Teen Literature Day!

by Katie Zeeb

There are over 600 books and electronic sources in the Darling Library collection that are designated for children and teens by the Library of Congress. HIU has these materials to offer reading material of academic value for readers of all levels.

Young adult literature is usually defined by being for and about teenagers and pre-teens. There is an underlying sense of optimism through the book (no matter how dark the story), relatable characters and issues (even in fantastic settings), and a quick flow to the story to maintain reader’s attention.

A trend in Hollywood recently has been to turn Young Adult/Teen books into movies. Blockbusters such as Hunger Games, Divergent, Twilight, and Fault in Our Stars began as books and are enjoyed by both teens and adults. More than half (55%) of teen books are bought by adults (28% of these are people 33-40 years old).

Young adult librarians are specialists in teen literature and the specific information needs of those in Junior High and High School. In a public library, young adult librarians run after-school programs like book and anime clubs and tutoring. Librarians who go through the Master’s in Library and Information Science program take multiple classes in trending teen lit and how to create programs to build positive learning habits in students.

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Guest blogger, Katie Zeeb, is working for Hope as an Library intern from the San Jose State University School of Information. She is interested in becoming a Young Adult Librarian.