Only tingles before marriage: Junior novels in post-war America [Podcast]

Document Type

Presentation or Lecture

Publication Date

2022

Department/School

English Language and Literature

Abstract

Junior novels were early romances for young readers, published in the 1940s-1960s. Learn from expert guest Dr. Amanda K. Allen how the didactic and heteronormative messages in these novels make a lot of sense when you consider that they were created to respond to demand from librarians and schools for “bibliotherapy” texts to “teach teenage girls how to be women,” which included winning that class ring and becoming besties with the popular girl who you’re not sure if you want to be or date.

Comments

A. K. Allen is a faculty member in EMU's Department of English Literature and Language.

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