So, thus far I have read three of the five suggested articles for this assignment. In the interest of getting this project completed, I had to stop there (for now). The first article I read was this one from Publishers Weekly about the "New Adult" subgenre. I found myself both laughing and agreeing with one of the comments that follows the article--the writer described herself as a "cranky Gen-Xer" who had managed to become an adult without this subgenre, but who at the same time likes the label if it gets (or keeps) people reading (and yes, a latte while reading the next Hunger Games would be lovely...just make mine with coconut milk, please).
I think that "New Adult" is probably more of a marketing tool than a new section that needs to be added to our shelves, at least for now. A number of years back as part of my coursework when completing my Master's in teaching, I took a kid-lit class, and one of the key ideas from that class that has stuck with me is the notion that children need to see themselves in books. Well, I don't think it's just children...I think that all people like to see something of themselves in books. Not exclusively, mind you; most readers, at least some of the time, look for an escape or something that takes them away from reality...but it seems like the books that resonate most with us tend to be the ones that tell us something about life and how to live it.
Moving on to the other articles I read ("Who is Buying Teen Books?" from Christian Science Monitor and "The Next Big Thing" from YALSA), another thought that all of these articles brought to mind is that a good book is a good book is a good book. I don't hesitate to recommend The Book Thief or Code Name Verity to adult readers who say they enjoy historical fiction set during the World War II era, or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian as a book club selection, because they are Just. Good. Books.
I posted comments on Cynthia W. and Eileen K.'s blogs.
Hi Erin,
ReplyDeleteI agree that "New Adult" appears to be more of a marketing tool. It often seems (to me, at least) that the writers of some of these articles are "overthinking." Of course, there are a multitude of reasons to explain the increase in adults reading teen lit. But you are correct - people enjoy reading about characters they can relate to. One of the articles I read pointed out that as adults, we experience many of the same issues that are identified in teen books. Your last point resonated the most with me, though. It's the writing that pulls people in and keeps them riveted. And some of the titles written for teens can stand up to best in adult lit.