Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion
Member's Chat
>
Worst YA books
Bess wrote: "Wow that's a good question and one which I'll need to think about for a little longer, but just off the top of my head some of the YA love stories I think were done well are;1. Daughter of the For..."
I second Graceling, this is a strong female character, and the love interest actually lets her make decisions and even lead sometimes.
Emily wrote: "I really loved Beautiful Creatures as well. I didn't thnk I'd like it at first, but I did!"I am working my way through this book, it is one that holds my interest, the writer is good at giving just enough infomation to keep you reading to see where it is going.
Tatiana wrote: "To explain my dislike for "City of Bones" and "Beautiful Creatures," I think it will be easier just to post my reviews here. Sorry for the rants. I really disliked these two books."Beautiful Crea..."
I read City of bones and at times it gave me a headache, and left me wondering what did I just read? Not sure if I will give it another chance.
Tatiana wrote: "Shannen wrote: "Sheesh. You all think WAY too much when it comes to YA books. If I overanalyzed everything i read, reading wouldn't be enjoyable."I don't think I over-analyze YA too much, I jus..."
I will say this Teens have better choices than I did at that age, I had babysitters club, so I quickly jumped to adult sections for reading. I read Danielle steele, at a young age : O
Ryan wrote: "I might try Mortal Instruments, since I'm looking for a series where I can breeze through a few books as fun reading. I tried Uglies but I was completely bored by it."Oh that is another one, that gave me a headache, I like my reading to be enjoyable, but don't necessary spell things out for me, but don't make it so hard that I find it boring to read. The idea of Uglies I thought would lead to conversations with teens about beauty expectations in this world, but it fell flat quickly.
Annalisa wrote: "I just finished Fallen, and I've got to agree with everyone who put it on this list. I haven't been this annoyed by a book since Breaking Dawn.And my issue with Forest of Hands and Teeth is that i..."
Another highly recommended book that fell flat. I enjoyed the beginning when they will still in the "village" but when they "left" it got very slow and dumb.
Shannen wrote: "This is why I hate this thread. If someone names a book as "worst YA book", a person who loves it feels like they have to defend their preferences."Still finding my way around here : ) Is there a topic for best YA books, this is all opinions on best/worst, it is enjoyable for me to agree with person's opinion on why it is bad/good.
In another group there is a running joke between me and one poster, if I love the book, she will hate and vice versa, there are only a few authors who we agree on, so when hse loves a book I don't bother reading it. I find this useful to cut the TBR piles.
LOL Teresa... it's good to find your own polar opposite like that. : )
Ok, I just finished reading an ARC of Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey and would like to add it to the list. This book was embarrassingly bad, nothing like "Jessica's Guide" and just poorly written.
Teresa in Ohio wrote: "Tatiana wrote: "Shannen wrote: "Sheesh. You all think WAY too much when it comes to YA books. If I overanalyzed everything i read, reading wouldn't be enjoyable."I don't think I over-analyze ..."
Ohh, Teresa! Bringing back memories! haha... I had the Babysitters Club, too!! I was sneaking VC Andrews from my older sister. YA has come a LONG way!
Natalee wrote: "Teresa in Ohio wrote: "Tatiana wrote: "Shannen wrote: "Sheesh. You all think WAY too much when it comes to YA books. If I overanalyzed everything i read, reading wouldn't be enjoyable."I don..."
I read Flowers in the attic, at that time : ) I think I might understand better if I read it now LOL
I know there were others, I remember a series that was kinda of spooky/mystery but can't remember any other details : (
i cant say I have a book I dont like yet apart from maybe breaking dawn in twilight yak factor 10
Re overanalyzing. Part of what makes reading fun for me IS the analysis. Sometimes, there is no need to analyze (Twilight, etc) but other times I like to see what character motivation was or what the author meant by something (Everlost, Sabriel, Poison Study...). I just finished two adult books that I am dying to discuss with someone. They have more in common than you'd think (Blindness and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet).
That is a good point analizing, I never thought of it in that way before.
I read Flowers in the Attic in 7th grade and my teacher saw me reading it and freaked. I became obsessed with VC Andrews after that! I went into Barnes and Noble a couple weeks ago and they reprinted it with the second one, Petals on the Wind in one volume. I snatched it up! I'm looking forward to reading it again.anywho!
I agree whole heartedly with Evermore being on the worst list. I never attempted to read the others. Also, As You Wish was pretty bad too.
I've been pretty disappointed by a lot of the "hyped up" young adult books lately.. namely, Beautiful Creatures, Fallen, and Hush Hush. None of them were anything spectacular, IMO.
