Humor isn’t threatening, which is one reason that books like the “Wimpy Kid” series take off. “Boys feel far more uncertain about their reading than girls do, so they’re less likely to take a chance,” said Sullivan, who has studied the issue of boys and reading extensively. “Studies show that psychologically, boys are known for overestimating their abilities in many areas. The one area where boys consistently underestimate their abilities is in reading.”
Some books, of course, bypass the boys completely and aim directly at girl readers. This seems particularly apparent in young adult novels, where paranormal books with dangerous love interests abound. H.M. Ward recently finished writing her first YA novel, “Demon Kissed,” about a teen named Ivy who is claimed both by the people chosen to protect humanity as well as by the soulless servants of Hell. Ward created a Facebook page and quickly attracted 30,000 fans for a book that hasn’t even been published yet. “Teenagers feel trapped,” Ward explains, “and my book explores whether you have a choice in your destiny and what happens to you.”
(Scholastic) - "The Hunger Games" is the rare book that appeals to youngsters of both genders.
Lack of control over their destinies (curfews! homework! acne!) could explain why plenty of teenagers are attracted to books featuring empowered characters, which also may be one of the keys to the prized crossover books that appeal to both genders. There isn’t a stronger example than Katniss Everdeen, the lead character in Suzanne Collins’s “The Hunger Games” trilogy, which has dominated best-seller lists recently. Katniss kills to save the people she loves, hunts food with a bow and arrow, and manages to topple an evil government — all while tolerating the affections of two handsome suitors. Romance is lightly woven through the books, but survival and maintaining personal honor are the dominant themes. The trilogy has leapt across gender as well as age lines, attracting adult readers along with boy and girl ’tweens and teens.
“Whenever a book like this comes out of nowhere and becomes so big, people take notice,” wrote David Levithan, the trilogy’s editor, in an e-mail. “But I think the biggest take-away isn’t for there to be more dystopian fiction, or more Katniss-like characters. The take-away is that when you have an author with a singular vision, you should do everything you can to let her follow that vision.”
In other words, empower the author. Both boy and girl readers would definitely approve.
Sarah Pekkanen
is the author of “Skipping a Beat” and “The Opposite of Me.”
Loading...
Comments