Can a book be both NA and YA? Any Examples?

[Danielle]

I have so many books that I think could fit into both genres. Is this okay, can these two genres merge and overlap, or should there be a clear decisive line between the two?

[Toni]

I dont think think there is a clear line. Some series i have read start out w/ the characters in HS (YA) then the series ends as their in college w/ mote adult scenes. (NA) i dont know. I'm sure some are strictly YA. And then some are NA. But i have read a few that could be considered both. So ur guess is as good as mine.

[Amanda]

i think that YA and NA operate in various shades of grey. you don't just wake up one morning ready to read NA i think you slowly find books that mature gradually until you are comfortable reading the more adult scenes some series defiantly change over time so they may be a good stepping stone

[amber]

I think the genre is so new, that it will take some time to work out the kinks, and then both YA and NA will have boundaries that are more clear. Other than the sexed up NA, most NA's are probably appropriate for YA.

[Heather]

I agree with everyone else on this. There really is no bold, solid line that always divides YA from NA. There are some books that are clearly not appropriate for the YA label.

[Mickey]

Hmmm. Publishers seem to categorize NA books as those featuring characters between the ages of 18 and 24-29. If they are in college or just out of university, it's NA. If they are in high school, it's YA.

That's my understanding. But people of all ages read books in either (or both) categories.

[Toni]

I agree with everyone here. Its a very gray line. However i have read series that even though they start out in HS and wind up older in sequels somebof the content is too sexually charged to be considered YA. Ex; Hopeless and Losing Hope; The Coincedence of Callie and Kayden and The Redemption of Callie and Kayden; and the Breathless series by Rebecca Donovan. I don't know if they are categorized as YA. But I consider them to be NA, just because of content.

[Lade]

I think a book can be NA and YA. For example Breaking The Reins by Juliana Haygert which I read last month

[Heather]

I've spent some time in the last few days setting up the release for my book. I didn't get an official choice for NA, but there didn't seem to be a YA category either. Barnes & Noble let me choose YA at the very end (which I did) but I was also allowed to add up to 5 other options (I chose three - General Fiction, Coming of Age and Fiction Romance Contemporary (the last was suggested by my beta reader))
So even in the self publishing world they don't even put the line out there. :-S

[Carol]

Hi, My name's Carol Moreira and I'm a YA author asking myself this question as, in my third book, I want the two protagonists to be aged 16 and 23. Thanks for the thoughts...

[Ruby]

The Little Black Fish is a great example of this discussion. Originally written for children, the book has impacted young adults, adults, scholars, writers and many others. This book has inspired Orahan Paumuk so much that he talks about the book's influence in the introduction to his book .The New Life.

Quote:
My father gave me a book as a child and it changed my life. http://evrimbaran.com/?p=497

Unquote

[Carol]

Some great recommendations here. Think I'll save the humorous ones for the cold winter months...

[Jenny]

Leigh T. Moore's books make me think of this--most of her characters are HS age, but the sex gets somewhat graphic, though not explicit. I love her books, though!