YA Lit Class: An Overview

So I thought tonight being our final class, it would be beneficial for me to reflect on some of the things I learned this summer. I should start by saying that I was genuinely impressed by the quality of the presentations and resource lists presented in tonight's class. I was wowed (and felt very inadequate), but also think that the varied lists created by my classmates will definitely come in handy for future use. Otherwise, I really learned a great deal this semester. I came to the class having not read any YA lit since I actually was a YA and then my reading consisted mostly of books from the Sweet Valley High series. I think the reading list gives me a solid background of what is out there right now. Some of the books I enjoyed so much I am going to read others by the same authors (I definitely want to read more by E. Lockhart and Laurie Halse Anderson and can't wait to read Speak, for example). What really struck me about the reading though was how little some things have changed. Books for teens are still about love, identity, not fitting in, not getting along with parents, etc. Although teens today are way more media savvy and in some ways mature then they were when I was a teen in the early 1990s, the core issues remain the same. I am so excited to take tween lit next semester and thank you with all my heart for a truly great class!

Sad truths about YA books on abortion

I chose abortion as the topic to base my final resource list on. This is an issue that I am passionate about, so I was eager to see what was out there for teens. I must say I am pretty disappointed. There are many books about teen pregnancy, but few in which the characters have abortions without facing dire consequences. This is an area where the anti-choice crusaders seem to have succeeded. I think authors are so afraid to depict abortion without consequences because of the repercussions and boycotts that they simply do not write about it. (This largely applies to television as well). Or if they do, the character has a miscarriage in the nick of time and does not go through with the abortion. On the other end of the spectrum, I discovered a number of books written from a Christian perspective that condemn abortion and tell stories of girls that decide to have an abortion and find their lives ruined as a result. I am not including these on my list because I would never recommend them to a teenager (or anyone else for that matter). Yes, I am biased, but I want girls to know that they have choices. Abortion is legal in this country, whether those who do not believe in a woman's right to choose like it or not. For many women I know, having an abortion was a monumental decision, but it was not the defining moment in their lives. I think it is so important that girls know this and are able to read honest accounts so they can see that they are not alone and should not be ashamed and be assured they they do have choices in regards to their future. The list I am going to create would not realistically be able to be handed out freely at public or school libraries, but I am going to make it anyway for my own education and so I will be able to recommend quality books to any teen that would ever come to me. I feel I would owe any girl this much.

Gossip Girl - Surprisingly True to Life

I have to admit, I was thrilled when I saw Gossip Girl on the syllabus. I have been wanting to read the series for a few years, and this gave me the perfect excuse. The book was everything I thought it would be - trashy and awesome at the same time. What struck me about it though, all the materialism and upper class privilege aside, I think it is one of the most accurate portrayals of teens that we have read so far in this class. The teenagers I know now (as well as when I actually was a teenager), smoke lots of pot, drink and have sex. The way it is treated as sort of matter of fact in Gossip Girl really seemed true to me. Maybe this is one of the reasons why the books are so popular - the characters do all these things, but the story is not about that specifically. There are no dire consequences for getting drunk and having sex. In other words, it is not a morality tale which I think oftentimes is a problem with Young Adult books. Teenagers don't always need to learn a lesson when they read...sometimes things should just be fun.

The Vast Fields of Ordinary

I really loved this book and also getting the chance to listen to the author and editor talk about the process of writing it. I felt this book, out of all of those we have read so far, was the most "adult" in a way. I have truly enjoyed reading YA lit and will definitely continue to read it after this class is over, but this book felt the most like something I would have picked up on my own. I think the author did a great job of creating a story with universal appeal. I think it would be accessible to kids of many different backgrounds as he captured that "last summer" experience perfectly.
I had actually also been thinking about how a book comes to be classified as "Young Adult," so it was interesting to learn about the decision making process that goes into it. I was also surprised when Nick said that some people in his writing group were kind of chastising him about it, as if YA is a kind of ghetto in publishing and teen books are not as literary or prestigious as others. I think for an author, it would be great to be popular with teens because if you decide to write adult novels (as Nick said he intends to), you already have an audience. Also, judging from the emails Nick gets, he seems to have made real difference in the lives of some teens and that has got to be a good feeling. I for one, will read anything else Nick writes as well as recommend The Vast Fields of Ordinary to my friends, both teen and adult alike.

