YA+Lit-a+historical+perspective



 **Young Adult Literature: a brief history and a few observations** Karen Hedgecorth Middle/High School Librarian Boyd Buchanan School Nov. 10, 2008
   Two frequently cited examples as the first books written specifically for American adolescents are Henry Felsen’s //Hot Rod// (1950) and Maureen Daly’s //17th Summer// (1942)//. //Typical for these early young adult titles, boys were boys with their interests in cars and sports, and girls were girls with their concerns for dates and dances. Most of their world in this literature was limited to home and school, and the plots dealt with the challenges the teen protagonists faced in a white-middle-class environment. Although often a little “preachy,” they still were very popular (Daly’s book had 45 editions by 1982) and created characters with whom teen readers could identify. These books reflect the first time that teens were seen as having social and psychological needs separate from children.  Something else happened during the post-war era to aid in the creation of young adult lit. A few provocative (could we say “edgy”) adult titles found an immense audience with young people: J. D. Salinger’s //Catcher in the Rye (1951);// William Golding’s //Lord of the Flies (1954),// and John Knowles’s //A Separate Peace (1959). //All possessed coming-of-age themes, youthful protagonists, and more mature conflict. All were/still are popular.  Jack Forman in //Children’s Books and Their Creators// notes, however, three books published in 1967 and 1968 as actually establishing the genre called Young Adult Literature: //The Outsiders (//Hinton), Paul Zindel’s //The Pigman// and Robert Lipsyte’s //The Contender. //Teenagers of the 60s had heard but more importantly seen a president assassinated, knew of struggles for integration, had brothers in the Vietnam War, listened to a new kind of music and realized the stories of post WWII were not about where they were as teenagers. These three titles moved beyond a white, protestant middle-class-world. Other popular titles such as //Bless the Beasts and the Children// and //Go Ask Alice// soon followed.  The YA genre suffered some ups and downs during the 80s which saw the introduction of successful series such as Sweet Valley High (a backlash to some “edgier” non-series titles such as Cormier’s //I Am the Cheese)// to the 90s where the genre turned to problem and solution stories—think chapter one, dad is an alcoholic, and as the last page is turned, he is happily entering rehab. Along the way came several books about a young lad named Harry and even others by more adult writers such as James Patterson and Alice Hoffman. As 2008 moves toward a conclusion, the genre is more popular than ever. Indeed, from 1995 to 2004, book sales in the YA market grew 86.9% to $444.4 million.  In particular today, an important issue is the “edgy” nature of many of the new titles. Yes, YA authors have often stretched the boundaries into unexplored territory; that was part of its allure. But often it was just a title or two that was under the microscope in a year’s time. Today, literally hundreds of titles could be judged “edgy.” Not having or finding any easy answers, the following are observations (in no real order) gleaned from reading on the topic.     
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Observation: **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> There appear to be **two** distinct areas of books in YA lit. **One** is the emergence of the series that are not concerned with/about literary value. These books are churned out at a quick pace for a lot of dollars. The most popular titles currently being //The Gossip Girls, The Clique, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants// and //The A-List,// all products from Alloy Entertainment. These books are largely controversial for the value system they portray. It is good to be a “mean, bad girl” who gets her way. It is harder to “stay” at the top than “get to” the top, so there is a constant angst. Parents are usually “checked out” and have no morals. Sex without consequences is a way of living. Name brands are everything, and pop culture references abound. These books have also generated enough of an audience to be made into TV series and movies. The **second** type YA book is the solo title produced by a young adult author that is written with more literary value. These may have been written by those who wish these kinds of books had been around when they were teens. These titles might even contend for awards. Despite the literary aspirations, however, there appears to be no topic off limits. Characters may experiment with drugs, be confused about their sexual orientation, gender, role in society. They may have pre-marital sex, oral sex, use words that can’t be said on the airways, practice self-mutilation, associate with vampires, think of suicide, murder, and then on a good day, they die.
