How do you feel about reading YA, as an adult?

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've been trying to generate some discussion of Blaylock around here for ages -- but as fine a forum as this is, and as highly as I esteem the members, there don't seem to be enough of them who even know who James P. Blaylock is. Strange as that may sound, since (as I am sure you know) he is not a minor author.

Now that you are here to help with the cheerleading, perhaps we can stir up some interest in his books.

So I assume you would say that The Magic Spectacles is well worth the $20 plus shipping, even for a somewhat indigent author such as myself?

[Gladestrider]

Oh, most definately, $20 is a steal! The Morrigan versions of JPBs books are very nice, with colored end-paper, offset page bindings, etc. I love hardcovers in general, but Morrigan's are usually extra-special. The illustrations are great too, done throughout the book by a man named Will Ferret. As far as the book itself; it's not my favorite Blaylock, but then again I've never read a Blaylock that I didn't like. Spectacles contains all of the things I love about Blaylock though; all of the quirkiness, wonder, and mystery that you'll find in any given book he's written.

Here's an excerpt, copied from Chris Paul's Blaylock website:

A suddenly appearing curiosity shop owned by a small man who might, or might not, be the Man in the Moon; a pair of strange spectacles buried in a fishbowl full of marbles; an old window glazed with sea- green glass found beneath a suburban house; and two adventurous boys who buy the spectacles and climb through the window into a land of goblins, ghosts, and rope ladders that reach to the moon ... Who exactly is Mr. Deener, the fat man who makes magic out of bits of coloured glass, has a passion for glazed doughnuts, and whose seeming twin brother sleeps fitfully in an attic room? And who are the little men that ride out of the forest on windblown sycamore leaves in order to whisper into Mr. Deener's ear? Is Mr. Deener, like a fallen Humpty Dumpty, broken apart? John and Danny need to know. To find their way home they'll have to put Mr. Deener back together again and solve the mystery of the sleeping land - a task that leads them to the pool of reflections in the deep woods and ultimately to a house built of light and magic and memory that sits at the edge of the heart's ocean.

[cornelius]

you can't say "young adult" without saying adult...

[nixie]

I enjoy YA books.I don't have a problem being observed browsing through the YA sections in book shops.

[hermi-nomi]

I realised something last night ... over-all, I don't feel that embaressed by being open about reading YA. But why? Probably 'cos I was at University when I first got into the Potter series (most of my mates were on at me to read it...) Expectations of 'acceptable' behaviour at Uni aren't so ...short-sighted and constricted. I felt free to be myself. ANd of course, by the time I left Uni, the Potter series had become a phenonenomenumum ...
Like kyektulu said, the amount of adults I've seen reading Potter on the way to work is more than enough to make me feel okay about reading books aimed at younger readers. And it was 'adults' who first got me into the Potter books. If it were my kid sisters who got me interested I reckon I'd be far more embaressed. But as it goes, my sisters aren't even that bothered by the phenonenomenumum ...it seems that YA books, or at least the Potter series are more readily accepted among adults. You tend to it see on fan-sites ~ younger fans prefer the films, older fans prefer the books ...

[ZoeRat]

Originally Posted by hermi-nomi

I realised something last night ... over-all, I don't feel that embaressed by being open about reading YA. But why? Probably 'cos I was at University when I first got into the Potter series (most of my mates were on at me to read it...) Expectations of 'acceptable' behaviour at Uni aren't so ...short-sighted and constricted. I felt free to be myself. ANd of course, by the time I left Uni, the Potter series had become a phenonenomenumum ...
Like kyektulu said, the amount of adults I've seen reading Potter on the way to work is more than enough to make me feel okay about reading books aimed at younger readers. And it was 'adults' who first got me into the Potter books. If it were my kid sisters who got me interested I reckon I'd be far more embaressed. But as it goes, my sisters aren't even that bothered by the phenonenomenumum ...it seems that YA books, or at least the Potter series are more readily accepted among adults. You tend to it see on fan-sites ~ younger fans prefer the films, older fans prefer the books ...

