Facing Uncertain Futures

The Transformative Possibilities of Latinx Youth Literatures

Cristina Rhodes

• Publisher: University Press of Mississippi
• Year: 2026
• Topic: Literature
• eBook ISBN:
  9781496862624
• Subtopic: Latin American & Caribbean Literary Criticism
• Index: Literature

Facing Uncertain Futures: The Transformative Possibilities of Latinx Youth Literatures challenges the notion that the futures of Latinx youth are predetermined. While systemic inequities persist, author Cristina Rhodes shows how children's and young adult literature envision futures filled with possibility, resistance, and renewal. In these stories, young Latinx characters don't just endure adversity—they reimagine their worlds and empower readers to do the same.

Drawing on speculative fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and the Latin American tradition of magical realism, Rhodes explores how the fantastic becomes a tool for addressing real-world issues. These narratives reveal how the ordinary and extraordinary coexist, illuminating urgent concerns about identity, equity, and transformation.

By centering youth at the intersection of imagination and resistance, Facing Uncertain Futures demonstrates how Latinx youth literatures serve as powerful tools for envisioning more just and inclusive tomorrows.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1. Past, Present, and Future: The Discursive Potential of Time Travel Narratives
• Chapter 2. Choosing from Multiple Futures: Interactive Decision-Making Mechanics in Video Games
• Chapter 3. Technologies of Advancement (or Decline?): Nonlinear Futures in Speculative Fiction
• Chapter 4. The Future Foretold: Storytelling as Resistance and Healing
• Chapter 5. On Growing Up: Transformation in Magical Realist Youth Literature
• Afterword
• Notes
• Works Cited
• Index
• About the Author