Young Adult Fiction: Age Appropriate?

Since I write young adult fiction, I read a lot of YA and middle grade novels. I also check out reviews from readers to see what types of things my target audience likes and dislikes. I was recently shocked when I read a review on Goodreads in which a woman complained that the MG book, Alice In Blunderland, is too mature for readers younger than 13.

Alice In Blunderland is about a 9-year-old girl and her adventures in the 4th grade. Her activities throughout the book (and there are some minor spoilers here, if you consider them such) include her getting stuck in a snow cave and playing an innocent game of Tarzan with the boy next door (Alice wants him to give her a little kiss, but is too shy to let him actually do anything). If this book were a movie, it would be rated G. Actually, it's so wholesome, it would probably be rated "W."

I thought for a while about what could possibly have put this reader on alert and it finally occured to me: the word "penis" is used a couple of times. But it's not like she and her guy friend were playing doctor or anything like that; "Penis" is mentioned in a scene where Alice's 4th grade teacher tells the class that he and his wife are expecting a baby boy -- and then shows them a scan of the Ultrasound.

Really, a 10-12-year-old shouldn't be allowed to read about or know the name of a male body part? I do think that many of the Alice books are a bit mature for tweens because there are very frank discussions of sex and sexual bodily functions, but in this instance the discussion was about a fetus! I'm sorry, but I just think that banning this book from tween readers is ridiculously alarmist.

I do think that parents should be aware of what their kids are reading and I do think that what's appropriate for a certain kid at a certain age may not be for another. Some 13-year-olds are mature enough to handle something like Twilight or The Hunger Games, but others are still reading Ramona books. Parents should be comfortable with their children's reading material and it's really up to them to decide what this is.

Still, I don't think that YA and MG authors should have to water down their stories to make them 100 percent wholesome, either. I've seen negative reviews of certain Judy Blume books, including Just As Long As We're Together, which again, is about as innocent as you can get. The reason for the negativity? Because the teens in the book talk about getting their periods and sex. These are TEENS. Of course, they're going to talk about sex. Do I think that including a lurid sex scene in a MG novel is appropriate? No way. If I had to give a movie grade to say, the GOSSIP GIRL series, I'd tell moms that it's PG-13/R, definitely intended for older teens/young adults. But I don't see the harm in a 12 or 13-year-old girl reading a story about 12/13-year-old girls who worry about the same things that she probably does -- like when she's going to get her period. For the record, I learned about periods from Judy Blume's Are You There God? It's Me Margaret... which I first read when I was nine. My parents didn't freak out; my mom simply used my questions about the story to give me some female information. For the record, I'd say that BAND GEEK is PG-13 because my characters say some swear words and there is a heavy makeout scene. This is why I list it as YA and not middle grade.

Like I said, I do think that there are certain discussions that are appropriate for certain ages, and I strongly encourage parents to keep track of their kids' reading/TV and movie viewing, etc. But I do think that some people are a little overly sensitive about what belongs or doesn't belong in MG/YA literature. We may want to keep our kids young -- if I had my way, my 5-year-old niece would stay little and innocent forever! -- but they're going to grow up and learn about life, no matter how much you try to prevent it. Wouldn't you prefer to have a good book prompt a talk than for them to get their information on the street?

Please read and review my YA novel REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.

Young Adult Books: Some Great Books For Teens

I'v always been an avid reader. I'm also a very fast reader. That comes from having been a journalist for so long. When you're working against a deadline, you don't have time to waste when it comes to doing research. So I've learned to plow through articles, books, newspapers, etc. very quickly.

That said, I average about three books a week. I was against ereaders at first because I do like the feel of physically holding a book in my hands. However, I love my Kindle because if I crave a book, I can download it right away and have it in my library. Plus, it saves a lot of space. My husband has a bad habit of leaving stacks of books all over the house. A good chunk of my books are now on my laptop.

I love to read all different types of genres -- horror, women's fiction, historical fiction. I also adore young adult books. I read plenty of these, partially because as a YA writer myself, I believe that it's my job to do so... but I really do enjoy teen literature when it's written well. As I said earlier in this blog, I like coming-of-age stories and the idea of characters experiencing things for the first time.

There are many, many wonderful YA books out there, but here are a few recent ones that I've read and think are worth checking out:

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver: This follows a day in the life on a mean girl on her last day alive before she's killed in a car accident. She then gets six more chances to live out that day, Groundhog Day-style, before making things right. At first, the character is rather unlikeable, but by Day 7, you're really rooting for her and praying for her to somehow stay alive. Each section is one (repeated) day; it's just a very fast-paced and intriguing story.

Farsighted by Emlyn Chand: This is the first in a series about a group of teens with special powers. That's been done before, but what's interesting about Chand's tale is that the lead character, who is able to "see" the future, is blind. What I also love about this story is that it's very character-driven. There is a lot of action, but a big portion of the book centers on the narrator's relationship with his father and love interest. It's a very well-writtern, realistic tale, which is quite a feat considering the fact that it's paranormal.

The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot: This series has been around for a while, but is one of my faves. It centers around Suze, a "mediator," who can see the dead and her love interest, Jesse, who's a ghost. Suze is a kick-ass narrator and heroine and Jesse is hot and sweet. Their romance takes time to develop and they make a great team. Meg Cabot's written many wonderful books over the years, but this series in her best, in my opinion.

Just As Long As We're Together by Judy Blume: This one's an oldie, but goody! I think I feel a special connection to it because it came out in 1987, when I was 13, and the characters were 13. Also, the narrator Stephanie's birthday is February 2 and mine is February 3... which would mean that if she were alive, she'd be a day older than me. But I digress. Though the book is 25 years old, the story itself it still very modern. It's basically about Steph's life as she drifts away from her old best friend, Rachel, and becomes close with a new best friend, Alison. Meanwhile, Stephanie also deals with her parents' divorce and her first crush. It's a very simple, sweet family/friendship drama, but this is something that we can all relate to, regardless of our ages. Still, I do laugh whenever they talk about old tech things like the idea of computers being a novelty. This also makes me feel very old!

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky: I finally read this fabulous book this year, right before Jon and I went to see the movie. Both were great, but the book is slightly better. This was seriously one of the best teen novels I've ever read. It follows the life of Charlie as he deals with his freshman year of high school. He tells his story through letters to a never-named "friend" and the book reads like a journal. Charlie is hardly perfect, but is basically a sweet, good kid who's just trying to fit into the world and find his place in it. The story is raw and heartbreaking at points and you'll be thinking about it long after you're finished reading.

I could go on and on with recommendations, but I'm going to save more books for another blog entry. Meanwhile, please check out and review my book REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.