🗞️ All The YA News You Can Use This Week

Hey YA Fans: Pour yourself a cuppa and let’s catch up on the latest news.

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by S imon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

In the tradition of The Lunar Chronicles, this sweeping reimagining of Les Misérables tells the story of three teens from very different backgrounds who are thrown together amidst the looming threat of revolution on the French planet of Laterre.

For the talk of YA book sales being down, there sure has been a lot of adaptation news lately, suggesting that perhaps the sales come later in the book’s life, as opposed to its arrival? I’m chewing over some thoughts on this, especially related to the old statistic that the bulk of YA books are purchased by adults. Are we seeing this level off and are seeing more organic purchases from teens themselves? There’s a lot to unpack in that article, and I don’t have the answers.

YA luminary Laurie Halse Anderson talks with the New York Times in their “By The Book” column and it’s a masterclass in awesome book recommendations.
This isn’t a perfect article, but it is one of the best about YA book criticism and “cancel culture” so far, as it digs into the institutional responsibilities that are missing when it comes to inclusive YA books.
Leigh Bardugo has an adult novel coming out, and here’s the cover and preview.
There’s a new Sabrina The Teenage Witch comic coming.
A nice piece about the rise of LGBTQ YA and what we might see on the horizon in queer YA books.
YA author Diane Peterfreund has a Clue themed book.
All American Muslim Girl looks like a must-read.
Want to expand your speculative fiction reading? The Tiptree long lists are out, and the YA selection is fabulous.
A book about a teen who grew up with anti-vaxxer parents who wants to be vaccinated. I’m ready for this.
The YA Groundhog Day book of my dreams (which is so good!) has been optioned for film.
I know nothing about The Naming Girl book — it’s not even out yet! — but it’s been optioned and the director is a woman of color.
Did you know there’s a spinoff series to Pretty Little Liars? Here’s a bit about it.
I have a piece over on School Library Journal about YA horror and some of the trends in recent years.
Jennifer E. Smith’s sweet romances This Is What Happy Looks Like and The Geography of You and Me have been optioned for film.
The Facebook adaptation of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly was renewed for another season. Have you watched this? I have a hunch Eric Smith and I might give it a shot for a future episode of Hey YA.
Sarah Dessen will be on tour for her new book. Here’s where you can see her.

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┃┃╱╲ In this
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beautiful YA
maps
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— Clarion Teen (@ClarionTeen) March 19, 2019

Recent Book Mail…

This huge stack doesn’t even cover it all. The fall releases are hitting fever pitch at my doorstep (and I’m still reading books from this month, y’all!). From top to bottom, starting with Maybe This Time, as the two books above it aren’t YA books.