Young adult literature and children's literature is a true paradox. It is written by adults but the market suggests it is made for teens and children.
I'm 21, and YA literature is among my favorite genres. I think it would be interesting to discuss why some hold the belief that YA is not a "grownup" genre. Especially since it is rapidly becoming one of the most popular genres out there, with an exponential rise in both sales and content. – ValleyChristion7 years ago
I guess it's young adult or children as the characters are of this age; however, some might argue that the topics addressed might not always be suitable for a younger audience. For example, To Kill a Mockingbird is told through the voice of a child, but the content is definitely geared towards an adult.
– tclaytor7 years ago
There is an article and a topic that cover the similar dilemma of adults within YA lit! I would suggest that whoever writes this topic explore those to see what they can add to the discussion and how a new angle can be explored. The topic can be found here: https://the-artifice.com/can-ya-lit-still-benefit-and-be-enjoyable-to-adult-readers-does-it-need-a-fresh-start/ while the article can be found here: https://the-artifice.com/cliche-young-adult-literature/ – Pamela Maria7 years ago
I think young adult literature is primarily marketed to teenagers but one can easily relate to them as an adult because young adult, especially these days, does target a lot of important issues. Additionally, I have noticed from reading children/middle grade versus young adult books that there is a significant difference in the writing tone of the books. Children/Middle-Grade tends to be much more simplistic in its writing whereas Young Adult doesn't feel that way with its writing. That being said, there are children/middle-grade books that adults enjoy as well. Sometimes authors write books in a way that although marketed for one demographic can appeal to many. One example is Roald Dahl books where you can read them as a child as well as when older and you will get something new out of them :) – Zohal997 years ago
A timely topic, but perhaps too broad. We could argue about who YA literature is for all day, but in the end I think people will read what they want--unless they feel there s some kind of stigma attached. Why not explore that? Personal examples: I love the plotlines of some YA books that are out now, but will rarely buy them in paperback. When I do, I will buy an adult novel too, just so the cashier or other bookstore shoppers or whoever doesn't think, "Look at that 32-year-old woman reading that kids' book." Or, I'll buy them for my Kindle so I can quickly switch books when/if I need to. Is this right? Does this feel good? No, but it's something I sometimes feel the need to do--and I find myself asking why. – Stephanie M.7 years ago
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