Shady's Edgy YA (or sex, swearing, drinking, drugs, and violence in YA)

[Alexandra Little]

I was shocked when I realized just how sheltered my tenth grade class was--over two thirds of them didn't know you could get STDs from oral sex.

These books are not the things parents should be worrying about.

 

[Shady Lane]

I was shocked when I realized just how sheltered my tenth grade class was--over two thirds of them didn't know you could get STDs from oral sex.

These books are not the things parents should be worrying about.

That's shocking. Didn't they watch Degrassi??

 

[Alexandra Little]

That's shocking. Didn't they watch Degrassi??

Definitely not

 

[Shady Lane]

Tssh. That's a damn shame.

 

[reenkam]

I had a friend ask me if she could get pregnant from oral sex once. I thought she was kidding...then I realized she wasn't...

I think edgy YA should become a school requirement. People obviously aren't learning the stuff anywhere else.

 

[JLCwrites]

Hmmm... Sounds like some teens are missing their sex ed classes. (AKA Health, or Biology) At my old high school, all three were part of the class requirements. (Of course, parents could sign a waiver to keep their children from learning those things.) It is a bit depressing to think about the amount of people who choose ignorance over knowledge. Therefore, even if edgier books were being offered, those same parents would keep their children from reading them too.

 

[Alexandra Little]

We had sex ed in ninth grade (I specifically remember my teacher saying that safe sex should really be called "safer" sex, because no birth control method is 100% effective, and "safe" sex is no sex at all), which is why I was struck mute when my 10th grade bio teacher polled the class and got that result. I really do fear for my age group and the ages below me.

 

[Melanie Lane]

We had sex ed in ninth grade

At my school, you have to take it to graduate. Period.

 

[reenkam]

we had sex ed in 8th grade, but they didn't explain oral sex...it wasn't that kind of sex ed.

i have to admit, people at my school know a good about about stds and "safer" sex in general...though I did hear that some girl just got pregnant. maybe she missed that week....

 

[Danger Jane]

I learned everything I ever needed to know from cable. If you watch enough different channels you'll figure it all out since their censors are different.

 

[Alexandra Little]

we had sex ed in 8th grade, but they didn't explain oral sex...it wasn't that kind of sex ed.

Mine wasn't, either--the only reason we got the info was because our teacher believed in being VERY thorough. Other teachers at my school werent.

 

[moth]

Teens can definitely handle harsh-reality stuff. Often the upper part of the age bracket reads mainstream adult books, and more power to 'em. I love seeing edgy stuff in YA because (a) it assumes the intelligence/can-handle-it-factor of the reader, and (b) it gives readers who haven't had harsh first-hand experiences like that some tools to fall back on if they ever do find themselves in situations like that. At least that's how it was for sheltered me when I was a teen.

Valiant by Holly Black is another title that had sex and drugs and running away from home and f-words (plus faeries too), all of it almost from page 1. That's the only book of hers I've read, so I don't know if that's a common style for her, but it looked at really hard and gritty things without flinching or apologizing.

Wonderful post, Shady.

 

[Zoombie]

Uh...




My life is suddenly much nicer. And my school, for that matter

Really, the only YA books that I think there are a lack of are Sci-Fi. Where are the YA sci-fi books? The only ones that come to mind are "Ender's Game", In "the House of the Scorpion", "The Ear, the Eye and the Arm"

Can anyone else think of some YA Sci-Fi? Cause it looks like kids have enough "edgy" stuff...really, I'm not sure what I feel about edgy stuff. Sometimes when I read these books I wonder why some people get up in the morning if this is what they look forward too. Can't we have uplifting books in highschool? I mean, I categorized my high school readings into four years:

Year 1: It sucks to be black, and white people are evil
Year 2: It sucks to be Jewish, and white people are evil
Year 3: It sucks to be Chinese, and white people are evil.
Year 4: It sucks to be white, and white people are evil.

And my sister went to a D.O.C class which basically said, "stereotypes are bad and all white males are evil."

