Study Buddies discussion

Also, is there a difference between the YA and the original?

Hello! I don't think there is any difference between the two. I've been meaning to ask my editor if they're going to edit content for the YA version - I'll let you know what she says.

One of the reasons MIRA decided to put PS and MS into YA is I already have a growing number of YA readers. They email me and I've had as young as 9 years old tell me how much she enjoyed the books. One 12 year old told me she just skips the "bad" parts.

I had been considering sending PS to YA publishers - I was going to hit all 20 adult publishers first and then send to YA. I hadn't written it for YA, but when my niece (14 at the time) read the book in two days and loved it, she made me reconsider :)

MIRA is also going to re-issue other titles as YA in 2009 as they gear up for a new line of YA books in 2010. I have one of them, Inside Out already written and I know Rachel Vincent and Gena Showalter are the other lead-off authors.

As for content - it's questionable and I think it all depends on the reader. I tell parents to read chapter 20 of PS to help them decide. My daughter was 9 when she read them (she is an advanced reader). She was most upset when a character died in MS, but otherwise she enjoyed them. My son was older - around 12 and his favorite character is Leif (another annoying older brother - go figure ;>

Maria

Just saw the YA books - my publisher mails them to me about 4-6 weeks before the release date.

Nothing was edited - it's the same story as the adult version. Also the covers look better in person :)

Guess I should have asked about it before - time flies when you're under deadline ;>

Maria

I did not know that this series could be attractive to YA audiences!!! What age range would you think? I'm just starting Poison Study - would it be too adult for my 8th graders?

Jen

Hi Jen!

I think certain parents of 8th graders would find parts of it inappropriate esp. if they are of a conservative mindset. We actually have extensive discussion of this here.

I haven't seen the new YA paperbacks yet, but we have good reason to believe they are not edited or censored for younger audiences. You'll see, when you read Poison Study, the parts which may raise concern. We wouldn't want to get you in trouble! But at the same time we believe in freedom to choose your reading material (this is America, well, the part of the world you and I live in is, anyway), but that you have to earn some of that right with maturity.

We had a Twilight party at my work last night and I had at least 1 young person who didn't sleep, read Book 1 all night and came back at 10 am for the other 2 books. (Dangnabbit, I really need to come up with a name for this condition... I've just seen too many cases lately. Studyitis? Snydermania? help me out here, gang).

LOL - I like Studyitis :)

As for 8th graders - I've had kids as young as 9 years old read my books. I also let my 10 year old daughter read them and my son, who is also in 8th grade.

I'd say it depends on the reader.

And just to throw this out - Poison Study was nominated for an ALEX Award by the American Library Association, which picks 10 adult books each year that have special appeal to YA readers. It didn't win the award, but I feel as if the ALA gave it's seal of approval for YA to read the book.

My two cents ;>

Maria - I just finished Poison Study and am on to Magic Study - I loved it - am loving it - I would definitely let my 8th graders read Poison - I'll have to see with the others - but there's nothing bad in the book - nothing too adult, as far as I could tell - so I'll definitely bring it in to school!!!

:) Jen

Thanks Jen - glad you liked it! I think the other books are about the same as far as adult content. Maybe more romance, but I tend to "fade to black" and let the reader use their imagination ;>

I was a little surprised when I saw them shelved as YA, but my mom--a reading specialist and librarian in a public school in a mostly-conservative, heavily LDS district in a "blue state"--pointed out that Francesca Lia Block's books (which I adore) are considerably more "edgy" and have more explicit discussions of sex and gender and orientation and that other YA series I love (Garth Nix' books, for example) have a lot more death.

In fact, the repeated in-book promise that we won't delve into rape as a subject actually makes the books less volatile than a lot of YA.

So I was surprised, but I'm very happy to see YA books so well written, covering issues of gender identity and puberty so comfortably and--in a good way--casually, and so much fun at the same time. It's always good to see that "issues" are always part of the background of life without needing "issue books."

And my mom loves the books, btw. I haven't asked her what grade level she'd recommend them for in her district.

I'm glad you enjoyed the books, Seth. And I'm curious what grade level your mother would recommend them for.

My daughter read them when she was 9 - and I've had a few 9 year olds email me (or show up with their parents at one of my signings :) I think these 9 yr-olds are advanced readers and I would only comfortablly suggest my books to 12+ unless the reader is already reading Twilight and similar books.

I'm invited to middle schools more often than high schools - don't know why - but I find the middle school aged kids (11-13) to be a whole lot of fun :)

Seth wrote: "I was a little surprised when I saw them shelved as YA, but my mom--a reading specialist and librarian in a public school in a mostly-conservative, heavily LDS district in a "blue state"--pointed o..."

Let me guess, Utah?

The first time I read these books I had no idea that they were classified as Adult Fiction, they were shelved in the YA section at the store where I bought them. I think that when it comes to the "adult" stuff in the Study books, its actually more conservative than some YA fiction.

I guess I should have realized that they were Adult Fiction since they were so much better than the typical YA Fiction. :)