Street Fiction and Teens

With all of the debate over street fiction inspired from the McMillan email, I was happy to read today the wise words of Vanessa Morris:

“These books engage readers and help promote literacy to an audience that normally would not turn to mainstream media,” said Morris. “Street lit helps empower teens as they learn the importance of self-expression and literacy.”

Here’s the full article:

Westchester Library System (WLS) and Westchester Literacy and Learning Alliance (WLLA) kicked off its second annual “Engaging All Kinds of Readers” series recently with a presentation by Vanessa Morris of the University of Pennsylvania on Where We Live: Becoming Literate about Our Own Lives.

The program was attended by over a dozen local librarians.

Ms. Morris addressed ways to optimize teen interest in “street lit” as a tool for making meaning of their own lives. She reviewed the evolution of hip hop music and the incorporation of its themes into a genre of literature that she calls “urban street fiction.” Once an underground movement, urban street fiction has crossed over to large publishers because of its popularity. Morris noted that urban street fiction addresses tough themes and helps teens escape from the poverty and environment of the ghetto. “These books engage readers and help promote literacy to an audience that normally would not turn to mainstream media,” said Morris. “Street lit helps empower teens as they learn the importance of self-expression and literacy.”

 Source