The 48th YSU English Festival

Youngstown State University

April 22, 23, and 24, 2026

 

Thomas and Carol Gay Memorial Lecturer

 
“Reading—and writing—help us connect. They help us share our stories across time and space and borders. They help us find one another. They may provide the community that we need but do not have in person due to our particular or geographical circumstances. They help us imagine what such a community can look like and remind us that we need to BUILD that community. They help us remember that though it is normal to feel alone, we are not alone. We have never been alone. So, let our kids read—and write—to anchor themselves in community.”

James A. Houck Memorial Lecturer 

“To me, the major difference between a YA novel and an adult novel is the size of the protagonist’s past and future. The more a protagonist is carrying forward from the past, the more adult the story tends to feel. Characters moving forward without a lot of background to weigh them down or inform them? That tends to feel YA, no matter how old they are. That said, YA is a young and changing category. It’s transformed a lot since it became mainstream a few decades ago, and I’m sure it’ll keep shifting to keep its footing in a changing literary world. ”

David and Helga Ives Memorial Lecturer 

“It’s such a happy accident when kids and books magically match up, and they become
readers. ”

 

 

 
 

 

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