Dear readers,

It is an honor to have been asked to curate the 2024 International Young Adult Literature Month for the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative. As a researcher and university lecturer in the field of YA literature at Goldsmiths, University of London, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase some of the richness and diversity of YA literature from around the world and to share in a conversation about the importance of reading globally.

As we grapple with complex geopolitical challenges, from climate change to social inequality to devastating conflicts, YA literature plays a vital role in reflecting and reimagining the world around us. Professor Deborah Williams suggested in her recent book, The Necessity of Young Adult Fiction (2023), that “YA is for a readership of potential citizens—people who have not yet, we hope, calcified into rigidity” (6). YA readerships often “exist on the margins of their communities, and YA fiction, in turn, can demonstrate ways in which agency, community, and progressive movement can be found along the liminal edges of society” (Williams 7). This sentiment speaks to the transformative power of YA literature and its ability to inspire, challenge, disrupt, and reshape the worldviews of its readers. YA can serve as a catalyst for personal development, empathy, and critical thinking. It can encourage young readers to question the status quo, explore alternative perspectives, and engage with complex social, political, and moral issues. It can also offer a space for marginalised voices to tell their own stories, though there are historical and ongoing issues of underrepresentation, misrepresentation, appropriation, and the privileging of dominant perspectives within the publishing industry that we must continue to address.

To celebrate #IntlYALitMonth, I have invited a number of the talented PGCE, MA, and PhD students from Goldsmiths, as well as several of my excellent colleagues from around the world, to contribute reviews of a range of YA books. In these reviews, we explore the themes, trends, and cultural significance of international YA literature and give attention to books from a range of different countries. As part of this month-long celebration, I will also be sharing posts that highlight the work of local and global organisations dedicated to the study and promotion of children’s and YA literature. Serving as the General Editor of The International Journal of YA Literature and the founding Vice President of the YA Studies Association has provided me with a family in the YA studies community, and I hope to also connect with you as members of the GLLI community. It would be lovely to hear from you in the comments: tell me a bit about yourself and what brings you to GLLI.

Across my work in the field, I am continually reminded that there is always more to learn and another book to read. So, without further delay, I welcome you to the GLLI’s fourth annual #IntlYALitMonth. Let’s begin.

Best wishes,

Emily

Dr Emily Corbett is a lecturer in children’s and young adult literature at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she leads the MA Children’s Literature: Theoretical Approaches to Children’s and Young Adult Literature programme. Her research focuses on the growth and development of YA from literary, publishing, and cultural perspectives. She is also General Editor of The International Journal of Young Adult Literature and was founding Vice President of the YA Studies Association. Her monograph, In Transition: Young Adult Literature and Transgender Representation (2024), is forthcoming with the University Press of Mississippi in June. You can find her contact details on her institutional website and connect with her on Twitter and Instagram via @DrEmilyCorbett.