
Sarah Dessen
From Burritos to Box Office
Wendy J. Glenn(Author)
Scarecrow Press
Published on 15. December 2004
Book
Hardback
168 pages
978-0-8108-5325-6 (ISBN)
Description
Dessen's body of fiction appeals to readers on many levels. Her writing style is complex yet readable, rich in meaning yet accessible. Adult readers find themselves drawn to her works for their passages of grace and good humor. They are reminded of the joys and frustrations they experienced during adolescence, those years that seemed to last an eternity at the time but now seem to have passed when they weren't looking. With her wit and insight, Dessen takes older readers back. With her honesty and sensitivity, she moves adolescent readers forward. Dessen's novels offer not only high-quality writing, but also characters who experience life as young people do, featuring teens working to figure out who they are, upon whom they can depend, and how to assert their place in an increasingly complex world. Dessen speaks to her readers, taking on weighty issues with skill and intention, refusing to talk down to the young people who find themselves both lost and found in the fictional worlds she creates. She knows how to balance the heavy with the light, weaving humor and quirkiness into stories that deal with themes weighty with emotional baggage. Each of the six young adult novels Dessen has published has received critical acclaim within the world of adolescent literature, as evidenced by successful reviews and accolades in the form of literary awards. Several key patterns emerge in the discussion and evaluation of Dessen's novels. In her fiction, she explores the complexity of human relationships between and among characters, undermines gender expectations, develops the themes of self-perception and identity, creates eccentric and memorable secondary characters, and uses humor to help readers bear the angst of teenage life. Because Dessen's body of fiction contains just six titles, this work explores deeply each of her novels, tracing the existence of the above-noted patterns while seeking the distinctive flavor that sets each work apart from the others.
Reviews / Votes
This reviewer is hopeful that with the ongoing publication of literary criticism that concerns itself with young adult literature, more teachers will realize that they can teach this genre with the same serious questions and results traditionally reserved for the canon. Glenn's book is an excellent example of the kind of meaning-making exploration that students can examine in a work of literature written for adolescents....Informative and lively, this text sets the perfect tone for understanding the complex character of the creation of fiction. Middle school through high school students will find Glenn's book a useful research tool. * VOYA * Glenn...analyzes the themes running through the six novels for adolescents that Sara Dessen has published in the last eight years, particularly the definition of relationships, the search for personal identity, and the role of community. The 2003 movie How to deal is based on Dessen's first two novels. * Reference and Research Book News *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Lanham, MD
United States
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 10 to 17 years
Dimensions
Height: 221 mm
Width: 165 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
336 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8108-5325-6 (9780810853256)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Wendy J. Glenn is Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. In her role as coordinator of English Education, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the theories and methods of teaching language, literature, and composition. In addition to her interest in young adult literature, she studies and writes about issues of censorship, curriculum design, and pre-service teacher preparation. Glenn is a co-editor of Portrait of a Profession: Teachers and Teaching in the 21st Century and has published articles in The ALAN Review, English Journal, and Peremena/Thinking Classroom. Her authored book chapters appear in Censored Books: Critical Viewpoints, Vol. II and Beyond the Boundaries: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Teaching and Learning. She currently serves on the editorial review board of The ALAN Review.
Content
Part 1 Preface Part 2 Acknowledgments Part 3 Chronology Chapter 4 1 Living a Storied Life Chapter 5 2 Visions, Practices, Products Chapter 6 3 Change, Transformation, and That Summer Chapter 7 4 Needing Someone Like You to Figure Out Me Chapter 8 5 Keeping the Moon and Giving In to the Mystery of It All Chapter 9 6 Escaping Submersion and Submission in the Nightmare of Dreamland Chapter 10 7 The Strains and Refrains of This Lullaby Chapter 11 8 Chaos, Control, and The Truth About Forever Chapter 12 9 How to Deal and Where to Head from Here Part 13 Bibliography Part 14 Index Part 15 About the Author