Mod
I don..."
The babysitters club was all the rage! Wasn't there even a show?
I am going for Vampire Diaries and Blue Bloods. And I actually liked Evermore lol
Yes, there was a Babysitters Club show! I actually bought all 13 episodes on VHS on ebay, since I doubt they'll ever be released on DVD. There was a movie, too, but the show followed the books more closely.Oh, nostalgia!
Caliophe wrote: "I am going for Vampire Diaries and Blue Bloods. And I actually liked Evermore lol"I like evermore and am enjoying Blue bloods, which I keep saying gossip girl meets the vampires as I read it LOL
If the Babysitters Club has made it on here....Who remembers Sweet Valley High? School library's were horrible till high school. Finally ran into Mercedes Lackey the start of many many favorite authors. But I digress. For bad YA books Sweet Valley high was pretty bad. But selections were limited. Now. . YA has come a great long way.
I can not remember the name of the book for the life of me, something about a girl or message in the box. It was a horrible book. Well not horrible, but just not appropriate for the age it is advertised for. I am not sure it is even still in print but it was about a girl who accidentally got kidnapped, the kidnappers thought she was her friend. When they realized that she was the wrong girl, they left her in a shed with a bag of bread and a big jug of water. The book goes on to tell how she lived each day until her death, which is how the book ends. I know that this kind of thing happens on a daily basis but it is advertised for independent readers. As a fifth grader reading this book, I was terrified to leave my house. Good message, poorly written and advertised :(
Debbie wrote: "If the Babysitters Club has made it on here....Who remembers Sweet Valley High? School library's were horrible till high school. Finally ran into Mercedes Lackey the start of many many favorite aut..."sweet valley high quickly moved on to adult books after that LOL I think they led to the whole mary kate and ashley series LOL
Emmy wrote: "I can not remember the name of the book for the life of me, something about a girl or message in the box. It was a horrible book. Well not horrible, but just not appropriate for the age it is adv..."Not a fifth grade book at all and I have a fifth grader, what ages where the kids in the book? and then to just end with her death, I would want to know if the killers were found, how her friends and family reacted.
Adding to Debbie's thread, don't forget Paula Danzinger (Cat ate my gymsuit, Pistachio Prescription, etc). She got me through a lot of angst being an overweight pre-teen. I don't remember reading for pleasure much in HS because I always had class assigs. I read a lot of Agatha Christies in the summer. I did discover regency romances and stayed in that world for awhile. Then I read Roger Zelazny's Nine Princes in Amber and my world was changed. I think he was the first fantasy I read. That's when I discovered Lackey, McCaffery and Eliz Moon. Then I was stuck forever in the fantasy section of the used book store. YA nowadays is very similar to older fantasy (little sex or language, lots of magic). Ok, now you guys can have your hijacked thread back. :)
All you VC Andrews lovers out there... I was at Borders on Sunday and guess what! They have a new edition of VC Andrews out in the YA section!! It's the Flowers in the Attic and the second one (cant remember name). I started laughing as soon as I saw it. So, yeah... I thought of you this past weekend. :)
I am so glad I didn't read at school, actually i remember reading 2 (I am esther, made me hate cristiananity in some respect) and one little thriller book I thought it was cool if i read it again I would prolly not like it lol, not that I can remember what is was called
Natalee wrote: "All you VC Andrews lovers out there... I was at Borders on Sunday and guess what! They have a new edition of VC Andrews out in the YA section!! It's the Flowers in the Attic and the second one (..."I totally bought it a couple weeks ago! I was so excited when I saw it. :]
Teresa in Ohio wrote: "Emmy wrote: "I can not remember the name of the book for the life of me, something about a girl or message in the box. It was a horrible book. Well not horrible, but just not appropriate for the ..."I am not sure the ages, I read it forever ago, but I think they were middle school aged. After hearing about the Lovely Bones I intently thought of that book and how much better it would have been if it would have taken on something like TLB, but whatever! Their loss :)
If we are talking about nostalgia - I would have to say BoxCar Children books are the worst for YA..... I hate how everything is a-okay (the kids get along great, things fall into place for them, people love them as they are adorable, ect.) And I hate when teachers and parents try to push them on their kids because "oh I loved these when I was your age" not because the kids of today would actually enjoy them.
I disagree re boxcar. I think for kids just getting into chapter books they offer a more sophisticated storyline than Junie B Jones. (At least the ones actually written by Warner.). I don't think anyone would say they are YA. I recommend them for 2nd or 3rd graders as a great step into mysteries. They are short enough that kids can get a sense of accomplishment by reading them too. And come on, who among us didn't want to live in a boxcar and have milk that was cooled behind a waterfall?
