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So You Want To Read YA?: Guest Post by Laura Arnold

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This week’s “So You Want to Read YA?” comes from one of my friends from college who has made a name for herself in the book world, Laura Arnold. 
                                                                                                       Laura Arnold is a senior editor at Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.                                                                                                             
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I was chatting with my YA editor colleagues about the task of writing this blog post, and the more we tossed around titles, the more we became panicked. So many good books! Where do you start? Where do you even think of starting? So I decided to look at a few distinct categories…and my choices flowed quickly from there.

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Start with the beginning: When I think of the origin of “young adult literature,” my brain jumps instinctively to The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1967) and I Am the Cheese by Robert Cormier (1977). To suggest that these novels and these alone are the beginning of YA is an entirely unscholarly remark, of course (also, sacrilegious in that I’ve omitted Judy Blume). Yet, read today, each of these stories crackles with the same pent-up energy with which they electrified readers decades ago.

 

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Start with the bestsellers: First it was Twilight. Then it was The Hunger Games. Right now I think it might be John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. I can’t get on the subway without witnessing an adult absorbed in one of these YA smash hits. These books aren’t bestsellers just because of their marketing campaigns. Their success speaks to one element above all: passionate word of mouth.



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Start with the perennials: Two titles spring to mind for me here as books that will never stop being talked about: Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher, and The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. Conceptually they’re quite different, though both seemingly dark. Thirteen Reasons Why is about teen suicide, The Book Thief about the Holocaust. Yet each is powerful, unforgettable and, ultimately, life-affirming.
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Or start with the fun: Maybe you just want to kick off your shoes and curl up with something ridiculously enjoyable. What’s your poison? Werewolves? Try Shiver or Nightshade. Angels? Allow me to plug Immortal City (which, full disclosure, I edited). Fantasy? How about Graceling? Doctor Who fan? You’ll love Across the Universe. Rom-com? Float up into the more thoughtful world of Sarah Dessen.
The point is, YA has something for everyone, young adult or not. There’s a rich trove waiting to be discovered. Dig in, and enjoy!

So You Want to Read YA?: Guest Post from Liz Burns

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This week’s “So You Want To Read YA?” post comes from one of my favorite bloggers, Liz Burns. Here’s how she defines herself:
I blog about young adult books, TV, and other things that capture my fancy at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy over at School Library Journal. My favorite book is Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta and my favorite TV series is Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I have also been known to enjoy House Hunters International (what’s with the granite countertop obsession?) and live-tweeting shows like Toddlers & Tiaras and 19 Kids & Counting. Liz tweets @LizB. 

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“There weren’t any YA books when I was growing up!”
Yes, there were.
Maybe your local library didn’t have the books, or didn’t shelve them in a way that was easy to find.
Maybe your bookstore didn’t carry the title.
But they were there.
For those who want to take a look at what some of those books may have been, start with Lizzie Skurnick’s Shelf Discovery: The Teen Classics We Never Stopped Reading. I’d also point out two personal favorite authors: Ellen Emerson White and Norma Johnston.
What’s different about today’s YA books? There are more. They are easier to find. There is less shaming with reading YA (that is, less people telling thirteen year olds, implicitly or explicitly, that smart kids skip to adult books and don’t read those YA books). It’s easier to find YA books for older teens. Publishers are more aware that the over-sixteen crowd, in addition to reading adult books that show the world they are part of, also want books that reflect their lives and fears, hopes and dreams. 
 
So, where to start with YA? To be honest, the books I recommend may be ones that you read and then say, “wait, what? That’s YA? But, well, that’s just a good book that happens to have a teenager as a main character.” Exactly; trying to define YA is actually pretty difficult. Name any factor – teen main character, character growth, coming of age – and you’ll also be able to name an adult book with those factors, also. Name any factor exclusive to adult books – sex, drugs, rock’n’roll – and you’ll quickly find a YA book about those things. It may be a bit of a cop out, but my definition right now is a YA book is a book that has been published YA. Once that simple matter of publication classification is out of the way, does it really matter? What matters is, is it a good story? Is it one I’ll like? Is there something in there I’ll connect with?
So here are the top books and authors I recommend starting with:
Sometimes a good book into YA is one with older characters: try The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta. Marchetta is brilliant at writing about real life: messy lives, the complications of family, the love between family and friends. Tom has dropped out of university, disconnected from old friends, ignored his family. When he has no place else to go, he moves in with his Aunt Georgie, who has her own problems to deal with. Tom and Georgie’s world was ripped apart by the death of Tom’s Uncle Joe, Georgie’s younger brother. In the years since his death, both spiraled into isolation and grief, and now, together, they are ready to accept that they can have a future with happiness and not betray the loss they suffered.
OK. Sounds like all YA is serious stuff. Hardly! Spend some time with Ruby Oliver, introduced in Ruby Oliver was first introduced to the world in The Boyfriend List (15 guys, 11 shrink appointments, 4 ceramic frogs and me, Ruby Oliver) by E. Lockhart. Ruby is trying to manage high school, boyfriends, best friends, ex-best friends, ex-boyfriends (and the complication of ex-best friends dating ex-boyfriends) and panic attacks brought on by the stress of it all. Ruby is funny, wry, smart, and OK, maybe a bit boy crazy at times, but hey, who hasn’t been?
Another way into YA is to read present day YA set in a time when the reader was a teen. One of this year’s best books is The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth. It’s a coming of age story set in the late 1980s/early 1990s in Montana. Cameron’s parents died the same day she kissed a girl, and those two things become linked; she explores her sexuality in a time and a place where being gay is neither cool nor popular nor accepted, and when her religious aunt finds out about Cam she sends Cam to a religious school to be “fixed.”
Sometimes, YA is called a “genre” and I’m not a fan of that term because I tend to think of genre as things like mystery, horror, or fantasy. YA includes all those genres, and what better way to get into YA than to find something in a genre you already read?
 
If you like fantasy (especially that of the Games of Thrones variety), read Megan Whalen Turner’s The Thief series, starting with The Thief. Gen is a master thief, in prison not because he was caught stealing the King’s seal but because he was arrogant enough to boast about it publicly. Now he’s offered a deal: help the King’s Magus steal something valuable from another country, get out of jail. Gen says yes, trying to figure out how to make this unlikely offer work for him. Gen finds himself in the middle of three countries on the edge of war; this series is full of politics, fights, battles, and, best of all, The Thief, Gen who is exactly what he says he is – and nothing like he says he is. Once you’ve read through this series, turn to Melina Marchetta’s Lumatere books, starting with Finnikin of the Rock, about exiles trying to recover their country in a world with few allies and fewer resources.
What about horror? Look no further than the Monstrumologist series by Rick Yancey. The Monstrumologist is about horror without vampires or werewolves; it’s set in the 19th century and follows young Will Henry and his mentor/guardian, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, a “monstrumologist” who seriously studies those creatures others call “monsters”. The problem with studying monsters is, well, they are monsters: the bodies pile up and it’s not pretty. The Monstrumologist series is Stephen King by way of H.P. Lovecraft, and after reading these books you’ll be sleeping with the doors locked and the lights on.
Some like their horror to have more of a supernatural thrill; try Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma. Chloe left town two years ago, following the accidental drowning of a classmate. Chloe’s older sister, the irresistible Ruby, convinces Chloe to return home. Guess who shows up at a party? How can a dead girl still be alive? Does Ruby know? What is going on?
More a fan of literary fiction? YA has that, also. Each year, YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Assocation) awards the Michael L. Printz Award to the best book written for teens. The entire basis for this award is literary merit. This year, the Printz went to Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley. Some things don’t come back; like Cullen’s cousin Oslo, dead from an overdose. Some things may come back, like the woodpecker that people believed was extinct until one self-important and pr-savvy professor came to town. In the town of Lily, Arkansas, eager, dream filled teens leave town, sure of bigger and better things that await them, and return because of heart break or sick parents or accidents. Lily, where things come back . . . . sometimes. Will Cullen’s missing younger brother be one of those things that come back?
Disclaimer: a few years back, I was on the Printz committee. The book we selected? Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. It is a brilliant book, with multiple narratives, heartbreak, hope, and love. I’ll share the blurb the committee put together for it: “Haunted by the past,Taylor Markham reluctantly leads the students of the Jellicoe School in their secret territory wars against the Townies and the Cadets. Marchetta’s lyrical writing evokes the Australian landscape in a suspenseful tale of raw emotion, romance, humor and tragedy.”
I would go on and on, but I suspect Kelly is already saying “enough! We don’t want a tl:dr post!” But trust me… once you try out these books, you’ll want more!

So You Want To Read YA?: Guest Post from Kathleen Peacock (author of Hemlock)

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This week’s “So You Wanna Read YA?” post comes to us from Kathleen Peacock.

Kathleen spent most of her teen years writing short stories. She put her writing dreams on hold while attending college but rediscovered them when office life started leaving her with an allergy to cubicles. You can learn more about her on her website at www.kathleenpeacock.com or follow her on Twitter @kathleenpeacock. 


Without further ado, let’s date some YA books, shall we?

Trying any new genre is a bit like jumping into the dating pool: you cautiously wade in, make a few missed connections, and wonder if you’ll ever find “the one.” And that’s all it usually takes. Once you click with one book, the whole genre seems less intimidating and becomes an awesome all-you-can-eat buffet.
(I realize I’m mixing metaphors. Just roll with it.)
To help you make a love connection with the YA title of your dreams (see? we’re back to dating), I’ve taken three books that I frequently thrust upon non-YA readers and written online dating profiles for each.
Do any strike your fancy? If so, you can pick up the lucky book(s) at your local library or bookstore. Try taking them out for coffee and see where things go.

Nickname: A_Great_Perhaps  
Real Name: Looking for Alaska
Pick up line: “I’d finally had enough of chasing after a ghost who did not want to be discovered.”
My perfect date: A small coffee shop filled with misunderstood people and corduroy.
My friends would describe me as: Shy and a little too earnest for my own good but my crooked grin and combination of innocence and smarts makes people fall hard and fast.
About Me: There’s no point in denying it: I’ve got a thing for manic pixie dream girls. If you’re misunderstood and angry yet adorable, let’s hang out.  Self-destructive girls and thoughtful guys please do apply. And remember: a bazillion nerdfighters can’t be wrong.
I’m perfect for you if you like: That blond girl in Almost Famous, thoughtful, self-deprecating guys, getting your heart ripped out in the best possible way

Nickname: TheGirlOnFire  
Real Name: The Hunger Games
Pick up line: “May the odds be ever in your favor!”
My perfect date: Hunting. I’ll shoot a squirrel. You cook it.
My friends would describe me as: I actually only have one friend. He’s short on words but good at setting snares.
About Me: I’m only here because the Capitol thought my life wasn’t hellish enough and signed me up for online dating.
I’m perfect for you if you like: Lots of action, Survivor, doomed romances with a body count, commentaries on reality TV, voyeurism, and consumerism

Nickname: ItsNotAll$andc@stlesAndN!njas  
Real Name: Going Bovine
Pick up line: “Someone needs to push the reset button on this planet.”
My perfect date: Trying to track down an obscure band which may or may not exist. Or hooking up with punk rock angels. I’m not picky.
My friends would describe me as: My friends are a hypochondriac and a garden gnome. Both may or may not actually exist outside my mind. Either way, you don’t want to know how they’d describe me.
About Me: I’ll never make sense and you’ll love me that way.
I’m perfect for you if you like: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, that claymation episode of Community, movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Stranger than Fiction, conversations that make no sense.

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 Kathleen Peacock’s debut novel Hemlock will be published by HarperCollins May 8. Hemlock follows high school senior Mackenzie as she attempts to solve the mystery of her best friend’s murder in a town affected by the werewolf virus (description via WorldCat).
Because Kathleen has a soft spot for libraries, she’s got a great give away going on now for librarians. Check out this blog post for the easy details on how you could win one of two pre-orders of Hemlock. 

