You've probably seen this already, but just in case...
This is the best YouTube video I've ever seen. (Sorry, I haven't a clue as to how to embed videos.)
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
What belongs in YA?
Is it me, or has Young Adult books been in the national media spotlight alot lately? First there was this article in The Wall Street Journal which claims that YA novels are all about the doom and gloom and then Fox News chimed in with this lovely bit where two women in coordinating pink jackets talk about how lewd YA books are.
Ummmm...I don't think this is exactly the kind of press we* want.
First, in response to the good folks down at WSJ, YA books can be a bit dark and depressing. Interestingly, so can life. Not every teenager lives in a world of sunshine and rainbows, so it's only fitting that the books aimed at them reflect that. And it's not like all YA books make you want to curl up with your favorite Cure album. Some are quite uplifting, others are insanely funny. It's called variety. It's this crazy new thing catching on with the young folks nowadays.
Second, to the pink jacket ladies. These ladies are very adamant about the fact that they aren't wanting any thing banned, they just want it moved to a different section of the library. Maybe this doesn't bother you, but it does me. I have lots of arguments that I can give you on this subject, but here's the big one: It's called a Young Adult section.
Young. Adult.
According to the Miriam-Webster's online dictionary, adult is defined as "fully developed or mature". Combine that with the word young ("recently come into being", also courtesy of Miriam-Webster's) and you end up with a section of the library that is intended for a person who has recently become fully developed or mature.
So, what kind of books would you expect a person who has recently become fully developed or mature to want to read? How about books that address the sorts of issues that a newly mature person might encounter? Things like, I don't know, gender roles, mortality, and...dare I say it?...sex?**
Yes, I can understand that some parents are not comfortable with their child reading these sorts of issues. That's okay. As parents it is their right to raise their child as they see fit. And I'm sure that there are many teenagers that aren't ready to read these kinds of books. That's okay too. Not everyone fully develops and matures at the same rate. Some kids might be ready at the age of twelve while others don't get there until they are eighteen or nineteen.*** But for those parents and teens there is another choice. It's called Junior Fiction.**** There are lots of very good, entertaining, worthwhile books there that might offer a more comfortable read for you.
For those of you interested in seeing Maureen Johnson's response to the pink jacket ladies, go here.
*We = The world of Young Adult. It includes authors, librarians, and anyone else that loves YA books.
**This is not to say that every YA book talks about sex or abuse or anything quite so "adult", but alot of them do.
***Some may argue that I have yet to fully develop or mature and I'm a bit older than nineteen even.
****If you go to a library that does not separate the Junior Fiction titles from the Young Adult titles, ask a librarian to help you. They would be happy to help. Actually, librarians are always happy to help. If you have questions about the content of a book, ask them!
Ummmm...I don't think this is exactly the kind of press we* want.
First, in response to the good folks down at WSJ, YA books can be a bit dark and depressing. Interestingly, so can life. Not every teenager lives in a world of sunshine and rainbows, so it's only fitting that the books aimed at them reflect that. And it's not like all YA books make you want to curl up with your favorite Cure album. Some are quite uplifting, others are insanely funny. It's called variety. It's this crazy new thing catching on with the young folks nowadays.
Second, to the pink jacket ladies. These ladies are very adamant about the fact that they aren't wanting any thing banned, they just want it moved to a different section of the library. Maybe this doesn't bother you, but it does me. I have lots of arguments that I can give you on this subject, but here's the big one: It's called a Young Adult section.
Young. Adult.
According to the Miriam-Webster's online dictionary, adult is defined as "fully developed or mature". Combine that with the word young ("recently come into being", also courtesy of Miriam-Webster's) and you end up with a section of the library that is intended for a person who has recently become fully developed or mature.
So, what kind of books would you expect a person who has recently become fully developed or mature to want to read? How about books that address the sorts of issues that a newly mature person might encounter? Things like, I don't know, gender roles, mortality, and...dare I say it?...sex?**
Yes, I can understand that some parents are not comfortable with their child reading these sorts of issues. That's okay. As parents it is their right to raise their child as they see fit. And I'm sure that there are many teenagers that aren't ready to read these kinds of books. That's okay too. Not everyone fully develops and matures at the same rate. Some kids might be ready at the age of twelve while others don't get there until they are eighteen or nineteen.*** But for those parents and teens there is another choice. It's called Junior Fiction.**** There are lots of very good, entertaining, worthwhile books there that might offer a more comfortable read for you.
For those of you interested in seeing Maureen Johnson's response to the pink jacket ladies, go here.
