What is YA Lit and Why Should They Read it?

What is YA Lit? Literature published for young adults, in the most general sense of the term. The "young adult" is often described by the publishing/book industry as falling somewhere in the range of 12-25. (The range is obviously very wide and is actually defined differently depending upon who you ask). Young adults literature encompasses both fiction and non-fiction and a very wide array of genres, but can almost always be described as fast moving and including a young adult protagonist.

Why Should We Want Young Adults Reading YA Lit? There are many reasons why we should WANT teens and tweens to reach for YA lit; not least of which is that getting them to read anything is a step in the right direction! But YA Lit is known to provide readers with 3 types of knowledge that you'll have to agree are not only necessary, but a immediately necessary if young adults are to reach their full potential:

1. Self Knowledge is often exhibited in YA Lit through person vs. him/herself conflicts. Young adults can learn from the resolution of the story's conflict and apply it to themselves and their own lives. For instance, in the YA novel, Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates, both characters have characteristics that they have to learn to deal with, overcome and accept before they can overcome their larger problems.

2. Knowledge of Others is another facet often introduced in YA Lit. Journal style novels are prevalent in YA Lit and offer a wonderful view into a different person's life, needs, wants, desires, dreams, history, reasons and situations. Through journal style writing, teenagers are accessing life through one of the most personal viewpoints possible and it is, for once, NOT their own. This is exemplified in YA novels such as Witch Child by Celia Rees and the various novels by Louise Rennison (the series begins with the novel entitled Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging).

3. Knowledge of a Worldview is offered to young adults through realistic problem novels. Young adults are exposed through this type of YA Lit to realistic problems that are not their own, but that are made real to them through the story. They are given the opportunity to learn what there is in the world and gain exposure to things they may never personally experience (and that we often wouldn't want them to have to experience). For instance in realistic problem novels such as Lord of the Flies by William Golding readers get a glimpse into the ugliness of humanity that they (hopefully) will never experience first hand.

This is just a very basic summary...so if you think about it, I think you'll agree that we're lucky to have YA Lit out there helping our kids be prepared for life in so many more ways than the obvious. And if you've never read any of the books offered by YA Lit...you should.