MADreads

Evolution of a reader?

January 12th, 2008 Sarah - Alicia Ashman

I used to read a ton of fiction.

Then, it seemed like I hated all of the fiction I brought home from the library.

So I started reading nonfiction.  Hardcore, pretty much exclusively, nonfiction only need apply.

But then a funny thing happened: I read John Green’s Looking for Alaska.  And fell in love with fiction all over again.  So what’s the problem?  Well, Green writes what is called “young adult” fiction–fiction written for and marketed to adolescents, roughly ages 12 to 18.

It’s been a long time since I waved goodbye to 18.  So, it’s a bit unnerving to find that almost all of the fiction I’m finding and enjoying these days comes from the Young Adult (YA) section: Green’s Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines; Sara Zarr’s Story of a Girl; Joyce Maynard’s The Cloud Chamber.  Scott Westerfeld’s Peeps.

Sure, I’m evolving backwards through the stacks.  On the bright side, it also feels like I’m aging in reverse.  Anti-aging AND great literature?  You’ll find me in the YA stacks.

Entry Filed under: Young Adult