“Through the Looking Glass”: The Transformative Power of Reading for Youth Activists

• In Event: Engaging Literature to Build for Equitable and Just Futures

Abstract

Drawing on Bishop’s (1990) classic formulation of books as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors, we explore the role books play in youth activists’ developmental journeys. Coupled with interview data from six youth activists engaged in the climate justice movement, survey data from 237 self-identifying youth activists suggest that the texts youth activists name as influential serve a “through the looking glass” function: they often reflect problematic aspects of the social world and one’s place within it, while also revealing new and aspirational roles readers might take on to address social problems. Findings highlight the importance of having access to a diverse range of texts, especially amidst efforts to censor books by queer and BIPOC authors in schools and libraries.

Authors

• Karen Zaino, Miami University (OH)

• Jerusha O. Conner, Villanova University