Exploring Relationships and Connections to Others: Teaching Universal Themes through Young Adult Novels

by Mike P. Cook, Leilya A. Pitre

Overview

This book provides classroom approaches to analyses of universal themes in literature reflecting an array of relationships with self, environment, and the world with which adolescents engage. These themes include relationships with others, such as friendship and love, loss and betrayal, anger and consequences, and finding hope for the future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475859782
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/13/2021
Pages:	166
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.44(d)

About the Author

Mike P. Cook is an associate professor of English education at Auburn University, where he works with pre-service teachers and graduate students. He teaches courses across the undergraduate and graduate ELA degree programs. Leilya A. Pitre is an assistant professor of English education at Southeastern Louisiana University. She works with secondary English education majors teaching methods courses, literary analysis, and young adult literature.

Table of Contents

Foreword Introduction Chapter One. Love and Loss Chapter Two. Conceptual Teaching Unit: Love and Loss Chapter Three. Friendship and Betrayal Chapter Four. Conceptual Teaching Unit: Friendship and Betrayal Chapter Five. Hate, Its Destructive Consequences, and Healing Chapter Six. Conceptual Teaching Unit: Hate, Its Destructive Consequences, and Healing Chapter Seven. Dreams and Hope for Tomorrow Chapter Eight. Conceptual Teaching Unit: Dreams and Hope for Tomorrow Bibliography About the Authors Index

Editorial Reviews

This book is a valuable resource for in-service teachers, pre-service teachers, and teacher educators. From well-reasoned book recommendations to innovative writing prompts to classroom-tested instructional activities and assessments, Cook and Pitre share practical tools and advice for teaching YA literature in a manner that invites adolescents to deepen their understanding of themselves and their relationships with other people. In doing so, they make a strong argument for the continued importance of teaching literature in the secondary school.

Sean P. Connors PhD

Going beyond the current canon of traditionally taught titles in high school, Cook and Pitre’s text offers secondary teachers not only an in-depth discussion of themes that are taught ubiquitously in English classes (love and loss, friendship and betrayal, hate and its consequences, and the American dream), but a detailed lesson plan for each theme using contemporary young adult literature. There is something for every teacher and student here as each lesson proffers multiple possible titles for teaching. This is a must have book for thematic instruction in English language arts classes!

Victor Malo-Juvera