Young adult literature
Young adult literature (YA) is literature, most often including novels, written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age.[1][2] The term YA was first used regularly in the 1960s in the United States. The YA category includes most of the genres found in adult fiction, with themes that include friendship, drugs and alcohol, and sexual and gender identity.[3] Stories that focus on the challenges of youth may be categorized as problem novels or coming-of-age novels.
"Juvenile fiction" redirects here. For children's fiction, see children's literature.The designation of young adult literature was originally developed by librarians to help teenagers make the transition between children's and adult literature,[4] following the recognition, around World War II, of teenagers as a distinct group of young people. While the genre is targeted at adolescents, a 2012 study found that 55% of YA purchases were made by adults.[5]
Author and academic Michael Cart states that the term young adult literature "first found common usage in the late 1960's, in reference to realistic fiction that was set in the real (as opposed to imagined), contemporary world and addressed problems, issues, and life circumstances of interest to young readers aged approximately 12–18". However, "The term 'young adult literature' is inherently amorphous, for its constituent terms “young adult” and “literature” are dynamic, changing as culture and society — which provide their context — change",[6] and "even those who study and teach it have not reached a consensus on a definition".[7]
Victor Malo-Juvera, Crag Hill, in "The Young Adult Canon : A Literary Solar System" note that in 2019 there was no consensus on a definition of young adult literature and list a number of definitions, including:[8]
Themes[edit]
Many young adult novels feature coming-of-age stories. These feature adolescents beginning to transform into adults, working through personal problems, and learning to take responsibility for their actions.[71] YA serves many literary purposes. It provides a pleasurable reading experience for young people, emphasizing real-life experiences and problems in easier-to-grasp ways, and depicts societal functions.[71]
An analysis of YA novels between 1980 and 2000 found seventeen expansive literary themes. The most common of these were friendship, getting into trouble, romantic and sexual interest, and family life.[3] Other common thematic elements revolve around the coming-of-age nature of the texts. This includes narratives about self-identity, life and death, and individuality.[72]
YA has been integrated into classrooms to increase student interest in reading. Studies have shown that YA can be beneficial in classroom settings.[101] YA fiction is written for adolescents and some believe it to be more relevant to students' social and emotional needs instead of classic literature.[102] Use of YA in classrooms is linked to:[103]
Students who read YA are more likely to appreciate literature and have stronger reading skills than others.[102] YA also allows teachers to talk about "taboo" or difficult topics with their students. For example, a 2014 study shows that using Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Speak aided in discussions on consent and complicity. Those who read about tough situations like date rape are more emotionally prepared to handle the situation if it arises.[103] It is important to use diverse literature in the classroom, especially in discussing taboo topics, to avoid excluding minority students.[103]
Literature written for young adults can also be used as a stepping stone to canonical works that are traditionally read in classrooms, and required by many school curriculums. In Building a Culture of Readers: YA Literature and the Canon by Kara Lycke, Lycke suggests pairing young adult literature and canon works to prepare young adults to understand the classic literature they will encounter.[104] YA can provide familiar and less alienating examples of similar concepts than those in classic literature.[102] Suggested pairings include Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series with the Iliad or the Odyssey, or Stephenie Meyer's Twilight with Wuthering Heights. When discussing identity, Lycke suggests pairing Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter with Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.[104]
Criticism[edit]
Political content[edit]
The trend to include same-sex relationships and gendered identity issues in young adult fiction has caused considerable controversy. Conservative activists and religious groups have also criticized young adult fiction for violence, explicit sexual content, obscene language, and suicide.[105] Speculative young adult fiction is sometimes targeted by critics for religious reasons, including religious debates over the Harry Potter series[106][107] and Philip Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials.[108][109] Criticism has also been leveled at young adult fiction authors for alleged insensitivity to marginalized communities or cultural appropriation.[110]