United States of YA - UK Style!

LadyA · 01-23-2013, 08:56 PM

I've just discovered the brilliant United States of YA on Epic Reads, where they have listed a YA book for every single one of the US states. It's really cool, and it got me thinking...what about a British version? One (or more) book for every county? Representing UKYA (woot woot!).

I'm a bit hazy with geography so I'm just going to start with the English ones, but please, add in Scotland and Wales and Ireland if you can think of any in particular.

And just for fun, if any of your books are set in England, let me know and I'll add 'em on in blue! For future reference

I'll get us started...

BEDFORDSHIRE JUST IN CASE by Meg Rosoff [thanks to TudorRose]

BERKSHIRE

BRISTOL (the city and county of)

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

CHANNEL ISLANDS

CHESHIRE RED SHIFT by Alan Garner [thanks to eyeblink]

CLEVELAND

CORNWALL THE INGO CHRONICLES by Helen Dunmore, PARADISE by Joanna Nadin

CUMBRIA

DERBYSHIRE

DEVON KISS, DATE, LOVE, HATE and SWAPPED BY A KISS by Luisa Plaja, DRAGON'S ROCK by Tim Bowler, BRIGANDS M.C. by Robert Muchamore (part of the CHERUB series), YOU, ME AND EIGHT CRAZY GOODBYES by LadyA, BULLET BOYS by Ally Kennen

DORSET

DURHAM

ESSEX PROVE YOURSELF A HERO and THE PENNINGTON TRILOGY by KM Peyton, DANCE ON MY GRAVE by Aidan Chambers [thanks to Becca C and eyeblink], UNREST by Michelle Harrison

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

GREATER LONDON iBOY by Kevin Brooks, WHAT'S UP WITH JODY BARTON by Hayley Long, the MATES, DATES series by Cathy Hopkins

GREATER MANCHESTER

HAMPSHIRE PARTINGS AND GREETINGS by eyeblink

HEREFORD AND WORCESTER

HERTFORDSHIRE

HUMBERSIDE

ISLE OF MAN

ISLES OF SCILLY

KENT

LANCASHIRE

LEICESTERSHIRE RANI & SUKH by Bali Rai

LINCOLNSHIRE

MERSEYSIDE THE H-BOMB GIRL by Stephen Baxter [thanks to eyeblink]

NORFOLK A BRAVER THING by Becca C.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

NORTHUMBERLAND

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen [thanks to TudorRose]

OXFORDSHIRE HIS DARK MATERIALS by Phillip Pullman [thanks to bertrigby]

SHROPSHIRE

SOMERSET THE GIRL IN THE MASK by Marie-Louise Jensen, and the NUMBERS TRILOGY by Rachel Ward [thanks to Netz], TWO DOWN, ONE DROWNING by LadyA

STAFFORDSHIRE

SUFFOLK

SUNDERLAND CLASH by Colin Mulhern

SURREY HARRY POTTER by JK Rowling (That's where Harry lives in his summer hols, but apparently Hogwarts is set in Scotland) [thanks to Cyia], WHITE CROW by Marcus Sedgwick [thanks to TudorRose]

SUSSEX WENTWORTH HALL by Abby Grahame [thanks to TudorRose], SUGAR RUSH by Julie Burchill [thanks to eyeblink], and (I think) the GEORGIA NICHOLSON series by Louise Rennison

TYNE AND WEAR SKELLIG and MY NAME IS MINA by David Almond [thanks to egoodlett]

WARWICKSHIRE

WEST MIDLANDS

WILTSHIRE

YORKSHIRE (yes, I'm cheating and putting this as one county) HOLLOW PIKE by James Dawson, The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle [thanks to egoodlett] FLIP by Martyn Bedford

Cyia · 01-23-2013, 08:59 PM

Isn't Harry Potter from Surrey?

And I know Carrier of the Mark is set in Ireland, but I have no idea where.

LadyA · 01-23-2013, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyia

Isn't Harry Potter from Surrey?

And I know Carrier of the Mark is set in Ireland, but I have no idea where.

I shall add the Harry Potter one - think I'll wait to do Ireland when the England one is done, if only for the fact that there are a heck of a lot of counties to do! (plus my Geography is abysmal)

Cyia · 01-23-2013, 09:11 PM

Hogwarts is in Scotland

(Based on Fettes College in Edinburgh). The "express" line for the train is the West Highlands line.

egoodlett · 01-23-2013, 09:44 PM

The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle is also set in Yorkshire... and I swear there was a YA ghost hunter type book set in York itself (cause I was all DAMN I WANTED TO WRITE THAT ONE when I saw it), but I can't remember the title... :|

egoodlett · 01-23-2013, 09:47 PM

Also, David Almond's Skellig is set in Tyne and Wear (and I think one of his other books was too... or in like the fictional version of it?)

