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Vol. 3 No. 1 (2025): Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People
Vol. 3 No. 1 (2025): Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People
Published:
03.07.2025
Editors' Letter
Editors' Letter
Elen Caldecott, Lucy Cuthew (Author)
PDF
Scholarly Articles
Beyond the Binary: Shapeshifting and Nonbinary Identity in Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction
Drawing on posthumanist and queer perspectives, Candice Lemon-Scott argues that the shapeshifter can disrupt binary gender norms.
Dr Candice Lemon-Scott (Author)
PDF
The Trickster Figure in Queer YA: A Case Study of Margaret Owen’s
Little Thieves
The emerging space of queer Young Adult literature is a vibrant storytelling landscape for trickster characters and trickster tales, argues Alex Henderson.
Dr Alex Henderson (Author)
PDF
Queering the Short Story Cycle for Young Adult Fiction
Authors seeking to represent a diverse range of queer identities have adopted the short story cycle, Chloe Cannell explains why.
Dr Chloe Cannell (Author)
PDF
Inventing the Perfect Crush: Arguing for Middle-Grade Narratives with Aromantic Leads
Varsha Varghese considers the issues that arise when writing Indian LGBTQ+ Middle Grade fiction.
Varsha Varghese (Author)
PDF
The Child’s Experience of Relatives with Mental Health Problems: How Can Middle Grade Authors Combat Stigma?
Hannah Durkan investigates how authors can compassionately portray characters with mental health problems.
Hannah Durkan (Author)
PDF
Navigating Disability in Children’s Publishing: Insights from Disabled Authors
The authors present the findings of a study that explored the experiences of six disabled children’s writers in the publishing industry.
Daniela Rozental, Dr Joanna Nadin (Author)
PDF
Writing Generative Black Anger in Young Adult Historical Fiction
Laura E. Jacquemond examines how writers of Black characters in YA historical fiction portray their protagonists, channeling their anger to positive ends in dangerous situations.
Laura E. Jacquemond (Author)
PDF
The Evolution of AI Characters in Children’s Literature: A Societal Perspective
AI characters are evolving from the traditional ‘Pinocchio paradigm’ toward more autonomous identities; Rachel Hamilton and Christopher Piper explore this journey.
Rachel Hamilton, Christopher Piper (Author)
PDF
A Practice-Based Research Approach to Selecting Point of View in a Young Adult Fantasy Fiction Novel
Julia OConnor presents a practice-based research approach to selecting point of view for a Young Adult fantasy novel.
Julia OConnor (Author)
PDF
A Guide to Responsible Scaring: What are the Limitations of Horror in Young Adult Fiction?
Through a close reading of recent Young Adult horror novels Dan Hunt explores the building blocks of the Young Adult horror genre.
Dan Hunt (Author)
PDF