Representations of readers and reading experiences in young adult fiction

Abstract

Much research exists about adolescent reading, particularly young adult literature (Allington, 2014; Gallagher & Kittle, 2018; Krashen, 2009). Within that body of research are explorations of nontraditional reading experiences among today's adolescents. This research includes gaming narratives (Ellison & Drew, 2019; Hall, 2011; Sylven & Sundquist, 2012), fanfiction (Garcia et al., 2016; Jenkins, 2015), audiobooks and e-books (Moyer, 2012; Moore & Cahill, 2016), and social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat Stories (Kelly, 2018; Nee, 2019; Serpagli, 2017). However, little research in adolescent reading investigates how readers and reading, whether traditional or nontraditional, are represented in young adult fiction. The aim of this study that uses qualitative content analysis is to understand how young adult authors portray readers and reading experiences in four young adult novels: Booked (Alexander, 2016), Everything, Everything (Yoon, 2015), Fangirl (Rowell, 2013), and The Fault in Our Stars (2012). The findings reveal several types of readers and recurring themes in reading experiences. I also explore implications for teaching and learning in the secondary language arts classroom.