So I meant to post this like a month ago when it was a Hot Topic, but we all know I’m less than timely when it comes to blogging, so meh. Better late than never. With the context that a top news site released an article essentially degrading adult readers of Young Adult (YA) fiction, the internet exploded – especially Twitter, where a lot of authors hang out. Shannon Hale, a well-known YA author, had a particularly lucid analysis of the situation, which I storified below for ease of access. I especially like what she had to say about caring about the teenage mindset and caring for teens in general; as a high school teacher, it hopefully goes without saying that I value teens and believe in the importance of nurturing them, validating their experiences, and helping them to process the world around them through increasingly-adult lenses. I don’t love all YA books; I don’t love all the books in any genre. But I do read a heck of a lot of YA (about 50/50 with adult novels in any given year), and it’s not because I’m mentally deficient, or wish to return to my teen years (heavens no, I’m good, thanks).
Anyway. Shannon Hale on adults reading YA. Hurrah.