Dr. Jackie Mercer taught high school English in rural northeast Ohio for nine years. She is now in her seventh year at Youngstown State University working as a senior lecturer in English and Teacher Education. Jackie teaches a variety of young adult and middle grade literature and teacher education courses. She also serves on the committee that organizes the YSU English Festival, a three-day literature festival in its 47th year that attracts nearly 3,000 students grades 7-12. Dr. Mercer has been a frequent contributor to Dr. Bickmore's YA Wednesday. We love that she recently finished her PhD and continues to contribute to the YA Community. |
YA Wednesday, Just YA: Short Poems, Essays, & Fiction for Grades 7-12, edited by Dr. Sarah J. Donovan by Jackie Mercer
In response to a dearth of literature reflecting the contemporary lived experiences of teenagers, Dr. Donovan curated a collection of short poems, essays, and other texts from a diverse group of authors and voices. This collection, organized thematically, addresses the concepts of “Just Being,” “Just Love,” “Just Land,” “Just World,” and “Just Futures”. Each section presents readers with a robust selection of poems, essays, and fiction pieces that represent diverse voices and experiences. Donovan makes it clear that these are non-revenue seeking authors who encourage readers to copy and share their work to get it in the hands of the intended audience–today’s young adult readers. The anthology also includes a teacher guide with a variety of practical strategies for teaching the pieces in the anthology. |