Y is for Young Adult Characters....why I love them
As a seventh grade teacher, I can always tell people I read YA because it's "my job" to know what the kids are reading. It's a convenient excuse. But the truth is, I love it. I mentioned this briefly in an earlier post. YA characters are passionate, blissfully ignorant, and have an unwavering sense of right vs. wrong. As adults, things become grayer. Politics and priorities cloud once easy decisions. In adult books, "the good guy" more frequently makes bad or unethical decisions. The bad guy is sometimes more relatable than we'd like him to be. Obviously, this isn't always the case. But I love to read and write YA because there is something lovely and nostalgic about the innocence YA characters capture....even in the most horrible dystopic societies.
Y is for a Yearly Tradition
In W's post, I mentioned a yearly walk we participate in - the March for Babies with March of Dimes. MOD funded research that saved one boy's life (Baby Boy #1 on right) and helped another boy be born full term (Baby Boy #2 on left). With Baby Boy #1's health thriving and Baby Boy #2's safe arrival, we had so much to celebrate this year. It was the first year I didn't cry while walking for MOD. I still got choked up for families celebrating the memories of babies born too soon that didn't make it - I always will. But this year, especially after closing on our home on Friday, we had much to celebrate. My two boys are MOD success stories - for that I will be forever grateful.
Read a bit of Baby Boy #1's story here.
One day Jake will look at this picture and hate me for putting him in this hat...I love it anyway ;)
I completely agree with you on the YA characters and their innocence. I love reading and writing them, too!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful family- I love yearly traditions and your tradition of the walk is definitely a special one.
That walk will always mean so much to you.
ReplyDeleteYou're bundled - cold day for the walk?
I started reading YA because I wondered what all the fuss was about... so many people were talking about it on their blogs, reading it, writing it. I wanted to know what the story was. Turned out that YA was really good. It has an appeal for teens and adults alike. I do like that freshness of youth. Their choices are not colored by so many filters that we have as adults.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link back to your older post filling in some of your own backstory on the importance of the MOD Walk. I confess that I teared up reading it. I am so happy that everything worked out for you in the end. I know that it required perseverance for you... seems like the best things always do! Your family is beautiful. Congratulations (again) on your new home.
I don't have the excuse of being a teacher, but I love reading middle grade and YA books.
ReplyDeleteAnd what an awesome tradition. Your kids are so cute in those pictures. And I love the hat too.
I love YA books too (my favorite category of books!) and I do love reading your blog posts... they're filled with huge doses of positivity and happiness. It's infectious :D
ReplyDeleteIn a way, I'm almost sad this blog hop is coming to an end...because you won't be updating frequently.
I also love YA! It's fun to read and it's fun to write. I have three kids and am no where near a teenager, but I hope I'll still be reading it when I'm ninety :)
ReplyDeleteNew follower! *waves*
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ReplyDeleteTrying again (stupid typo).
ReplyDeleteA very fine tradition, indeed.
What a great thing to do. It's an excellent cause and exercise for the whole family!
ReplyDeleteI've got into YA a lot more recently and yes, it is refreshing to have characters who aren't always so jaded and world weary!
I love and write y/a too! For all the same reasons!
ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful family Kimberly, and congrats again on the house!