What is considered young adult fiction?
At its root, young adult fiction are books written for readers between the ages of 14 and 18. This age range covers a wide variety of titles, as a 14-year-old reader is at a very different stage of development than an 18-year-old reader.
More recently, the term, YA, has come to represent a certain style of narrative rather than an intended audience age range. On social media, the hashtag #ya has become one of the most popular discussion points within online book communities, and many YA readers do not fall within the prescribed age bracket.
Young adult vs middle grade vs juvenile fiction
While browsing book listings on Pango, you may encounter related terms such as middle grade and juvenile fiction. Simply put, juvenile fiction is for readers between the ages of seven and nine, while middle grade is written for middle school students. Learn more about how children's books, juvenile fiction, and middle grade break down here. It is also worth noting that many series, such as Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan, will start out as middle grade fiction and conclude as young adult.
Another descriptor that has come into use more recently is “new adult.” This term describes books that have more mature themes and plot elements, and thus are more appropriate for readers who are in or beyond the older end of the young adult age range. The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, for example, fall into this category.
Across all these age ranges and categories, it’s important to remember that the appropriateness of any individual book will also vary depending on the specific reader’s ability and maturity. For adults who are shopping for books for their children, we recommend reading up on the individual titles in consideration rather than relying solely on wide-ranging terms such as middle grade or young adult.
What are some different young adult subgenres?
Certain sub-genres of fiction are more popular than others in the world of young adult literature. One example is young adult dystopian fiction, with themes of individualism and purpose that resonate deeply with teenagers finding their place in society. Another subcategory is the campus novel, which refers to any book set in a school campus. However, you can combine the term "young adult" with any other genre and find a wealth of books on Pango that fall into that specific subcategory. For example, young adult fantasy, which includes popular titles such as Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi and Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, describe any book or series that feature YA writing style and themes, but also has elements of fantasy. The same is true for young adult, romance, young adult science fiction, young adult horror, and young adult mystery.
