Comments on: >A correction and a repeated complaint http://www.hbook.com/2007/02/blogs/read-roger/a-correction-and-a-repeated-complaint/ Publications about books for children and young adults Tue, 14 May 2013 17:58:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Garret Freymann-Weyr http://www.hbook.com/2007/02/blogs/read-roger/a-correction-and-a-repeated-complaint/#comment-2784 Garret Freymann-Weyr Sat, 24 Feb 2007 14:56:00 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=2724#comment-2784 >Hi. As you know, I enjoy your blog and your pithy style. I do think most of this discussion is one best left to librarians and other experts. But it is verging on (or at least, the last line of your post is) a discussion which I really want to see, hear and observe. Does anyone working in YA land --- writers, editors or reviewers -- think that any of our books should push an adult book off of the list? Of course teens should read for pleasure (we all should!) But who decides that a teen's (or tween's) idea of pleasure only involves books with characters to whom they can relate? If your expectations of a teen reader includes tales of suburban girl's first boyfriend, but doesn't include, say, E.M. Forster (who also, funnily enough, has written this same plot), then how will readers learn to transcend their own comfort zone? Or learn to read for language, for epiphany, tone and joy? I have no answer, but I would love to see our books judged by the same criteria used for "adult" books. When I see "Teens will love it" in a review, I think, wow, that tells me nothing. >Hi. As you know, I enjoy your blog and your pithy style. I do think most of this discussion is one best left to librarians and other experts. But it is verging on (or at least, the last line of your post is) a discussion which I really want to see, hear and observe. Does anyone working in YA land — writers, editors or reviewers — think that any of our books should push an adult book off of the list? Of course teens should read for pleasure (we all should!) But who decides that a teen’s (or tween’s) idea of pleasure only involves books with characters to whom they can relate? If your expectations of a teen reader includes tales of suburban girl’s first boyfriend, but doesn’t include, say, E.M. Forster (who also, funnily enough, has written this same plot), then how will readers learn to transcend their own comfort zone? Or learn to read for language, for epiphany, tone and joy? I have no answer, but I would love to see our books judged by the same criteria used for “adult” books. When I see “Teens will love it” in a review, I think, wow, that tells me nothing.

]]> By: rindawriter http://www.hbook.com/2007/02/blogs/read-roger/a-correction-and-a-repeated-complaint/#comment-2783 rindawriter Sat, 24 Feb 2007 06:40:00 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=2724#comment-2783 >I will be VERY interested to see how Sherman Alexie's new novel, "Flight," which has a young hero, works out in all of this...very interested indeed. Altough I have a feeling it will be promoted as an "adult" book...oooohhhhh.....fiddlestublewipplefudge....... >I will be VERY interested to see how Sherman Alexie’s new novel, “Flight,” which has a young hero, works out in all of this…very interested indeed. Altough I have a feeling it will be promoted as an “adult” book…oooohhhhh…..fiddlestublewipplefudge…….

]]> By: Andrew Karre http://www.hbook.com/2007/02/blogs/read-roger/a-correction-and-a-repeated-complaint/#comment-2781 Andrew Karre Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:13:00 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=2724#comment-2781 >Yes, PERKS was an MTV book (in fact, SUCH A PRETTY GIRL's cover makes the comparison between the two) and it was officially adult, but that was 8 years ago . . . It seems like we're in a different YA universe. YA sections in bookstores and libraries are much more aligned with adult sections than with the children's area, or so it seems to me (in my much shorter experience). >Yes, PERKS was an MTV book (in fact, SUCH A PRETTY GIRL’s cover makes the comparison between the two) and it was officially adult, but that was 8 years ago . . . It seems like we’re in a different YA universe. YA sections in bookstores and libraries are much more aligned with adult sections than with the children’s area, or so it seems to me (in my much shorter experience).