So, the basic upshot of this rambly post is...don't you think that sometimes edgy teenage books go a step too far in being edgy. Because realistic teenagers that I know are some of the most upbeat people out there. They bounce. Teens bounce really well, from my experience. So...books should have nice bits in them. Life has beauty and vileness in it. That kind of thing...because some all the books I had to read in High School are bereft of...goodness.

Night was unending horror after horror. The Joy Luck Club was just...Ugh! There are at least 3 short stories I had to read in Freshmen class that my mom couldn't finish because they were so nasty...they were so nasty, they just didn't effect me. Cuase a mind numbed by sadness and horror is the same as a mind numbed by sweetness and cute.

Does any of this make any sense, because I'm really exhausted right now...

 

[Storm Surge]

Zoombie, I know exactly how you feel. I don't think they can put uplifting books in school period. Not elementary, middle, high, college, grad, whatever you call it.

books should have nice bits in them

YES!!!!!

 

[Dancre]

I'm here to burst your bubbles. It really doesn't matter if you think Edgy stuff is ok or not. What matters is the publisher. If the publisher doesn't like it, it won't make it. You can agree all you want, but if it can't get past the Great Gate Keeper, then it'll never make the book shelves. Bubble gum books sell, period. It brings in money to the publisher, period. Money makes the world go around, period. When I go to the bookstore, I see one Bubble Gum book after another. I think teens can handle edgy, but it's the publishers who matter. It's best to check out what the publisher publishes before proceeding. I understand why folks question if teens can handle something. The teen might, but the publisher might not.

Look what Zoombie just wrote. He wants real teens who bounce, not run around whinning how tough life is as in chatcher in the rye. Oi!!

kim

 

[Shady Lane]

Dancre--

Your point is exactly what I was trying to address. I hear time after time that there is not edgy YA on the shelves, that publishers aren't picking it up, that agents aren't ready to accept it, and that's all that's available is bubblegum chick lit.

And, honestly, I don't understand. Take a good look at your local YA section. Yeah, there's some crap, there are some pink covers, some awful titles...but the good stuff is THERE. It's totally available. It's not sold in some secret underground delinquent bookstore...it's at Borders, for God's sake, and it's there and you can get it. Publishers are churning it out. It's selling.

So are people still angsting that their stuff has too much angst?

 

[reenkam]

Dancre, I think you just have a bad bookstore near you, or something. There are definitely some great YA books out there. Check out a couple that we mentioned in the thread, or even just those authors. It's definitely harder to find agents to rep the stuff (I've had them tell me that's why they rejected me) but it does happen. The books on the shelves are proof of it.

Oh, and don't hate on all the books with pink covers. Some are really funny.....

 

[Zoombie]

Look what Zoombie just wrote. He wants real teens who bounce, not run around whinning how tough life is as in chatcher in the rye. Oi!!

kim

How did you know I hate the "Catcher in the Rye" with a passion?

Also, to be sure, I mean bounce as in bad things happen...and you get up and keep going. Not as in you fall from a hight, hit the ground and go boy-yo-yo-yoing and bounce down the street like one of those really cool bouncy balls.

 

[Shady Lane]

I hate Catcher in the Rye too, for the record. But I think that's beside the point.

 

[Zoombie]

True.


What was the point? Oh yeah...edgy does sell and anyone telling you otherwise is hogwash. And then I brought up the reminder to not be too edgy, or else your book becomes like that horrible T.V show Millennium.

 

[Shady Lane]

Exactly. Thank you, Zoom.

 

[reenkam]

I like Catcher in the Rye......

It's all because of the one part where Holden's in the school and he notices the rubber covering the stairs. I've noticed that my whole life so I felt really connected to him.....

don't hate me, please

 

[Shady Lane]

Pssh, I don't hate you! I like lots of books people hate. Catcher in the Rye just wasn't my cup of tea. I'm a Great Gatsby girl, meself.

 

[Zoombie]

Gatsby was fantastic. Though I do tend to point out the obvious...

 

[Legionsynch]

Excellent thoughts here, and you've given me a few books to look for the next time I hit the store.