Children's and Young Adult Literature

Objectives

- To obtain knowledge on British children´s and young adult literature (theoretical questions and debates) - To be able to critically interpret texts and other material in relation to theoretical issues - To be able to relate literary and other works to their historical and social contexts - To develop the ability to engage in autonomous scientific debate- To be able to undertake autonomous original advanced research in order to write a research paper to be handed over at the end of the semester and, later on, a dissertation

General characterization

Code

02107569

Credits

10.0

Responsible teacher

Marco António Franco Neves

Hours

Weekly - 3

Total - 280

Teaching language

English

Prerequisites

Available soon

Bibliography

Buckley, C. G. (2018). Twenty-First-Century Children’s Gothic. From Wanderer to Nomadic Subject. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.


Coats, K. (2018). The Bloomsbury Introduction to Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Bloomsbury Academic: London / New York.


Collins, F. M. and J. Ridgman (Eds.) (2006). Turning the Page: Children’s Literature in Performance and the Media. Bern: Peter Lang.


Maybin, J. and N.J.Watson (Eds.) (2009). Children’s Literature. Approaches and Territories. New York / Milton Keynes: Pallgrave Macmillan / The Open University.


Montgomery, H. and N.J.Watson (Eds.) (2009). Children’s Literature. Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends. New York / Milton Keynes: Pallgrave Macmillan / The Open University.


Reynolds, K. (2011). Children’s Literature. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: OUP.


Rudd, D. (Ed.) (2010). The Routledge Companion to Children’s Literature. London / New York: Routledge.

Teaching method

- Theoretical classes on the subjects to be studied - c. 30%


- Critical interpretation of texts and other material and oral presentation and discussion with the class of an extended research paper


- 70 % - Tutorial supervision of the research work to be undertaken by the students (mostly outside class hours)

Evaluation method

- Extended essay to be presented and discussed in class - 50.0%


- Final written research paper to be handed over at the end of the semester - 50.0%

Subject matter

I. Introduction to Children's and Young Adult Literature


1.1. What are children's and young adult literature?: the debate


1.2. The origins and development of children's literature


II. A Golden Age: an age of uncertainty?


3.1. Colonialism and subversion: Treasure Island


3.1. The voice / voices of the Other in The Secret Garden


3.2. The Tale of Peter Rabbit and the picture book


III. From Post-War Britain to the End of the Century: tradition and innovation


4.1. Tom's Midnight Garden


4.2. His Dark Materials


4.3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone


IV. Twenty-first-century children's gothic: Coraline


V. New trends: from the book to the screen and the new media

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: