Feminist YA Titles

Jessica Stites' article in the Fall 2010 issue of Ms. magazine, "Kick-Ass Girls & Feminist Boys," states that some YA (Young Adult) fiction "offers fabulous fantasies of how the world should be." The article acknowledges predecessors such as "Little Women," "Anne of Green Gables," and the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. It then praises current YA fiction that addresses girls' fall-off in self-esteem at puberty. Such books provide role models and heroines; they are "full of girls performing amazing physical feats...YA can be both escape and succor." Many YA novels also address issues that often affect teens, such as rape, eating disorders, racism, sexism, and war. Ms.' YA recommendations include Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games," Nancy Garden's "Annie on My Mind," Patricia C. Wrede's "Dealing with Dragons," Nnedi Okorafor's "The Shadow Speaker," and Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies." I of course believe in the power of fiction to educate, support, console, and encourage, and I applaud YA authors who address teen issues in a responsible, egalitarian way. I do sometimes wonder about books that are too shaped by an issue rather than by literary goals, but fortunately the best books can and do combine the two.