tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post4041270784289864264..comments2023-06-02T05:21:03.422-04:00Comments on The Temp, The Actress and The Writer: The New YAAdriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01607530400279311428noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-3409950945966864252013-03-08T18:05:56.391-05:002013-03-08T18:05:56.391-05:00Very helpful! Still not sure I want to come out an...Very helpful! Still not sure I want to come out and label my book as "YA," but I have a better understanding of it now.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17638584737109705999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-48164467438093656052012-12-05T21:52:24.772-05:002012-12-05T21:52:24.772-05:00Question: Why are we still referring to young adul...Question: Why are we still referring to young adult books as "children's books" anyway? For me, the concept of YA existing is completely alien to me.<br /><br />That's the part that confuses me, like when my mom referred to Lord Of The Flies as a kids book. Are you kidding me? You would let your six year old read Lord Of The Flies? Middle grade and Young adult books are completely different animals.JustSarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05911766394335306918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-22500281259138804482011-12-14T00:38:48.810-05:002011-12-14T00:38:48.810-05:00Thank you so much. Has really made me look at the ...Thank you so much. Has really made me look at the whole age-band thing in a completely new light!RobbedTheBankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05174698913804227303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-20198686379543225492011-02-08T16:22:28.994-05:002011-02-08T16:22:28.994-05:00Fantastic post, Adrienne! :)Fantastic post, Adrienne! :)Timothy Powerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01086133231193872660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-25549670342607140262009-10-03T16:36:53.509-04:002009-10-03T16:36:53.509-04:00Thanks for your thoughts, Adrienne. Oddly enough, ...Thanks for your thoughts, Adrienne. Oddly enough, not long ago I wrote a post that I think some people thought was a response to yours, but I hadn't read it yet; I was responding to similar comments I've heard from others. I make one of your points, about books published for adults "back then" that would probably be YA now. http://sixboxesofbooks.blogspot.com/2009/09/yes-virginia-there-was-ya-when-you-were.html<br /><br />I've heard the teenagers-didn't-exist-before-the-50s thing, and I know it's an accepted sociological thing for many, but I've never bought it. I think there's been evidence of "teenagers"--whether that word was used or not--for quite some time. (And the word was definitely used since at least the 1920s.) I think, for instance, of the high school books about Betsy and Tacy, by Maud Hart Lovelace; it's clear in those, which were quite autobiographical, that the high school kids have a life quite separate from the adults and the children. Different mores, different interests, different styles. They take place in the early 20th century. Even in Laura Ingalls Wilder's later books, I see evidence of a teen culture. I think perhaps the 1950s was a time when almost everyone suddenly GOT to be a teenager; before that many kids did enter an adult world after eighth grade.Wendyhttp://sixboxesofbooks.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-90921422724408371772009-10-01T17:53:51.485-04:002009-10-01T17:53:51.485-04:00Wendy - it's never too late to comment, thanks...Wendy - it's never too late to comment, thanks for stopping by!<br /><br />You make some interesting points, and maybe if you could give me some examples of old YA that would really help. I also have to ask about your statement about YA written in the last hundred years when teenagers didn't exist until the 1950s. So maybe we have a definition issue going on here as well.<br /><br />When I think YA from my youth I think of the likes of Judy Blume and Paula Danziger. And I wasn't reading those books when I was a teenager (I know this because I remember in one of Danziger's books thinking that the protagonist was super old: 14). I remember incredibly moving stories involving young people, like "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" - which I know I read in grade 5 because we made hundreds of paper cranes and hung them from the library ceiling. When I think further back I think Enid Blyton and Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys. Again, books that were really not read by actual teenagers (15,16,17,18), but preteens. <br /><br />Like you I don't think edginess defines YA either, but I think a degree of sophistication in theme does. My good friend Lesley Livingston has written a wonderful YA "Wondrous Strange" that is very PG, not edgy at all, and is at the same time very exciting, beautifully written, romantic and great fun. It is also very much aimed at teens and read by teens.<br /><br />See the YA genre is tricky because the transition from kid to adult has always been a difficult one for teens. One of the ways they try to demonstrate they are all grown up is to read grown up books. I was reading "Jurassic Park" at 13, and many of my friends loved Stephen King. So the idea of having books that feel grownup enough that teens want to read them, but that are still about teens is a very interesting and, in my mind, new concept.<br /><br />As I said at the beginning, teenagers actually didn't exist until the 50s. One was a kid, and then one was an adult, and that's what I think a lot of the old YA played into, the 11 - 14 yearold age range.<br /><br />I truly don't feel like I am ignoring old YA, but I would love to be proven wrong, and maybe I have totally forgotten about true old YAs (or heck, might not have known about their existence in the first place). I acknowledged in my post there were a few exceptions, ie "Forever", "The Chocolate War". And I'd also suggest that books that were categorised as adult back then, might have now been categorised as YA: "The Catcher in the Rye" for example.