A few years ago before I started blogging, I stood in the middle of the young adult section at my local Barnes and Noble and thought to myself, “How many more years do I have before it starts to look weird for me to be standing in the YA section?” I continued to stand there and mentally came up with a few excuses for why it might be acceptable…I’m writing a YA novel, it’s research. Or, perhaps I’ll have kids and I’m helping them find a great book to read.
Thanks to blogging, I now know that it will ALWAYS be acceptable for me to love reading YA. I know that those excuses are completely unnecessary…I can read YA because I want to.And because it’s good.
A few months ago at that same Barnes and Noble, I saw a girl about my age with a friend browsing the YA shelves. I overheard her say, “I guess I really shouldn’t be shopping in this section anymore.” It took all my might not to tell her that it’s OKAY for adults to like YA books. After all, I’ve been in her shoes before. I used to be nervous as I took my latest YA find up to the cashier…I often worried that they would ask who I was purchasing the book for. There have been times that I’ve been shopping with friends and they’ve asked me when I’m going to grow up and start reading “real” books.
A few days ago, I caught wind of author Malinda Lo’s blog post titled, “A message to my adult readers.” Malinda says that several of her adult readers have emailed her with apologies for not being in her target demographic or being too old to like her books. My favorite part of Malinda’s post is when she compares adults reading YA books to an adult watching a TV show like Glee. Perfect comparison. I know SEVERAL adults who watch and love Glee and other shows that may be marketed towards a younger audience. Check out Malinda’s post and the comments for some great commentary on why it’s perfectly acceptable for an adult to read YA.
Another fantastic article recently popped up in the Library Journal called, “Not Just For Teens. A 35 Going on 13 Special.” Thanks to the Mundie Mom’s for helping me find this post. Two of my favorite authors, Sara Shepard and Ally Condie, are mentioned in this article as authors adults are crossing over to read. Some of the reasons listed for why adults are reading teen books are because many YA books are coming of age stories, emotional immediacy and crossover authors.
The truth of the matter is, you don’t need a reason to read YA. Sure, there are many reasons behind why so many adults are reading the genre and it’s definitely interesting to explore those reasons, but you don’t need a reason. You can simply read YA because you enjoy it. Plain and simple.
So there you have it. My name is Jessica. I am 23 years old and I love young adult novels. And I think I always will.
Great post! Im 22 (for one more week anyway!) and I can’t imagine I’ll stop reading YA. I love it – and frankly, I think a lot of it is far better written then adult books. I’ve read my share of adult books and they bore me. I’m not interested in reading about some ditzy 30 year old housewife whose bored with life and the kids are giving her a hard time. That’s a very narrow view of adult books I know but yeah… they just rarely hold my interest, no matter what the genre. Perhaps when Im in my 30s I’ll identify with them more 😉
YA is just a label like any other. We can’t let it define us.
Jessica- I’m in the exact same position! I’m 23 and I love YA but have def felt awkward before. Like I needed an excuse to give the check-out clerk. Thanks for this great post!
This reminds me of Forever Young Adult’s tag line- for readers who are a little less y and a bit more a. lol
Perfect blog!!
I’m 28 and read/love/buy/obsess over YA! 😛
I completely agree with you. I’m going on 27 and will ALWAYS be a YA reader. 🙂
I’m 28 and most of my favourite books from the last year were YA.
Great post. I laughed at the part about fearing the bookstore cashier would ask who you’re buying the books for. I often feel the same way when I check YA books out of the library – especially if it’s something I’ve put on hold. But they’re JUST BOOKS. Nothing to be ashamed of,
THANK YOU!!!! I’m almost 24 and feel that way every once in awhile in the YA section. Especially when I’m looking all giddy for a new book and some teenager or worse yet a mom looks at me like I’m nuts! I love your page because you review stuff honestly and from the same POV as me, we’re older than the characters in the book but we still identify them. I’ve found some of my favorite books from your blog!
XoXo
Haley
I think it is sad to think that anyone would judge you for reading a YA book. People should read stories that speak to them PERIOD. I think that there is a little bit of young adult left in all of us (at least I hope there is). These stories bring us back to experiences we had – maybe experiences that we are still having. I love YA lit because it reminds me of crucial memories that made me who I am today.
That being said I have been trying to wean myself off of too much YA (unsuccessfully) because I do want to read more nonfiction and literary fiction. But that is not because I think badly of the YA genre or think it is below me I just feel like I need to diversify my reading a bit.
I love this post. I found myself thinking the same thing today when I was in Barnes and Noble!
AGREED x100
I’m a bit younger than you (but not much), and I also don’t see my YA-love going away anytime soon. Or, eh, ever.
I’m um, 30ish. I love YA and have no problems shouting out my love for it at all. A great book is a great book, genre be darned.
I turn 23 in less than a month, and I’ve felt the same way you have. I feel like I should be bypassing the YA bookshelves and heading straing to the “grown-up” books. Especially as an English major. I mean, shouldn’t I be reading books like War and Peace or something? I mean, all of my friends do! They try to get me to do the same. Because it’s “real” literature or something. And while I don’t doubt the books they read are good and well written, I just feel like…those books weren’t written more me. About me. You know?
I think regardless of my age, I’ll always love YA books. They are just so gosh darn awesome!