I might have discussed this in one way or the other on this blog before but I always think it's a good idea to revisit the reasons I, and so many other adults, love YA books. Many people have written about this (here, here, and here) and detractors have tried to shame us (here and here) but the fact of the matter is YA books are going to be around for awhile.

So, how and why do I love thee, YA books?

Let me count (a few of) the ways . . . 

1. We never really leave high school.

Have you ever had a job? Or a relationship? Or parents or guardians? Have you lived in the world after high school? Then you know that the lessons we learn then about identity, justice, complex personal interactions, and groupthink are ones we will learn over and over . . . and over and over again. The largest age group who reads YA books are ages 30-44. And as a member of this group, I can attest to the fact that I am still trying to figure out how I'd like to move in this world, who I want to be, and how to balance my needs and the needs of others. I'm also still mad about how, you know, the world is unfair even as I accept that this is so. I still have hope that we can work to change that. YA Books often speak to these issues and allow us a glimpse into that internal struggle we ALL go through at almost every age. 

2. YA books aren't so full of themselves. 

Are you a fan of Jonathan Franzen? I'm sorry. This paragraph isn't for you.

But I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that YA books rarely have the Jonathan Franzen self-congratulatory feel to them that some adult books have. YA books are interested in story and in the journey of the main character. When reading YA, rarely must I marinate in what amounts to a self-referenced, humblebrag of a paragraph whose sole purpose is to show how clever the author is. I call this the Jonathan Franzen effect. It's pernicious, it's boring, and it's, in YA parlance, just gross. Give me a YA book over that drivel any day.

Note: I love adult books, too! I do. I just don't like adult books that try so hard to say pretty nothings and pat themselves on the back. 

3. Escape. 

And, of course, like most entertainment, YA books are a chance for escape. Because they are involved in story, the different places they can go range from fantasy to realism, from sci-fi to romance (like many adult books, yes). All good YA books can help you disappear into a world for a while that is vivid, engrossing, and sure to keep you riveted. Nothing beats a great YA book, a rainstorm, some coffee, and a cat on my lap to give me the exact escape I need when life gets to be a little much. 

So there you have my reasons for loving YA books as an adult! What are yours? Thanks for listening to me and as always, Read on, Readers!