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Observation: **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> There are no industry guidelines for who should be/not be reading these books. Originally, YA books were labeled such because they were free of sex, drugs, abuse, etc. Those topics were saved for adult fiction. That is no longer the case. Who exactly is a young adult? In the early 90s, the young adult was thought more to be a middle schooler. The age range has broadened, however. Now it is not unusual to see books marked for 12+ which can mean into early 20s . As one parent has put it, “Would you want your sixth grader hanging out with a college student? Well, their books do.” Michael Cart, a columnist and reviewer for //Booklist,// thinks books might need a three level system for age appropriateness: YA for college students; teen for high school, and another designation for those 11-14 which he leaves unnamed. Frequently, the same book title will be promoted for a YA audience as well as for adults. YA writer Francesca Lia Block (//Weetzie Bat)// calls these “x-over” books because they cross over traditional boundaries that existed between YA and adult. Often they will use different covers, but the content is the same, and they will be shelved in both YA and adult.
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Observation **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">: This is BIG business and lots of publishers/authors are jumping on the bandwagon. Several publishers are starting imprints for just this genre including Penquin’s Razorbill and Simon and Schuster’s Pulse. These divisions are not afraid to push boundaries, and, indeed, they know what increases sales. MTV is getting into the book publishing business. Book stores are adding more shelves for the cause (typically 74 at B&N for YA) and are dividing it into fantasy, graphic novels, chick lit, poetry, and non-fiction.
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Observation: **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> This appears to be driven by a female readership. Even though some publishers thought the huge success of //Harry Potter// might turn the tide for male readership, the people buying most of this literature are young women. Specialists in the field say males are spending their time with video-type games and the internet. They are very happy that most young women have preferred reading instead. Young women also tend to move to crossover books—those written for the adult but of interest to teens as well, and, therefore, remain as solid customers.
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Observation: **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> The taboo subjects—faith, God and religion. Of thousands of books published last year, only a few dozen were on topics of faith. Is this saying such topics are not important? Based on a Gallop poll of 1998, 34% of teens said religion was the most important influence in their life. The publication numbers do not seem to reflect religion’s importance.

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 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Observation: **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> There are some critics as might be expected. ALA reports there were 458 book challenges in 2003 and 547 in 2004, and those numbers are rising each year. The “at least they are reading” argument often given by publishers is met with those who say “garbage in, garbage out,” and there are fears that pornography is being slipped in without their parent’s knowledge, and young girls are becoming desensitized regarding appropriate sexual standards. Organizations such as Parents Against Bad Books in School (PABBIS) are working to educate on the issue. Some such as Dan Daily, publisher of children’s book review journal //Five Owls,// sees the reality trend as troublesome. He sees a lack of wisdom in these titles and that too often the reader is left seeing how awful the world is and not given any hope for a solution. Naomi Wolf, writing for the NY Times, sees the overall value system being taught by these books as a bigger issue than the sex. Michael Cart argues this censorship is the result of a fundamentalist/evangelical backlash, and Judy Blume worries not only about the books that have been written that are being challenged but also about those that will NEVER be written because of fear of censorship.
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 105%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Observation with a sense of summary: **  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 105%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">There are several reasons these books appear to be so popular and edgy. (1) Publishers are working hard to “lure” teens with edgy plots and characters—especially through their series titles. Those such as Alloy Entertainment employ a staff whose main job is to research what’s hot in the teen world, and then they make sure a book is written incorporating this world. They use “hooks” to appeal, package them in a sleek cover, turn them out quickly, and if all goes well, it is made into a movie or TV series. Teens are not embarrassed to be seen carrying these books around. They are a part of pop culture. It is cool to be seen reading them. (2) Millenials (ages 10-22) are second in size to baby boomers—31 million plus with large disposable incomes ($170 billion annually!) to be spent on movies, music, and books. (3) Teens see books as a mirror into their problems or problems of teens in general. They believe the books broaden the reader’s outlook and make them less apathetic to the problems in the world. Authors, especially of the more literary YA titles, are saying “we know you are experiencing these things. We trust you enough to tell you the truth.” Also, often these same topics/language are seen on TV, and in movies with sexual content but without the context a book can provide. Movies rated PG-13 today might well have been R rated earlier. Lives of those over 30 are barely recognizable to lives of kids today in the way they approach sex, drugs, alcohol, or parental attention. Most would say the time spent reading an edgy teen book is no more harmful than watching an episode of //Desperate Housewives.// (4) The books provide teens with a few hours of inexpensive ($5.00-$7.00) much needed escape.

