Book Description:
Books for children and young adults, especially since the boom in literature for young readers of the past few decades, have an essential place in the literary canon. Many authors have made distinguished careers out of addressing the thoughts and emotions of children, and many more writing for an adult audience have found their works embraced by readers of all ages. 'Masterplots II: Juvenile and Young Adult Literature Series Supplement' continues the vital study of such books and their influence on generations of children and adults alike. The Supplement not only offers articles on novels and biographical works but also examines other important literary forms in fiction and nonfiction. Poetry collections, plays, short story collections, and books on art, history, sociology, and science are reviewed. With articles on 377 titles, the Supplement focuses on literature written for, taught to, or appreciated by readers between the ages of 10 and 18. Included here are 11 Newbery Medal winning titles, such as Jerry Spinelli's 'Maniac Magee', Phyllis Reynolds 'Naylor's Shiloh' and Sharon Creech's 'Walk Two Moons'; 42 Newbery Honors Books are also represented. The coverage of fiction is extensive, featuring works by Charles Dickens, Madeline L'Engle, Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, Mark Twain, Jules Verne, and E.B. White. The set is arranged alphabetically by title. Each essay begins with ready reference front matter: the author's name and years of birth and death; the date of first publication, including information about alternate titles; type of work; type of plot; time of work, and locale. The front matter concludes with a recommendation of the age range for which the book would be most appropriate. The text of each article contains three subsections: The 'Form and Content' section summarized the contents of the work and discusses the work's format. The 'Analysis' section provides a more in depth discussion of the book and examines the way the book addresses young people. Finally, the 'Critical Context' section evaluates the book in terms of the author's career. This set offers several important reference aids. At the end of volume 3, a general bibliography provides annotated entries for works about children's and young adult literature, information about sources for finding additional titles that are appropriate for young readers, and lists of further sources on some of the most important authors of literature for children and young adults. A Title Index, Author Index, Biographical Index and helpful Subject Index round out the set.
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