Past TRR Issue
There are those that will beg to differ and give compelling reasons why the title of this installment is but a moot point. They will argue and give good reason to refute it and augment ideas that the market indeed is thriving. Of this I do not disagree, for inasmuch as the positives are there for us to justify, there’s still areas that need shoring up to fortify the gains we’ve worked so hard to attain. African-American literature be it for adults or for the younger set are fraught with situations that are still mired in a holding pattern both for authors and the process of getting books published. Albeit, young adult fiction is not immune to the bigger picture that is painted for progressiveness to be inclusive to what ails the whole industry. There are too many people who feel that young folks’ penchant for reading is just as important as the lucrative market that adults have come to enjoy. Given the choices available of books written for the younger set, equal parity is not a far gone conclusion if more emphasis is placed with adults making serious options for inclusion! The African-American literary scene has gradually grown since the mid 80’s with a plethora of authors and titles catering to subjects across the board. The subjective approach of this essay is critical to the awareness and perceived growth of what our children are reading and who is essentially writing for them. I’ve always wanted to know in what direction nowadays is it headed, and who’ve picked up the mantle to give it a distinct flavor for acceptance. My intent then, is to draw attention to a small segment of where my insight led me to introduce a few authors and their work in order to answer the questions in my message. It was incumbent of me to at least gauge the mind of my guest author to see what she felt. To wit: Where are the literature headed…and what are children reading for critical acclaim. To what effect does psychological edification has to do with whether kids are reading or not? I searched long and hard for relative research to fuel viable substances in giving this report a sense of validity. I realized from the beginning what a broad umbrella it would be to fit all that falls under the influence of ‘children’s literature’, including young adult themes. With this in mind, I was able to talk to several librarians, teachers, authors who write for all segments and ages for children. My intent was to pick their brains for any supporting information to help. I wanted them to give academic credence to the type of books that are accurate and interesting in style and possess potential appeal to youngsters. As an educator myself, I wanted to focus more on cultural substantive mores – the transmittal of values through culture, and the forces thereof that influence what children are reading and writing about. Ms Draper gave excellent points as it pertain to her writing that was quite interesting. Therein, I’m giving readers a chance to see who else are writing for this market and some of their work. Enjoy!
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