Everyone says they’re hot new titles…

And THEY ARE!

Great Reads for Young Adults

A little introduction -

• I’ve gotten some awards

• I’ve been involved in associations, state and national

• I’ve been in the YA world of libraries for the last 11 years

But my passion?

(Second only to family) are

• (((((books))))• I read books• I write reviews• I create trailers

interestlife-long readers

Characteristics of YA literature• Characteristics

• The protagonist is a teenager.     • The events in the story evolve around the protagonist and the struggle to resolve the conflict.

• The story is often told from the viewpoint and in the voice of a young adult.

• The genres are written for and by young adults.

• Stories don't always have happy endings, characteristic of children's books.

• Parents are often absent or have conflicts with the young adults in the stories.

• Coming of age issues are highlighted in the various genres in young adult literature.

• Many of the books contain under 300 pages, but some recent novels are often greater length.

• Many adult books are now becoming appealing to teen audiences.

           Cole, Pam E.  (2009)  Young Adult Literature in the 21st Century. (p. 49)  New York. N.Y.: McGraw-Hill.

The big big world of YA Lit

• Lists (state and national)

• Blogs

• Journals (Voya, SLJ)

• Video trailers

Characteristics that Makes Popular YA Fiction:

• Round characters (100%)

• Protagonists are dynamic characters (91%)

• Action is progressive rather that episodic (96%) with the traditional pattern of plot – rising action, climax, falling action, dominant (70%)

**percentage points based on books reviewed by author. Number of books reviewed: 23

Characterstics that Makes Popular YA Fiction:

• Person vs. person, and Person vs. self are the dominant conflicts (43%)

• First person point of view is preferred (70%)

• Becoming self-aware and responsible for one’s own life is the most common thematic idea (52%)

• Majority of favorite YA novels are serious in tone (74%)

Chance, Rosemary. (1999). A Portrait of Popularity: An analysis of Characterstics of Novels from Young Adult’s Choice for 1997. The ALAN Review.

TAYSHAS award 2010

TAYSHAS award 2010

TAYSHAS award 2010

Best Fiction for Young Adults (ALA)

Best Fiction for Young Adults (ALA)

Best Fiction for Young Adults (ALA

YA Websites that Kick!

• Good Reads

• Class of 2k11 (archived)

• YA lit – Upcoming releases

• Shelfari

Genres: Graphic Novels

Genre: Steampunk

Genre: Adult author for Young Adults

Where to get new releases

• Net Galley

• Simon and Schuster Galley Grab

• HarperCollins Teen Hip Lit

Genre: Dystopia

Genre: Dystopia

Genre: Supernatural

Genre: Supernatural

Great Book Trailers!

• Publishers– Candlewick– Random House– HarperTeen– Little Brown– Scholastic– Chicken House– Penguin

Genre: Fantasy

Genre: Fantasy

Genre: Books to Movies

Genre: Books to Movies

Genre: Story Collections

• The poison eaters and other stories

• Zombies vs. unicorns

• Geektastic

• Breaking up is hard to do

• Love is Hell

Great Blogs for YA

• Oops…Wrong Cookie

• Young Adult Books – What We’re Reading Now

• The YaYaYa’s

• YA Books and More

Genre: Romance

Genre: Romance

Genre: Science Fiction

Genre: Science Fiction

Professional Journals

• Voya– Online exclusives– Booklists– Book reviews (by quality, popularity, grade)– Hot topics

• ALAN

Genre: Novels in Verse

Genre: Novels in Verse

Genre: Non-fiction

Genre: Non-fiction

Great YA Booklists!

• Goodreads shelves

• 22books

• Shelfari

• YALSA-bk wiki

Genre: Story Collections

A Good Problem Novel Usually Has:

• Strong, interesting and believable plot centering around a problem that YA might really have

• The power to transport the reader into another person’s thoughts and feelings

• A balance of good and negative qualities

A Good Problem Novel Usually Has:

• Worthwhile theme. Reader is left with something to think about

• Universal appeal

• Reader is left with insights into either society or individuals or both

http://www.uiowa.edu/~libsci/semesters/sp02/sp02_21144_problemsinproblemnovels.html

The “Problems” in YA Problem Novels

• Family relationships

• Friends and Society

• Body and Self

• Sexual Relationships

http://www.uiowa.edu/~libsci/semesters/sp02/sp02_21144_problemsinproblemnovels.html

Genre: Problem Novels

Genre: Problem Novels

Genre: Problem Novels

Genre: Problem Novels