Tackling questions that are central to contemporary ethics and cultural studies, this book examines a wide range of young adult texts, both fiction and memoir, representing the experiences of young adults during WWII and the Holocaust. Analyzing more than thirty books and graphic novels, Dean-Ruzicka argues for a progressive reading of literature fromAnne Frank to The Book Thief, building on the language of cosmopolitanism and examining how young readers can develop a sense of engagement with, rather than tolerance of, difference. While much of the existing literature on Holocaust representation for young adults covers trauma theory or debates on authenticity, this book instead examines the cultural production of tolerance discourse, encouraging educators and readers to more deeply engage with difference and identity when studying Holocaust texts.
Young adult Holocaust literature is an important nexus for examining issues of identity and difference because it directly confronts systems of power, privilege, and personhood. A significant portion of the book looks at representations of non-Jewish victims, such as the Romani, the disabled, and homosexuals. In addition to critical analysis of the texts, each chapter reads the discourses of tolerance and cosmopolitanism against present-day cultural contexts: ongoing debates regarding multicultural education, gay and lesbian rights, and neo-Nazi activities. This book addresses essential questions of tolerance and toleration that have not been otherwise considered in Holocaust studies or cultural studies of children’s literature.
