Nostalgia will only carry my
interest so far, though – there’s a reason why I pack up my Austin
family books to bring with me whenever I move house, while the Sweet
Valley High series has been gathering dust in my parents’ basement
since the late eighties. Teen novels, like teens themselves, are often
mocked by the adult world for their frivolity. And some – probably
even most – really are complete and total fluff.
But my favorite teen books have an emotional weight to them that
you’d never expect based on how small they physically are. The
characters feel as real to me now, at twenty-eight, as they did when I
was half this age; the writing still sends shivers down my spine; the
stories still make me laugh, and cry, and feel all happy-sad inside.
Sure,
on the surface of things, teen angst seems an overblown melodrama
of whining about small things: an overbearing mom, an absent dad,
a best friend who suddenly decides you’re not cool enough to
hang out with, a boy you can’t stop thinking about.
These are not the sort of big problems that make a huge
difference in the future of the world at large: teen novels rarely
focus on the issues that adults generally deem important enough to
launch into heated debate, like the economy or the government, war
and international relations.
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favorite
teen books ...
A
Ring of Endless Light Madeleine
L’Engle
In the third of the Austin family series, Vicky Austin,
along with the rest of the Austin clan, spends the summer
with her grandfather on Seven Bay Island. Grandfather’s
dying of cancer, and
each of the Austins find themselves struggling to come to
terms with his rapidly deteriorating state and imminent
passing. At the same time, Vicky finds her life further
complicated by the presence of three very different boys
each competing for her attention: island boy Leo Rodney, who
wants more from Vicky than just the friendship she’s
willing to extend; Zachary Grey, a troubled rich kid from
Vicky’s past; and Adam Eddington, a budding biologist and
friend of her older brother’s, who has a pesky tendency to
treat Vicky like a kid just when she’s feeling like
anything but. The first two Austin books, Meet the
Austins and The Moon by Night are also terrific;
the fourth, Troubling a Star, is best avoided,
unless, like me, you’re so in love with Adam Eddington
that you’re willing to slug through a remarkably dull read
just to spend more time in the character's company. |
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