Blog Tour: Kid Lit: An Introduction to Literary Criticism by Tom Durwood

Kid Lit: An Introduction to Literary Criticism by Tom Durwood

All Ages | 220 Pages

Publisher: Empire Studies Press | ISBN-13: 9781952520044

Publisher’s Synopsis: We are surrounded by narratives, in fiction and in our everyday lives. In this colorful collection of ideas, the author argues that understanding the components of our favorite children’s stories can lead to a lifetime of critical thinking.

Beginning with the elements of the universal coming-of-age narrative, “Kid Lit” shows young readers and general readers alike how to recognize story structure, class, gender, symbolism, trauma and Orientalism in children’s narratives.

Of value to all teachers, students, librarians, readers, literature lovers, and moviegoers.

“Tom Durwood is the best English instructor I have seen in my thirty-two years of teaching.” —Professor Patrick Murray, Valley Forge Military College

PURCHASE LINKS

https://amzn.to/3qhIiKb

https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9781952520044

REVIEW

An informative read. Defines and highlights children’s literature. The author takes you beyond the pages, challenges you to explore the deeper meaning of genres; how various sources might relate to history, cultures, politics, entertainment. Guides you to read between the lines of any genre and extract the messageWritten very concise, but in easy terms. It has opened my eyes to many classic fiction tales and has me really taking a second look at them. A very good reference book, not only for students studying literature, but also teachers and authors. Overall, I think it is very helpful and a book that a reader/writer would refer back to.

Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books (June 23, 2021)

ARC received by The Children’s Book Review via .pdf file

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Durwood is a teacher, writer and editor with an interest in history. Tom most recently taught English Composition and Empire and Literature at Valley Forge Military College, where he won the Teacher of the Year Award five times. Tom has taught Public Speaking and Basic Communications as a guest lecturer for the Naval Special Warfare Development Group at the Dam’s Neck Annex of the Naval War College.

Tom is editor of an online scholarly journal, The Journal of Empire Studies (www.empirestudies.org). Peter Suber, Berkman Fellow at Harvard University, an advocate of the open access movement, praises the journal as “a new opportunity for overcoming access barriers to knowledge and research.” Dr. Julian Fisher of Scholarly Exchange has also applauded Tom’s efforts. “Creating valuable academic content and then hiding it behind financial firewalls – the traditional scholarly publishing model – runs counter to the essence of scholarship, learning and sharing,” according to Fisher. “To see a journal such as the Journal of Empire Studies breaking that mold is exciting.”

Tom’s newspaper column “Shelter” appeared in the North County Times for seven years. Tom earned a Masters in English Literature in San Diego, where he also served as Executive Director of San Diego Habitat for Humanity. Tom earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard, where he edited an undergraduate arts journal and studied with David McClelland (Roots of Consciousness).

For more information, teacher resources, and lesson plans, visit www.kidlitcrit.com.