The Wardstone Chronicles, an Asset to Adolescent Development?

Abstract

This study investigated the effects that young adult fantasy series The Wardstone Chronicles may have on the development of its adolescent readers. In order to achieve this, theories from the fields of developmental psychology and educational psychology were applied to analyses and close readings of various novels in the series. These analyses and close readings revealed that, if the psychological theories described in the thesis are right, The Wardstone Chronicles may help adolescents develop the romantic side of their identity through providing them with catharsis and the vocational side of their identity through teaching them lessons that increase academic performance. This leads to the conservative conclusion that the series may be positive to the development of its adolescent readers, but that further research is needed to draw a definitive conclusion.