TGIF (1)

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads! Check it out and post your link!

This weeks TGIF question is "YA Saves: How do you feel about the "dark" books filling the YA shelves today?"

I will assume you have read the article by The Well Street Journal that has the book world all riled up. If you haven't read it here's the link. Oh dear, oh dear. I've been thinking about that article all week. It was actually fun being a part of that epic night protesting the article. I'm nearly glad that they posted it because it gave people a reason to show their love for YA books. Honestly, I bet more people were convinced to read YA book than not.

Back to the question!

The "dark" books are some of the most compelling and fascinating books I've read. It opened my eyes to problems I would never have thought about if it hadn't been for the books. The information in these books needs to be out there. People need to know they're not alone, or just the possibilities of the situations in the "dark" books. The most efficiant way I can think of a parent doing a good job of parenting would be to read the books as well and talk to their kid about the contents to make them comprehend what they are reading.

But really, kids are smarts, they can, and ARE, reading and understanding these books. Do you think authors are trying to corrupt children? They are trying to inform people, give them a friend, be an entertainment, or just write because they enjoy it and it turns out people like it! They are not sitting there cackling and saying "People will be so messed up after reading this book!" No. These authors are thinking about their readers, their fans. They are the ones reaching out to us and we are responding because we want to. Why do you think the books are so popular?

Did you notice the article consists of skeptical adults dissing YA books? Why don't they ask a teen who has actually read the books. You know what, I'd say as many adults read them as teens. They are LOVED. These dark books are inspiring, thought provoking and enjoyable. My favorite book The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle is considered "dark". It's about a boy who has been hurt and how he recovers. It shows HOPE. Is hope dark? What happened to him is "dark", but it doesn't end there. What happened to him has stuck with me, but that's because I also think of the way he pulled through. THAT is what I concentrate on in the books. Bad things make the good much more important.

In all, I love the "dark" YA books. I never want them to end. I will continue to devour them for as long as I possibly can. I could talk about them for hours, and I do!

What are your thoughts? Give me a link and I'll check it out, too!