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Open Right

Bec Kavanagh: YA Overview

Session Info:

Once upon a time there was no such thing as a ‘young adult’. You were a child until you became an adult. With the rise of youth culture in the 1950’s, the increase of disposable income and more free time for young people we saw young adults carve out a niche, and they wanted a literature that they could call their own, demanded books that were relevant to their lives.

In this session I talk about the changing lives and interests of young adults. I cover specific titles and trends as well as some of the issues emerging as the YA genre storms the market.

Topics:

  • What do we think of when we think of young adults?
  • When/how/why did YA fiction start?
  • Why is it such a success?
  • How is it different to general adult fiction?
  • How is it changing?
  • Who’s reading it?
  • What’s good?