contemporary In Search of My Missing Half paradigm, as well as emerging trends she sees developing in both young adult fiction and nonfiction. Broad in scope, Reynolds's analysis covers a variety of multiculti categories and offers an array of texts to support her claims. She clearly takes young adult literature seriously and seems personally invested in the serious study of the multivariate topics and texts included here. Readers will appreciate Reynolds' careful consideration of race as a context for the literary conversations at the heart of her text; the promise to offer a criteria with which to evaluate young adult fiction and non-fiction [sic] containing individuals of mixed heritage is delivered with ease and sophistication. This reviewer was looking forward to a bit of a conclusion, synthesizing, problematizing, or speculating. Nonetheless Reynolds's work is thorough, important, and highly usable. Reviewer: Jennifer Miskec Mixed-heritage people are one of the fastest-growing groups in the United States, yet culturally they have been largely invisible, especially in young adult literature. "Mixed Heritage in Young Adult Literature" is a critical exploration of how mixed-heritage characters (those of mixed race, ethnicity, religion, and/or adoption) and real-life people have been portrayed in young adult fiction and nonfiction. This is the first in-depth, broad-scope critical exploration of this subgenre of multicultural literature. Following an introduction to the topic, author Nancy Thalia Reynolds examines the portrayal of mixed-heritage characters in literary classics by James Fenimore Cooper, Mark Twain, and Zora Neale Hurston--staples of today's high school English curriculum--along with other important authors. It opens up the discussion of young-adult racial and ethnic identity in literature to recognize--and focus on--those whose heritage straddles boundaries. In this book teachers will find new tools to approach race, ethnicity, and family heritage in literature and in the classroom. This book also helps librarians find new criteria with which to evaluate young adult fiction and nonfiction with mixed-heritage characters Mixed-heritage people are one of the fastest-growing groups in the United States, yet culturally they have been largely invisible, especially in young adult literature. Mixed Heritage in Young Adult Literature is a critical exploration of how mixed-heritage characters (those of mixed race, ethnicity, religion, and/or adoption) and real-life people have been portrayed in young adult fiction and nonfiction. This is the first in-depth, broad-scope critical exploration of this subgenre of multicultural literature. Following an introduction to the topic, author Nancy Thalia Reynolds examines the portrayal of mixed-heritage characters in literary classics by James Fenimore Cooper, Mark Twain, and Zora Neale Hurston staples of today's high school English curriculum along with other important authors. It opens up the discussion of young-adult racial and ethnic identity in literature to recognize and focus on those whose heritage straddles boundaries. In this book teachers will find new tools to approach race, ethnicity, and family heritage in literature and in the classroom. This book also helps librarians find new criteria with which to evaluate young adult fiction and nonfiction with mixed-heritage characters. Mulatto heiress to tragic mulatto: the evolution of an archetype Contemporary YA fiction in black and white Natives and newcomers Divided loyalties : immigrant mixed heritage Finding home : mixed-heritage adopted characters Mixed heritage in nonfiction for young adults.