This week's freebie is supposed to be something close to my heart and this definitely falls under that topic. Originally I was going to do something Fairy Tale related but I've plugged so many re-tellings on this blog that it's time to draw attention to what I've been missing in stories over the years.
1) Anxiety.
This is actually something that I suffer from a lot and I rarely see in YA. It's quite a common disorder but for some reason it's excluded a lot. I've never been able to figure out why but I know I want to see more of it because the lack of Anxiety in books is one factor that makes those that suffer from it feel like it's just them.
2) Puberty.
Acne, tender boobs, hair sprouting up left right and centre, periods. All things that happen to every teen. Also things that are rarely mentioned in YA, if at all. Young teens don't just have to worry about meeting their one true love, or deciding on the best clothes to wear, or getting the best grades in school. Puberty can be really tough, and weird for a lot of people (boys and girls alike). It would be nice to see it actually talked about.
3) Realistic Sex.
When I read about sex, especially in YA, it's described as some kind of out of this world experience. As romantic as this sounds and as wonderful as sex can be a lot of the time, I want to read about something a bit more realistic. Sex can be funny, and messy, and by describing it as like touching starlight it actually creates a lot of unrealistic expectations and pressure.
4) Masturbation.
The only masturbation I read about is always male. And it's normally preceded by opinions of disgust or mockery. Masturbation is actually perfectly natural and it's something that both men and women do. And women don't just do it to please men either so please don't just write a scene in like that.
5) Ethnic Diversity.
There are too many books written from the POV of white people. I love it when I see a more ethnically diverse cast list, especially if the MC is a POC. The truth is I like to learn about other cultures, and reading about it is an ideal way to do it!
6) Real Teens.
There are so many unrealistic Teen POVs in YA. Conversations don't quite sound right or behaviours. Not only that, but these teenagers often seemed to think they can solve problems by themselves without any kind of adult help. It's pretty unrealistic especially as they often act rather immaturely.
7) Friendship.
Can I get some recommendations on books about one boy and one girl meeting and becoming the best of friends. Don't get me wrong, I like reading romance in YA to an extent, but it would be nice just to see a bit more friendship going around. Finding a boyfriend when you're a teen is not the biggest thing to be worrying about, making friends is!
8) LGBT Romance.
Yikes, there is so not enough of this around. I've read some books that contain LGBT romance, and also importantly, LGBT sex. For the most part, if there are any LGBT characters they tend to be side characters so don't do a whole lot other than exist.
9) Well Developed Villains.
There's a surprising number of YA books that involve villains with little to no motive and it's just unimaginative. People don't tend to do bad things for the sake of it, I like to see the reasoning behind their horrible actions. It does't matter if the 'villain' is a school bully or a tyrannical ruler of a Fantasy world. I want to know why.
10) Mental Health.
This is pretty fresh in my mind because the most recent UKYA Chat covered this topic. It's so important that mental health is talked about, especially in YA. Young teens need to know that they can talk freely about their issues and that most people who suffer from mental disorders are perfectly friendly and approachable. It would be one step towards removing this subject from the taboo list!
No comments:
Post a Comment