Explore New Worlds: Escape Literature for Teens
To C.S. Lewis, “writing fantasy stories was a way to break out of the narrow, cramped, ‘real’ world into the spacious, and just as real, world of the imagination.”
To those who would disparage fantasy as purely entertainment, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote that “escapism had an element of emancipation in its attempt to figure a different reality.”
When teens escape to literature they enter realms of heroic quests, brave companions and brutal villains, and enjoy tales of friendship, courage, and epic battles that can inspire a search for their own better reality.
The 32nd annual Mary Calletto Rife Youth Literature Seminar will feature bestselling authors Lisa McMann and James A. Owen, whose fantastic worlds engage young minds and encourage imagination. Booklist reviews praised McMann’s Fade as “A great blend of mystery, romance, and supernatural elements, and featuring a strong but vulnerable female protagonist...” and Owen’s Red Dragon, “strong mystery elements, lots of action, and an irresistible sense of fun make this compulsively readable.” more...