Exploring Contemporary Realistic Fiction: Themes and Perspectives

1. Chapter Nine:Contemporary Realistic Fiction Oscar Navarro Claudia Pilon Megan Shihady ELIB 530A, Prof. McLinn

2. Realism in Contemporary Children’s Literature • Realistic Fiction: “imaginative writing that accurately reflects life as it was lived in the past, or could be lived today” • Historical Fiction: shows a life that “might-have-been” in the past • Contemporary Realism: focus on today’s issues

3. The Value of Contemporary Literature • Children can develop their “human-ness” by looking at how characters interact and look at their problems • Helps them see the world from other perspectives • Let’s them know that they are not the only ones who go through problems, they are not alone

4. Issues Relating to Realistic Fiction • How do these young readers differentiate between “real” or “true to life”? • How explicit can these books be? • Consciousness: race, culture, sexism, ageism, treatment of people who are differently-able • Author’s background: their writing being authentic and cultural relevance

5. Becoming One’s Own Person • Children’s Literature serves a way to journey into adulthood • Adults are shaped by love, significance, places, possessions, etc. • Growing up is a MAJOR theme in children’s literature

6. Living in a Family • Family Relationships: How nuclear families interact • Extended Families: Visiting relatives who life far away • Families in Transition: single-parent, divorce, foster homes

7. Living with Others Finding Peer Acceptance: child cruelty, outcasts, forming friendships Growing Toward Maturity: developing sexuality (menstruation, erection, sexual abuse) Finding Oneself: Abuse, racial relations, “getting it together,” leadership Survival: heroic deeds, courage, skills to live, sickness, self-worth

8. Categorizing Literature • Categorizing can limit how a book is perceived (Does it only have one category?) • Categorizing by age range can limit younger readers who want to read a more mature work

9. Coping with Problems of the Human Condition • Children cannot escape these problems • Literature acts as a window • Facing personal crisis • Questions about the meaning of life

10. Physical Disabilities • Purposes • Images to identify with • Create a better understanding • Disabilities portrayed realistically • Not pity… RESPECT • Future portrayed honestly • Realism in illustrations • Time-honored themes • Sometimes misleading

11. Developmental and Learning Disabilities • Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos • ADHD • Medication • My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt • Developmentally disabled parents • Desire for change not always what is best

12. Mental Illness • 3 NBs of Julian Drew by James Deem • Physical, mental abuse • Mental breakdown • Eclipse by Kristine L. Franklin • Depression • Suicide

13. Aging and Death • The Hundred Penny Box by Sharon Bell Mathis • Aging from different perspectives • A Taste of Blackberries by Doris Smith • First person portrayal • Death of a friend

14. Living in a Diverse World • Literature cannot replace human interaction • Help develop an understanding of different cultures • Discover uniqueness and the universal experience of being human

15. African American Experiences in Books for Children • “Culturally conscious fiction” (Rudine Sims Bishop) • Offer unique perspectives in fiction • Language patterns, vocabulary • Relationships across generations • Descriptions of skin shades • Acknowledgement of traditions

16. Virginia HamiltonNewberry Medal Winner

17. Hispanic/Latino Culture Past novels lack quality and range Modern stories more honest, memorable The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales The Circuit and Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez (1940’s migrant workers) Asian-Americans Rapidly growing group Historical fiction titles by Yoshiko Uchida Contemporary novels by Laurence Yep Contemporary Indian novels Blue Jasmine by Kashmira Sheth Bollywood Babes and Bindy Babes by Narinder Dhami Novels with a true Native American voice hard to find Joseph Bruchac Children caught between two countries, cultures Swimming to America by Alice Mead (Albanian immigrants) A Step from Heaven by An Na Difficulties of being a newcomer Books That Extend Understanding of Diversity

18. Understanding Various World Cultures • Not many novels that realistically portray modern children and their families living in other countries • Batchelder Award • Publisher • Originally published in a foreign language, foreign country • Not perfect depictions of life in another country

19. Popular Types Of Realistic Fiction • Humorous Fiction • Animal Stories • Sports Stories • School Stories • Mysteries • Children often ask for categories by name; they want “a funny story” or “a scary story” or “something about sports” or “something about a dog”

20. Humorous Stories

21. Humorous Stories • Often involves “amusing or exaggerated predicaments solved in clever or unique ways” • Humorous stories can attempt to portray personal pain such as the pain masked by the class clown • Sometimes part of a series • Need no justification • Pure enjoyment • Can build a love of reading (Huck 518)

22. Animal Stories

23. Animal Stories • “Provide children with the vicarious experience of giving love to and receiving devotion and loyalty from an animal.” • Often involve the growth and maturation of a main character. (Huck 524)

24. Sports Stories

25. Sports Stories Appeal to both participants and observers of sports Includes fiction, biographies and informational books More and more “quality” titles and ones with female protagonists At its best sports stories “provide readers with vicarious satisfactions of playing the sport as well as struggling with the problems and issues that arise in practice, play and at home.” (Huck 526)

26. School Stories

27. School Stories • School stories “offer the solace of the familiar” through setting, characters, and situations/conflicts • Often series • School stories “support horizontal growth as children learn to read faster and with more satisfaction.” (Huck 528)

28. Mystery Stories

29. Mysteries • “What’s going on here?” as opposed to “Who done it?” • Like adults, children enjoy escape • Children enjoy • Plot twists • Ordered universe • Tied up loose ends where everything is explained • Evil is punished

30. Skills Developed • Rapid reading and fluency • Vocabulary Development • Prediction • Awareness of relevant detail • LOVE OF READING THAT CAN BE EXTENDED AND EXPANDED (Huck 530)

31. Evaluating Realistic Fiction • Same criteria as all fiction • Major appeals • Action • Contemporary characters • Familiar Settings • Straightforward Plot Development • Humor • Suspense