It's Complicated...

I LOVE this book. I think it is one of the best and most truthful books about teenagers that I have ever read. I opened it this afternoon and devoured every word of it. It should be required reading for every teenager so they know that they are not alone and there are others out there who feel the same ways that they do (whatever that may be). It also gives great insight into other ways of life throughout the United States. Robin Bowman found a fantastic cross section of teenagers in regards to race, background, geographic location and sexuality and asked probing questions. The interviews are shocking, funny and sad. I was dismayed at the racism and homophobia some teenagers expressed, but also encouraged by the open minds of others. The range of religious beliefs is also really interesting to me, as well as the teenagers varied opinions on sex, drinking and drugs. What struck me was in the interview with the two Amish teenagers, when one of the girls said that she was shy and often felt insecure. I think this could be beneficial for other teens to read as it shows that no matter what your background is, people are the same on the inside.
I would love to find out what happened to some of the people she interviewed. Is there any type of follow up book? I would recommend this book to not only teenagers, but adults as well. It is fascinating and I really think it could go a long way in convincing kids that they are not the only ones who have certain feelings and emotions.

Grace After Midnight Shocks Me

I started reading this book last night and all I have to say is OMG. Not to sound like an old prude, but I am SHOCKED by some of the stuff in it. My husband loves The Wire, so I know who Felicia "Snoop" Pearson is, but I had no idea that she was not just some actress HBO picked up to play a role. It is not the drugs and violence that astounds me, but the fact that 10 and 11 year olds are having sex! Of course I am aware that it happens, but the ease with which she mentions it makes me think that it is pretty widespread. I finished Boy Toy a few days ago and although it is fiction, the attitudes of Josh and his friends about sex seem more in tune with what I thought was the norm. Of course they are suburban kids and Pearson is from urban Baltimore, but it still surprises me. Also where did Pearson learn to "strap-on?" She never mentions a specific moment, so maybe it was just part of the conversation because she hung out with older people? Do these kids know about birth control? This worries me because if schools are not teaching proper use of condoms and the pill in the earlier grades, than these girls are going to end up pregnant without the resources to make informed choices. I think it is great though the way that Snoop deals with her sexuality. She really speaks eloquently about homsexuality. I
am loving this book and find my jaw dropping with every turn of the page. I think I am going to ask my husband to dig up his DVDs of The Wire tonight so I can watch them again to see Snoop in action!

Resources for Teens are sure hard to come by...

When I first saw this assignment on the syllabus, I thought it would be easy. However, once I started searching the internet for actual teen resources, I found that I was sorely mistaken. I chose to focus on the town I grew up in, West Hartford, Connecticut because I was curious to see what types of things a small suburban community has to offer. The answer: not that much. I found a few places where teens can hang out (including the library), and two places that serve as resource centers for teens and their parents, but overall I was unimpressed with what is out there. It seems like there are alot more resources for parents having "trouble" with their teens than the teens themselves.
When I was a teeanger in West Hartford, I don't remember ever really using any of the resources that might have been available to me with the exception of going to the library to get books. Sometimes in the nurses office I would read a pamphlet about sex or eating disorders, but I never attended any type of support group or social event sponsored by a group not involved with the school (except concerts and stuff like that) and I can't remember any of my friends doing so either. I imagine this lack of attendance on the part of teens is even worse today because of the internet. If I wanted to know about something, I went to the library and looked it up whereas today, I would not even have to leave the house or if I didn't have a computer, I could just do it from school.
I wonder if teen spaces are really popular anywhere or if the nature of the whole matter does not lend itself to that. I think there are always going to be a few kids who like that kind of thing, but overall most teens would rather hang out on their own with friends. Maybe I am just old and disillusioned, but I find it hard to believe that there are places like this that are considered "cool." I am very curious to see what types of resources other people found in different areas.