Young Adult Literature

ONE timeless and overriding QUESTION

applies to all Young Adult Literature  (YAL)

and adolescent readers ages 12 - 18 . . .

Who Am I?

Who am I as a human being?

Who am I in relationships? With friends, with family?

Who am I as a member of society?

Who am I as a citizen of this planet? As a being in the Universe?

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The Red-Lettered, 7 Characteristics of the 

Best Modern Literature for Young Adults

Characteristic 1: Young authors write from the viewpoint of young people.

Characteristic 2: “Please, Mother, I want the credit!”

Characteristic 3: YAL is fast-paced

Characteristic 4: YAL includes a variety of genres and subjects

Characteristic 5: YAL includes stories and characters from many different ethnic and cultural groups

Characteristic 6: Young adult books are basically optimistic, with characters making worthy accomplishments

Characteristic 7: Successful young adult novels deal with emotions that are important to young adults

In the spirit of the Bill of Rights, Daniel Pennac penned The Reader's Bill of Rights in his 1996 book, Better Than Life.

Daniel Pennac's

Reader's Bill of Rights

 

Readers have:

• The right to not read.
• The right to skip pages.
• The right not to finish.
• The right to reread.
• The right to read anything.
• The right to escapism.
• The right to read anywhere.
• The right to browse.
• The right to read out loud.
• The right not to defend your tastes
 

 

Literary Merit

Literature represents a vicarious route to experiencing the world. Adolescence is a time of questioning, experimenting, testing new boundaries. Books offer a safer route to grappling with life experiences. It is a developmental necessity for adolescents to have exposure to the harsher emotional and situational realities presented through literature as a preparation for successful functioning as an adult.


Literature must be assessed against the framework of developmental hallmarks for adolescence.

I. Unifying elements include:

• Authenticity in characters, narrative, dialogue, setting
• Compelling themes and plots -- ones with relevance and resonance for the reader
• Respect for the reader

II. Core concepts include:

• Identity Development--the great "Who Am I?" quest

        Socially
        Emotionally
        Spiritually
        Psychologically
        Physiologically

• Loss of Innocence    
• Testing boundaries and authority
• Independence and responsibility
• Greater emphasis on action and personal experience
• Developing a "moral compass"

III. Other markers of literary strength to consider in evaluating literature: 

plot, characters, narrative, setting, theme, style, format.

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This work is truly outstanding for the adolescent reader, rises to the level of memorable and extraordinary, and will stand the test of time.

• literary quality
  
  
• resonance with the developmental needs and concerns of the adolescent
  
  
• relevance to the teen experience
  
  
• significance -- a contribution to the literature that breaks ground in some important way
  
  
• fulfillment of genre expectations 
  
  
  
   
 

Posted in: RESEARCH: YAL