<br /><br />I'm not trying to put down the books from the past, nor am I advocating edginess. I am simply saying there has been a marked change in the children's book industry and I've seen it most with the YA books out there. In my mind it is a truly new genre. It might have had some precursors, but we've never seen anything like what's going on now with this category, and we need to acknowledge the difference or else we are going to continue to hold it to archaic standards.Adriennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01607530400279311428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-78767959770559797312009-09-30T10:28:53.149-04:002009-09-30T10:28:53.149-04:00I know this is an old post; I linked to it from so...I know this is an old post; I linked to it from somewhere else. While I agree with a lot of your points about what teens can "handle", I disagree about YA being "new". There've been a lot of books written for teenagers throughout the last hundred years, and teenagers really were reading them. They were sophisticated in concept and explored the same general issues that YA explores now, if less graphically. It is not the YA that's changed; it's the world. As movies and TV have gotten more graphic/explicit, so have YA novels. It isn't edginess or graphicness that defines YA, after all (or if anyone said it did, I'd strongly disagree).<br /><br />To say that the YA of "then" was really middle grade is to ignore the great difference between old-school middle grade and old-school YA, as well.Wendyhttp://sixboxesofbooks.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-75410313972348981092009-07-28T19:14:51.721-04:002009-07-28T19:14:51.721-04:00Interesting take. I'm not sure I completely ag...Interesting take. I'm not sure I completely agree, but I think you're on the right track.Paul W. West, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09220698627730601499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-83394652513557255882009-07-10T20:04:10.875-04:002009-07-10T20:04:10.875-04:00I'm with Jana. Books don't need age bandi...I'm with Jana. Books don't need age banding—if anything, they need to follow the small type near movie ratings that lists why a movie received the rating it did.<br /><br />When I make book recommendations, I always alert friends about the potentially objectionable content. If a friend is liable to nightmares, I'm not suggesting she reads anything even faintly creepy. I do the same thing with songs and movies. But I also bear friends' parents in mind when I recommend books to them.<br /><br />I read a lot of YA because I tend to find it more tactful if not better written than most adult novels in the genre(s) I like. (I'm a BIG urban fantasy fan--is it too much to ask for less blaspheming and jumping into bed, and for more character and relationship <em>development</em>?)<br /><br />I also write YA. I endeavor to keep it "clean" like MG as far as language and sexual content go. It's my topics and characters that make it YA. Like a narrator who's a runaway white slave.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-4806433824330856432009-07-10T12:17:03.025-04:002009-07-10T12:17:03.025-04:00Good post. It made me think. I hadn't really t...Good post. It made me think. I hadn't really thought about the differences between YA & MG. It is definitely more than the age of the protagonist. The dividing lines really aren't quite clear. I'm an aspiring YA novelist and I plan to deal with some tough issues in my writing.<br /><br />When I was a teenager, I was reading MG, YA, & classic adult literature. Teenagers are a lot smarter than most adults give them credit for. I used to work at a library & I remember noticing the changes in YA books. I was quite surprised at the time, but it makes sense. In most books these socially & morally challenging issues are dealt with in a manner that illustrates the problems with such actions. That can be more effective than a parent just telling a kid that something is wrong. I remember reading a Madeleine L'Engle book that had a (gasp) sexual scene in it. I wasn't expecting it, but it was tasteful & appropriate. As long as the tough issues are dealt with appropriately, I have no problem with it. As my son gets older, I may feel differently, but I plan to be a responsible parent & check out what he reads.Janahttp://worldcanwait.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-77236487797491979402009-07-09T17:52:27.670-04:002009-07-09T17:52:27.670-04:00It's so strange to me that people seem to have...It's so strange to me that people seem to have forgotten what they read when they were preteens and teens. I mean, sure we all read Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie, but we also read things like Rumble Fish and Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones. Not to mention the ubiquitous Flowers in the Attic series. And that was when I was in high school OVER TWENTY YEARS AGO! Do we think our kids can't handle the same stuff we could?tapeheadshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680714601778099208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-42349170843151185782009-07-08T16:12:34.426-04:002009-07-08T16:12:34.426-04:00I attended the book discussion which you participa...I attended the book discussion which you participated in at the Ad Astra convention and ever since then I haven't been able to get this discussion out of my head.<br /><br />As a teacher it kills me everytime I see parents in book stores who won't buy their kids books unless there is some sort of age band on it in case there is something 'inappropriate' in the book. I always just have to think to myself, why don't you quickly read ahead and see for yourself? It really doesn't take THAT much to skim through a book to see what the content is. And presumably, who knows what a child is up to reading more than their parent?