Presenting Barbara Wersba

the long version

Written in 1968, Barbara Wersba's The Dream Watcher was among the books that heralded the arrival of young adult new realism. Wersba has been writing ground-breaking novels for teenagers ever since. Her novels usually center around the story of an improbable relationship between a lonely, often artistically oriented teen and an older person who provides direction and hope. Dealing with difficult but important topics such as alienation, sexuality, sexual orientation, parent/child misunderstandings, alcoholism, drug abuse, and artistic aspirations, Wersba's writing is characterized by humor, insight, and emotional truth. It is also graced by frequent references to the world of literature and art. In this first book-length biocritical analysis of Wersba's work, Dr. Elizabeth Poe explores the deeply personal nature of this award-winning author's works. Presenting Barbara Wersba is a one-of-a-kind study of an author who has been in the canon of YA literature since the beginnings of the genre. It will serve as a valuable reference for teachers, Young Adult librarians, teenagers themselves, scholars in the field, and anyone interested in this colorful author whose work has always been distinguished by its literary quality and social relevance.