If you’re short on time and never seem to be able to finish (or start) reading that book, then try teen novels – they are fast reads, and you’re never too old to read young adult books. The teen novels of today are so much more sophisticated than those that were around when we were young. You’ll find that young adult books fit very nicely into a busy schedule.
Rest assured there is nothing wrong with reading young adult books well beyond the age of 18. For example, the Harry Potter children’s series by J.K. Rowling has garnered readership among adults of all ages as well as children.
The advantages of reading teen books go well beyond the mere time factor. Find out here the benefits of reading young adult novels:
1. Take a break from the complexity of this world
If you have a busy day, a stressful job or other problems – and these days, that’s most of us! – then you’ll enjoy escaping the complexity of this world through reading teen books. Of course, there are problems and conflict in these young adult books too, but the content is simpler and cleaner.
If you are tired of worrying about which two countries are on the brink of impending war, or just want an easy read after a stressful work day, then pick out a teen novel that sounds appealing to you – it’s a great way to escape. We have some recommended reading for you at the bottom of this article.
2. Young adult literature is fast-paced; you won’t get bored
Young adults are a demanding readership! They want fast paced plots, lots of action and plenty of suspense or mystery. You too can reap these benefits when you read these books.
Unlike some introspective grown-up literature where very little actually occurs, you won’t find endless boring descriptive paragraphs or complicated extra background information in children’s novels. Instead you can be assured that the book’s job is to keep the reader hooked – not the other way around.
3. You can get more out of a teen book when you read it with an adult perspective
Whether it’s a book you’ve read before or one that is new to you, you will get more out of a teen book when you read it from an adult point of view – without even trying. This may involve discovering an extra theme of the book, exploring the relationship between two people, or simply something else which is too advanced for most young adults to notice.
4. No, your IQ will not plummet because you are reading teen novels
Your IQ measures how smart you are, and rest assured this will not take a nosedive when you read teen books. In fact, some young adult novels even make the reader think about current societal issues; thus children’s books can often give you more intellectual stimulation than watching a poor quality TV program for adults.
5. The teen literature of today is much different than it was a generation ago
If you haven’t read young adult books in a while, you’ll be pleased to know that there is so much more available now than there was a generation ago. These days, the under-20 crowd has many more books from which to choose than in previous decades. Also, topics which were previously considered a little too adult for teen literature are now being addressed in a contemporary manner to which teens can relate, such as eating disorders, teen pregnancy, and other complicated situations. Combined with the fast paced plotting mentioned in point 2, you’re unlikely to get bored.
Investigate the young adult section of the library the next time you go – you will be pleasantly surprised!
A new world awaits you
You are never too old to read teen novels. Of course, just as you don’t enjoy all adult books, you won’t automatically enjoy all teen literature. Some of these will be a little too simple for any adult, and while others might be fine intellectually, you will still need to find one whose overall topic interests you.
Ultimately, when you pick a young adult novel that is appealing to you, you’ll get the satisfaction of benefiting in many ways, including escaping from the complexity of the adult world and getting more out of the book than you might have as a child. The teen literature of today is very different from that of a generation ago, so explore and enjoy this whole new world!
Recommended reading for you
If you’d like to get recommendations for outstanding young adult novels, we have a list of 10 great teen books that we recommend here at FlipFall magazine.
