Why I’m Thankful for YA

This post has two inspirations:
 

1.       It’s the month of Thanksgiving, and I am thankful for the YA genre.

2.       Beth Revis’ awesome YA contest! She’s the author of the Across the Universe series, which is amazing. In a recent blog post, she challenged readers to write about why they love YA to gain entries to win a library of signed YA books.

I’m thankful for YA because the books are:

·         Action-Packed

                YA books get to the point. There’s not a lot of setting build-up or page after page of description/introduction. They dive right into the action and rarely let up. Sometimes I can barely keep up with all the twists and turns, and I love how novels like Insurgent by Veronica Roth and Unwholly by Neal Shusterman keep me on my toes. I adore how I’m always trying to guess what’s going to be thrown at the main character next and what they are going to do in response.

·         Boundary-Breaking

                Teen writers think outside the box. And the readers are an open-minded crowd who love super creative fantasy and every kind of paranormal that exists. There are an increasing number of diverse characters (though we still have a long way to go). Some teen books even address controversial issues such as bullying, sex, eating disorders, drugs, incest and suicide. Consider Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma and anything by Ellen Hopkins. The YA genre is breaking down boundaries, crashing open the box and talking about real issues.

·         Informative and Intriguing

                Even though teen books are usually considered more fun than educational, I do feel that venturing into the past and exploring history is informative and intriguing. I love books like Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak where history (alterative or otherwise) is a real character. When I read historical teen fiction, I feel like I’m learning something about that time period. My era of choice is WWII, which is why Elizabeth Wein’s Code Name Verity is high on my to-read list.

Thanks to you for reading! (After all, it is the time of year to be thankful.) If you’re interested in entering Beth Revis’ contest, you can find more information on her blog. She is giving away a spectacular collection!

 

Please note: When I say that I believe the YA genre are these things, I am NOT saying that other genres are not these things. Every genre has its advantages!