YA book projected age range

[Ashleigh]

Okay, so I know this has been discussed in the past, but I want to bring the topic up again. What do you consider the projected age range for YA books? I've seen people say 7-12. I'm sorry, but those ages are NOT young adults. And then I've seen up to age 21. That's more of a young adult. I am 23 years old, and just finished reading Lauren Oliver's series, Delirium, which is considered YA. I loved them and did not feel childish reading them. If the YA age range is in fact closer to 7-12 or even 12-16, then I think this series needs to be re-categorized. No CHILD (because to me, those ages are children) should be reading about the violence and language that are in these books (the f*** was dropped repeatedly). And yes, the main character is the age of 18. Of course there are characters younger than her, but most fall into that range. I've also read other YA books that I think are far above the 7-16 range. So, in my opinion, the YA age range should be focused more towards 18+.

[Tessa]

I think YA books are more for 14+. I agree that children shouldn't be reading YA books, but I think young teenagers could benefit from these books. Most of them have a theme that can help teenagers through tough time. Look at Harry Potter, so many people die and it should be considered YA, but it is considered a children's book. That is because it teaches kids that love and friendship can conquer anything. I also think that you can never be too old to read YA books.

[Ashleigh]

I definitely agree that you can never be too old for books; ANY for that matter (: I just think that sometimes, the category of YA is misused; not aimed correctly. If that makes sense.

[Stormy]

I truly started reading YA when I was entering my teen years. Most of YAs main characters are heroines going through situations like having your first boyfriend, first kiss, family drama, hormone rages, etc. Teenage girls who read this genre can easily relate to the characters because they are going through similar experiences. In some of the more well written YA series, such as Hunger Games, there are some heavy and dark themes that could be frightening or too complicated for younger audiences to comprehend. Anyone can love and enjoy YA. But I think the demographic authors are reaching to are 12-18 year olds.

[willaful]

7-12?! Who says that? That is most definitely middle grade. Unfortunately, you see a lot of middle grade novels labeled YA, which only leads to the confusion.

The publishing demographic is 12-18, but that doesn't mean every book published as YA will be appropriate for everyone from 12-18 -- just as there are picture books on serious topics, for older readers. There's a huge difference between 12 and 18. But children mature at different ages. Classifications like YA are really only broad guidelines.

I discussed with my 15 year old niece and it didn't bother me at all that she'd read it. My sister used to be pretty careful about her reads, but she's now a very mature older teenager and allowed to make her own choices.

[Kim]

Ashleigh wrote: "Okay, so I know this has been discussed in the past, but I want to bring the topic up again. What do you consider the projected age range for YA books? I've seen people say 7-12. I'm sorry, but tho..."

7-12 is usually referring to the grade, not the age. However, as willaful states, children do mature at different ages. I wouldn't have been ready for The Hunger Games at 12, but there are many kids who are.

I'm going to move this discussion to a different area though as it's in the Every Day Discussion board and I feel it is better served elsewhere.

[willaful]

Kim wrote: "7-12 is usually referring to the grade, not the age."

D'oh, of course! My son is going into 7th grade, so that still seems really young to me. :-) He is still very much a middle grade reader.

[Jonathan]

I've heard that the age range for YA is somewhere around 12 to 21 or so, with 12 - 15/16 representing a "lighter" YA (less graphic) and 15/16 to 21 allowing for darker, more troublesome material.

But I think designating ages may be somewhat beside the point. I've heard agents and editors defining YA, not by the readership age per se, but by the age of the protagonist. In their view, the story must be told from the perspective of a young adult hero (not in the retrospective perspective of an adult looking back) AND the principle conflicts must be resolved by the young adult characters, not the grown-ups in the story.

[Whit]

I think that the 7-12 is referring to grades but ill say this I've grown up around kids at 7 talking like a sailor and saying things that would kill most parents, if they heard what their said, and yes that means all of them. So the YA is placed correctly. I understand that everyone wants to think that their child isn't a kid with a sailors mouth, but when push comes to shove something is going to break. Just saying! The whole controversy is ridiculous! I've grown up reading YA, and I started around 5th or 6th grade and you know what! The book was cleaner then the filth that came out of my classmates and the younger classes mouths! So seriously a book is a book no sense of trying to put an age range on it. Just catagorize it like every other book out there (fantasy, drama, fiction, etc...)

[Kim]

willaful wrote: "Kim wrote: "7-12 is usually referring to the grade, not the age."

D'oh, of course! My son is going into 7th grade, so that still seems really young to me. :-) He is still very much a middle grade ..."

7th grade seems young to me too! I was still playing with dolls in 7th grade myself and many 7th and 8th graders I meet at the library are very much middle grade readers. But I also have met a lot of really mature 7th graders. There's a 13 year old volunteer at my library who has been reading in the teen section and not having troubles since at least 10, if not younger. She doesn't seem to have a problem at all with the move mature stuff. When I asked her about it, she actually said the same thing that Whit said, that essentially the books are cleaner than what real life is like.

[Tammy ~Witching Hour Reads~]

My son is in grade 5 and will be 10 in November and he reads between 2-3 novels per week, I watch what he reads and sometimes read it myself to see if it's appropriate, that being said I can't be everywhere and I want him to read, I don't want to discourage him. I've caught him swearing, it bothers me, but I'm not stupid I know when he's on the play ground with other children they are saying things we wish they would not, but why would they not it's on the radio, on tv, video games, and yes in books.
Thankfully our local book store has a young readers section and a young adult section, he has not ventured into the young adult section as of yet but he did pick up Gris Grimly's Frankenstein that was on a display table because it is a graphic novel, I'll read it, then let him (he has his own large TBR pile in his room, so I have no fear that it will not be for quite a while).
The only thing I would love to shield him from is sex, but that probably won't happen thanks to tv.
I was reading young adult books in grade 7 and 8, still am, I have not come across anything that I was shocked to read in a YA novel, they generally do not have graphic sex scenes, sometimes drugs depending on the genre, yes the F bomb is dropped along with various other bad words, they usually deal with normal problems that young adults are going through or will be.

[Krisy]

A person usually knows when a book is too challenging for them, if it's the plot line, the language, or the characters themselves. But if a young kid, reads a mature book it's up to them to know where to use that language and who to ask about the questions they have.

I go to a public high school and am a polite girl. I'm told I'm mature for my age, but that doesn't mean anything to me. I've been using language that would make a New York city's public toilet look sparkling clean. I've been asking questions about the things I've read and using the language I've picked up on since I was in about third grade (about eight or nine) around my friends in a joking manner and they have done the same right back. But I have never ever even let a curse slip out of my mouth in front of my parents, my family, any teachers, or people that have rank/respect/age/whatever on me.

Now, my point is if a child, a kid, a teenager, a grandmother, whoever, can read it and understand what's going on, then it should be up to them to ask themselves can I handle this book? Will I be able to tell when it's appropriate to use this language or ask certain questions? You can't shelter people from anything because that just makes them want to know what you're trying to hide from them even more than they already did, I know from personal experience. It depends on how the person is raised, how they behave, that is what will cause the difference in them becoming scholar or a drug dealer.

People, younger ones especially, understand and know more than they're given credit for. So as you're trying to hide it from them, they may already know about it. Don't get mad at them for that though, because its not their fault. It's the fault of the generation I live in, but I'm not talking about that. Just talk to them about it and everything will be fine. :)