Why Reading is Important

I've been holding off on this post since Saturday night, mostly because it upsets me so much.

The Wall Street Journal recently posted an article entitled "Darkness Too Visible: Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with abuse, violence, and depravity. Why is this considered a good idea?" Basically, it is saying that YA fiction is too dark and depressing.

And to that I say: Isn't being a teen often dark and depressing?

As a voracious reader, mostly of YA fiction because of my job, I find this a difficult article to swallow. Yes, a lot of YA fiction is darker than I remember reading as a teen. Heck, I loved the Babysitters Club books, Anne of Green Gables, and the like. However, controversial books were also my cup of tea. I remember the first time a book made me cry (A Taste of Blackberries, which has a similar kid dies of bee sting allergic reaction a la My Girl) and Are You There God? It's Me Margaret (still counted as one of my all time favorite books).

(We must, we must, increase our bust!)

For me and many teens reading is a form of escape. I can lose myself in a book and enter a world completely different than mine. And for even more teens, it is a way to seek help or understand that other people are going through the same things.

After listening to Jay Asher talk about how many students, parents, and teachers thank him for writing 13 Reasons Why, I can't believe people don't understand the power of YA fiction.

This realistic, showing the real world for what it often is, fiction is what my students beg to read. Every day I get asked where my "drama" section is located. What they really mean is where are the books I can relate to, help me understand my life, or escape into someone else's problem.

So, WSJ, next time you want to post an article about the dark side of teen fiction, why don't you actually bother to talk to teens. Find out why they are reading this stuff. Because I guarantee that if you did, you'd find out life is dark, not the YA fiction .