Homeschool Moms, Beware the YA Book Shelves {with a few exceptions}

(This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.)

I picked up Tweet Cute from the library several weeks ago because I had seen it on so many Best Of lists this past year, including many from Christian book reviewers. It's a 21st-century literary reinvention of the popular 90s Rom-Com You've Got Mail. One such reviewer even used the word "chaste" to describe it on a list of must-read romantic comedies. (Although now, in hindsight, most of the other books she included on her list were definitely of the "open-door" variety--the kind that gives you a front-row seat into someone else's bedroom. So a book that doesn't have any explicit sex scenes would perhaps be "chaste" comparatively.)

 
However, after reading only 50 pages, I felt like I needed to bleach my eyes. Every page was sprinkled with foul language--F-bombs and their seedy companions. Needless to say, I filed Tweet Cute under the DNF category in my reading journal and soldiered on to find something that was both clean and captivating. 

Not surprisingly, the book was shelved as a YA title. To be honest, I normally try to avoid that section of the library like the plague, especially when it comes to picking out books for my teens. However, since I ordered this particular book online for myself, I paid little attention to the call number delineation. Lesson learned.

Why am I mentioning this? you ask.

YA is More Like a Genre than an Age Ranking  

Well, because YA is an often misunderstood section of literature for parents. Many moms assume YA is an age-level ranking like middle-grade (books that are generally appropriate for 8-12-year-olds) or leveled readers (books that are generally appropriate for 5-9-year-olds). They see the label "YA" on the spine and assume that it refers to the next level of reading—a level suited for young adults (13-20-year-olds). But in reality, YA is more like a genre of literature than an age ranking.

 
Like all genres, YA has universal themes and qualities that set it apart from others. Just as you'd expect to see mythical creatures and supernatural power in a fantasy novel, you should expect to see the following in most YA titles:

• coming-of-age angst
• rebellion against authority
• substance abuse
• discussions of sexual curiosity and orientation
• explicit language

Many often include incidents of incest, self-mutilation, and suicide as well. In other words, the YA section is the shady back alley of the library.

Supporters of the recent trends in teenage literature argue that the dark themes merely mirror what is already happening in the lives of American youth and that books should offer both escape and coping skill ideas for those who might face these scenarios in their real lives. 

But, the truth is, not every teenager experiences such gruesome or graphic activities. The disturbing themes and topics of YA literature can leave impressionable teens feeling hopeless at best and victimized at worst.

Yes, the teen years are when kids should be introduced to weightier topics and even opposing world views so that they can process and form opinions about hard things while still under the guidance and loving care of a parent. But, introductions can come by way of conversations and gentle discipleship. YA books don't just introduce; they often influence and indoctrinate. 

Alternatives to the YA Section

My goal in shining a light on this dark portion of the library is not to discourage you from letting your teens read books. But to offer you some alternatives. 

If you, like me, have a voracious teenage reader and you're looking for books to satiate their growing literary appetite, might I encourage you to do one of two things? 

1. Urge them to continue reading meatier middle-grade titles. I'm 41 and still enjoy books like The Wingfeather Saga, Heart of a Samurai, and The Pushcart War. The themes in middle-grade lit are timeless and usually have redemptive and hopeful qualities to them despite their sometimes heart-wrenching plotlines. 

Don't get hung up on reading levels. At some point, reading is less about advancing in reading level and more about enjoying the story and themes. Once your child knows how to read fluently, don't be as concerned with finding a book that includes a more difficult vocabulary as you are about finding one that contains clean content. 

2. Help them find clean and captivating books in the adult section. With the exception of open-door Rom-Coms, many adult books are often cleaner than those in the YA section. 

Teen Books Worth Reading

In full disclosure, not every YA book is abhorrent. With more and more libraries dedicating entire sections to YA, many classics like Little Women and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn have been tossed into that section. So when in doubt, encourage them to grab a YA written before 1960--the decade when children's lit took a hard turn, pushing the envelope of what was deemed culturally appropriate for kids and teens.

