Abstract
This study extends Ivey and Johnston’s (2013, 2017) conceptualization of adolescent reading engagement by describing what engagement looks like to eight eighth-grade female readers who have experienced engaged and extensive reading of multiple genres of young adult literature. Through interviews and group discussions about their reading experiences, I identify genres and elements of young adult literature that matter. I also explore the effects of sustained reading engagement on these readers’ social, moral, and emotional development. Recognizing what elements of young adult literature are important to adolescents has implications for young adult authors in finding ways to immerse adolescents into their story worlds. Also, discovering consequences of extended reading of young adult literature adds to the research on why this form of reading is a vital component in adolescent development.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 41-53 |
| Journal | The ALAN Review (NCTE) |
| State | Published - Nov 2019 |