Articles+of+Interest

[|The Dangers, Values of Dark Teen Lit]

NPR Article.

A recent //Wall Street Journal// article argues that young adult fiction has grown too gruesome, especially as they're dominated by horror, vampires and violence. Many parents and educators have been responding to the article, with some saying that tackling tough issues can help develop teens' moral sensibilities. In this week's parenting segment, host Michel Martin speaks with Meghan Cox Gurdon, who wrote "Darkness Too Visible" in the //Wall Street Journal// and Christopher John Farley, editorial director of the Wall Street Journal's blogs. Also joining the conversation are acclaimed young adult author Patricia McCormick and young adult librarian Candice Mack.

[|Seeing Teenagers as we Wish They Were]

NPR Article

Obviously, not everything is appropriate for every audience — nobody is suggesting you give //Twilight// to your seven-year-old. (Or, really, to anyone, although that's more because of the quality of the writing than because the themes are too dark.) But stopping — actually //stopping// — a YA reader from picking up a particular book because it describes behavior you don't want him to emulate potentially cuts him off from something that might reach him in exchange for ... nothing, really, except your own comfort level.