No. Just...No.

So I'm totally late in posting my reaction to this batshit crazy article that ran last weekend in the Wall Street Journal. I'm not sure if I had to take the time to gather my thoughts on it or what, but...yea.

As someone who's a HUGE fan of Young Adult fiction, I am completely shocked by this article. A quick synopsis: apparently, this lady went to Barnes and Noble to buy her daughter a book, and she was just appalled at all the terrible, dark and scary books that are out there for teen readers these days. There was, and I quote, "nothing, not a thing" that she felt she could give to her daughter- "It was all vampires and suicide and self-mutilation, this dark, dark stuff."

Excuse me? So apparently this B&N doesn't carry any John Green or Sarah Dessen or Meg Cabot? Really? REALLLLLY?

So then the writer of the article goes on to say that all these books dealing with self-mutilation, abuse, depression, homosexuality- in other words, all things that HAPPEN IN THE REAL WORLD, are basically going to open doors for kids who otherwise would be blind to such topics. That "books focusing on pathologies help normalize them and, in the case of self-harm, may even spread their plausibility and likelihood to young people who might otherwise never have imagined such extreme measures." I suppose she also may think that a group of kids aged 13-18 may end up in the streets fighting to the death for our amusement just because the Hunger Games is so popular.

Look, bad things are out there (ok, well maybe not vampires, but still). And kids are going to experience some of these said bad things, regardless of whether or not there are books about them. I find it slightly hysterical to think that the lady looking for a book for her teen daughter really, truly believes that her daughter has lived THAT sheltered of a life. Provided she does, in fact, go to a regular high school. I think that kids can actually find comfort in these types of "dark" books- just knowing you're not alone in your suffering can make all the difference.

Anyway, so yes, there are books out there for young adults that cover "dark" topics. But there are also TONS of books out there that are light-hearted, funny and still manage to have a message (I'm looking at you, my new-favorite-author John Green).

I'm not saying the writer of the article isn't allowed to have her own opinion on teen literature. I'm just saying, perhaps she should actually, I don't know, READ some of it.

I'm actually too annoyed now to do a happy thought for the day.