When Did Young Adult Books Get Spicey?

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Young Adult fantasy is my favorite genre. If you look at my shelves, they are filled with YA fantasy books. I love YA because it's clean, it's adventurous, it's all about growth, making mistakes, and taking responsibility. It was about putting off more mature decisions like intimacy until you're older and focused on the emotional relationship in the romance. YA lit is written for CHILDREN ages 12-18.

However...

Recently that's changed. I'm not sure when or why.

I opened a book a while ago and was SHOCKED to find a scene in YA fantasy where they legit had S3X! It was euphemized. But it was totally obvious what they were talking about and they were clearly in bed.

Another book talked about how they were gloriously naked after a tactful description of the act. GLORIOUSLY NAKED?

WHAT THE HECK???? 

I know that some people are like, I let my kids read whatever they want and they're turning out okay. Fine. I get it. You can let your kid read Game of Thrones or whatever. But as a parent, it is no longer safe to assume that the genre intended for children is safe for them, if you're trying to spare them this level of adult content until they are older. These stories are filling our school libraries where kids have access without parents even knowing. 

I've heard people say, you should read what your kids are reading. HA! As a parent I can't read everything my kids are reading. I even read for my job! But I have THREE kids. They all mow through books, sometimes one a day, like a John Deere through a suburban lawn. I can't keep up! Can we have a genre that is safe for children, PLEASE?

Things I would like to see less of in CHILDREN'S Literature: glorifying intimacy, sparking curiosity of deviant behavior, toxic relationships, teenagers who act like adults but they're 19. 

If you agree and are looking for CLEAN, GOOD and FUN YOUNG ADULT literature for your kids,  I'll be publishing more lists of clean YA fantasy soon! Stay posted!

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