I just read my first YA novel, intentionally

[thpate21]

After perusing the YA section on this site, I realized I may be writing a YA novel (not my intent).

I suppose I had preconceived notions of YA, so I went to B&N and grabbed a couple of books from the teen section. Research so to speak.

I bought "looking for alaksa" by John Green because it had won an award. It is honestly one of the best books I have ever put my hands on. I just finished it.

The MC is 16, coming of age, etc, etc, but it is so good I'm afraid an adult audience has missed out. My question is why? Why did it get labeled? Why put in a section most adults ignore?

I'm just so impressed yet confused.

[Kathleen42]

Because it's a YA book and correctly labeled as such. The fact that many adults don't realize how many great YA books there are--books that they'd probably enjoy--doesn't mean it was put in the wrong section.

[The Kidd]

There are TONS of adults who read YA. Many of them read YA exclusively. There are many very, very good titles out there in YA apart from Looking for Alaska. Seems to be a Renaissance going on :)

[inkspatters]

The reason it gets labelled YA is that teenagers who don't look beyond the YA section need good lit just as much as adults who don't look beyond the adult section. It's also because Looking For Alaska has a much, much broader teen audience than an adult audience, brcause it's aimed at teens.

But mostly it's because the book is about teens, it has a coming-of-age theme etc. All common features of YA books. Adult books tend to feature adult protagonists, and if they involve childhood or teenage experiences tend to involve an adult looking back on those experiences with all their wisdom and hindsight.

Also, Looking For Alaska is a great start to YA reading. In case you're doing more research/looking for recs to get a sense of the genre some others you might want to check out: Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta (also an award winner), How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (pretty sure this one's also won some prestigious award), Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

[thpate21]

Because it's a YA book and correctly labeled as such. The fact that many adults don't realize how many great YA books there are--books that they'd probably enjoy--doesn't mean it was put in the wrong section.

Never said it was in the wrong section. Guess I didn't express my thoughts well enough. Its placement seems (to me, anyway) limiting. I've read the pages of what makes YA, YA, but I still don't get it.

[Sage]

Welcome to the wonderful world of YA, thpate. As you read more YA, you'll find that there are lots of good books (and several that aren't to your taste too, I'm sure ;)) in the YA section. There are also many good threads in this section (and others) on what makes YA YA.

Just as with genre books, which often get ignored by the mainstream reading audience, there will be good and bad and somewhere in between. And if some adults look down on the YA section--likewise, say, the sci-fi/fantasy section--they're missing out on some good books. But, hey, maybe it's just not their cup of tea (or maybe they go into the bookstore with some preconceived notions of what they would like and never find out).

But why was it labeled as YA? Because it was YA.

[Kathleen42]

Never said it was in the wrong section. Guess I didn't express my thoughts well enough. Its placement seems (to me, anyway) limiting. I've read the pages of what makes YA, YA, but I still don't get it.


Nah - I just sometimes come off as more blunt than I intend to be. Especially when I'm flipping between revisions and AW.

It's limiting in the same way that genre fiction. The alternative, though, would make it harder for it's target audience to find it.

Looking for Alaska is actually a pretty good example because it's all about a teenager growing up and experiencing a series of firsts. First friends, first love, first love first (massive) guilt. It's the ultimate coming of age story and that's what makes it YA.

If you liked Alaska, you'd probably also like The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

[inkspatters]

Never said it was in the wrong section. Guess I didn't express my thoughts well enough. Its placement seems (to me, anyway) limiting. I've read the pages of what makes YA, YA, but I still don't get it.

It is actually a sort of intangible thing that makes YA, YA, imo *shrug*. So I totally understand you not quite getting it yet :). Because apart from all the easily definable things like a teenage protag, you need a YA voice (John Green's teen voice is freaking brilliant, by the way :)).

I don't think the placement of Alaska's limiting -- I kind of understand what you mean here (but correct me if I'm wrong). Are you trying to say that you think the quality of the book is such that it transcends YA and should be marketed as adult? Because if that's the case, you probably just need to spend more time reading YA and getting a feel for the genre. A lot of YA books these days have all the layers and complexity and beautiful writing of adult literary books -- they're just more suited to being read by a teen audience. Hope this makes sense and helps answer your question!

[chocowrites]

Also, Looking For Alaska is a great start to YA reading. In case you're doing more research/looking for recs to get a sense of the genre some others you might want to check out: Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta (also an award winner), How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (pretty sure this one's also won some prestigious award), Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
_______

If you liked Alaska, you'd probably also like The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

I will have to STRONGLY second all these book recs. Really, every one of them has in some way changed my writing and me. They're amazing, amazing, amazing books that speak to your soul.

They're some of the most wonderful books out there under YA right now, and if you liked Looking for Alaska you'll love them. And reading those books will explain to you how great YA is nowadays better than anything else :)

Once you dig past Twilight, YA authors are producing gems. The diversity of the genre is pretty astounding when you think about it. And there's more YA literary books out there than ever.

