In my recent post, YA Books and Bikes, I explained how difficult it is to distinguish between the levels of YA books, and that even teenagers still need some guidance when selecting such books. I wouldn't say that parents need to hover like a helicopter, but I certainly do think that they need to at least make themselves familiar with the books that are being selected.
While there are many wonderful YA books out there, there are also some that are not of a quality or subject matter that I would want my own children reading. That's why I feel strongly that parents need to screen book selections for appropriate subject matter, age appropriateness, and quality. Don't get me wrong - I give my children A LOT of freedom when it comes to selecting books, but I do monitor their selections "from a distance."
Like everything else in life, there is the "best" and the "worst" of everything. YA books are no different. Some YA books are so well written that adults will enjoy reading them as well. You might want to read an interesting Wall Street Journal article about this, which I found at Laurie Halse Anderson's Mad Woman in the Forest blog. Who knows, you might even find some YA books to read yourself!
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