Advancing from a Diary Cartoon Novel to Young Adult Fiction: Exploring Issues of Gender and Power with Girls with Reading Difficulties

Abstract

Learning disabilities are often referred to as invisible exceptionalities, with reading difficulties representing the most common form of learning disability. Girls with reading difficulties are often overshadowed by their male counterparts and as such overlooked for intervention programs. In this article, we detail our research conducting a book club intended to assist four preadolescent girls who struggle with reading to engage and critique text in context of societal issues related to gender and self-empowerment. We outline how we used recursive, higher-level question prompts and corresponding discussion-based activities to advance from reading a diary cartoon novel (Dork Diaries) to a more difficult young adult novel (The Hunger Games). Our findings present the girls’ responses to the texts and highlight the importance of holding ongoing structured conversations and engaging youth in a societal gendered critique. Learning disabilities are often referred to as invisible exceptionalities, with reading difficulties representing the most common form of learning disability. Girls with reading difficulties are often overshadowed by their male counterparts and as such overlooked for intervention programs. In this article, we detail our research conducting a book club intended to assist four preadolescent girls who struggle with reading to engage and critique text in context of societal issues related to gender and self-empowerment. We outline how we used recursive, higher-level question prompts and corresponding discussion-based activities to advance from reading a diary cartoon novel (Dork Diaries) to a more difficult young adult novel (The Hunger Games). Our findings present the girls’ responses to the texts and highlight the importance of holding ongoing structured conversations and engaging youth in a societal gendered critique.