Why YA? – The Power of Young Adult Literature
In college, people will always ask you the same set of questions:
“What year are you?”
“Where do you live?”
“Where are you from?”
And of course the most common of all …
“What are you majoring in?”
After I explain that no, my main objective isn’t to go to law school or become a teacher, people give me a slightly skeptical face as I tell them I intend to be a YA/MG (Young Adult, Middle Grade) novelist.
Yes, I know that very few people make it as a full-time writer.
No, I’m not planning on changing my major to something more realistic.
Yes, I’m sure this is what I want to do.
No, it is not an “easy” major.
Yes, I am slightly terrified that I will not have a job after I graduate.
But how do I know I’m sure this is what I want to do? Since kindergarten, I’ve wanted to become a writer in some form, but is writing kids’ books really it?
Yes. I love YA and MG because I see the power in it. I will never deny or downplay the power of impactful books and series like The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Percy Jackson Series, The Mortal Instruments, A Series of Unfortunate Events or The Chronicles of Narnia.
But why, YA? As many would say, YA is for teenagers.
FALSE.
These stories allow us to see our lives and situations differently, thus helping to inspire ourselves and others. They tell us we aren’t alone, by showing universal trials and struggles.
My faith in YA was confirmed (again) just this weekend. One of best friends, (shout out to the amazing Izzy Matlick) was extremely persistent in ensuring I read a YA called Love & Gelato, by Jenna Evan Welch.
Here’s a summary from iTunes :
“A summer in Italy turns into a road trip across Tuscany in this sweeping debut novel filled with romance, mystery, and adventure. Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home. But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept from Lina for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself. People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.”
Okay, so maybe the fact that I’m studying abroad in Italy this summer slightly influenced my love for this book… but influence or not, it was a great book. It had more depth and mystery than the cliche romance novel.
But hold on… here’s the point. This YA book, gave me a fresh reminder of why I care so deeply for YA. This simple little book helped me see something in my life that I’d been blind to. Through one of the character’s stories, I saw parts of myself. Though vastly different in multiple ways, the character’s actions and attitudes were similar to my own. I read the book and yelled (quietly) at the character for making stupid decisions. Because come on, don’t we all do that in movies and books when the main character makes the worst decisions? As I did this to this particular character, I realized I was guilty of similar mistakes. My wider perspective as a reader helped me understand what was best for the character, and also for myself.
After reading the book, I had a changed attitude. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not saying the book “changed” me, but it did have a meaningful impact. It helped me have clarity in the midst of a difficult relationship and situation.
Now this book is about a high school girl, and I’m a college student. Sure, I’m only a few years older, but I enjoyed it anyways. And according to a Publisher’s Weekly study in 2012, 55% of YA books are actually bought by adults. It’s stats like this and my experiences with Love & Gelato that show YA isn’t (and shouldn’t be) limited to youth. Everyone should read from the Young Adult section at the bookstore… not because you’re a ‘young adult,’ tween or teenager, but because conviction, inspiration and truth can come from anyone and anywhere; most often in the places you’d least expect it.
(now escape while you still can before I start talking about Disney!)
