La literatura juvenil en los libros de texto de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria: exploración y análisis / Young Adult Literature in Secondary Education Textbooks: Exploration and Analysis

In this paper, a set of criteria for establishing a canon of fiction published in the last quarter of the XXth century is suggested. We consider two general criteria: a) critical and institutional assessments which the novels have received; and b) their reception among the reading public and in the publishing marketplace. Within each criterium, several parameters are considered and applied: the existence of reviews and studies, their assignment as school readings, their sales, prizes received, the existence of translations, film adaptations and references in the media. A reader, literary critic or professor may build his/her own reading list using these criteria, indicators, and our six case-studies as a point of departure. Currently, legislation explicitly mentions both classic and contemporary young adult literature and its importance in shaping reading identities through thematic or genre-based pathways. This study aims to analyze how and to what extent textbooks incorporate young adult literature into the repertoire of school readings.