Yes, I read Young Adult Fiction. I got started when I worked as a substitute school teacher, back around 1995. I signed on with my local public district, pre-K through 8. I took every kind of assignment, from Special Ed to second year Spanish (which I don’t speak). When students weren’t in front of me, I browsed whatever books were at hand. My most interesting “find” was Lois Lowry’s The Giver.
My second reason for reading YA fiction is that I “work” with teenagers. I’m a volunteer in a religious youth program. I spend time with sixth graders up through 19 year olds. I began out of a sense of obligation – my kids were involved – but I continued because I was having fun. I still am. One way I can understand my young friends is by paying attention to what they are reading. If The Hunger Games is being read, I should check it out. So I did. I found the first book of that series gripping (to put it mildly), but stopped part way through the second volume. Too violent for me… I’ve read some vampire novels, most of which left little impression.
My absolute, all time favorite YAF book is A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond, originally published in 1976. It’s about youngsters, but there is nothing “cute” about this book. A real family faces real trouble, then supernatural events intrude. Good, believable characters and sound writing. The story takes place in Wales. I found this book in the Chinaberry Books catalog, which deserves attention as a good place to find reading material.
AMG Reading Journal 