Writers of Multicultural Fiction for Young Adults - by M Daphne Kutzer (Hardcover)

About the Book

Multicultural fiction is an essential part of the American literary landscape. This reference helps scholars, teachers, and librarians choose significant texts from both the past and present, and provides guidance in approaching multicultural issues as they are discussed in fiction for young adults. Included are entries for 51 writers, some of whom have nearly been forgotten, others who are just emerging. Each entry provides biographical, critical, and bibliographical information, while a general bibliography of works on multicultural literature concludes the book.

Authors included range from the nearly forgotten, such as Laura Adams Armer, to the newly discovered, such as Graham Salisbury, winner of the 1994 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The breadth of authors covered ensures an historical context for the issues raised by multiculturalism, and the sections on the critical reception of each author address such important issues as the authority and authenticity of the writer to comment on a different culture. Contributors are of many different ethnicities and include important scholars of children's literature, lending authenticity and authority to the volume itself.

Book Synopsis

Multicultural fiction is an essential part of the American literary landscape. This reference helps scholars, teachers, and librarians choose significant texts from both the past and present, and provides guidance in approaching multicultural issues as they are discussed in fiction for young adults. Included are entries for 51 writers, some of whom have nearly been forgotten, others who are just emerging. Each entry provides biographical, critical, and bibliographical information, while a general bibliography of works on multicultural literature concludes the book.

Authors included range from the nearly forgotten, such as Laura Adams Armer, to the newly discovered, such as Graham Salisbury, winner of the 1994 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The breadth of authors covered ensures an historical context for the issues raised by multiculturalism, and the sections on the critical reception of each author address such important issues as the authority and authenticity of the writer to comment on a different culture. Contributors are of many different ethnicities and include important scholars of children's literature, lending authenticity and authority to the volume itself.

From the Back Cover

Multicultural fiction is an essential part of the American literary landscape. This reference includes entries for 51 writers of multicultural fiction for young adults. For the purpose of this volume, multicultural literature is defined as writing in English about North American ethnic, cultural, and religious minority groups. Each entry includes a biography, a discussion of the author's critical reception, and primary and secondary bibliographies. Authors included range from the nearly forgotten, such as Laura Adams Armer, to the newly discovered, such as Graham Salisbury, winner of the 1994 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The breadth of authors covered ensures a historical context for the issues raised by multiculturalism, and the sections on the critical reception of each author address such important issues as the authority and authenticity of the writer to comment on a different culture. Contributors are of many different ethnicities and include important scholars of children's literature, lending authenticity and authority to the volume itself.

Review Quotes

"The critical analysis provides teachers and librarians with a candid, critical review of each writers' works and highlights what effect the writings have had on children's literature. Highly recommended." --Choice

"With plenty of information given on over 50 authors, this should prove to be a valuable resource for acquisition and reference librarians as well as teachers working with children's literature. With the current emphasis on multicultural literature, it is especially pertinent. It serves the useful purpose of making all of us more aware of the excellent literature out there about a variety of groups little taught in our schools. Highly recommended for all libraries." --^B^XReference Book Review^R

"An excellent gathering of bio-analytical works which prove important to assessing and understanding multicultural developments and literary trends." --Children's Bookwatch

"Students searching for information on authors will find this a valuable resource; teachers and librarians will be able to choose wisely from the sourcebook's lists to enhance multiculturalism in the curriculum. . . . Highly recommended." --^B^XThe Book Report^R

"Writers of Multicultrural Fiction for Young Adults: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook should serve well in larger collections of adolescent literature, especially in libraries where readers pursue thematic exploration of titles. It should be included in any collection which serves students studying children's literature from an academic perspective." --^X^BALR^R

About the Author

M. DAPHNE KUTZER is Associate Professor of English at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, where she teaches courses in children's literature, Native American literature, and literature by women. She has published in journals ranging from The Journal of Postmodern Culture to College English to the Children's Literature Association Quarterly, and is currently working on a critical study of Beatrix Potter.