Teens Should Read YA: Understanding Life Through Reading

Teens should read YA!

Photo by Trinity Kubassek

Rossana Snee's Papi, Por Favor! is a book teaching teens to deal with emotions--and that's a good thing. We need more books like these, but in the wide literary landscape of modern times--there's a lot. And that's why teens should read YA or Young Adult literature.

Young Adult literature is a new genre that is principally targeted at 12-to-18 year-olds and often treads the ground on themes of identity, self-discovery, love & family, and a lot more.

These topics deeply resonate with young readers, especially those who navigate the complexities of their own relationships and lives.

TEENS SHOULD READ YA

That's why it is so important that readers be exposed to books like Papi, Por Favor! because they hold a mirror to their own lives and offer tools to understand and cope with the gauntlet of emotions that they will inevitably have to face. There's a lot that Young Adult literature can do to steer young readers into the right direction.

Teens should read YA!

Photo by Elijah O'Donnell

A MIRROR TO LIFE

Adolescence is a very transformative part of anyone's life--emotionally, physically, and psychologically. Love, in all its forms, becomes a focal point of this growth. Romantic love and familial bonds are two of the most significant relationships that shape a young person’s worldview. Unfortunately, both of these relationships are often fraught with challenges, including miscommunication, unspoken expectations, betrayal, and conflict. Young adult books that deal with love and family conflict create an opportunity for readers to see their own experiences reflected in the characters' struggles.

Due to their heightened hormones and burgeoning perspectives, teenagers will face tensions with their parents, guardians and other figures of authority as they attempt to assert their independence and form their own identity. A lot of teenagers are like barrels of oil rushing headfirst into the fire.

Simultaneously, the experience of love--being in love, falling in love or out, whatever--can feel like navigating a minefield of emotions. For many young readers, seeing these conflicts played out in literature can be both cathartic and illuminating. It allows them to understand that the problems they face in their personal lives are not unique to them, and that others have endured similar struggles. By experiencing these conflicts vicariously through characters, young readers can better process their own emotions and challenges.

A TOOL FOR HEALING

Depicting love and family conflict in young adult books can be incredibly beneficial for learning how to cope and heal. Many people have grown and matured because of reading YA--and every teen should have that opportunity.

Adolescence can be a terrible time of profound emotional distress, whether it is due to struggles with romantic relationships, family discord, or simply the general turbulence of growing up. Life can be a storm when you are a teenager. Books that delve into these issues give readers a chance to process their own emotions by seeing characters navigate similar experiences.

Young adult novels can show the long process of healing, whether through forgiveness, self-discovery, or finding a sense of closure. This can be really eye-opening for teens, showing them that whatever they are going through is not an outlier and that others have experienced it too. YA teaches young readers that healing is not always a straightforward path and that setbacks along the way are okay.

It's not the end of the world if you stumble.

FOSTERING EMPATHY

YA books have the power to build empathy and social awareness. Reading about characters from different backgrounds allow readers to look at things from another perspective and better understand their point of view. When readers connect with these characters, they gain valuable perspectives on the challenges that they face and the circumstances they come from. People learn more about one another when they get to hear stories about and from them. This is a pivotal reason why teens should read YA.

This not only broadens their understanding of others but it also helps them appreciate the complexity of the world around them--something that’s especially important in today’s diverse and interconnected society.

Through diverse stories, young readers not only gain insight into specific experiences but also recognize the common emotions that come with them—loneliness, fear, confusion, and love. By relating to these characters, young readers are encouraged to view their own struggles with more compassion and a deeper sense of understanding.

Teens should read YA!

Photo by cottonbro studio 

Rossana Snee's Papi, Por Favor! is a look at the world through the eyes of a young teenager, just beginning to experience what it means to be in love. If you want to grab a copy now, CLICK THIS LINK.