pop quiz time!!!

hey FYA-ers! it’s monday morning, and today that means pop quiz time!!  

take FYA’s exclusive quiz to determine which type of YA reader you are.

 

A. by sneaking them from my daughter’s/teenage friend’s room or backpack
B. online from Amazon
C. one at a time from the library or bookstore, always with at least two hefty “grownup” books
D. anywhere i can

A. under the covers at night, with a flashlight
B. on the couch, when no one’s at home
C. in the safe company of people i know well
D. all of the above, plus on planes, trains, waiting for the bus, in the break room at work, in the park, in cafes, at … well, anywhere

3. my favorite YA book is:
A. i don’t have one. i don’t really read that many of them. i’ve heard that twilight book is popular, though?
B. well, the kids i teach/my teenage neighbor/my daughter really likes those vampire ones. sometimes i have to read them, too, to make sure they’re not too dirty for the young ones
C. the latest printz award winner or the latest nytimes bestseller about vampires
D. HUNGER GAMES! oh, but also the princess diaries! and anything by sarah dessen. and david levithan. and …

you wouldn’t admit to ANYONE that you read YA books. maybe you’ll tell someone you read deenie way back when you were in 7th grade, but that’s where it ends. you’d rather hide your copy of the truth about forever behind a cosmo magazine than let anyone — even your best friend or significant other — know you read YA books. but there’s nothing wrong with it! try this — pick a YA book you feel comfortable with, maybe something without a hot pink cover, maybe something fairly hefty, and try reading it at home while your family’s around. once you’re comfortable with that, consider ditching amazon for the library — believe it or not, librarians don’t sit around and judge what people read! we’re just glad you’re reading. and we can often make some damn fine suggestions, too!

 

you admit to reading YA books, but reluctantly. when you approach a bookstore clerk or library staff, you always look around to see if anyone’s listening, and you whisper your request. getting YA books is like a black market transaction for you. it’s time to break out of your shell! try reading on a plane or bus. better yet, don’t make excuses for your next YA book request. own it, baby — there’s no reason to be ashamed!

 

you mask your love of all things YA with the guise of intellectual curiosity. you hide behind prize winners and the occasional crossover title (hello, twilight), but you’re really missing out! sure, those printz awards are given for a reason, but try something from another award list sometime, like the teens’ top ten. better yet, tap into your nostalgic love for judy blume and try something by lauren myracle or sarah mylnowski (bras and broomsticks is a good place to start shedding your brainy disguise — and it proves you can be smart and thoughtful AND lots of fun!).

 

you often share a glass of wine or cocktail with princess mia, and you look forward to the kissy kissy parts (and s-e-x) with sometimes an almost inappropriate salaciousness. you pepper your speech with OMGs and use LOTS of exclamation points when you’re excited, and usually are more up on the latest high school soap than on last night’s episode of top chef. you never cringe or whisper when placing your name on hold at the library for the latest ally carter book — in fact, you often trade recommendations with the librarians. you’d never even consider those adult cover harry potter books they put out a few years ago. rock on!