Becca C. · 01-23-2013, 10:30 PM

One of my one WIPs (A BRAVER THING) takes place partially in Norfolk but I don't think that counts

Um... *grabs her stack of UK YA she bought while over there but hasn't gotten to in the TBR pile yet*

Settings are so hard to find out if you aren't reading the book! I suppose the solution is just to read them, then! I have Entangled and Torn by Cat Clarke, Adorkable and Nobody's Girl by Sarra Manning, Breaktime and Dance on my Grave by Aidan Chambers. Anyone know the settings in those?

Ellaroni · 01-24-2013, 12:05 AM

Eoin Colfer's ARTEMIS FOWL is in the Dublin area. Or: his house is there. He isn't there that much with all the underworld and travelling stuff going on ;-)

And Meg Rosoff's HOW I LIVE NOW is mostly set in England, though I don't know where exactly. (Is it said at all?)

TudorRose · 01-24-2013, 12:22 AM

Ooh, great idea! Off the top of my head:

BEDFORDSHIRE JUST IN CASE by Meg Rosoff
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen (I assume, as it's Robin Hood)
SUFFOLK WHITE CROW by Marcus Sedgwick (can't remember if it's mentioned explicitly, but the setting is inspired by Dunwich)
SUSSEX WENTWORTH HALL by Abby Grahame
WALES THE OWL SERVICE by Alan Garner

(errrm... racking my brains is highlighting that I really need to read more home-grown YA)

eyeblink · 01-24-2013, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Becca C.

One of my one WIPs (A BRAVER THING) takes place partially in Norfolk but I don't think that counts

Um... *grabs her stack of UK YA she bought while over there but hasn't gotten to in the TBR pile yet*

Settings are so hard to find out if you aren't reading the book! I suppose the solution is just to read them, then! I have Entangled and Torn by Cat Clarke, Adorkable and Nobody's Girl by Sarra Manning, Breaktime and Dance on my Grave by Aidan Chambers. Anyone know the settings in those?

Dance on My Grave is set in Southend, so that's Essex.

I hate to have to mention it, but Julie Burchill's <spit> Sugar Rush is set in Brighton, East Sussex.

Several of Alan Garner's novels are set in Cheshire, so let's go for Red Shift

Stephen Baxter's The H-Bomb Girl is set in Liverpool in 1962.

bertrigby · 01-24-2013, 12:43 AM

Can we have His Dark Materials for Oxfordshire?

Netz · 01-24-2013, 01:43 AM

The 'Numbers' trilogy by Rachel Ward is set in Bath and London, I believe.

'The Girl in the Mask' by Marie-Louise Jensen is also set in Bath.

LadyA · 01-24-2013, 09:29 PM

Thanks guys! I've added those - any more for any more?

eyeblink · 01-24-2013, 09:45 PM

Since we're mentioning our own work, my own Partings and Greetings is set in a fictional town in Hampshire.

(I am a lifelong Hampshire resident - even went to University there, i.e. Southampton.)

ETA: See also Cheshire and Merseyside examples above.

Netz · 01-25-2013, 03:07 AM

Darkhenge by Catherine Fisher is set in Avebury, Wiltshire.

The_Ink_Goddess · 01-25-2013, 03:07 AM

Jaclyn Moriarty's A CORNER OF WHITE (to be released) is set in Cambridgeshire.

CQuinlan · 01-25-2013, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyA

I've just discovered the brilliant United States of YA on Epic Reads, where they have listed a YA book for every single one of the US states. It's really cool, and it got me thinking...what about a British version? One (or more) book for every county? Representing UKYA (woot woot!).

I'm a bit hazy with geography so I'm just going to start with the English ones, but please, add in Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland if you can think of any in particular.

Fixed that for you.

I found this on goodreads (not all YA unfortunately):
http://www.goodreads.com/places/853-...attempted=true

And this:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...set-in-england

It has loads! And I don't know most of them. GAH!

If we're saying that his Dark Materials are from Oxford than I offer up Diana Wynne Jones and the Howl's books for Wales.

Ellaroni · 01-25-2013, 10:24 AM

Ok, for Northern Ireland there's always the good old ACROSS THE BARRICADES by Joan Lingard.

and Siobhan Dowd's BOG CHILD is set in one of the border counties in NI.

nightowling · 01-25-2013, 10:45 AM

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma takes place in London.

