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Transactional Metaphors for Inclusion in Children's and Young Adult Literature

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Title: Transactional Metaphors for Inclusion in Children's and Young Adult Literature
Language: English
Authors: Rashid Murillo, Jennifer Yong Sanders
Source: English Teaching: Practice and Critique. 2026 25(1):1-16.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Descriptors: Inclusion, Childrens Literature, Adolescent Literature, Figurative Language, Reading Material Selection, Critical Reading, Books, Librarians, Teachers, Diversity
DOI: 10.1108/ETPC-06-2025-0135
ISSN: 1175-8708
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide description and synthesis of 17 transactional metaphors of inclusive representation for children's and young adult (YA) literature. These literary transactional metaphors evolved from Sims Bishop's (1990) foundational metaphor of literature as windows, mirrors and sliding glass doors. The subsequent metaphors were created in the past 11 years, indicating a recent momentum and interest in the usefulness of metaphors to describe inclusive representations in literature. Design/methodology/approach: This scholarly literature review examined existing publications on transactional metaphors for children's and YA literature that evolved from Sims Bishop's (1990) work. The authors created a synthesis that considers how the metaphors can be used by educators and librarians for guiding critical dialogues with literature. Findings: To describe the kinds of transactions that readers might experience, the authors identified three metaphor categories: critical metaphors that explore power dynamics, decolonial metaphors that challenge colonial narratives and work toward sovereignty, and speculative metaphors that imagine possible, liberatory futures. Practical implications: For each metaphor category, the authors provide discussion questions to guide readers in critically analyzing inclusive representations in texts. These questions support educators and librarians in enacting critical, decolonial, and speculative readings of children's and YA literature with youth. Originality/value: The authors, like many children's and YA literature scholars and teacher educators, have used Sims Bishop's (1990) windows, mirrors and doors metaphors for years, but the authors have not found a compilation of subsequent metaphors in one article. This synthesis collects the existing metaphors and presents original conclusions and applications.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1501168
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Transactional Metaphors for Inclusion in Children's and Young Adult Literature
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rashid+Murillo%22">Rashid Murillo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jennifer+Yong+Sanders%22">Jennifer Yong Sanders</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22English+Teaching%3A+Practice+and+Critique%22"><i>English Teaching: Practice and Critique</i></searchLink>. 2026 25(1):1-16.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 16
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inclusion%22">Inclusion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Childrens+Literature%22">Childrens Literature</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescent+Literature%22">Adolescent Literature</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Figurative+Language%22">Figurative Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Material+Selection%22">Reading Material Selection</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+Reading%22">Critical Reading</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Books%22">Books</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Librarians%22">Librarians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teachers%22">Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diversity%22">Diversity</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1108/ETPC-06-2025-0135
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  Data: 1175-8708
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide description and synthesis of 17 transactional metaphors of inclusive representation for children's and young adult (YA) literature. These literary transactional metaphors evolved from Sims Bishop's (1990) foundational metaphor of literature as windows, mirrors and sliding glass doors. The subsequent metaphors were created in the past 11 years, indicating a recent momentum and interest in the usefulness of metaphors to describe inclusive representations in literature. Design/methodology/approach: This scholarly literature review examined existing publications on transactional metaphors for children's and YA literature that evolved from Sims Bishop's (1990) work. The authors created a synthesis that considers how the metaphors can be used by educators and librarians for guiding critical dialogues with literature. Findings: To describe the kinds of transactions that readers might experience, the authors identified three metaphor categories: critical metaphors that explore power dynamics, decolonial metaphors that challenge colonial narratives and work toward sovereignty, and speculative metaphors that imagine possible, liberatory futures. Practical implications: For each metaphor category, the authors provide discussion questions to guide readers in critically analyzing inclusive representations in texts. These questions support educators and librarians in enacting critical, decolonial, and speculative readings of children's and YA literature with youth. Originality/value: The authors, like many children's and YA literature scholars and teacher educators, have used Sims Bishop's (1990) windows, mirrors and doors metaphors for years, but the authors have not found a compilation of subsequent metaphors in one article. This synthesis collects the existing metaphors and presents original conclusions and applications.
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  Data: 2026
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Inclusion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Childrens Literature
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adolescent Literature
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      – SubjectFull: Figurative Language
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      – SubjectFull: Reading Material Selection
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      – SubjectFull: Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: Diversity
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      – TitleFull: Transactional Metaphors for Inclusion in Children's and Young Adult Literature
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