Characters with Disabilities in Contemporary Novels for Children: A Portrait of Three Authors in a Framework of Canadian Texts

Authors

  • Beverley A. Brenna University of Saskatchewan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20360/G2H01H

Keywords:

Children's Literature, Critical Literacy, Chronotope, Author Study

Abstract

A study of 50 contemporary Canadian novels for children and young adults explores patterns and trends regarding the construction of characters with disabilities, becoming a frame for the portraits of three Canadian authors, including a self-portrait. An adaptation of the Bakhtinian notion of the chronotope, applied to literary theory, provides a lens within which aspects of time and space are identified in relation to the internal chronotope of these characterizations, as well as in relation to the external chronotope of particular authors’ iterations, within their work, of actual space and time. A conceptual framework of critical literacy is used to highlight implications for including as classroom resources, texts about characters with disabilities.

Author Biography

Beverley A. Brenna, University of Saskatchewan

Beverley Brenna is an assistant professor in Curriculum Studies, College of Education, at the University of Saskatchewan where her research interests include reading comprehension and children's literature. She also writes novels for young people and more about her published work can be found at www.beverleybrenna.com.

 

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Published

2011-05-03

How to Cite

Brenna, B. A. (2011). Characters with Disabilities in Contemporary Novels for Children: A Portrait of Three Authors in a Framework of Canadian Texts. Language and Literacy, 13(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.20360/G2H01H

Issue

Section

Articles