Palate Cleanser

August 8, 2019

So why YA literature? Why would I choose to create an entire website dedicated to young adult novels? I’ve read myriads of excellent fiction and nonfiction geared for adults; some of my favorite reads that I recommend to people fall under those categories. However, some of the best conversations I have in a day are with teens.

I’m surrounded by them for 10 months out of the year as a middle school English teacher. Some of you probably think I’m a saint for doing that while others may think I’m crazy. You don’t know what you all are missing… I feel pretty lucky to be able to talk and learn with these kiddos, especially about books.

I’ve obviously kept up with YA lit because it’s relevant to my life, although not in the way it once was. I am no longer the age of the main characters or really the age of the target audience. Nevertheless, if I want to encourage my youngsters to read, I need to know what to recommend. I want my recommendations and reviews to be authentic, so I can’t just peruse a website and find a list of books that have been read by others. I want to know and be able to relay my excitement to my kids.

Recently I was in a local bookstore with one of my best friends (she always laughs when she turns around, and I am deep in conversation with someone about a book), and I happened to be in the YA section gathering materials to read for the site (and just because I freaking love YA books). I turned to see a girl carrying Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus, and I just blurted out, “I read that! It’s good! I liked the other one— One of Us is Lying better. But that one is good, too!”

I think I caught her by surprise because who just starts talking about books AT you in a store, but alas, that’s me. We ended up talking about other books, and I walked around the section with her, recommending titles and pulling them off the shelves for her to read. The next thing I knew, her grandmother was pulling the younger sister towards me, asking what I could recommend for her.

Instantly I was in the zone. I asked what she liked and was able to gear her towards The Hazel Wood based on her description of liking fantasy and fairytales and a little bit of darkness. Her mother wandered by, and we all talked for a bit; she even exclaimed, “You should have a blog!” Ha.

This is just one example of the countless conversations I’ve had in bookstores and one that continues to showcase why young adult literature is so special to me.

But the reason this post is titled “Palette Cleanser” is because YA fiction is a way I reset.

Recently I had someone ask what I do when I get stuck—like when I can’t find something I want to read or I just have sort of fallen out of love with it. I told her: I go back to my roots. Maybe I pick up a Sarah Dessen novel, like The Truth About Forever, or I go to the bookstore and head right for the YA section. Here’s the thing about YA: it is substantial but not overwhelming. YA authors are constantly churning out important texts about vital subjects worth reading, worth immersing our kids in because we can ALWAYS learn something from a YA book.

Think about it: the characters are teens or kids. They are growing and learning just by pure virtue of the phase of life they are in. I always find myself rooting for the main character and relating based on my past experiences. I usually find that YA characters have more personality, and I can easily imagine the worlds because the description is quick yet still rich.

Usually after I finish a YA book, I feel ready to tackle whatever–fiction or nonfiction, adult or young adult. Those books remind me why I first loved reading, and they are easy to follow and to appreciate. It’s like that sorbet they give you in between courses. It’s refreshing and makes you ready for more…

So I guess that’s why YA. It cleanses.