Blog What Are Teens Reading Today?
by Jacqueline Seewald
As an English teacher, an educational media specialist/school librarian, and as a parent
(besides being a writer), this is a question that has always interested me: What are teens reading?
To be as current as possible I did some googling on the net and discovered some helpful
websites such as: http://www.teenreads.com/, http://teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com/
and http://www.ala.org/. There are of course many others.
The good news is teens ARE reading! They have to read the classics for school. But many are reading for pleasure as well. (Of course, they might not always be reading what their parents think they should be reading.)
Will the trend toward horror fiction continue? Probably. Teens have enjoyed horror fiction for many years now. It didn’t just begin with Stephen King’s Carrie.
by Jacqueline Seewald
As an English teacher, an educational media specialist/school librarian, and as a parent
(besides being a writer), this is a question that has always interested me: What are teens reading?
To be as current as possible I did some googling on the net and discovered some helpful
websites such as: http://www.teenreads.com/, http://teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com/
and http://www.ala.org/. There are of course many others.
The good news is teens ARE reading! They have to read the classics for school. But many are reading for pleasure as well. (Of course, they might not always be reading what their parents think they should be reading.)
Will the trend toward horror fiction continue? Probably. Teens have enjoyed horror fiction for many years now. It didn’t just begin with Stephen King’s Carrie.
There’s a wide interest in a variety of speculative fiction--science fiction which many boys enjoy, as well as fantasy fiction. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels are widely read across the spectrum of teens, children and adults. Maybe speculative fiction has wide appeal because young readers want to escape from the real world into another simpler realm where good triumphs over evil in the end.
As for romance fiction, girls are still reading in that genre. Paranormal dark romance for teens is particularly hot. Readers are enthralled with Stephenie Meyer, but there are many other writers emulating her success. Publishers are eager to seize and ride on the coattails of whatever is trendy.
My latest book for teens, STACY’S SONG, is a coming of age novel/romance published by L&L Dreamspell. I didn’t try to be trendy, just tried to write something that teenagers could enjoy and connect with. It is now published both in paperback and electronic media.
http://www.amazon.com/Stacys-Song-ebook/dp/B0049P1N44/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1289823047&sr=8-2
Here is what reviewers have said so far:
—"This is a wonderful young adult novel! Full of honest emotion, problems, conflict and a cast of fascinating characters, STACY'S SONG is a heartwarming story of a girl growing up and learning how to make thoughtful decisions that will affect her life today and in the future." —Alice Duncan, award-winning author
—"Young readers will embrace Stacy. Not only must she deal with her father, who does not like the changes in her life, especially Michael and the band, but the peer pressure from her friends. STACY'S SONG is a well written story about those awkward teen years, when the ugly duckling turns into a swan, and the rocky roads that teenagers traverse. This is an enjoyable, fun read, and I recommend it for young adults." —Deborah C Jackson – Romance Reviews Today
—"This is an entertaining young adult tale starring a likable high school age girl who goes from being the outside freak to the in-crowd. Stacy is stupendous lead as she struggles with two boys; one is charming while the other is demanding. Who will she choose particularly since her dad has already selected who he wants kicked to the curb." —Harriet Klausner—Genre Go Round
Will teens want to read this novel? I certainly hope so!
What do you see teens reading? Who do you think they should be reading?
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