I grew up on Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. Those of you who thumb your nose at us who are older don't seem to realize and appreciate that times WERE different. Things were less sophisticated and simple in movies, t.v. and books. Kids and YA (which didn't exist then) did not contain the same adult material and issues they do now. That's a fact.
You may not like them or disagree, but don't degrade we who are older with words like "hate". We are sharing a part of ourselves by giving kids a glimpse into our past. We are using books as a point of connection. Try viewing them as a snapshot into that time and mindset rather than criticize.
You may not like them or disagree, but don't degrade we who are older with words like "hate". We are sharing a part of ourselves by giving kids a glimpse into our past. We are using books as a point of connection. Try viewing them as a snapshot into that time and mindset rather than criticize.
Ok, let's not jump on Brenda. I'm sure she wasn't trying to offend us. I love this open discussion of worst books that has morphed into a history of YA. What was the first book that you remember reading that crossed you from the children's (or adult) books into YA land?as an adult, I was assigned The View from Saturday in my Elem lit class and that brought me back to teen lit, a genre I hadn't visited in awhile. Harry Potter in 1998(when I first read it) was also a HUGE wake up to what the genre had to offer.
Kelly, I too enjoy the discussion. I just think we can do so without using harsh words like 'hate' to degrade others. Keep it civil and respectful.
As to your question, we didn't have literature assignments in elementary school when I was a kid. We had readers that contained short stories or portions of kids books, or we could chose a book from the library to share and do a report.
It wasn't until I was a junior and senior in high school that we started reading books that contained social commentary, i.e. "Cather in the Rye", to "Kill a Mockingbird." But these were adult books, not kids.
It was in the 1980s (long after I was out of school) that YA began introducing more adult and social themes into kids books.
As to your question, we didn't have literature assignments in elementary school when I was a kid. We had readers that contained short stories or portions of kids books, or we could chose a book from the library to share and do a report.
It wasn't until I was a junior and senior in high school that we started reading books that contained social commentary, i.e. "Cather in the Rye", to "Kill a Mockingbird." But these were adult books, not kids.
It was in the 1980s (long after I was out of school) that YA began introducing more adult and social themes into kids books.
I read Catcher in the Rye in HS (or was it JH?), too. But in those "simpler" times, at least at my school, I don't think it was an assigned book. (It has *bad* words, and my school had just beeen through a dirty fight over another book, Manchild in the Promised Land, I've never read it, but I've had my brother's copy for years...) I read Catcher (and other books) because it was on my parents' bookshelves. I was encouraged to read anything there and/ or at the library. In college in the early '80's I read Ursula K LeGuin, Madeline L'Engle in a childen's lit class. That was when I discovered YA. I also took a feminist science fiction & fantasy class(on the first day it was discussed that this was the first class of its kind) in any college. It was taught by sf/f writer Elizabeth Lynn.
My foray wasn't until college. I graduated HS in '88. By elem lit, I meant my Elementary Education Lit class for my Masters. I can remember enjoying and being confused by A Wrinkle in Time, however. I read Catcher in HS as well as Lord of the Flies, but these weren't "pleasure" reading. One of the reasons I so love this genre is because it doesn't seem like work to read them. I tend to stray from overly erudite writers because I can't escape as well as I'd like to.
Julia - Fight over a book? lol. I remember some of those battles. Also, I was in school in the 70s when desegregation happened. That was fight! :)
Ah, Kelly, my daughter was born in 1988. lol And yes, Madeline L'Engle was one of those author who pushed the boundaries of YA books.
Ah, Kelly, my daughter was born in 1988. lol And yes, Madeline L'Engle was one of those author who pushed the boundaries of YA books.
Yeah, BoxCar children are not really YA but that is part of my point. I hate it when parents try to get their junior high (especially 6th grade) students to read books such as Boxcar series simply because they use to enjoy them. Today's kids simply do not relate to them like older generations. These books basically sit on my library shelfs and never are read or checked out. And my library is not alone. One of the top comments on a national library listserv was how to "gently weed" these books from the shelves as the parents love them but vast majority of kids hate them.
btw: Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew/Babysitters/Full-House books also never get checked out anymore.
Just because a book was popular back in the day doesn't mean it can stand the test of time. I am sure that in a few generations there will be some books that we will all love but our grandkids will not just like these.
