2. Point of View
Written through the eyes of a young person
Story told by protagonist (you want them to
succeed
Have a young narrator even when the story
belongs to someone else
3. “Please Mother I Want
the Credit”
Give younger characters more independence
Diminished role for parents so young character
can take credit for their accomplishments
Books lead young readers to look more
realistically at themselves and parent/child
relationships
4. Young Adult Literature
is Fast-Paced
The story progresses rapidly-it is a “page-turner”
Long books seem short
Frantic pace/powerful images
5. Includes a Variety of
Genres and Subjects
Genres include: poetry, drama, humor,
adventure, sports, mystery, fantasy, science
fiction, historical fiction, literary and informative
non-fiction
Subjects include: growing up, love, relationships,
sports (individual and team), solving problems,
etc.
6. Includes Characters from many
Different Ethnic and Cultural Groups
Minorities and ethnic groups
Different groups of kids (how they get along,
appearance, how treated)
Rich vs. poor
Fantasy characters/human characters
7. Basically Optimistic-
Characters make Worthy
Accomplishments
Portrayed as smarter than parents
A character you can “look up to”
Main character takes charge and shows growth
Protagonist learns something
8. Deals with Emotions that are
Important to YOU
A well-written book will be good during any time
period
Protagonists face the same challenges readers
are experiencing: acquiring social skills,
accepting the changes of adolescence,
preparing for adulthood, developing ideology/
standards, etc.
