Hey friendlies!
So in the last few years, I've noticed that I love YA books- or for everyone that's NOT a nerd, Young Adult.
So here's what I think is funny- I never actually read YA books as a, you know, YA. I completely skipped over the genre all together. I went from reading Goosebumps to reading Great Expectations. I can thank my mom for this a little bit- when I was a 5th-grader-going-on-6th-grader, I read as much as humanly possible. The library would let a person pick up 10 books at a time, and my mom's rule was that I could pick out 9- mostly R.L.Stine or Christopher Pike or Richie Tankersley Cusick, and she would pick out one classic for me. We would return the next Friday if, and only if, I had finished the books- including the one she picked. It was AWESOME and helped to shape my reading- my preferences, my speed, my random choices in books- it was perfect.
Somewhere in this time, though, I realized that I read like an adult. My new favorite book was soon Jane Eyre, and I could converse with adults about classic literature. So... I kept reading that way. I skipped YA altogether and began reading things that were, occasionally, totally inappropriate. But regardless, I read as an adult at 12-or-so, and it shaped me.
The only thing is, I'm almost reading as a tween now- YA at every turn. I didn't mean for this to happen- there were a few things like Harry Potter that slipped in, but they were far and away the minority. Now, still they're the minority- but I find myself looking forward to YA books on my list and picking them out specifically.
So why the blog? Well, I need some advice. Recently I read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and laughed my pants off, wishing fourteen-year-old me had been able to read it. I've been cyber-stalking the Tigard librarians, wondering why the heck they haven't gotten Another Whole Nother Story in (until finally I went and bought it because I was too friggin' impatient) and I can not WAIT for my copy of Heck: Where Bad Kids Go to come in. So now I need your help- have you read any YA books that you loved? It doesn't have to be new- I'm just throroughly enjoying this phase!
So that's it. Sing praises or call me names, but leave me suggestions too. Thanks!
Happy Reading!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Calling all Young Adults!
Posted by Kirsten Dana at 9:18 PM
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2 comments:
Hmm. You know, I did not read many young adult books. When I was in junior high I loved Nancy Drew which I still enjoy reading now for the nostalgia. There was this other series of mystery novels I read too-modern day novels at the time-but I cannot remember what they were called or who authored them for the life of me. I just remember thoroughly enjoying them. Then high school came, and back then I was more interested in rebelling than reading a book. Eventually I wised up (if there is such a thing as "wising up" at that age) and I read more. I read a lot of VC Andrews. I loved her books. I'm not sure if that falls under the young adult category though...
Good blog post because you really got my wheels turning on this one, by the way. I Googled 'teen novels in the 90's' trying to remember those mystery novels I read and then I saw the Sweet Valley High series! I loved those freakin' books. MAJOR throwback into my pre-teen days... wow!
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