Campbell's Scoop: Reflections on Young Adult Literature

by Patty Campbell columnist and author, Spirituality in Young Adult Literature

Overview

At the request of her many fans, Patty Campbell, editor of the Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature series, has selected some of her best essays, articles, columns, and speeches in Campbell's Scoop. These pieces define the boundaries between children's and adult literature and review the trends, censorship, problems, and glories of the genre. Other essays reflect on some concerns and interests of young adult literature as it has matured: the verse novel, ambivalent endings, violence, the sometimes dubious value of awards and honor lists, the graphic novel, and the difficulties of the genre's recent overwhelming success. A section titled "Inside ALA" looks at the author's many years of service to that organization with, among other pieces, a firsthand look at the Best Books committee at work and a report of her attempt to unite booksellers and librarians in common cause.

Many of these selections show the idiosyncratic wit and passion that have made Campbell's column a favorite with Horn Book readers: an exploration of the meaning of the glut of YA novels with death as a theme or character; an indignant denunciation of the fictional abuse of animals; a snarky analysis of "chick lit;" and a technical review from the belly-dancing critic of a YA novel featuring that ancient art. On a more serious note, Campbell pleads for what she calls "Godsearch" in books for teens and pays tribute to her late friend Robert Cormier. Without question, the essays in Campbell's Scoop provide readers with the unique insights of an advocate who is passionate about young adult literature and its future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810872936
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	02/19/2010
Series:	Studies in Young Adult Literature , #38
Edition description:	Thirty-eighth Edition
Pages:	262
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 17 Years

About the Author

Patty Campbell is editor of the Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature series. She is the author of several books, including Robert Cormier: Daring to Disturb the Universe (2006) and War Is: A Hard Look at Warfare by Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers (2008).

Table of Contents

Foreword Roger Sutton xi

Introduction xiii

Part 1 How We Got Here

The Outsiders, Fat Freddy, and Me: A Librarian's Memoir 3

A (Not So) Short History of YA Lit 11

Twayne and Scarecrow: An Editor's Memoir 20

Part 2 Trends and Tendencies

Drowning in Success 33

YA Lit and the Deathly Fellows 38

So What Really Happened? 43

Vetting the Verse Novel 48

The Death of Animals 54

The Lit of Chick Lit 60

Part 3 Defining YA

Middle Muddle 67

Our Side of the Fence 73

Smash/Crash/Slash 78

A Loving Farewell to Robert Cormier 85

Researching YA in the Elysian Fields 89

Part 4 First Looks at Masterworks

The Gift of The Giver 97

Monster as Radical Change 101

The Last Cormier 106

Part 5 The Dawn of Graphic Novels

Maus: A Survivor's Tale 113

Whaam! in Paris 119

Part 6 Censorship Near and Far

The Pottymouth Paradox 125

?Who's Afraid of the Rig Bad ...?? 130

Perplexing Censorship in Germany 136

Visiting Dubrovnik Public 142

Part 7 Inside ALA

The Not-So-Smart Alex 149

Blood on the Table: Looking at Best Booking 153

Prizes and Paradoxes 160

Bookstores and Libraries: Common Concerns 166

Part 8 Spiritual Matters

Godsearch 173

Wrestling with God 179

Part 9 The Critic's Life

Shooting at the Library 187

Visiting Francesca 199

The Belly Dancing Critic 207

Reality and Fiction at the Reichenbach Falls 212

Ending the Perplex 217

Appendix: Twayne's Young Adult Author Series 223

Subject Index 225

Author and Title Index 233

About the Author 245

Editorial Reviews

This resource represents the accumulated wisdom of a veteran librarian, author, speakers, critic, and young pioneer of young adult services. Campbell's Scoop is a solidly useful professional title that weighs in on a diversity of topics. [It] is timeless….the information will not become dated and breadth of the articles makes the collection relevant to a wide audience. Readers…will be rewarded with a fascinating glimpse into the thoughts and observations of a veteran.

VOYA

One of the foremost authorities in the field has compiled her essays, articles, and major speeches into one convenient and comprehensive work. Campbell was on the forefront during the "coming of age" of young-adult literature and young adult services. Her essays encompass a variety of subjects, including the history of the literature, her experiences as editor of the Twayne series, and her work with ALA and ALAN. Campbell's writings provide a glimpse into the inner circle of publishing for teens, library organizations, and many prominent literary publications dedicated to the literature. Her perspective after 40 years in the field is fascinating, funny, and enlightening. The text is organized effectively with multiple indexes including author, title, and subject. This is an enjoyable read for long-time librarians and an eye-opener for those newer to the profession.—Jessica Breslin, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH

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