"La escuela es para estudiar": Representations of Chicana schooling experiences in young adult literature

This study examined Chicana schooling experiences represented in young adult literature texts written by Chicana authors and explored how Chicanas grappled with their identity formation and current realities within their schooling experiences as depicted in selected texts. Guided by Chicana feminist perspectives, this study engaged in a critical content analysis of four young adult literature texts: Gabi, a Girl in Pieces (Quintero, 2014), Under the Mesquite (Garcia McCall, 2013), What Can(t) Wait (Pérez, 2011), and The Tequila Worm (Canales, 2005). Two themes emerged: (1) academicas and high achieving, and (2) escritoras y artistas: meaning-making in school. The findings have important implications for understanding and problematizing portrayals of Chicana protagonists and their schooling experiences. Recommendations are provided for teachers on disrupting narrow views of Chicanas in the classroom through the use of young adult literature.U of I OnlyAuthor requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD syste