As an avid fan of Young Adult and Graphic Novels, I strongly believe that they should be kept in the library and promoted. My library has large sections for YA and Graphic Novels that our patrons love, many of which come just for those genres.
In my role at my library, I work on our adult book displays. My team and I work hard to include diverse titles people may not have chosen otherwise, and we make an effort to include Graphic Novels and YA books to help showcase those genres. Last year, our library chose a YA Graphic Novel, Flamer by Mike Curato, for our One Book read. Flamer was incredibly popular for our community and resonated with many patrons. Flamer is actually the first graphic novel I read, and it sparked a love for them! Since then, I’ve read several more.
Personally, I’ve found that YA books are some of the most heartfelt books that tend to stick with me for a long time, no matter what age I am. Some books that I read as a teen like The Hunger Games are ones that are wonderful even as an adult, because you can return to the story with more life experience and notice so much nuance and see what a powerful story it is.
Excluding these books from collections is not only not serving the people who enjoy these books, but I believe that it sends a message, particularly to YA readers, that their stories are not worthy of being heard. YA books are geared towards teens, and remembering my own experiences as a teenager, life is hard and dramatic and I often felt misunderstood. YA books in particular give voice to an age group that feels unheard.
Comments
I like what you said about YA books being some of the most heartfelt books that tend to stick with you for a while. I would have to agree. I could never really put my finger on it before. I always thought I had a hard time relating to the "adults" in traditional adult fiction, but I also think it has something to do with the emotion that comes from YA books. Sometimes they are so raw and it's a real driving force in the storyline.
ReplyDelete