YA = YOUNG ADULT
Even if you've never heard the term before , I'm sure you are familiar with the titles of lots of YA books.
The Great Gatsby | Harry Potter | The OutsidersTwilight |
The Catcher in the Rye | The Hunger Games |
Gossip Girl | The Fault in Our Stars | To Kill a Mockingbird |
Any of these ring a bell?
The truth is, YA is more popular now that ever before, a moneymaking fact Hollywood has been pretty quick to pick up on. Following the profitable film adaptations of the Harry Potter series, books like Twilight, The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Maze Runner and The Fault in Our Stars hit the big screen, and they all raked in some serious dough. But how? It's not like all the teenagers everywhere are dumping all their allowance or babysitting money into movie theaters ... right? Right.
YA books and (and movies) have been so successful because they're not just for young adults! They're also for old adults, and just regular adults too!
One of the reasons YA books speak to such a wide audience is because they oftentimes relate to self-identity and discovery, or offer serious commentary about issues like equality, depression, suicide, addiction, the loss of a loved one, etc. These are issues the majority of people generally first come to contact with during their teen years, but they stay relevant the entire rest of their lives.
The complex plot lines and multifaceted characters of YA don't just make for a fun, leisurely read or escape – YA can also provide a sort of affirmation about what a reader may be feeling or thinking during one of the most crucial periods of his or her life.
Much like everything else in the world, the YA genre is continually changing, and so are young readers' interests. We've finally exited the supernatural woods filled with vampires and werewolves, and I think we're just about ready to leave the futuristic dystopian world (at least for now). What comes next? I'm not quite sure, only time will tell. But one thing is for sure: YA is here to stay and be enjoyed by all.
-Five YA Books You Seriously Need to Read
-A Brief History of Young Adult Literature