Guest Review: Paul Stenis on The Fourth Stall, Part II

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Last year, Paul Stenis — a fellow Texas library school alum and kid lit writer — stopped by to write up a review of Chris Rylander’s middle grade novel The Fourth Stall. When we were asked if we’d be interested in reviewing the sequel, of course we had to go back to Paul and ask if he’d offer up his thoughts. He agreed! Without further ado, we welcome Paul back to talk about The Fourth Stall, Part II.

Chris Rylander’s sequel to The Fourth Stall, the aptly titled The Fourth Stall Part II, is a worthy successor to the original. Young readers again hang out in the head of Christian “Mac” Barrett, wily sixth grader, expert problem solver, and comic genius. This time Mac faces problems with more severe consequences, but the sense of humor is the same.

The novel opens when Trixie Von Parkway, a pretty, sharp-witted eighth-grade girl marches into Mac’s office in the fourth stall of the abandoned school bathroom. Not only is she demanding and kind of mean, she has a pretty big problem. One of the new teachers, Mr. Kjelson, always chews her out and gives her detention for no reason, and Trixie wants it to stop. Mac and Vince agree to take the case only to learn that 1) Mr. Kjelson is beloved to his students, 2) he loves their favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, and 3) he coaches the school baseball team. The very same baseball team that Mac and Vince are trying out for.

If that weren’t enough, a new school administrator gets wind of Mac’s business and makes it his personal mission to take it down. Trixie’s stories no longer seem to add up, even as Mac and Vince find themselves competing for her attention. Could a dame like her come between our favorite pair of die- hard Cubs fans?

I found this review difficult to write because this book is so similar to its predecessor. Because of that, rather than in spite of it, I enjoyed this book just as much. I imagine that other readers will agree that the central joke—a sixth grader in a Godfather-type role, speaking with a Godfather-like voice doesn’t wear thin. Rather than returning to the well for the same jokes, Rylander grounds his humor in fresh situations, and that keeps both Mac and the reader on their toes.

If I have a complaint, it’s that Mac makes a poor decision in this book, a decision that leads to consequences that could have been more fully explored. I’m being vague to avoid spoilers, yes, but I think any discerning reader will do a double take and think, “Wait a minute. Mac wouldn’t do that.” It’s one of the only times in either book that Mac makes a mistake, so it feels like a missed opportunity when he’s let off the hook with only a few harsh words. On the other hand, maybe we’re seeing a new side to Mac’s personality—a side that Rylander can explore in a third installment. I hope so.

Review copy received from the publisher. The Fourth Stall: Part II is available now!

Guest Post: Lynne Kelly on her collection

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The last guest post in our 12 days of the Class of 2k12 comes from Lynne Kelly (Chained, FSG, May). She’s here to talk about her collection — and it’s one that shouldn’t surprise you too much!
I’ve always loved elephants, but I wasn’t until I was writing CHAINED that I started hoarding collecting them. They sit on the writing desk as inspiration. Certainly I have enough, but it seems like I always find another one that really, really wants me to take it home.
Here’s one of the more recent additions, from an Etsy seller in Greece:


Adorable, isn’t he? And he looks great with the rest of the family:

I should introduce the rest of the herd:
  • The dark wooden one I found on eBay
  • Horton, of course
  • In the back is a leather bank from Bookpeople in Austin
  • The light-colored figure is from a shop in Hawaii where the little shop owner nearly tackled my mom when she tried to leave without buying anything
  • The set in front are metal, from the Chautauqua bookstore when I was there for the Highlights Institute in 2008
  • And the round metal thing is an elephant bell, also from eBay.
That’s not even the entire collection–there’s also a wooden mother and baby, and a wooden elephant bell I ordered when I was writing a scene for CHAINED in which a character carves one. (So that one was really necessary, wasn’t it? It’s research!)
And I have enablers. Sometimes people who know I love elephants will pick up elephant things for me…

…and people love to tell me about cute elephant things they’ve seen, and of course I have to check them out and maybe buy them.

I can stop anytime I want, really.