Young Adult Genre Discussion

[Heidi M Simone]

This is one of my favorite genres because it can put so many other genres into it. I think that young adult is a lot more relatable for me than other books. I would say that young adult books are for ages 15-18, yet I think that it is the topics that the books are about that make it more geared for that audience. I'm currently reading Being jazz: My life as a transgender teen, which is the young adult version of that book, and it is written in a language that is easier for younger readers to understand, so sometimes I think young adult can encompass ages 12-14 as well.

Yes, perhaps the distinction is how mature the content is in order to recommend the book(s) to a particular child within that age range. Thank you for your thoughts.

I haven't heard of Being jazz: My life as a transgender teen. How is it so far?

I think it is great so far, she really makes a point not just to tell her story but make the reader understand what being transgender means for her. She tries to educate others while giving her story which I think is a great way to educate people.

That sounds like such an important story to tell. I'll be curious on your thoughts when you finish reading it.

[tinahicks87]

I think, like with any genre, there are definitely subparts. I think 12-20 is a good age range, but I would break it down into more/less mature parts. For example, with Tamora Pierce's books, the Circle of Magic books are for 12-14 or so, but some of the themes of Battle Magic and Circle Opens are best suited for more mature (which often correlates with older) teens.

I have read many ‘young adult’ series in the horror and fantasy genres. I have been infatuated with vampires since I was a small child! From a psychologist view, adolescence is now determined from 9 to 14 and there should be an adolescent genre because some young adult genres if not containing explicit sex then it is implied in many books/series, especially horror and fantasy. Way back when my friend in 8th grade showed me a book in the school library that she lived so I checked it out. The book ‘My Darling My Hamburger’ was so much sex and drugs I was so shocked I couldn’t read it and was embarrassed to return it because back them we had to give it to the librarian. I was a nieve child! So if books such as this should never be a young adult book. And his type of literature should never be available to children in the 6th grade!

[meadhbh]

For me, as someone who still reads young adult books, I think it isn't so much about how mature the subject matter is but more so what themes it deals with. So often there's themes that will particularly appeal to some who is in their teens, and usually the protagonist is also a teenager.

[daiguerra]

Yes, perhaps the distinction is how mature the content is in order to recommend the book(s) to a particular child within that age range. Thank you for your thoughts.

I haven't heard of Being jazz: My life as a transgender teen. How is it so far?

I think it is great so far, she really makes a point not just to tell her story but make the reader understand what being transgender means for her. She tries to educate others while giving her story which I think is a great way to educate people.

That sounds like such an important story to tell. I'll be curious on your thoughts when you finish reading it.

I just finished reading the book and I think that she rights it in a way that is relatable. As a transgender person I saw so many moments of my life in a different perspective after reading her book and also appreciate the perspective that she brings as a young adult. I think its so important to have other perspectives in the transgender community be heard, and I feel this book is a good introduction of what it means to be trans.

[Alabascious sage]

I think the young adult genre should not necessarily have an age range since it gives readers an idea of what to expect at a future date, but the content of the book could also play a role in the age range