YA Comes of Age - Publisher’s Weekly
I know there could be other reasons
why the YA readers would rather buy the books, but I feel that we in the public
library should maybe analyze to see if our YA readers are not using us as much
as possible and if not try to get the word out that we have what the book
stores have.
I am not surprised that adults are
interested in YA. I tend to think that the stories are now beyond the basic YA
angst, relationship problems and parent problems. Maybe the more fictional, no
real; paranormal, dystopias, etc. are taking the readers away from their
problems and into a fantasy that can give them some down time from any
problems. Maybe?
The
Next Big Thing - YALSA; The Hub
I have always felt that YA titles
are good reads for adults as well. To me it seems that it has become more that
way with many of the adult authors writing also in YA, and since Hunger
Games and Twilight, as the article discusses. The movies have helped
that cause as well.
I think when customers do not know how good YA can be it may
be a great opportunity to open up a new area of reading for them and helping us
with readers advisory.
I read YA Comes of Age as well and I have to say that I too was surprised that YA hardbacks are the norm! They're certainly not an overwhelming presence on our YA bookshelves. Yes, there are a fair number, but nothing I find out of the ordinary, and as often as not the hardbacks are replaced or at least supplemented by the paperback format as it becomes available. My impression from the article was almost that the hardback was preferred for collectible reasons - strange to think of our YA readerships has having such a preference or indeed reverence for that format at this stage, particularly when one considers that their income is likely to be limited. A paperback or e-book would seem to be the more practical, not only from an economic standpoint, but for the purposes of portability.
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