American literature is a big collection of stories, poems, and other writing made by people who live in America. Think of it like a big book with lots and lots of chapters.
When we say "American literature," it means the writing that comes from America and the people who live there. It's like a big puzzle with writers from different backgrounds, times, and places, all coming together to make a picture of what it's like to live in America.
Some of the most famous American writers are people like Mark Twain, who wrote fun and funny stories about growing up in small towns, and Ernest Hemingway, who wrote about adventure and courage. But there are a lot of different writers in American literature, and they all have something different to say about what it's like to be an American.
Reading American literature is like taking a trip through time and getting to know different people from different parts of America's history. Some stories might be sad, some might be funny, but all of them will help you understand what it means to be an American.