[thpate21]

Thanks y'all for responding and the suggested books. I will certainly read them.



I don't think the placement of Alaska's limiting -- I kind of understand what you mean here (but correct me if I'm wrong). Are you trying to say that you think the quality of the book is such that it transcends YA and should be marketed as adult? Because if that's the case, you probably just need to spend more time reading YA and getting a feel for the genre.

That is what I was trying to say, but I was presumptuous about my expectations of YA fiction. Again, I am throughly impressed.

[Momento Mori]

inkspatters:
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (pretty sure this one's also won some prestigious award)

According to the Random House website, it was nominated for/won the following:

WINNER 2005 - Michael L. Printz Award Winner
NOMINEE - Los Angeles Times Book Prize
WINNER - Boston Authors Club Julia Ward Howe Prize
WINNER - Branford Boase Award
WINNER 2005 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults
WINNER - Publishers Weekly Flying Start Author
WINNER - Booklist Books for Youth Editors' Choice
WINNER - Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award
WINNER - Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year
WINNER - Horn Book Fanfare
NOMINEE 2005 - Orange Prize for New Writers

In the UK, it's nomination for the Orange Prize was a big deal because that usually falls to women who write for adults, so it helped to build cross-over appeal. As a result, a lot of UK bookstores would market it on the YA and the 'adult' tables, which helped with the sales.

A similar thing happened for The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak. The Random House website has it down as being nominated for/winning the following:

NOMINEE 2006 - Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book (South East Asia & South Pacific)
WINNER 2007 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults
WINNER 2007 - Michael L. Printz Honor Book
WINNER 2007 - Book Sense Book of the Year
WINNER 2006 - Horn Book Fanfare
WINNER 2006 - Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award
WINNER 2006 - School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
WINNER 2006 - Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year
WINNER 2006 - Booklist Children's Editors' Choice
WINNER 2006 - Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book
WINNER 2009 - Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Master List

Again, it was sold on both adult and YA shelves.

Cross-marketing is done for some titles, in addition to those listed above, I would also add:

- The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, which despite being clearly aimed at a MG/YA audience, got a lot of adult sales - not least when it was made into a film.

- The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan, which was marketed on the YA shelves and the adult fantasy shelves.

- Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling, which famously had adult and child versions of the covers;

- The His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman, which actually won what was then the Whitbread Book of the Year (the first time a children's title had ever done so).

There are plenty of other authors out there who could be marketed on a cross-market basis but in practice publishers are reluctant to do so because it costs so much money to do the relevant marketing and promotion. As a result, most make a judgement call and decide to focus on the market where they will make the most sales.

Personally, I think that the huge numbers of people (especially women) who peruse the YA shelves is making the market distinction irrelevant. Most of the YA book blogs I know are run by grown ups, so there's a lot of awareness out there as to what's coming out and what's happening.

MM

[eyeblink]

According to the Random House website, it was nominated for/won the following:

WINNER 2005 - Michael L. Printz Award Winner
NOMINEE - Los Angeles Times Book Prize
WINNER - Boston Authors Club Julia Ward Howe Prize
WINNER - Branford Boase Award
WINNER 2005 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults
WINNER - Publishers Weekly Flying Start Author
WINNER - Booklist Books for Youth Editors' Choice
WINNER - Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award
WINNER - Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year
WINNER - Horn Book Fanfare
NOMINEE 2005 - Orange Prize for New Writers



How I Live Now also won the 2004 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. It was also longlisted for the Carnegie Medal - not shortlisted surprisingly as Rosoff's later novel What I Was was shortlisted and Just In Case won the Medal.

[bonitakale]

Only trouble with YA books is that they're too short. But they don't have less impact for that.

[Momento Mori]

bonitakale:
Only trouble with YA books is that they're too short. But they don't have less impact for that.

Although there are plenty of YA novels that come in between 50,000 and 80,000 words, a lot of the big sellers are 100,000 words plus - particularly anything fantasy related (e.g. Cassandra Clare and Patrick Ness).

I suppose it's better to leave you wanting more than to leave you wishing there was less ... :D

MM

[Disdainful Soul]

Although there are plenty of YA novels that come in between 50,000 and 80,000 words, a lot of the big sellers are 100,000 words plus - particularly anything fantasy related (e.g. Cassandra Clare and Patrick Ness).

I suppose it's better to leave you wanting more than to leave you wishing there was less ... :D

MM

YA books being shorter means you can read more of them! XD

[Sage]

Oftentimes, they're shorter because they're tightly paced.

[kaitlin008]

Yeah I can't really think of a YA book I felt was too short (other than the nooo I want more time with these beloved characters sort of feeling). They tend to be make every word count lengthed, basically.