Middle grades novels in verse: Examining stereotypes in early adolescent characters

Bell, Julie; Cast-Brede, Melissa

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130621 Copy

Description

Title

Middle grades novels in verse: Examining stereotypes in early adolescent characters

Author(s)

• Bell, Julie
• Cast-Brede, Melissa

Issue Date

2025-05-06

Keyword(s)

• middle grades
• novels in verse
• stereotypes
• youth lens
• confident characteristics

Abstract

In this article, the authors share analyses of two middle grade novels in verse to demonstrate how pre-service and in-service teachers and librarians may engage in similar analyses themselves or with their students. Authors use Lesko’s confident characterizations and Sarigianides et al.’s youth lens (Rethinking the “Adolescent”) to analyze two middle grade novels in verse. The authors found that while stereotypes are present, they do not define the characters. Rather, the stereotypes illustrate the growth of the characters as they navigate adolescence. The final verses are not presented as endings, but beginnings of the characters’ journeys.

Series/Report Name or Number

Research on Diversity in Youth Literature, volume 6 issue 2

Type of Resource

text

Genre of Resource

Articles

Language

eng

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130621

DOI

10.21900/j.rydl.v6i2.1457

Copyright and License Information

• Copyright 2025 Julie Bell, Melissa Cast-Brede
• This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0).

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