Why everyone should read Young Adult books

I gave this speech as my persuasive speech (#9) for Toastmasters. I'm sure I said a few different things during the actual speech, but this is the gist of it.

Books are available to cover every possible topic you can think of. There are books about vampires, secret societies, and knitting. There are mysteries, science fiction, historical fiction, romance, and many other genres. Who knows, there may even be vampire knitting books, but I haven't found those yet. There really are books available for every niche and interest you may have. However one genre often overlooked by adults is the Young Adult Fiction. And I believe everyone should read Young Adults books.

Now, you may be saying, "Stacey, I am not a teen. I haven't been a teen in a long time. Why would I want to read a book about teens?" Well, while the books may be geared towards teens, and are often set in high school, there are important lessons in YA books that even adults can relate to. I am very fond of John Green's books and think they have great lessons in them for people of all ages. In Paper Towns, a boy named Q is enthralled by his neighbor Margo Roth Spieglman. One night, she invites him on a revenge-filled mission with her, then disappears the next morning. Throughout the rest of the book, Q investigates her disappearance, and along the way, realizes that the Margo he had been pining after for years was not actually the person she was. He discovers that often we project onto other people how we want them to behave, instead of getting to know the actual person. This is something even adults can take to heart. How often do you want your spouse to behave in a certain way and are then disappointed when he or she doesn't? Do you get mad when someone isn't at work before 11, because you would never come in that late? Do you take the time to actually think about that person and imagine what his life is like? It's something I recognize doing myself, and something I actually wish I had been more aware of in high school. And it's something that I can apply to my life now to help me be more aware and tolerant of others. Young adult books show that some lessons are worth learning and relearning, regardless of your age.

Another benefit of YA books is that they are often easy to read. You don't have to disect the book to figure out that the author made it rain during the scene to symbolize the grief felt by the protagonist. No, it's just there. I mentioned the lessons in John Green's books, but don't think that it took me hours of careful analysis to figure that out. It's mentioned in the book. While this could be a bit much to always have everything laid out, oftentimes it is a nice treat to have something simple and easy to read. I like to read a book quickly and enjoy the plot. I also enjoy a good lesson, but I don't want to have to overanalyze everything in the book to find the lesson. And young adult books seem ideal for this.

Most young adult books are set in high school, and it's something everyone can related to, since we've all been there. Regardless of your background, you had to get through those teen years to make it to adulthood. And there are some universal things that we all experienced. Many adult books are set in situations we haven't experienced. They involve families, divorce, murder, CIA intrigue, and other situations that we might not know about. But we do all know about the awkwardness that comes with growing up and finding your place in the world. And hopefully we all have at least a few good memories about that time, be it school activities, first romance, or hanging out on Friday nights at the football game. When the daily grind of work and responsibility gets to be too much, it can be a stress reliever to escape back into that more carefree time for just a little bit.

There are some young adult books that are heavy on the young side, and may not be for everyone. But you may not like all books of an adult genre either. What is entertaining for one person may not be so for another. Don't discount the entire genre just because you think they are all kid's books and don't be embarrassed to read whatever you want. Next time you are in the library or bookstore, take a look in the YA section. If you see something interesting, hold your head up high, and get that book. You can always say it is for your niece or nephew.