I took out every young adult mystery in our library. Thing is, it’s not as bad a thing to do as you think. See, there weren’t that many to take out. On a Wednesday evening, at our large, central county branch, there were only ten books that were actually marked by our library with the cute magnifying glass on the edge binding.
I know that there are others in there, unmarked, but still mysteries, or at least mysterious in some way or the other. But compare that to the huge section of adult mysteries, and the decent, respectable number of mysteries in the children’s section.
I’m going to spend the next week or so reading the ten mysteries I borrowed, partly to get an idea of what the “competition” might be should my Suny Davis mysteries (under the McLean Jacobson pseudonym) get picked up soon, and partly because of this interesting post I came across on Read Roger, the blog of The Horn Book’s editor-in-chief, Roger Sutton. The discussion that follows is fascinating, as is what inspired Roger: reviewer Colleen Mondor’s post found here.
As I’m still getting back in the swing of things since our return from a lovely Vermont vacation, I thought I’d let you all read someone else’s rant today. Read, then come back and add to the rant here.
Oh, and if you’re craving some fantabulous chocolates - not too sweet, edgy flavors - you’ve got to order some Lake Champlain Chocolates. The day I went to their Burlington factory, they were making chocolate-covered cherries. By hand. And it took three chocolatiers to get through the whole dipping process. Yum.
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Very interesting post, Regina. I thought about writing a series of YA mystery type books at one time, so it’s especially interesting to me for that reason. My books would have been more along the lines of Elizabeth Peters (for teens) than straight detective fiction, though, just as your book edges over into paranormal with the psychic angle (IIRC).
Both Colleen and Roger make some good points, IMO. One thing neither of them mentioned - and maybe because it’s not a good point and I just don’t realize it - is that children’s books generally tend to have protagonists older than the audience they’re aimed at. In other words, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys aren’t read by 16-17 year-olds; they’re read by 11-12 year-olds. The older teens read adult books (and that’s a point that was made in the original blog). Teens think they’re adults, although we adults know they’re not. The fantasy genre appeals to everyone - children, teens and adults alike - look at Harry Potter! - but ‘real-world’ books about teens would likely be read by (and marketed at) middle-schoolers, while the teens that are the same age as the protagonists in those books, would opt to read adult mysteries. Of course, if someone could craft something that reads like an adult mystery, with teen protagonists, and do it well enough that it would appeal to adults too, then maybe…
As always, MHO. 
by JennieB
on August 14th, 2008 at 8:11 am
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Good post, Regina! Now I’m curious, and I’m going to check out the YA mystery section (if there is one) at my local library. Years ago, I was a contract writer for a YA detective series under a pseudonym. The audience was supposed to be 12-14-year-old girls. But the reading tastes of my own 12-and-14-year old daughters were too sophisticated for that type of series–they might have read them when they were 9 or 10, but not 12-14. I’m wondering if some of the YA detective series haven’t kept up with the reading levels of today’s young women? Just a thought.
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JennieB, you make a great point - kids do read at least two years above their age group but, as things stand, that means that most 12-13 year-olds are out of luck. The majority of “juvenile” mysteries top out with 13-14 year old protagonists, if that old. Then there are the adult mysteries, which start to appeal to the 16 year-olds and up.
If you’re 13-15, there’s not much out there. I, for one, hope to fill that void with a 16-year old protagonist, who ages half a year or so with each in the series.
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Oh, and I wrote the first in series thinking of it as an adult mystery. In fact, it won the 2004 Malice Domestic Grant as such, so I *think* it might appeal to adults.
Hope we find out soon.
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If anyone can do it, Reggie, you can!
Oh, and you’ve got me so worked up about the whole idea of YA mysteries that I’m three pages into one I just started this morning. 
by JennieB
on August 14th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
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I love reading from the YA pile. It clarifies what’s really important, the story. I just went back and read A Wrinkle In Time and The Phantom Tollbooth. Not quite mysteries.
The discussion on why little YA was facinating. I know I used to read all the mystery series as they came out when I was in Junior High. Then adult books came when I was in high school.
by Lynn
on August 15th, 2008 at 6:31 am
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Hey Kathryn - let me know what you find at your local branch - I’m finding the ones I’ve read so far to be pretty good - maybe I’ll post some summaries or reviews. I’d love to know if I’m missing some.
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Hey Lynn - I love rereading old YAs I’ve known and loved (sometimes over the shoulders of my three teens)!
I think there is room between Junior High and adult in high school. There’s just so much possibility there to mix good mystery with good YA issues, and you can’t find a more excited, loyal audience than the YA reader!
Good luck to JennieB on the penning of something new for the niche!
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