W7A4 - Publishers

I look at Penguin Teen and Teens@Random, two publishing houses I always like for their editorial policies and choices. Based on those publishing websites and my own experience, I see two major trends in the Y.A.

First it is the science-fiction trend, like the success of Hunger Games had demonstrated. Penguin has many series that can fit in the categories. It goes from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (the action takes place in a boarding school a la Harry Porter), to Matched by Ally Condie (a dystopia world) and Legend by Marie Lu (there is a new Republic western America is fighting for its survival against its neighbors). Not only series, but also books like Triple Moon by Melissa de la Cruz, in which two twins are witches, or The Rose Society by Marie Lu, that shows Adelina overwhelms by her own superpowers. As far as Random House goes, there are Silver Eve by Sandra Waugh, Dark Shimmer by Donna Jo Napoli and Rogue by Mark Frost. They all involved a teenager as the main character, and they all take place in a somehow different world than our regular earth.

The other major trend I see is books in the same vein of Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. They are stories about teens looking for themselves, and who try to understand the world around them. They often touch subjects like love, self-confidence, responsibilities, friendship, etc. Everything a teenager faces before becoming an adult. Random just published Drowning is Inevitable by Shalanda Stanley. It is the story of a young girl who lost her mother and other horrible circumstances bring her and her friends on the road to New Orleans. Random also published Wonders of the Invisible World by Christopher Barzak about a 17 years old boy who starts to develop feelings for his old friend who just came back in the farming community. Penguin also has its lot of books from this second trend. The Boy Most likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick. When they should not like each other, Tim and Alice fall in love. But we don’t always do what we are “suppose” to do. Juniors by Kaui Hart Hemmings is about a junior high school girl who keep moving around because her actress mother. But she is tired to always be the new girl. She finally finds a friendship and love, but her new friends are different and she has to decide how much she is willing to change in order to fit in their world.

The second trend is more classic, more traditional teen subjects. But today books have something than the old ones. They sound more authentic. I think, writers do not try anymore to preach to the teenagers, but just to connect with them. To me, the first trend is a direct descendant of the success of Harry Potter ten years ago. It opened the door to a new, and in a way less childish, Y.A. genre.