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">**Works Consulted** <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Barbara, Stephen. "The Hollywood Effect: what's a YA author to do when book packagers seem to create all the hits?" 15 Jan. 2007. Publishers Weekly. 28 Aug. 2008 < <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/ca6407291.html <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">>. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Campbell, Kim. "The Last Taboo." __Christian Science Monitor__ 15 Feb. 2001: 15. Points of View Reference Center. BBS Library, Chattanooga. 28 Aug. 2001 < <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">http://search.ebscohost.com/ <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">>. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Cart, Michael. "Carte Blanche: controversial topics in young adult literature are being treated with greater candor." __Booklist__ 15 Sept. 1999: 248. 15 Sept. 1999. __General OneFile__. InfoTrac. BBS Library, Chattanooga. 16 Oct. 2008. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">"Controversial and Challenged Books in Schools." PABBIS (Parents Against Bad Books in Schools). 18 Sept. 2008 <http://www.pabbis.com>. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Forman, Jack. "Young Adult Novels." __Children's Books and Their Creators__. Ed. Anita Silvey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1995. 703-06. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">George, Lianne. "In Defence of Mean-girl Books." __Maclean's__ 15 Oct. 2007: 106-+. Points of View Reference Center. BBS Library, Chattanooga. 28 Aug. 2008 <http://search.ebscohost.com/>. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Goodnow, Cecelia. "Is Young-adult Fare Too Mature for Some of Its Readers?" __Seattle Post-Intelligencer__ 7 Mar. 2007. 8 Aug. 2008 <http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/books/306478_teenlitsplit08.html>. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Haegele, Katie. "Grown-ups Turning to Teen Books: genre defies easy definition, and tidy endings have an appeal." __The Philadelphia Inquirer__ 24 Aug. 2006. 24 Aug. 2006. __Points of View Reference Center__. BBS Library, Chattanooga. 8 Aug. 2008. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Hutkin, Erinn. "Who Says Teens Don't Read?: teens say they're attracted to the printed word because today's literature honestly reflects their lives." __Roanoke Times__ 23 Oct. 2007. 23 Oct. 2008. __Points of View Reference__ __Center__. Ebscohost. BBS Library, Chattanooga. 28 Aug. 2008. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Lindgren, Merri V., and Megan Schliesman. "Edgy Young Adult Books: examining boundaries in literature for teens." __CCBC: a Library of the School of Education__. University of Wisconsin-Madison. 8 Aug. 2008 <http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detaillistbooks.asp?idbooklists=127>. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Mondor, Colleen. "Naomi Wolf Needs a Life." __Chasing Ray__. 12 Mar. 2006. 4 Sept. 2008 <http://www.chasingray.com/archives/2006/03/naomi_wolf_needs_a_life.html>. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Padgett, Tania. "Page Burners: sex and the teenage girl." __Newsday__ 04 Apr. 2006. 04 Apr. 2006. __Points of View__ __Reference Center__. Ebscohost. BBS Library, Chattanooga. 28 Aug. 2008. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Pearse, Emma. "Younger Readers Face New Adventures in Censorship." __Women's e news__. 4 Apr. 2005. 16 Oct. 2008. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Shrieves, Linda. "The Gossip Girl Book Series Is the Latest Installment in Provocative Teen Fiction, and It's as Popular as It Is Controversial." __The Orlando Sentinel__ 26 July 2005. Points of View Reference Center. BBS Library, Chattanooga. 28 Aug. 2008 <http://searchebscohost.com/>. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Simon, Scott. "Analysis: new edgier trend in young-adult literature." __Weekend Edition Saturday (NPR)__. 4 Jan. 2003. __Point of View Reference Center__. BBS Library, Chattanooga. 28 Aug. 2008 <[|http://http://search.ebscohost.com/]>. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Stone, Tanya L. "Now and Forever: the power of sex in young adult literature." __Authortalk__. Feb. 2006. VOYA. 12 Sept. 2008 <[|http://www.voya.com]>. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Wolf, Naomi. "Young Adult Fiction: wild things." 12 Mar. 2008. New York Times. 4 Sept. 2008 <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/books/review/12wolf.html>. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">