Appalachian Literature Roundtable: Adult Reading Challenge

During this roundtable, Dr. Parton will facilitate a book-club-style discussion about the rural Appalachian literature attendees read as part of the reading challenge. We'll talk about themes and issues seen within and across the books as well as what we enjoyed about and learned from them.

Bio: Chea Parton grew up on a farm and still considers herself a farm girl. She has been a rural student and is currently a rural middle school English Teacher and visiting assistant professor at Purdue University where she works with future teachers through the Transition to Teaching Program. She is passionate about rural education. Her research focuses on the personal and professional identity of rural and rural out-migrant teachers as well as rural representation in YA literature. She currently runs Literacy In Place where she seeks to catalogue rural YA books and provides teaching resources, hosts the Reading Rural YAL podcast where she gives book talks and interviews rural YA authors, and serves on the Whippoorwill Book Award for Rural YA Literature selection committee. You can reach her at readingrural@gmail.com.