Chalkboard Presentation

Jennifer Street's Presentation

Reading As A Teen

The pleasure I felt as I read a Young Adult Title (Nancy Drew) as a Young Adult was entertainment.

Reading as a young adult

My experience with reading as a young adult varied. I mainly looked for quick and interesting books because of time constraints. I would select crime/mystery books. Nancy Drew books filled this interest for me. I am curious person by nature and loved trying to solve the mystery along with Nancy. Growing up many females were pushed toward "female" type roles, and I loved that Nancy Drew's books had a female lead character. I wasn't always an active reader, I did enjoy it when I found a good book to dive into.

Authors facing challenges

In the article SLJ it was talking about a decline in sales of Young Adult books. It stated, "Teens need more relatable books with characters who look and act like them."

"With young adult ficiton the only major category posting adecling, unit sales of print books increased 4.2% in the week ended March 11, 2023 over the comparable week in 2022, at outlets that report to Circana BookScan."

I had the opportunity to ask two young adults about their experience with reading. The eleven year old seemed to enjoy and read more than the fifteen year old. I asked them both the types of books that interested them. It wasn't surprising when the fifteen year old said, romance was her preferred choice. According to Rose Brock in Young Adult Literature In Action page 1, "Authors are writing about issues and concerns important to young adults." I believe the fifteen year old likes reading these types of books because it is relatable to her currently. The eleven year old mentioned her willingness to try out different types of books and give them a chance. She said it had to grab her in the first couple of chapters or she will give up on it. This gives our authors a challenge to draw in their audience early or the young adults may not read their books.

I believe my young adult reading experience differs some as described in the text. I wasn't faced with the same challenges the young adults are today. They are faced with eating disorders, drugs, sexuality etc. on a much larger scale. The young adults need novels where they don't feel alone. These should cover some of their challenges they are experiencing today. When students find books relatable, I think they will read more. J. Elaine White said, "Young adult literature is key to unlocking the words and worlds of literature because it empowers student." This is crucial for our young adults to feel like they have some control over their lives.

Having books on audio could also assist in getting young adults reading through listening according to Brock pages 68-69. "Audiobook reading enables unskilled readers to gain far greater exposure to print text than is possible by traditional reading methods.Librarians, teachers, and parents need to take advantage of this resource.

Get Young Adults Reading

Some of the challenges mentioned in Karen Jensen's article are: 1. Make YA For Teens Again 2. The Book Covers 3. Shorter Books and More Standalones 4. Market Needs To Keep Up With Demand

References

Young Adult Literature In Action, 3rd edition. Rose Brock. (2019). Libraries Unlimited

White, Elaine J. (2000). "Young Adult Literature as a Key to Literacy." The ALAN Review, Volume 27, Number 3, p. 52-54.

Jensen, K. (2023, March 20). New Reports Show a Decline in YA Book Sales and I Have Some Thoughts as to Why That Might be Happening. School Library Journal. https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2023/03/20/new-reports-show-a-decline-in-ya-book-sales-and-i-have-some-thoughts-as-to-why-that-might-be-happening/