Summer over at The Three R's of Summer recently posted asking whether or not adults are "out" about reading YA books. It made me realize that originally I started reading YA and always talked about it with the preface that I was reading for potential inclusion or to get to know and better recommend books to students in my classroom. However, since I started blogging there are a lot of YA books that are still too mature for my middle school students, and I buy them knowing they probably will be just because they look so good. Her post made me realize that I am no longer just a teacher reading for books for my students but am also an adult who loves YA. Lately, I even pick the YA book on my to-be read list over their adult counterparts.
Adults reading YA does not seem to be that uncommon. Recently my sister posted about how she is getting hooked, and there are many adults with YA related blogs, such as Jen Robinson's Book Page and The Story Siren (and of course Summer's).
I do not feel like I ever did an official announcement about being a YA reader, other than this blog and that my family members and students frequently see me reading YA. Either way, I am proud to say that I love YA and I would gladly announce to my peers that I frequently read it and support the merits of YA.
I'm "out" about my YA reading. If a book looks like a good piece of fiction, I'll read it, regardless of its target audience. But I prefer when bookstores keep their YA and general adult fiction titles together, since they tend to overlap.
ReplyDeleteAwww it's cool that I inspired this post, so to speak. I'm glad that you are proud and open about your YA affection! I am still working on it. Just the other day my friend picked up my copy of Undone and she was like, what's this and I was like, what are you doing in my bag! It's just a book! About a girl who's sad! I was on the defensive.
ReplyDeletelol, I'm working on it.
Kudos to you for coming out as a YA reader! I hope that you find it liberating. Just goes to show that they're just such good books that even when people start out reading them to recommend to kids, they pull you right in. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you are reading YA. The only way to know what books are good to recommend to your students is to read them. Some YA is appropriate for middle school, and some just isn't. Welcome to the Kidlitosphere!
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