*We = The world of Young Adult. It includes authors, librarians, and anyone else that loves YA books.
**This is not to say that every YA book talks about sex or abuse or anything quite so "adult", but alot of them do.
***Some may argue that I have yet to fully develop or mature and I'm a bit older than nineteen even.
****If you go to a library that does not separate the Junior Fiction titles from the Young Adult titles, ask a librarian to help you. They would be happy to help. Actually, librarians are always happy to help. If you have questions about the content of a book, ask them!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Why I'm Here
Currently in the online world of literature there is a big debate going on about people who blog about books. I'm not totally up to speed with the whole debacle because (1) I don't have the time to pour over hundreds of blogs, tweets, etc to figure it all out and (2) I have major issues with listening to people argue.* While I believe that the whole thing is dealing with people who blog book reviews, especially those who receive ARCs or free books from publishers, it's made me think about what I'm doing here.
I want to be clear on a few things. One is that the only ARCs I have ever received I got when I was at the YALSA Young Adult Lit Symposium in November. After I looked over them I passed them on to actual teenagers that I thought would enjoy them. I did not review them on this blog or in the book review section of the MCPL YA website. Also, I have never had a publisher mail me a free book.**
Secondly, I write this blog for the teenagers in Marshall County, Kentucky. It is my job to encourage young people in this area to (1) read, (2) be active library patrons, and (3) become the best version of themselves that they can be.*** Yes, my blogs may seem random and unfocused, but these are my goals...I just have an odd way of reaching them.
Now, by saying that I'm writing for the YAs of Marshall County am I implying that I don't want other people to read this blog? Heck, no! Come one, come all! Seriously, it thrills me that anyone is reading this. I just think it's important to understand who I'm writing for. If this blog was intended for "industry types" I would be using bigger words**** and talking quite a bit less about Jensen Ackles and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.*****
Finally, I think it's best to point out that all views, opinions, and thoughts are those of Miss Tammy and Miss Tammy alone. They are not necessarily the views, opinions, and thoughts of the Marshall County Public Library System. For the record, the Marshall County Public Library System has zero opinion on the exact hotness level of Jensen Ackles or whether or not Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the greatest television show ever made.
*Really, cannot stand it. You know those Judge shows, like Judge Judy and Judge Alex and Judge Whoever? They make me physically ill. Can't we all just get along?
**Although, I must say, I'm all for free books. Or free Kindle uploads. Oh no. Did I just tread onto the big e-book controversy? Sorry! *steps back quickly, head down, eye averted*
***How am I suppose to do this? Beats me, but I'm going to try.
****Hopefully bigger words will be used correctly, but I doubt that would be the case.
****Of course, that would leave me with very little to talk about.
I want to be clear on a few things. One is that the only ARCs I have ever received I got when I was at the YALSA Young Adult Lit Symposium in November. After I looked over them I passed them on to actual teenagers that I thought would enjoy them. I did not review them on this blog or in the book review section of the MCPL YA website. Also, I have never had a publisher mail me a free book.**
Secondly, I write this blog for the teenagers in Marshall County, Kentucky. It is my job to encourage young people in this area to (1) read, (2) be active library patrons, and (3) become the best version of themselves that they can be.*** Yes, my blogs may seem random and unfocused, but these are my goals...I just have an odd way of reaching them.
Now, by saying that I'm writing for the YAs of Marshall County am I implying that I don't want other people to read this blog? Heck, no! Come one, come all! Seriously, it thrills me that anyone is reading this. I just think it's important to understand who I'm writing for. If this blog was intended for "industry types" I would be using bigger words**** and talking quite a bit less about Jensen Ackles and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.*****
Finally, I think it's best to point out that all views, opinions, and thoughts are those of Miss Tammy and Miss Tammy alone. They are not necessarily the views, opinions, and thoughts of the Marshall County Public Library System. For the record, the Marshall County Public Library System has zero opinion on the exact hotness level of Jensen Ackles or whether or not Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the greatest television show ever made.
*Really, cannot stand it. You know those Judge shows, like Judge Judy and Judge Alex and Judge Whoever? They make me physically ill. Can't we all just get along?
**Although, I must say, I'm all for free books. Or free Kindle uploads. Oh no. Did I just tread onto the big e-book controversy? Sorry! *steps back quickly, head down, eye averted*
***How am I suppose to do this? Beats me, but I'm going to try.
****Hopefully bigger words will be used correctly, but I doubt that would be the case.
****Of course, that would leave me with very little to talk about.
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