I feel the same way, I got into the HP series in high school, and all my friens were into it too, so I didn't feel weird. Then I went off to college, and even more people love Harry Potter in the 20-25 age range than when I was in high school! A lot of my friends parents avidly read the series as well, so it's really cool that some books like that can bridge the age gap and attract all readers. I read a lot of other YA books too, but I don't feel weird about it, because I am, after all, an English major (creative writing to be specific) at the university here in CO.

[BookStop]

You know, I even read kids(the under 12) books for fun sometimes. The books that make the Newberry list are usually really, really good and you can read 'em in an hour or 2. Recently I've read, and passed on to adult friends: Holes, The Giver(sci-fi), A View from Saturday, Bridge to Terabithia ....

When a book is very, very good, it should be read. Doesn't matter what age you are. Good is good.

[edott]

as i have small kids i spend a lot of time in the Children's section and the YA section. also one of the better books i have read recently was the giver which is YA. and you know what i still like dr seus.

[star_song]

I know exactly how you feel! and im only 19! i cant get away from the YA section its just wats interesting to me. I recently went to my local library and looked with longing at the "teen" summer reading program, then, the man behind the desk asked if i was still in high school, when i solemnl replied "no" he mentioned the adult one which doesnt look appealing at all. thats when i started being self conscious for what i read (it doesnt matter though i will never stop reading YA). Its funny though but I really still am a "teen" i mean technically. :'(

[carrie221]

Well at 22 years old I have to unfortuantly admit that I am classified as an adult now.

I do feel uncomfortable looking in the children's section or the young adult section for books like Harry Potter and others. Not that it stops me, as I was there at midnight for the last two Harry Potter books with all the little kids.

But like yesterday when I was at a bookstore I did get a few looks when I stopped to read a children's book. It was one of the Harry Potter fan books.
My mother and some of my friends have teased me about reading kid's books but they are still some of my favorites like a wrinkle in time or the lion, the witch and the woredrobe. I started reading young adult books when I was eight and they are still a ton that interest me so I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.

[Patrick Mahon]

Originally Posted by carrie221

Well at 22 years old I have to unfortuantly admit that I am classified as an adult now.

I do feel uncomfortable looking in the children's section or the young adult section for books like Harry Potter and others.

I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. I'm 37, and I do have the excuse, I guess, that I've got two kids to buy books for. But so what. I read adult books, I read YA books. I read "literary fiction", and I read fantasy. They're different, and that's one of the many joys of reading.

If you get funny looks from other people, I'd take that as a good sign, personally. After all, who wants to be part of the crowd?

[carrie221]

Originally Posted by Patrick Mahon

I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. I'm 37, and I do have the excuse, I guess, that I've got two kids to buy books for. But so what. I read adult books, I read YA books. I read "literary fiction", and I read fantasy. They're different, and that's one of the many joys of reading.

If you get funny looks from other people, I'd take that as a good sign, personally. After all, who wants to be part of the crowd?

That is why I need to have kids, then I will have an excuse to be in the kids department of the bookstore.

I don't want to be part of the crowd they are to freaky for me. The crowd doesn't like to read a lot of the time. I just don't understand that.

[Alia]

Originally Posted by carrie221

That is why I need to have kids, then I will have an excuse to be in the kids department of the bookstore.

I don't want to be part of the crowd they are to freaky for me. The crowd doesn't like to read a lot of the time. I just don't understand that.

I have a kid I'll spare you so you can visit the kid's section...


And I have to admit I use my kids as an excuse to visit the kid's section of the library and book store.

[Teresa Edgerton]

You can always smile sweetly if strangers are staring and say something like, "I'm looking for a birthday present for my little brother." That is, if it actually bothers you that they know you are looking for books for yourself.

Although frankly, if the only time that people give you odd looks is when you're searching the YA book shelves, you're a lot less eccentric than some of the rest of us here.

[GOLLUM]

Originally Posted by Teresa Edgerton

I've been trying to generate some discussion of Blaylock around here for ages -- but as fine a forum as this is, and as highly as I esteem the members, there don't seem to be enough of them who even know who James P. Blaylock is. Strange as that may sound, since (as I am sure you know) he is not a minor author.

Now, now some of us do at least know.... How could one forget the wonderful William Ashbless inpsired by dual collaborators Powers and Blaylock, esepcially in that Powers classic Anubis Gates...