Meg Rosoff, an American-born author who lives in London, said, “There isn’t an adult who’s going to trot into the children’s section to look for adult literature.”
Um, yes there is! *raises hand* A lot of adults read Harry Potter, of course, and I think that opened the door in some ways. I love the YA section, and I feel it's a much better section now than when I was a teenager-- bookstores around me didn't have a YA section when I was 12!
That said, I like the idea of an "all ages" section. Why discriminate?
I do to, now. I didn't used to. But then I decided (about a year before Golden Compass was released in theaters) that I wanted to read this amazing series that so many of my college friends had raved about. And I couldn't find it anywhere in the adult section of B&N or Border's! I finally asked for help, and was pointed towards YA with the comment of "Are you looking for this as a gift?" Oy.
So now I peruse the YA section from time-to-time. I mean, why not? It's not a situation where I'm incapable of understanding adult novels. I just happen to like what I've found there and don't see any (valid) reason not to return.
Same here. I've been reading YA lit. since I was "too young" (single digits) and I always hit that section in the bookstore or library (now I'm 33). I've found a lot of YA lit. continues to speak to me a way adult lit. does not.
Thing is, you're one of those silly "genre readers", not a real reader who devotes her time to sober and intentional persuit of actual literature that has deep and abiding social value.
Haha! That is absolutely true. I love YA SF/F! A bonus is that YA books are usually shorter and quicker to read than grown-up books. A detractor is that sometimes they are badly written.
I also feel that the books I read when I was 12 were the books that turned me into a lifetime reader. That impressionable age thing! So YA has a dear place in my heart.
Um, yes there is! *raises hand*
A lot of adults read Harry Potter, of course, and I think that opened the door in some ways. I love the YA section, and I feel it's a much better section now than when I was a teenager-- bookstores around me didn't have a YA section when I was 12!
That said, I like the idea of an "all ages" section. Why discriminate?
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So now I peruse the YA section from time-to-time. I mean, why not? It's not a situation where I'm incapable of understanding adult novels. I just happen to like what I've found there and don't see any (valid) reason not to return.
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I also feel that the books I read when I was 12 were the books that turned me into a lifetime reader. That impressionable age thing! So YA has a dear place in my heart.
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As a kid who viewed the YA section with disdain when she actually WAS in the YA group, I have a lot to catch up on!
Also, I still like Animorphs, for fuck's sake.
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