]]> By: Roger Sutton http://www.hbook.com/2007/02/blogs/read-roger/a-correction-and-a-repeated-complaint/#comment-2780 Roger Sutton Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:27:00 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=2724#comment-2780 >Good question, Finicky, but reviewing books from juvenile publishers is our chosen part of the universe. (I wish we did review more from small presses; I also wish children's books from small presses were better!) The Printz Award is for Best Book Published for Teens by a Juvenile Publisher, and while that is their chosen part of the universe, I don't think it respects the way teens read. Plus, Mike Printz was a friend of mine and he would be horrified, I think--Mike worked as a high school librarian and provided adult books to teens as a matter of course.<br/><br/>Supporters of the award as-is say that it is designed to promote good YA publishing, but I think it only props up a certain business model whose success or failure is beside the point.<br/><br/>To Andrew's question--wasn't Perks of a Wallflower an MTV book? I believe it was therefore disqualified for Printz consideration--I believe Michael Cart, a prime mover behind the award, can confirm that. >Good question, Finicky, but reviewing books from juvenile publishers is our chosen part of the universe. (I wish we did review more from small presses; I also wish children’s books from small presses were better!) The Printz Award is for Best Book Published for Teens by a Juvenile Publisher, and while that is their chosen part of the universe, I don’t think it respects the way teens read. Plus, Mike Printz was a friend of mine and he would be horrified, I think–Mike worked as a high school librarian and provided adult books to teens as a matter of course.

Supporters of the award as-is say that it is designed to promote good YA publishing, but I think it only props up a certain business model whose success or failure is beside the point.

To Andrew’s question–wasn’t Perks of a Wallflower an MTV book? I believe it was therefore disqualified for Printz consideration–I believe Michael Cart, a prime mover behind the award, can confirm that.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.hbook.com/2007/02/blogs/read-roger/a-correction-and-a-repeated-complaint/#comment-2779 Anonymous Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:04:00 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=2724#comment-2779 >I'm playing the devil's advocate, because I do love HB...but doesn't the Horn Book limit books reviewed in much the same way? I.e., only books published specifically for children/YAs? And, mostly, books by large publishers?<br/><br/>A finicky librarian >I’m playing the devil’s advocate, because I do love HB…but doesn’t the Horn Book limit books reviewed in much the same way? I.e., only books published specifically for children/YAs? And, mostly, books by large publishers?

A finicky librarian

]]> By: Andrew Karre http://www.hbook.com/2007/02/blogs/read-roger/a-correction-and-a-repeated-complaint/#comment-2777 Andrew Karre Fri, 23 Feb 2007 13:22:00 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=2724#comment-2777 >I'm curious about what YALSA will do with Laura Wiess's SUCH A PRETTY GIRL, which came out last month from MTV Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster that does a lot of "official" YA and "official" adult for younger adults) as an adult trade paperback original, at least in terms of price and bookstore placement. Not only does the story clearly appeal to YALSA young adults (narrator is 15), but the book has endorsements from YA stars like Ellen Hopkins alongside woman's fiction authors like Luanne Rice. The author speaks at SCBWI conferences, has a prominent children's book agent . . . So, which will it be? >I’m curious about what YALSA will do with Laura Wiess’s SUCH A PRETTY GIRL, which came out last month from MTV Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster that does a lot of “official” YA and “official” adult for younger adults) as an adult trade paperback original, at least in terms of price and bookstore placement. Not only does the story clearly appeal to YALSA young adults (narrator is 15), but the book has endorsements from YA stars like Ellen Hopkins alongside woman’s fiction authors like Luanne Rice. The author speaks at SCBWI conferences, has a prominent children’s book agent . . . So, which will it be?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.hbook.com/2007/02/blogs/read-roger/a-correction-and-a-repeated-complaint/#comment-2773 Anonymous Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:30:00 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=2724#comment-2773 >I adore my local public library and one reason is that their Young Adult section is cheerfully, chaotically omnivorous -- some real children's books, lots of "official" YA, literary classics kids might read about or hear about in school, graphic novels, reference works, and every adult writer who most appeals to young readers for reasons good, bad, or prurient -- Stephen King, Alice Walker, Ayn Rand. >I adore my local public library and one reason is that their Young Adult section is cheerfully, chaotically omnivorous — some real children’s books, lots of “official” YA, literary classics kids might read about or hear about in school, graphic novels, reference works, and every adult writer who most appeals to young readers for reasons good, bad, or prurient — Stephen King, Alice Walker, Ayn Rand.

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