young adult fiction

[Anne Frasier]

yay to the increase in the publication and sales of young adult fiction. Go into a bookstore now and you might actually spot teens and pre-teens with armloads of books. I've always wanted to write young adult, but I've always been told there's no money in it. I'm hoping that's changing, but I also worry that everybody is running to YA and we will soon see a glut of it in much the same way we've seen a glut of crime-fiction romance.

[Angie]

I really, really want to read a good YA thriller, but haven't found one yet. Honestly, I'm still not sure what constitutes YA fiction vs. adult fiction (other than the age of the characters & I guess the level of sex, violence & profanity - and what the parameters are isn't clear there, either). Definitely a question near and dear to my heart. Oh, and you'd write great YA, Anne. You do a really good job with your teen characters.

[Anne Frasier]

angie, yeah i'm not sure about that either. i suppose it depends on the publisher. my personal feeling is that young adults want something that older people would actually also enjoy, so the line in my own head becomes very undefined. i know i have quite a few young adult readers which i'm very happy about.

[Jude Hardin]

Angie,
Try Down The Rabbit Hole: An Echo Falls Mystery by Peter Abrahams. The jacket says for ages ten and up, but the prose and suspence are sophisticated enough for readers of any age. Abrahams has a second Echo Falls mystery out called Behind The Curtain. I haven't read it yet, but I would be willing to bet it is also first-rate.

[Anne Frasier]

jude, thanks! i'll look it up. another YA author who is supposed to be fantastic is Pete Hautman. Haven't picked up one of his books, but i need to do that.

[Kelly Parra]

What's funny is I haven't really defined YA, either. I just genralize it by having a young protag 13-18 and going on a emotional/learning journey about him/her self. And I agree, Anne, writes awesome young adults!!

[Angie]

To a certain extent, I agree. However, there are some issues teens are dealing with that are different. Most adults aren't as concerned with what their parents think, or getting kicked out of school, or their first sexual experience, or the mores of social sub-groups - certainly not in the same way that kids are. Then there's the whole cultural difference - and it's a biggie.

I'm not sure YA is meant to be a "nice, non-threatening bridge between kid-lit and "real" books." THE CATCHER IN THE RYE is both YA and adult, and isn't exactly non-threatening. It's an ill-defined genre, but I do think there is a place for books that deal with Young Adult issues. Lots of questions, though. What age group is YA? 13 and up? 16 and up? 'Cause age & maturity are 2 very different things and vary wildly.

I don't think it's as simple as kid books vs. "real" books. While most of the ones I've read were overly dumbed down, I don't believe YA books necessarily serve to "infantalize adolescents." We've got plenty of other media outlets (and parents) that play a larger role in that process.

[Anne Frasier]

i don't know if the age group is even defined. i'm guessing is something like 12 - 16, but that's a guess. kelly parra's first YA book graffiti girl is coming out soon with MTV books. I recently read the arc, and it's not dumbed down or softened in any way. very honest, gritty, and real.

[Angie]

I'm so glad to hear that - I've been looking forward to GRAFFITI GIRL (what a great title!) for ages.

[Kelly Parra]

Thanks, Anne!! And I hope you get to read GG, Angie!

[Jude Hardin]

I think the YA tag is largely marketing, but publishers have to be aware (in terms of subject matter, sex/violence content, etc.) of what might fly at school libraries, book fairs, and other venues for young adults.

A good YA writer is keenly in tune with the youth of a certain time and setting. It's not a matter of taking an adult book and dumbing it down.

And I disaggree, Jon. I don't think Salinger would be horrified. I think his book is a timeless anthem for teenagers full of angst, doubt, and frustration, and for those of us who remember what it was like to go through those years. Yes, it works on multiple levels (as does Huck Finn), but when you get down to it, Catcher in the Rye IS a great YA novel.