I recently read The Hunger Games for the first time.
There were 3 major book series that came out in my adolescence/young adulthood that I remember vividly, but didn’t really participate in. And I had always sort of regretted that. They felt like clubs that I missed out on. So I wanted to join one of those clubs – albeit late – to sort of heal that part of my adolescence.
The first was Harry Potter, released when I was nine. I wasn’t too interested since fantasy didn’t appeal to me, though I loved attending midnight book releases with friends and enjoyed the movies. I eventually read the first book, but it didn’t connect with me.
The next one I remember was Twilight. This came out when I was in high school. I remember the beautiful cover, and as a horror reader, I thought vampires would hook me. But it also didn’t land for me when I read the first book (although the movies are a fun romp).
But then Sunrise on the Reaping came out, the latest installment in The Hunger Games universe. The first Hunger Games book came out when I was just starting college. And although the premise sounded interesting, I dismissed it. I did this because it was a “young adult” book, so I figured it wasn’t for me, as someone no longer in high school. I was a literature major, reading “real stuff” – why would I waste my time with fluff? (I’m happy to say that since going to library school, I have torn down my beliefs about “real” and “not real” reading).
The hype around the new Hunger Games book, its subject, and my desire to join a ‘fan club’ finally convinced me to read the series.
And. I. Loved. It.
I devoured the original trilogy plus the prequels.
I joined servers to talk about it – and even though I came into this fandom in my late 30s and not in my teens, as many people did, people accepted me into the club.
And sure, it was originally written for teens – but now, at nearly 500 words, I think I’m getting to the thesis of this post: I think adults should read more YA.
We’ve discussed on this blog the importance of adults reading picture books. I want to extend this and encourage adults to read YA or teen fiction, too.
I know many adults already read Young Adult (YA) fiction. But for many of us—including myself—once we aged out, we decided it was no longer for us.
I never went back to reading YA because I didn’t think I could relate to it. I’ve been out of high school for almost 20 years—no more worries about crushes, college applications, or the unknowns of adulthood (well, maybe still that last one). So how could I possibly relate to teens in YA books?
Well, it turns out that I can.
I still struggle with my identity. I’m figuring out who I am, what I like, and what I want to be as I get older. I still worry about my friends, communities, family, and the world.
Adult fiction may address these struggles, but it often lacks something I find in YA: hope.
Ya fiction is not scared to tackle tough subjects. There are YA books about school shootings, drug abuse, assault, racism, eating disorders, and more. They tackle these issues through honest lenses. Not all YA books have happy endings, but there is still a glimmer of hope even in the most tragic of stories. The Hunger Games does not hold back on the violence and tragedy of the world of Panem, but we read through that violence and brutality because there is hope. Because we truly believe that this world – in all of its faults and tragedies, and corruption – can be saved.
And that gives us hope that this world, with all its faults, tragedies, and corruption, can be saved.
I’m reading another YA novel: All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir. I’m about 60% through, and Tahir doesn’t shy away from tough topics.
And I’m at a part of the book where it’s really hard to feel hope. I don’t want to give spoilers, but for anyone who has read it, I’m at the point where Sal and Noor get pulled over by the police on the way to the hospital.
But you know what? I’m going to keep reading, because even though it feels hopeless right now, the story up to this point has dropped little glimmers of hope. The main characters are smart, they have adults in their corner who care and love them, and, admittedly, I just want to believe that they’ll turn out okay.
As I said, I haven’t finished the book yet, and maybe this is a YA novel with a tragic ending. But those glimmers tell me that while this story may end tragically, not all stories do.
That even if these characters don’t turn out okay in the end, other people, real people who are experiencing what these characters are going through, will turn out okay in the end.
We need hope. We deserve hope. That’s what The Hunger Games has taught me, that’s what All My Rage is teaching me.
So if you’re an adult and think that you’ve outgrown YA Fiction, I challenge you to read one. Maybe pick up All My Rage since Sabaa Tahir will be doing an author talk on May 7th, where she will discuss her writing in more depth.
Because I promise that you haven’t outgrown hope.
Register for the Sabaa Tahir Author Talk here: An Evening with YA Author, Sabaa Tahir, 13+YRS REGISTRATION REQUIRED – Calendar – Jackson County Library Services