At the risk of sounding like Andy Rooney…
Did you ever notice that some of the most exciting new writing these days is for younger readers? Some of my best finds recently have been in the Young Adult section of the library. The obvious example is the Harry Potter series, of course. Those were just good reads, plain and simple. And somehow they managed to capture the imagination of an entire generation. (and their parents, aunts, uncles etc.) Love it or hate it for its possible atheism, Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” series (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass) is a fantastic fantasy series; well-written, thought provoking, and emotional. It even made me cry. Neil Gaiman writes fantastic stuff for younger readers: Coraline, The Graveyard Book, and MirrorMask to name just three. I also very much enjoyed Libba Bray’s “Gemma Doyle” series: A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing. I’m finding a lot of empowered women in these books, which I very much like to see.
Next time you feel like you’ve seen and read it all, take a peek into the YA section-I’m sure you’ll find something worthwhile.
What would Jane say? Come on, she’s a governess! Of course she’ll like books for younger readers. Anything that keeps young people reading is a-ok by Jane.
Coming up? A review of Down River by John Hart. Another ebook that’s kept me company on the bus this past week.
What would Jane say? 