Before I Die and You Against Me by Jenny Downham are both set in England to my knowledge. Does anyone know exactly where?

eyeblink · 01-25-2013, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightowling

Before I Die and You Against Me by Jenny Downham are both set in England to my knowledge. Does anyone know exactly where?

The film version of Before I Die (retitled Now is Good) was set and filmed in Brighton. I can't remember if the novel specifies where it's set, though certainly in England.

Julie Bertagna is a Scottish YA writer. Some of hers are set in a post-global-warming-inundated future, but the only one I've read is a contemporary, The Opposite of Chocolate. That's set in Scotland, but I don't think it specifies where - I imagined somewhere in greater Glasgow since Bertagna is a Glaswegian. The one time I saw her in person was at the Glasgow SF Worldcon in 2005.

EMaree · 01-25-2013, 12:43 PM

Malorie Blackman has a lot of teen fiction set in the UK.

Ditto for Keith Gray.

THE GOLDEN COMPASS is set partially in Oxford.

Google Maps has a tool where you can have a map marked with certain notable things. I'm happy to set up a page on my blog for a UK YA map if that would be useful.

01-23-2013, 08:56 PM	#1
LadyA dreaming, drowning Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon girl living in Oxford, England Posts: 1,471	United States of YA - UK Style! I've just discovered the brilliant United States of YA on Epic Reads, where they have listed a YA book for every single one of the US states. It's really cool, and it got me thinking...what about a British version? One (or more) book for every county? Representing UKYA (woot woot!). I'm a bit hazy with geography so I'm just going to start with the English ones, but please, add in Scotland and Wales and Ireland if you can think of any in particular. And just for fun, if any of your books are set in England, let me know and I'll add 'em on in blue! For future reference I'll get us started... BEDFORDSHIRE JUST IN CASE by Meg Rosoff [thanks to TudorRose] BERKSHIRE BRISTOL (the city and county of) BUCKINGHAMSHIRE CAMBRIDGESHIRE CHANNEL ISLANDS CHESHIRE RED SHIFT by Alan Garner [thanks to eyeblink] CLEVELAND CORNWALL THE INGO CHRONICLES by Helen Dunmore, PARADISE by Joanna Nadin CUMBRIA DERBYSHIRE DEVON KISS, DATE, LOVE, HATE and SWAPPED BY A KISS by Luisa Plaja, DRAGON'S ROCK by Tim Bowler, BRIGANDS M.C. by Robert Muchamore (part of the CHERUB series), YOU, ME AND EIGHT CRAZY GOODBYES by LadyA, BULLET BOYS by Ally Kennen DORSET DURHAM ESSEX PROVE YOURSELF A HERO and THE PENNINGTON TRILOGY by KM Peyton, DANCE ON MY GRAVE by Aidan Chambers [thanks to Becca C and eyeblink], UNREST by Michelle Harrison GLOUCESTERSHIRE GREATER LONDON iBOY by Kevin Brooks, WHAT'S UP WITH JODY BARTON by Hayley Long, the MATES, DATES series by Cathy Hopkins GREATER MANCHESTER HAMPSHIRE PARTINGS AND GREETINGS by eyeblink HEREFORD AND WORCESTER HERTFORDSHIRE HUMBERSIDE ISLE OF MAN ISLES OF SCILLY KENT LANCASHIRE LEICESTERSHIRE RANI & SUKH by Bali Rai LINCOLNSHIRE MERSEYSIDE THE H-BOMB GIRL by Stephen Baxter [thanks to eyeblink] NORFOLK A BRAVER THING by Becca C. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE NORTHUMBERLAND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen [thanks to TudorRose] OXFORDSHIRE HIS DARK MATERIALS by Phillip Pullman [thanks to bertrigby] SHROPSHIRE SOMERSET THE GIRL IN THE MASK by Marie-Louise Jensen, and the NUMBERS TRILOGY by Rachel Ward [thanks to Netz], TWO DOWN, ONE DROWNING by LadyA STAFFORDSHIRE SUFFOLK SUNDERLAND CLASH by Colin Mulhern SURREY HARRY POTTER by JK Rowling (That's where Harry lives in his summer hols, but apparently Hogwarts is set in Scotland) [thanks to Cyia], WHITE CROW by Marcus Sedgwick [thanks to TudorRose] SUSSEX WENTWORTH HALL by Abby Grahame [thanks to TudorRose], SUGAR RUSH by Julie Burchill [thanks to eyeblink], and (I think) the GEORGIA NICHOLSON series by Louise Rennison TYNE AND WEAR SKELLIG and MY NAME IS MINA by David Almond [thanks to egoodlett] WARWICKSHIRE WEST MIDLANDS WILTSHIRE YORKSHIRE (yes, I'm cheating and putting this as one county) HOLLOW PIKE by James Dawson, The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle [thanks to egoodlett] FLIP by Martyn Bedford __________________ Amy x Y, M & ECG - YA Contemp (62k) WHAT I DIDN'T TELL Y0U - YA Thriller (querying!) twitter tumblr "I wished with all my heart that she could understand how it felt to be us that night - how it felt to be eighteen and unbeaten, eighteen and alive.” Eva Rice, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets ~ How can the birds sing, when the willow tree is weeping? ~ Last edited by LadyA; 01-24-2013 at 10:10 PM.