<br /><br />I was particularly inspired by your mention of shakespeare, I have never really thought of it in that context before but you are absolutely right. Shakespeare dealt brilliantly and bluntly with many topics that even some adults would consider 'inappropriate'.<br /><br />As A final side note, I just wanted to say that I have just finished reading your books and I wanted you to know how much I enjoyed them! My heart was beating so fast when Alex first started her adventure! These are definitely books which will become a part of my classroom in the future!Leahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13769877220266507085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-65253183040443982472009-07-08T01:10:02.672-04:002009-07-08T01:10:02.672-04:00Stephen - please do feel free to link away, and th...Stephen - please do feel free to link away, and thank you very much for the compliment!<br /><br />As to the YA thing. I think it's really interesting how people read that word. Some, like yourself hear: "Yeah!!" (in a high pitched attack yelp). Some read it automatically as "Young Adult". And others, like myself, read it literally, "Why - eh" (maybe it has something to do with being Canadian). <br /><br />But I promise if I ever do perform the post as a piece of performance art to do the high pitched yelp, if for no other reason that it would definitely grab the attention of my audience.<br /><br />And I do so love attention.Adriennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01607530400279311428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-83891914254928088022009-07-08T00:30:38.354-04:002009-07-08T00:30:38.354-04:00Well said and thank you.
If you don't mind, I...Well said and thank you.<br /><br />If you don't mind, I'd like to link to this in an upcoming blogpost of my own. I have a few readers who would benefit greatly from your wisdom. <br /><br />I need to mention, however, that every time I read "YA" in your post, I heard a high-pitched attack yelp in my head. I'm not sure what that says about me, but you might want to keep it in mind in case you decide to perform the post as a monologue someday.Stephenhttp://www.noveldoctor.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-90852739954159904882009-07-08T00:21:10.529-04:002009-07-08T00:21:10.529-04:00Thank you everyone for your lovely comments. I th...Thank you everyone for your lovely comments. I think this whole total misunderstanding of the YA genre (and not only YA, but MG as well - maybe I need to write a post on that next), is just getting a little out of hand really. That it's time for people within the literary community to take a step and realise that things are changing, have changed. This includes those who dismiss MG/YA as lesser writing, both in quality and thematically.<br /><br />Felt a need to speak up. Glad to see I was relatively articulate in doing so :) .Adriennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01607530400279311428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-2202367506600662802009-07-07T20:19:53.589-04:002009-07-07T20:19:53.589-04:00This is a fabulous post thank you for really great...This is a fabulous post thank you for really great insightful comments about the genre. Like others have mentioned I think this also provides some insight into why so many adults are now reading and enjoying YA works. It really does cross over multiple audiences.Michellehttp://www.galleysmith.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-22638383974757386982009-07-07T19:58:51.258-04:002009-07-07T19:58:51.258-04:00Love that we're seeing so many more adults rea...Love that we're seeing so many more adults reading YA, as well. I don't know if that's thanks to Potter and Twilight or due to an influx of great YA. Or both?Jenny B. Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05643299478944403275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-43173366118792656452009-07-07T18:06:44.110-04:002009-07-07T18:06:44.110-04:00Very well said! I have read Tender Morsels, and i...Very well said! I have read Tender Morsels, and it is definitely in my mind a YA if not older YA book...can't believe Anne Fine's quote??? I would argue a little that there were some of us reading YA, although I'd say for me it was when I was 11-13 years old, then I read a ton of adult books in high school and returned to YA in college as a student and then in library school. I still read YA!susan259https://www.blogger.com/profile/16148792672191645567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-81978755788191025202009-07-07T18:01:39.301-04:002009-07-07T18:01:39.301-04:00Grea post, and very true. What I read as a young a...Grea post, and very true. What I read as a young adult is more like current MG. The new YA is much more adult like.Kathleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04013633281843747712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-66095190467386748832009-07-07T17:58:53.031-04:002009-07-07T17:58:53.031-04:00Well said. Very well said.Well said. Very well said.hannah moskowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02347576280638165266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-21390455654795004452009-07-07T16:19:34.483-04:002009-07-07T16:19:34.483-04:00fantastic.fantastic.Kirsten Hubbardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12104770344704228757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-88898629184192908942009-07-07T15:57:55.997-04:002009-07-07T15:57:55.997-04:00I think of Shakespeare whenever I feel a bout of h...I think of Shakespeare whenever I feel a bout of high-brow-ness coming on from anyone (including me). <br /><br />He made his plays accessible to everyone back in his day; he was the great common man's playwright. And yeah, he's bawdy as all get-out.<br /><br />:) Stop the kids from reading Shakespeare!!! ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-9067265183345866742009-07-07T15:18:00.958-04:002009-07-07T15:18:00.958-04:00Great post.Great post.Melanie Hooyengahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08781235493983907234noreply@blogger.com