Excuse me while I rant...

[AH]

Found it - here is the link - Where are the parents in YA fiction:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/3...

It was an interesting discussion.

[Shannon]

Teresa in Ohio wrote: "Since we are ranting, why is it in a lot of books for the teens, the parents are either conviently gone somewhere, or not present in the lives of their teenagers?"

I agree with S.L. I also think that in stories, especially stories that are attempting to be epic, everyone gets eliminated eventually, leaving the hero all alone on his/her quest, whatever that quest might be. Starting with absent parents makes getting there a bit easier.

Besides, heroes with a tragic family life make for better reading. It's sad, but true.

[[deleted user]]

Kelly.....I completely agree with you.

[Kristi]

Since the target audience for young adult books is teenagers, it only makes sense for the parents to be absent in one form or another. Young adults want to feel as if they have control over their feelings, thoughts and actions. Most popular YA books have strong, independent characters who must resolve his/her conflict either by themselves or with peers. It would be difficult to establish a sense of independence if there was a strong parental figure helping the YA making his/her decisions.

[AH]

I think that the remark was made because of the absence of any parental role models (which I believe can't possibly be the norm) in the YA literature. Think - if you had a 16 year old girl (or boy for that matter) would you as a responsible parent allow that child to be alone in their room, door closed with someone of the opposite sex?
Check out the link in message 55, it was a really good discussion on this topic.

[[deleted user]]

It's not that the parents are gone a lot in YA literature that I have a problem with....that I understand and I hate to say it but IS the norm for teenagers as they spend more of their time with their friends than they do with their parents and the parents start loosening up the "apron strings."

The main problem I have with some of the YA books are when the fictional parents ARE around. If the parents are suppose to be such wonderful and supportive parents, like the parent in Body Finder were portrayed to be, then why are they also portrayed as oblivious or in a way dumb to what is going on with their teenage daughter and her relationship with her best-friend. Like the scene where they are basically making out on her bed with her door closed and her dad stands outside and asked "is everything okay in there between you guys?" and after she says yes, he quietly walks away without even looking or questioning why the door would be closed......I mean come on! And then later in the book when they are both basically making out every time he comes over and yet the parents never say anything...even when he gropes her in front of them....they just smile and watch from the sidelines? (insert sarcasm) "what great supportive parents they are!"

That was a little too hard for me to swallow.

[Teresa]

Brenda wrote: "It's not that the parents are gone a lot in YA literature that I have a problem with....that I understand and I hate to say it but IS the norm for teenagers as they spend more of their time with th..."

That is the same book they me think about this. Once they stopped being best friends and moving on to more serious things, the rules need to change. Heck once they got to puberty, the rules should change. And I think most teenagers would be embrassed to be caught,


I get the parents need to be in the background so YA works, but some books really make me question it. I just began Perfect chemistry, and so far the mom is kinda present, even though there are issues.

In Hate list, the parents were present, even though Dad was very distant.

[Jan]

Please Ignore Vera Dietz featured a strong father, although, as in all humans, he is flawed.Please Ignore Vera Dietz

[Angie, YA lovin mod!!]

Jan wrote: "Please Ignore Vera Dietz featured a strong father, although, as in all humans, he is flawed.Please Ignore Vera Dietz"

Thanks for posting!