Scholars from various disciplines have theorized a relationship between reading fiction and empathy. Research in cognitive studies suggests that understanding fiction requires Theory of Mind, or the cognitive ability to understand the feelings and motivations of others. Some studies build on this research to suggest reading fiction helps to…

YA fiction is well known for a prevalence of narratives that explore identity and identity change. Critics have constructed multiple theoretical frameworks that help put into words the workings of adolescent identity in these novels. This article adds to that discussion by analysing Jacob, the main character of Aidan Chambers' "Postcards from…

Responses to the pernicious influences of mainstream pornography on its viewers fall into two main sorts: regulation and education. Pornography has long been a core topic in analytic feminist philosophy, but it has largely focused on issues around regulation, in particular with trying to undermine arguments against regulation on the grounds that…

In the digital age, children's and adolescents' willingness to engage in absorbed reading for pleasure is on the decline. Digital narratives with a linear storyline enriched with hyperlinks to supporting media materials, could potentially facilitate narrative absorption even better than print, thus stimulating fictional reading among adolescents.…

Research in the field of reading has demonstrated the benefits of reading, including increased vocabulary (Anderson et al., 1986; Day et al., 1991) and comprehension (Anderson et al., 1986; Duncan et al., 2016), improved academic skills (Chen et al., 2017; Whitten et al., 2016), enhanced relaxation and pleasure (Gerlich et al., 2012; Kaiser &…

In recent years, there has been growing awareness of the importance of representation in fiction books, to ensure all children and young people can see themselves reflected in what they read. Much of this work has focused, importantly, on increasing ethnic representation, yet there has been much less exploration of the representation of other…

"Literary Imagination and Professional Knowledge: Using Literature in Teacher Education" establishes a foundation for expanding the use of literature in teacher education curricula. The contributors to this collection have a wide variety of education and experience, thus bringing a richness to the content of the volume. Literature can be…

Purpose: Morphological regularities are an important feature of the English writing system, and exposure to written morphology may be key in the development of skilled word recognition. Our aim was to investigate children's experiences of written morphology by analyzing a large-scale corpus of children's reading materials spanning a target age…

Individuals who self-identify as poor readers can have a range of reading experiences, practices, and abilities. The author examined how adolescents and adults who self-identified as poor readers (a) found enjoyment in reading an interactive fiction app, (b) why they chose to engage with a text-based app, and (c) if their involvement with the app…

The focus in this exploratory multiple case study was to examine the reading comprehension and enjoyment of four male, English-speaking teenage students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during a 12-week Story Club series. Parents' perceptions of their teenager's reading comprehension were also considered. Story Club involved modifying a young…

This study focuses on interviews with fifteen writers of real person fiction -- a type of fanfiction -- about British boy band One Direction. Most interviewees began writing these romantic, often sexually explicit, stories between the ages of 12 and 16. Results indicate that many writers learned how to write about sex by reading other explicit One…

In the twenty-first century, the Gothic has experienced a cultural resurgence in literature, film, and television for young adult audiences. Young adult readers, poised between childhood and adulthood, have proven especially receptive to the Gothic's themes of liminality, monstrosity, transgression, romance, and sexuality (James, 2009, p. 116). As…

With many of the Catholic student population disengaged from regular ritual experiences their working vocabulary of the prayers and knowledge of the Church is limited. A beneficial bridge for many of these disconnected students, specifically male adolescents has been the use of storytelling in connection to Catholic themes to lay the foundations…

In recent years, researchers within science education have started to consider the impact of narrative upon teaching and learning in science. This article investigates the possibilities of interactive fiction as a means by which students can be provided with feedback on their understanding in science, and explores the mechanisms which might allow…

Wattpad platform has reached a significant number of users in Turkey as well as in the world. Therefore, books written in Turkish on Wattpad are essential reference sources for researchers to determine the transformation and development of Turkish and popular literature in the digital environment. The tags are keywords assigned by the author and…