Reading Rural YAL

In this interview, J.R. and I talk about everything from his rural background and its impact on his writing, building bridges across difference, the importance of translanguaging, and his writing life and advice for aspiring authors. See specific time codes below. 01:26 His rural background and its impact on his writing 07:58 Why he writes Continue reading "RRYAL: Author Talk – JR Jamis...

In this episode, I discuss some ideas for teaching Hillbilly Queer, including an argumentative assignment with a creative writing twist.

In this episode, I talk about my reaction to Jamison’s Hillbilly Queer as a rural reader.

In this episode, I analyze how place functions in Jamison’s memoir. In the talk, I mention my piece on Dr. Bickmore’s YA Wednesday.

In this episode, I give a brief summary of J.R. Jamison’s memoir Hillbilly Queer and read a bit from the first pages.

In this video Nora and I discuss: 01:26 Her rural background and its impact on her writing 06:34 Why she became a writer 11:20 What her writing life is like 14:23 First drafts, failures, and knowing your process 22:49 Finding your unique voice 25:15 What makes a good story 29:38 The importance of audience 34:21 Continue reading "RRYAL: Author Talk – Nora Shalaway Carpenter"

This episode features ideas for teaching Rural Voices.

In this episode, I walk through each of the individual pieces in the Rural Voices anthology, discussing what I liked or thought was important about them and share a favorite quote from each. Here are the time codes: 01:05 The (Unhealthy) Breakfast Club by Monica Roe 01:54 The Hole of Dark Kill Hollow by Rob Continue reading "RRYAL: Nora Shalaway Carpenter’s Rural Voices Episode 3"

This video discusses Carpenter’s short story, “Close Enough” what it means to be from somewhere, and why folks may or may not claim a place as “theirs”.

This video gives an overview of the types of pieces that can be found in the Rural Voices anthology as well as discusses Carpenter’s goals for the project. You can find more about the individual pieces here. Visit Nora Shalaway Carpenter’s Author Page here.

In this episode, I discuss how the international and historic setting of The Reckless Kind provide opportunities for us to think about rural life in modern U.S. settings.

In this first episode, I introduce the book by providing a summary and reading the first pages,

In this episode, I drop some rapid fire ideas and then talk more in depth about how I would run place-based book clubs that look across Black experiences in rural and urban places. The clubs would serve to offer students an opportunity to explore and think with one another about the similarities and differences of Continue reading "RRYAL: Kekla Magoon’s Season of Styx Malone Episode 4"

In this episode, I talk about my reaction to Magoon’s story. Representation matters, so I think one of the most important aspects of this book is that it gives readers opportunities to engage with the fact that people of color exist and thrive and experience hardship and joy in rural spaces. That they sometimes want Continue reading "RRYAL: Kekla Magoon’s Season of Styx Malone Episode&...

This episode provides a brief analysis of how place functions in the text, especially as it intersects with race. Here’s a well-resourced good start at learning about sundown towns:

This first episode provides a summary of and reading of the first pages of Kekla Magoon’s award-winning novel. **It has come to my attention that I did not pronounce Magoon’s name correctly in this first video. Now that I know better I will do better and get it right in subsequent videos.

In this episode I discuss a few ideas and approaches to teaching Sadie. For more information on teaching place through arts-integration with Sadie For more information on using arts-integration with YAL checkout this excellent book

In this episode, I discuss my reaction to the text as a rural reader and share some things that I appreciated about the book.

This episode discusses and analyzes the role of rurality and place in Sadie.

This is the inaugural four-part deep dive that paved the way for all the other episodes. Each subsequent series follows this structure – a summary video and reading of the first pages; an analysis of place in the text; my reaction as a rural reader; and some teaching ideas for folks interested in adding it Continue reading "RRYAL: Courtney Summers’s Sadie Episode 1"

I talk about some ideas for teaching The Serpent King in secondary English language arts classrooms.

I was so fortunate to get this book in my ALAN box. If you are an ELA teacher, librarian, or otherwise YA advocate, you need to know about ALAN aka Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE. Here’s a link to their website for more details about their annual conference and other helpful stuff. In Continue reading "RRYAL: Jeff Zentner’s The Serpent King: Episode 1"

Over the past few months, I’ve book-talked eight rural YAL books over the course of 31 videos and interviewed four fabulous authors. In talking with folks who follow the show, I realized that it might be nice for y’all to be able to listen while on the move and not in front of a screen. Continue reading "Introducing the Reading Rural YAL Podcast!"