Ashland University Education Professors Co-Author Book

9/5/12 ASHLAND, Ohio – Three Ashland University education professors -- Dr. Joan Knickerbocker, Dr. Jim Rycik and Dr. Marti Brueggeman -- have co-authored a new book titled “Literature for Young Adults: Books and More for Contemporary Readers.”

The book, published by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers, is available online at Amazon.com, at the Ashland University Bookstore and through the publisher at http://www.hh-pub.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=229.

“This book grew out of material developed in our Ashland University inquiry seminars and classes on teaching reading with literature,” said Knickerbocker, who is the lead author for the book. “We read hundreds of books and viewed dozens of films. My students read a working draft of the manuscripts last year and provided invaluable feedback.”

Knickerbocker said Holcomb Hathaway Publishers was able to rush the publication so that Ashland University students would have the book at the start of the semester.

“The book will be marketed for second semester textbook adoption,” she said. “The publisher is currently preparing PowerPoint slides and a professor’s manual.”

According to Holcomb Hathaway Publishers, “Literature for Young Adults: Books and More for Contemporary Readers” explores a great variety of works, genres and formats, but it places special emphasis on contemporary works whose nontraditional themes, protagonists and literary conventions make them well suited to young adult readers.

“It also looks at the ways in which contemporary readers access and share the works they’re reading, and it shows teachers ways to incorporate nontraditional ways of accessing and sharing books throughout their literature programs,” the publisher’s preview noted.

In addition to traditional genre chapters, “Literature for Young Adults” includes chapters on literary nonfiction; film; poetry, short stories, and drama; cover art, picture books, illustrated literature and graphic novels. Classroom scenarios are used to help teachers visualize how young adults can be guided to engage with a literary work.

Ashland University, ranked in the top 200 colleges and universities in U.S. News and World Report’s National Universities category for 2012, is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.