Sunday, March 25, 2007

025.21 Good Reads for Boys: What's Missing?


The team bloggers at YA Authors Cafe have posted a question concerning what types of books are needed for YA boy readers. They have asked the blogging world to response.

So far the respondents have mentioned the need for:
Paulsen type stories, more diversity of characters, non-sophomoric humor, mysteries, especially crime mysteries or mysteries without ghosts, clean stories—there ARE YAs who not into crude language and sex and yet, want meaty stories, and hard science fiction. They list some particular books it might be good to check out!

For me personally, I’d like to see a little less teenage angst…there are HAPPY teens out there. I just know there are! Yes, the teen years are full of issues and life-changing decisions and I have always been glad that there were books out there to support teens in need. But there are kids who love (and respect) their parents, like school, want to do "good," don't drink, swear, or have sex and THEY want to read about characters who mirror their lives.

Publishers are putting out their spring collections. The mailboxes (U.S. & online) are filling up with advertisements and announcements of books. The new lists (TAYSHAS, Bluebonnet, ALA, etc. have new books for considerations) In Texas, we Librarians are gearing up for our HUGE conference next month where we will have numerous opportunities to hear, touch, read, and discuss every type of book.

It might be good to have this particular group of readers--YA guys, in our thoughts.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Because you poked fun at our lack of handwriting abilities, I have made it my personal mission to write my notes in cursive during all my day long seminars. You're right... it's hard... and all the "old folks" around me have pretty writing. I still prefer my mixed cursivey-print, but I just thought you would like to know that I am attempting to better myself because of you:) Love you, rlb

Becky said...

I spent my Spring Break with 7 8th grade boys. (yikes!) When we had down time to relax each day, 5 of them were reading instead of playing their PSP or other non-book things. And they were *not* reading Gaming or Code Books. Pretty impressive, no? Good guys!

Carolyn Foote said...

I think a lot of our boys are reading more nonfiction--like Fast Food Nation, Smartbomb, Everything Bad is Good For You, Devil in the White City, anything by Bill Bryson, etc.

I agree though, about the need for more Gary Paulsen types of books. Of course, you can't replicate him, but he writes well, at a more adult level, but with the real feel for adventure that students engage with.