Clean YA for Teens

There are, of course, a few needles in the horrible haystack--contemporary books for teens that are both clean and captivating. A shortlist of books my teens have enjoyed include the following:

Watership Down-a few uses of d*mn 

Fever 1793

A Long Walk to Water

The Cay- a few uses of d*mn 

Sophia's War: A Tale of the Revolution

Echo

The Ranger's Apprentice series- a few uses of d*mn and h*ll

The Christy Miller collection

The Kingdom Series and other books by Chuck Black

The Healer's Apprentice and other books by Melanie Dickerson

Clean YA for Adults

In addition, there are a handful of more contemporary titles that, while perhaps too heavy-handed for teens, are appropriate for adults looking for books that are both clean (no explicit sex scenes and little to no language) and captivating. 

The following is a shortlist that I have read and enjoyed:

Salt to the Sea- I listened to the audio version of this one and loved it. While it is quite clean for a contemporary YA, it does deal with some tragic but true events from WWII, including the rape of young girls by Russian soldiers, the brutal treatment of Germans to Jews and Jewish sympathizers, and the deaths of thousands of civilians at sea when ships were hit by war-time torpedos. For this reason and because it includes 3-4 expletives, I do not feel it's appropriate for young teens. 

My Lady Jane- This humorous retelling of the life of Lady Jane Grey is the first in a trilogy dedicated to famous Janes throughout history. The authors take quite a lot of literary license and give many of the key players the ability to transform into animals at a whim. To do so, they must discreetly shed their clothes. Upon returning to their human state, they are decidedly naked--a detail that the authors handle with quite a bit of discretion and modesty. In addition, the writers decide to keep Jane alive instead of having her beheaded nine days after taking the throne, as history records. Please note: The story is sweet, but the writing is sometimes crass and contains the kind of silly humor that would garner an eye roll from most adults. It's basically the Monte Python of YA lit.

One thing I definitely appreciate about this book, however, is the fact that "consummation" (the authors' word for sex) is never described but merely mentioned and is used in reference to a couple who'd just been wed.

The Downstairs Girl—This rather clean YA touches on the universal themes of racial and gender inequality and offers a rare look at a Chinese-American's experience during the post-Reconstruction era of the Deep South. 

A Final Word

The teen years are some of the most impressionable. This is when kids are often extra sensitive to the changing culture around them. Some proponents of the YA section say that these books are not necessarily any darker or more disturbing than the world in which we live and that through reading, teens can learn to relate to the current culture. But I disagree. 

A person, any person, teenage or otherwise, does not need to read a play-by-play of a suicide attempt to know that thoughts of suicide are a struggle for many. They don't need to get a figurative peek inside someone's bedroom to get the explicit details of an extramarital affair to know that it's a reality in the world. 

As a Christian mom, it is my job to be a gatekeeper--to protect the thoughts and emotions of my kids, my teens, and even myself to the best of my ability. As the Apostle Paul wrote, I'd do well to encourage all of my family, even my teens, to read whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable. If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, I want them to think about these things. (Paraphrased from Phil. 4:8)

I'd love to know your family's experience with YA. What titles would you recommend? 

___________________________________________

Looking for more books you can trust?

Once a month, I email a book list to the members of the Biblio-files community. Every title on the list has been personally read and vetted by me and has been compiled by age range in order to help you navigate the library with your kids. In addition, I also include a few books that you should be aware of--books that contain explicit language, sexual agenda, graphic violence, etc. so that you can make an educated decision when/if your kids should ever be interested in reading any of them. What's more, members are invited to join me in a private Facebook group where we help each other find just the right books for our kids. We'd love to have you join us!

Set your homeschool day on autopilot!

Thank you! Your task cards will be sent to your inbox shortly.

Set your homeschool day on autopilot!

No more nagging your kids to do their work. Grab my free Task Cards today.