01-23-2013, 08:59 PM	#2
Cyia Rewriting My Destiny Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brillig in the slithy toves... Posts: 12,575	Isn't Harry Potter from Surrey? And I know Carrier of the Mark is set in Ireland, but I have no idea where. __________________ 04/23/13 ----------10/08/13 ON SALE NOW!** (^Preorder)**

01-23-2013, 09:11 PM	#4
Cyia Rewriting My Destiny Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brillig in the slithy toves... Posts: 12,575	Hogwarts is in Scotland (Based on Fettes College in Edinburgh). The "express" line for the train is the West Highlands line. __________________ 04/23/13 ----------10/08/13 ON SALE NOW!** (^Preorder)**

01-23-2013, 09:44 PM	#5
egoodlett practical experience, FTW Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New York City Posts: 1,060	The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle is also set in Yorkshire... and I swear there was a YA ghost hunter type book set in York itself (cause I was all DAMN I WANTED TO WRITE THAT ONE when I saw it), but I can't remember the title... :\| __________________ ~Ellen~ www.ellengoodlett.com Follow Me on Twitter: @egoodlett On Sub: Stray, YA Sci-Fi WIP: The Quiet Ones, YA Thriller

01-23-2013, 09:47 PM	#6
egoodlett practical experience, FTW Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New York City Posts: 1,060	Also, David Almond's Skellig is set in Tyne and Wear (and I think one of his other books was too... or in like the fictional version of it?) __________________ ~Ellen~ www.ellengoodlett.com Follow Me on Twitter: @egoodlett On Sub: Stray, YA Sci-Fi WIP: The Quiet Ones, YA Thriller

01-23-2013, 10:30 PM	#7
Becca C. She of the 16 trunk novels. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: The Land of Playoff Disappointment Posts: 2,613	One of my one WIPs (A BRAVER THING) takes place partially in Norfolk but I don't think that counts Um... grabs her stack of UK YA she bought while over there but hasn't gotten to in the TBR pile yet Settings are so hard to find out if you aren't reading the book! I suppose the solution is just to read them, then! I have Entangled and Torn by Cat Clarke, Adorkable and Nobody's Girl by Sarra Manning, Breaktime and Dance on my Grave by Aidan Chambers. Anyone know the settings in those? __________________ A BRAVER THING - YA contemporary - revising WONDERFUL - YA high-concept - peeking out of my bottom drawer SHALL NOT SLEEP - YA magical realism - on hold for now PARIS & LONDON - YA contemporary - writing slowly Trunked: FAKE and THE KING OF GROWING UP, both contemporary YA I blog, too.

01-24-2013, 12:05 AM	#8
Ellaroni a bookish one Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: 500 km south of the Arctic Circle Posts: 200	Eoin Colfer's ARTEMIS FOWL is in the Dublin area. Or: his house is there. He isn't there that much with all the underworld and travelling stuff going on ;-) And Meg Rosoff's HOW I LIVE NOW is mostly set in England, though I don't know where exactly. (Is it said at all?) __________________ My current goal: Have at least one queryworthy novel ready before I turn 40 (I am not anywhere near 29 anymore ;-). My projects: NaNoWriMo2012 - YA dystopian: 1st draft done, 70k. Revision awaits. Untitled - YA contemporary: 2nd draft done, 80k. Revising, editing... Bleeding Heart - historical fiction: briefly outlined, researching. Story is brewing.

01-24-2013, 12:22 AM	#9
TudorRose not napping... brainstorming! Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: UK Posts: 463	Ooh, great idea! Off the top of my head: BEDFORDSHIRE JUST IN CASE by Meg Rosoff NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen (I assume, as it's Robin Hood) SUFFOLK WHITE CROW by Marcus Sedgwick (can't remember if it's mentioned explicitly, but the setting is inspired by Dunwich) SUSSEX WENTWORTH HALL by Abby Grahame WALES THE OWL SERVICE by Alan Garner (errrm... racking my brains is highlighting that I really need to read more home-grown YA) Last edited by TudorRose; 01-24-2013 at 12:30 AM.

