Parent Guide to Young Adult Literature
Having a PreK-12th grade library presents challenges in making sure that the content available in the collection is appropriate for a student's age and development. This is particularly true in the tween and early teen years, when a student's reading level may exceed his or her ability to handle mature content. Keep in mind that reading level has to do with the difficulty of the text, not the content, and most newspapers and adult novels are written with a 7th grade reading level.
In sixth grade, students have the opportunity to venture to the "young adult" side of the library, and with parent permission, they may check out YA materials. Please keep in mind that what is appropriate for one child may not be appropriate for another depending on the student's reading level, maturity, comfort, and values. Parents are encouraged to take an active role in determining what is appropriate for their own children, and the YA permission slips given to parents of sixth graders encourages parents to "preview, read with, or discuss with [the] child the theme of all YA books checked out." Likewise, students must sign that they "agree to share [their] YA choices with [their] parents," and that if the parent disagrees with a choice, the student will promptly return the book for a different selection.
The following websites may be good resources for parents navigating YA literature and their students' choices:
- Common Sense Media
- Book Series Recaps (includes Clean YA Books for Teens, Tweens, or Anyone)
- What's In It: A Concerned Parent's Guide to Young Adult Literature
- The Book Nanny (includes book reviews by grade range: Children's, Middle Grade, Teen/YA, and Adult)
- The Storygraph app (provides ratings and content warnings)
The above links are not intended to replace discussion with your child. The opinions stated in each resource are the opinions of the website authors and not of Cashion Public Schools or any of its employees. The links are provided as a possible resource for parents.
Photo by MART PRODUCTION: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-young-woman-reading-a-book-on-a-bed-8472881/