Welcome back to another Stop & Chat discussion! Today’s discussion starts, like most good things, with a story. You see, last week I told one of my residents (I’m a leasing consultant for a luxury apartment) that I LOVE reading. My resident, lit up by this information, jumped into questioning me about James Patterson. Now don’t get me wrong, I know WHO JP is. I know SOME of his work. But I’m no expert on the guy and he isn’t on my “authors I must buy all the things from immediately” list. This “confession” threw my resident for a loop and she asked a question I’ve been asked a lot lately…”Well what do you read?”. Ecstatic that I now have a reason to gush YA I reply with “I’m a huge lover of Young Adult Fiction! I like a ton of genres within that category, like Sci-Fi or fantasy or post-apocalyptic but all things YA are my thing”. And do you know what she said?
“Oh. So like kids books?”
This was the third time in as many months that I had to remind myself that not everyone appreciates or understands YA. I had to explain to my co-workers that while YA is for “Young Adults” it doesn’t mean it’s on a 10 grade level. Of course then I was hit with “well when you read some grown up books I’d love some recommendations”.
Since when does a person “grow out” of a genre?! I’m 25 and I, in all honesty, LOVE picture books! I also love zombies, ghost, love triangles (on occasion) mind-blowing world building, character development, smut (again, on occasion) magic and just BOOKS.
I know I don’t “have” to defend what I read but I am so over people looking down their nose at YA! So I’m saying it loud..
I LOVE YOUNG ADULT FICTION!!
What about you? Have you experienced someone judging what you’re reading? Leave your experience in the comments!