01-24-2013, 12:43 AM	#11
bertrigby Dysfunctional dystopian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: UK Posts: 657	Can we have His Dark Materials for Oxfordshire? __________________ WIPS: ~ YA Kinda Dystopian Thing (done!) ~ YA contemporary thriller My website is here and my twitter is here.

01-24-2013, 01:43 AM	#12
Netz Freshly caught writing bug lives! Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: The view from my stained glass window suggests by a moonlit lake someplace... Posts: 892	The 'Numbers' trilogy by Rachel Ward is set in Bath and London, I believe. 'The Girl in the Mask' by Marie-Louise Jensen is also set in Bath. __________________ Quest Seekers blog / Twitter ...if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches. - William Goldman, The Princess Bride We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. - Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan

01-24-2013, 09:29 PM	#13
LadyA dreaming, drowning Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon girl living in Oxford, England Posts: 1,471	Thanks guys! I've added those - any more for any more? __________________ Amy x Y, M & ECG - YA Contemp (62k) WHAT I DIDN'T TELL Y0U - YA Thriller (querying!) twitter tumblr "I wished with all my heart that she could understand how it felt to be us that night - how it felt to be eighteen and unbeaten, eighteen and alive.” Eva Rice, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets ~ How can the birds sing, when the willow tree is weeping? ~

01-24-2013, 09:45 PM	#14
eyeblink I blink Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Aldershot, UK Posts: 4,268	Since we're mentioning our own work, my own Partings and Greetings is set in a fictional town in Hampshire. (I am a lifelong Hampshire resident - even went to University there, i.e. Southampton.) ETA: See also Cheshire and Merseyside examples above. __________________ "The afterlife is like Aldershot." (from Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel) Works in progress: Partings and Greetings (contemporary 14+ YA novel) - Version 3.0 35,949 words and counting. Short fiction: "Mourning Becomes Me" - 9359 word draft, a likely novella in the making "Treffpunkt" - 2754 word draft Untitled story (collaboration with Fenika) - 1729 words and counting

01-25-2013, 03:07 AM	#15
Netz Freshly caught writing bug lives! Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: The view from my stained glass window suggests by a moonlit lake someplace... Posts: 892	Darkhenge by Catherine Fisher is set in Avebury, Wiltshire. __________________ Quest Seekers blog / Twitter ...if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches. - William Goldman, The Princess Bride We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. - Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan

01-25-2013, 03:07 AM	#16
The_Ink_Goddess the not happened yet Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: England Posts: 1,475	Jaclyn Moriarty's A CORNER OF WHITE (to be released) is set in Cambridgeshire. __________________ --Beth. Crushing - YA thriller - 60k, first draft DONE! The Poisoned House - YA horror - 11k and writing Good Girl Gone - YA mystery - outlining

01-25-2013, 10:24 AM	#18
Ellaroni a bookish one Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: 500 km south of the Arctic Circle Posts: 200	Ok, for Northern Ireland there's always the good old ACROSS THE BARRICADES by Joan Lingard. and Siobhan Dowd's BOG CHILD is set in one of the border counties in NI. __________________ My current goal: Have at least one queryworthy novel ready before I turn 40 (I am not anywhere near 29 anymore ;-). My projects: NaNoWriMo2012 - YA dystopian: 1st draft done, 70k. Revision awaits. Untitled - YA contemporary: 2nd draft done, 80k. Revising, editing... Bleeding Heart - historical fiction: briefly outlined, researching. Story is brewing.

01-25-2013, 10:45 AM	#19
nightowling Maybe it was Utah. Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: California Posts: 144	Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma takes place in London. Before I Die and You Against Me by Jenny Downham are both set in England to my knowledge. Does anyone know exactly where?

01-25-2013, 12:43 PM	#21
EMaree is drinking tea Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,444	Malorie Blackman has a lot of teen fiction set in the UK. Ditto for Keith Gray. THE GOLDEN COMPASS is set partially in Oxford. Google Maps has a tool where you can have a map marked with certain notable things. I'm happy to set up a page on my blog for a UK YA map if that would be useful. __________________ Website/Blog- Twitter Writing: Seamonster YA Revising: YA Urban Fantasy with giant robots With Agent: YA Urban Fantasy with angels and demons Published: MG Fantasy "Dragon Tamers" & "Dragon Tamers 2: Digital Tempest"

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