Anna Staniszewski

YA (or young adult literature) seems to be having a bit of an identity crisis these days. YA used to be strictly for teens and focused specifically on teen issues. Now YA is read by middle schoolers to adults and its topics are limitless. I’ve heard a few people argue that YA is no longer an age range but a genre all its own. I was especially interested by Beth Revis’s post last week on YA as a Misnomer.

The argument for YA as a genre can get a little confusing when we bring in middle grade books. Is MG also a genre? Or is it an age range? I’m not sure how to answer that question. Still, what I particularly liked about Beth’s post was that she gives specific examples of what she sees as the elements that define YA as a genre. Ultimately she boils it down to this:

YA literature is much more about character-based fast plots with a focus on relationships and making every word in the story contribute to the overall story.

I don’t know if this is true of all YA, but it certainly is a characteristic of most good YA titles. I know this is why I, and many other adults, enjoy reading YA more than adult books; YA titles have a tighter plot and are more focused on character. Beth also addresses the adult vs. YA question on her blog by spelling out the difference in various genres. Ultimately she says:

The bottom line is simple: in the end, the biggest difference between YA and adult literature is simply that YA literature is more willing to take a risk than adult.

Because the genres in adult literature are clearly defined, adult books don’t always have the ability to take big risks. Because YA, no matter its genre, is usually shelved together, there’s more variety and risk-taking involved. I think of so many YA books I’ve read recently that have been stunning (The Hunger Games, The Knife of Never Letting Go) and I believe Beth, again, has a point. It’s not that these books are completely breaking the mold, but because they’re not restricted by any genre other than YA, they don’t have to worry about limits. The Hunger Games is part dystopian fantasy and part romance, something that might be a bit of an anomaly in adult literature.

Ultimately I think the point is less about definitions and more about the books. YA is an exciting genre to read (and write) at the moment because there’s so much energy and freedom within it. I’ve heard of many adult book groups reading exclusively YA which proves that they’re not just for teens. If YA is, indeed, a genre, I hope some of its inventiveness and momentum rubs off on the adult book market as well.