And thanks for coming to me defense. yes...we all have our own opinions and ideas and a social site like this is a great place to discuss and debate but we don't need name calling and non-civility. Let's leave that to the political forums.
btw: Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew/Babysitters/Full-House books also never get checked out anymore.
Just because a book was popular back in the day doesn't mean it can stand the test of time. I am sure that in a few generations there will be some books that we will all love but our grandkids will not just like these.
And thanks for coming to me defense. yes...we all have our own opinions and ideas and a social site like this is a great place to discuss and debate but we don't need name calling and non-civility. Let's leave that to the political forums.
Kelly,I'd nominate Junie B for worst books in children's genre :). I introduced my daughter to Ramona (my childhood favorite) to get her away from that bad grammar (Clementine is cute too). I loved Nancy Drew too around 6th grade but never read Babysitter's or Sweet Valley High. I was assigned a book called the Butterfly Revolution in 8th grade, like Lord of the Flies but set in a camp. It had a profound affect on me and that's the point I jumped into more mature literature. I've never A Wrinkle in Time. I think I'll tackle that one next year with my daughter.
i'd move the young adult books having adult themes back to the mid seventies. i felt safe recommending the Fawcett Juniper line only until 1975 at the latest. after that point i'd tell parents to look at the book and see if they were comfortable w/the subject. John Steptoe was writing adult themed ya at the end of the sixties. Judy Bloom was writing (and being banned) from 1971 on. Zindel's The Pigman came out in '68, Corimer's Choclate War in '74, Klein's Mom, the Wolfman, and Me in '76 etc. (some information from Places I Never Meant To Be by Judy Bloom). and i don't think Mad. L'Engle wouldn't have missed a button to push if it was in the way of Truth.
Annalisa wrote: "Kelly,I'd nominate Junie B for worst books in children's genre :). I introduced my daughter to Ramona (my childhood favorite) to get her away from that bad grammar (Clementine is cute too). I love..."
I'm glad someone else, especially a parent can't stand Junie B. Jones. My 5th grade teacher loved them and tried to push them on us as a "fun read."
I spent the next three weeks trudging through the Hobbit out of spite.
And I'll thumb my nose at that "different time" nonsense all I want. Too often that phrase is used as a way to condemn and belittle kid and teen literature that deals with harsh subjects. I don't thing there's anything wrong with books like Boxcar Children and if that's what a kid wants to read more power to them, but they are simple, saccharine, and dated. No amount of nostalgia is going to change that.
Polkweed, I'm not using that phrase to belittle,rather state the FACT that there are differences in the times. But your attitude suggests you belittle those difference. That is troubling since it leaves little to no room for discussion.
Along with what Brenda says about libraries weeding out older books. Attitude and censuring of books loses a point that can be used to connect the generations.
Would you both advocate dumping Shakespeare, Dante, Doyle or other authors whom you judge as dated rather then use them to give glimpse into the past and their mind-set? If you do, than that sad.
Along with what Brenda says about libraries weeding out older books. Attitude and censuring of books loses a point that can be used to connect the generations.
Would you both advocate dumping Shakespeare, Dante, Doyle or other authors whom you judge as dated rather then use them to give glimpse into the past and their mind-set? If you do, than that sad.
I work at a library too. I am having to go through and pull older fiction to make room for newer fiction. My criteria was that if no one had checked it out in 20 years, it could go. I live in the tropics and the weather is really hard on books (as are termites!) At first it was ridiculously hard to move the books to the free shelf, but now my shelves look like they can breathe and are happy. Many of the free books got to go to homes of people who never looked at them before, so it is win/win! I don't think anyone is saying that if it is old, throw it away, but I have been eyeing the shelf space that Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys are taking up in my precious youth section and they may get donated soon too. It was funny, my husband recently read Black Beauty aloud to our kids. They were engaged and really liked the story and it's an OLDIE!!
So I wonder, how do we make a distinction between "Classics" - Shakespeare, Dante...Boxcar Children (?) and those books that are dated? My personal criteria is if they get checked out or are a true classic, they get to stay. What do you think?
Kelly, that's different than imposing ones personal opinion to make a book 'dated' and useless. At least you're finding a way for people to benefit from older books. That's great! :)
To answer your question, the dilemma is striking a balance between old and new to give the kids a well-rounded view. This is where teachers, librarians and parents should work together to create a library that can help all. The scales shouldn't be tipped to exclude anything or everything became some consider it old and out dated. Neither should it be tipped to what some consider 'new, edgy, and sophisticated." Naturally, you can't please everyone, but try to be inclusive. The parents knows their childern best.
