Hey Hey Hey YA Readers!
This week’s “What’s Up in YA” newsletter is sponsored by The Waking Land by Callie Bates.
In the lush and magical tradition of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted comes this riveting debut from brilliant young writer Callie Bates—whose imagination places her among the finest authors of fantasy fiction, including Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir.
Lady Elanna is fiercely devoted to the king who raised her like a daughter. But when he dies under mysterious circumstances, Elanna is accused of his murder—and must flee for her life.
Returning to the homeland she has forsaken, Elanna is forced to reckon with her estranged father. Feeling a strange, deep connection to the natural world, she also must face the truth about the powers that suddenly stir within her.
Don’t forget that if you haven’t dropped your pick for favorite YA read of 2017 so far, you have another day or two to have your pick counted. These’ll be rounded up and shared, top 10 style, in next week’s newsletter.
While you’re chowing down on your favorite holiday treats over this long weekend/holiday, why not catch up on some of the latest in YA news? Here’s a round-up of what’s been up in the world of YA.
- You probably already know this, but just in case: John Green has a new book coming out this fall.
- The film and TV rights for Frances Hardinge’s The Lie Tree have been snapped up. Mark my word: Hardinge is finally going to make a big splash in the US. She’s been on the cusp of it for a while — and she’s been successful in the UK — but now it seems things are growing on this side of the pond, too.
- A Pinterest board of the cover reveals for a selection of next year’s debut YA (and middle grade!) novels. Pretty!
- From fan fiction writers to bestsellers: the behind the scenes scoop on Christina Lauren.
- This is literally a tiny press release, but it’s worth noting that Robert Muchamore’s Cherub series has had its film rights acquired.
- Because as much as this newsletter is about YA books, it’s also worth sharing pieces about the rad shit teenagers do relating to books. In this case, a pair of NJ high schoolers created a racial literacy text to help spark and encourage discussions about race. The kids are all right.
- The adaptation of Still Star-Crossed will likely not see a second season.
- David Levithan’s Every Day has been picked up for adaptation. The adaptation was done by none other than YA author Jesse Andrews, who you might know from Me and Earl and The Dying Girl. Here’s to the scene where A cannot fathom what having a fat body could possibly be like and is disgusted by the entire notion of it being cut, cut, cut.
- Rights to adapt the forthcoming Holly Black novel, The Cruel Prince, have been snapped up.
- There’s a surprise Star Wars: The Force Awakens graphic novel adaptation coming for YA readers.
- We have our Willowdean for the adaptation of Julie Murphy’s Dumplin’. What a great choice.
- This piece about being a teenager and hating YA lit is really worth a read. What’s interesting to me is that, while the writer certainly has some good points, a lot of the assertions mimic those made by adults who haven’t read much YA. It’s superficial in scope of what YA is as a whole, though in this piece, there are specificities that suggest to me the writer has done a lot of reading. Perhaps she just hasn’t found what suits her yet? (& if I’m being honest: in contemporary YA at least, I read very few absolutely gorgeous characters or those who are sarcastic and biting — those seem to be rarer and rarer in today’s lit).
- 10 must-read LGBTQ books for Pride month. It might be July, technically, but what’s great about queer reads is they’re good for anytime reading.
- And last, but not least, how YA saves lives. Literally.
Thanks for hanging out this week and we’ll see you again next Monday. Prepare yourselves, though — your TBR will be growing longer.
–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars