GENRES OF YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE Flashcards
sometimes called the problem novel, appeals to many adolescents and uses plots, themes, settings, and characters to reflect the world as we know it and the problems and challenges many young people face daily. By reading about characters in situations similar to their own, some adolescents can see that their personal problems, though difficult, are not unique. For other adolescents, realistic fiction provides a vicarious experience through which they learn to overcome their fears and accept responsibilities and to deal with problems related to adoption, divorce, disabilities, disease, sexual relationships, changes within their families, relationships, sexual orientation, alienation, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide.
contemporary realistic fiction
In looking for excitement, many adolescents are attracted to books about adventure and survival or mystery and suspense. Adolescents enjoy the usually fast-paced plots found in adventure stories and the challenges to find out “who-done-it” in mystery novels. Some young adults read humorous novels to have a good laugh and to escape the problems of everyday life.
Adventure, Mystery, and Humor
There is no doubt that science fiction, fantasy, and horror appeal to many young adults. Books from these genres regularly appear in top 10 reading lists selected by young adults ( “Fantasy books top the list for teens,” 2004 ).
Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
Helping adolescents experience the past, explore misfortunes and triumphs, and examine the background of current events, historical fiction can be both interesting and informative. Young adults can read and learn new perspectives of cultural diversity; perceive challenges associated with disabling conditions; examine societal ills such as poverty, drug addiction, crime, and racism; and explore almost any historical period. Historical fiction includesstories based in actual events as well as stories set in the past with little or no reference to recorded history or actual people. Recurring topics include wars and clashes of people, quests for freedom and equality, and overcoming disabling conditions.
historical fiction
young adults explore the frustrations, obstacles, and achievements in the lives of all kinds of people, from the historically famous to contemporary leaders and names in the news, as well as those who have persevered through challenging circumstances. These life stories can add new perspectives to young adults’ learning and reading pleasure.
biography
While many adolescents read fiction, others enjoy well-written informational books ( “Reading remains popular among youth, according to poll,” 2001 ). Authors and publishers try to meet young adults’ needs and expectations by providing books on timely topics that are written on appropriate reading and interest levels.
Nonfiction/information
are important categories for many young adults, especially for readers who prefer shorter pieces to longer books. Rather than relying on the classics, many adolescents look for works that deal with their contemporary concerns and daily interests and that speak directly to them with words they can understand and situations they can relate to.
Poetry, Drama, and Short Stories
Growing up in a visual and digital society, contemporary adolescents are comfortable with the visualstyles found in comic books, graphic novels, and magazines. Although they differ dramatically from the genres that educators have traditionally encouraged adolescents to read, these formats have the visual impact and clipped, pared-down writing style that adolescents have grown accustomed to.
Comic Books, Graphic Novels, Picture Books, and Magazines.
by definition, is a counter vision of the world—where an unpleasant, typically repressive vision of society is presented as a modern ideal.
dystopia
Without a doubt, two of the most popular genres for teens are fantasy and paranormal romance—both literary styles where the real blends with the unreal, often involving witches, ghosts, vampires, demons, werewolves, and/or humans with psychic abilities.
FANTASY LITERATURE AND PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Following Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games (2008), a surge was generated in the number of books about teenagers living in dystopian universes. Dystopia, by definition, is a counter vision of the world—where an unpleasant, typically repressive vision of society is presented as a modern ideal. True, dystopian literature has always been prevalent—George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945) and 1984 (1950), and Lois Lowry’s The Giver (1993), to name a few, but, today, young adult literature has become populated with novels espousing dystopian visions of the future. M. T. Anderson’s Feed (2002) was one early read to catch the wave.
DYSTOPIAN SCIENCE FICTION LITERATURE
One genre in young adult novels, though, that does not garner much attention is religion—or at least, religious overt
RELIGION AND THE YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
As technology has changed our lives, so too has the face of young adult literature. Today, adolescents, belonging to the “technology punk” generation, connect to the world through hand-held devices and thus expect the same with young adult authors and their books. For example, K. A. Applegate’s Everworld (1999), a twelve-part series about high school students’ adventure into ancient mythology, has an accompanying website, complete with story details and interactive elements. Similarly, Erin Hunter’s Warriors: The New Prophecy (2005), Anthony Horowitz’s horror series The Gatekeepers (2005), and PJ Haarsma’s Softwire (2008) series are a just a few of the many books accompanied by web platforms for additional opportunities in reading and gaming. Today, young adult literature enthusiasts can connect in cyberspace— through Facebook, twitter, webinars, chat rooms—sharing their interests with unparalleled and unbridled access.
TECHNOLOGY AND THE YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
A fascinating trend in young adult literature is the crossover novel—books that appeal to both teens and adults. Three big crossover series—J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, and Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games—are recognized for their literary appeal and ability to generate sales among teens and adults alike. Some of the more recent crossover novels include M. T. Anderson’s The Astonishing Live of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation (2006, 2008) series, Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments (2015) series, and Linda Bray’s gothic fantasy novels A Great and Terrible Beauty (2003) and Beauty Queens (2011), read most appealing for adolescents and adults who relish fantasy and mystery.
CROSSOVER NOVELS
Finally, one of the growing trends in books for teens is the rise of the —-, a narrative that tells a story in poetry, often in the first person and with a single narrator. Mel Glenn is credited with one of the first, a verse story entitled Class Dismissed: High School Poems (1982).
verse novel