When my daughter was in school, I previewed all the books on her reading lists. Most she got to read, others not. At 11 years old, I didn't want her reading about incest and rape. The teacher agreed and we chose an alternative book.
Some might consider that old fashion and claim you have to expose kids to everything, but I shielded my daughter until she was old enough to handle such issue.
To answer your question, the dilemma is striking a balance between old and new to give the kids a well-rounded view. This is where teachers, librarians and parents should work together to create a library that can help all. The scales shouldn't be tipped to exclude anything or everything became some consider it old and out dated. Neither should it be tipped to what some consider 'new, edgy, and sophisticated." Naturally, you can't please everyone, but try to be inclusive. The parents knows their childern best.
When my daughter was in school, I previewed all the books on her reading lists. Most she got to read, others not. At 11 years old, I didn't want her reading about incest and rape. The teacher agreed and we chose an alternative book.
Some might consider that old fashion and claim you have to expose kids to everything, but I shielded my daughter until she was old enough to handle such issue.
In one of Connie Willis' books, can't be sure of which one (maybe Remake?) her narrator checks out books that haven't been checked out for many years to save them from going out of circulation forever.My husband wanted to read The Day of the Triffids and either we got rid of the copy we had, or we can't find it, so I requested it from the library. I got the goofy covered 1951 version, even though it's been reprinted, because I wanted to keep it in the shelves.
I haven't read Boxcar Children, but believe they could be classics. And yes, classics should be accessible.
It's hard to know what will become classic and what will be dated. Sometimes you can tell, but often not. It's interesting to see what stands over time. I've never read Boxcar, but my mom bought some for daughter a few weeks ago. She'll read anything though, so I'm not sure her take on it will be as accurate as it would with most kids :).What I find disconcerting is the trend for fast-paced, small-sentenced, undeveloped characters in YA fiction. Not that plot-driven stories are bad; they have their place in literature. But it seems like teenagers are only willing to read them now. They are really struggling to get through the classics and understand development in a good story. I'm not sure I like where the market is headed.
Polkweed, 5th grade? Isn't that a little late to be pushing Junie B. The character is Kindergarten/1st grade from what I've read. My daughter's first grade teacher read Junie B. to class and the next book fair, my daughter begged for a Junie B. book. The only way I could read it to her is to correct the statements. I get making the characters age appropriate, but at an age where children are learning to English language, to write it incorrectly rubs me the wrong way. Plus, I just don't like the character :). Luckily, my daughter moved on from that quickly.
I believe I said they were simple and sacchrine too but I'm not supprised that got dropped so someone could bring in the old "are you going to throw out SHakspeare next cause it's old too" argument. Boxcar Children is not Shakespear, neither are Hardy Boys or Sweet Valley High or any of those. They have the same literary value as Princess Diaries or Captian Underpants but because they're less obscene or juvenile they're "better."
All books have ‘value’. All written words have meaning to people regardless of personal taste or opinions. However, when personal opinions begin to grow to the point of devaluing the written word, one has only to look at history to see what becomes of that society.
Authors and storytellers are the originators of books – non-fiction or fiction. Readers are the recipients that reap the benefits. Teachers and parents are the guides to help point the way to broaden the next generation’s horizon, while librarians are the custodians.
Authors and storytellers are the originators of books – non-fiction or fiction. Readers are the recipients that reap the benefits. Teachers and parents are the guides to help point the way to broaden the next generation’s horizon, while librarians are the custodians.
Brenda wrote: "Yeah, BoxCar children are not really YA but that is part of my point. I hate it when parents try to get their junior high (especially 6th grade) students to read books such as Boxcar series simply..."Hardy boys and Nancy drew don't stay on our library shelves, they are always checked out. Boxcar is a good introduction to chapter books, all my kids tried them and then moved on. The funny thing is I didn't read them as a child.
Annalisa wrote: "Kelly,I'd nominate Junie B for worst books in children's genre :). I introduced my daughter to Ramona (my childhood favorite) to get her away from that bad grammar (Clementine is cute too). I love..."
If you listen to beginning first graders, they make these grammar mistakes, our teachers used them as a tool to show proper writing and how to speak the words in the right tense :)
Young Adult Book Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Incarceron (other topics)Sapphique (other topics)
Reached (other topics)
Matched (other topics)
Crossed (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Emma Bull (other topics)Terri Windling (other topics)
Charles de Lint (other topics)
Beth Fantaskey (other topics)
Twilight & co. (New Moon, blah blah..)
-Like..."
The other problem with Twilight it sends the message that girls can play boys agianst each other, and they can't do things on its own. I cringe when I am at school and see 4th graders walking with this book.