Well, the "Wall Street Journal"'s stock-in-trade is basically, "Eveything is fine for people who deserve it," so their assumption that all young readers have led decent lives completely unacquainted with the dark is expectable.

Who the hell says "pederasty" for crap sake?

What ages is the Bible recommended for?

Awesome takedown. Sherman Alexie is a treasure.

Sherman Alexie FTW! Also, did anyone notice that the "recommended books for boys" list included books set in a "grueling post-apocalyptic world", WWII, and the Wild West, complete with guns and revenge killings? It's okay if you're a boy; if you're a girl, you get to read books about "dashing" and "handsome" men the main character meets. So out of touch!

Can someone explain the advantage of a more depressed introspective YA novel? Part of the problem with our country is the lack of imagination, creativity, inspiration, and happiness. Why try to awaken the adolescent to the pain of life and reality? His book will turn its own page.

Ooh, he nailed the hand-wringers with this line:

"They are trying to protect privileged children. Or the seemingly privileged."

And they would have books that actually help teens pulled from libraries for that reason, which is a really disturbing thought.

The Grimm Brothers fairy tales are examples of grisliness and horror, and they were written for little kids, long ago.
But the main point is, it's fiction. NOT REAL LIFE. Fiction shouldn't be used as instructional material. Teenagers should be able to find whatever kind of stories they want, as should we all. I was a teenager a long time ago, and loved dystopic novels; they fitted my moods.
Let the little conservative teenyboppers read about unicorns and sparkly things. Or not read anything at all. Their micromanaging parents will decide. But YA and kids' lit has some of the best writing anywhere.
I am so sick of people taking fiction literally.

@10 -- yes, it's make-believe and the kids know it too. Just this past Tuesday (I work at a bookstore), I was talking to a mother about the "Series of Unfortunate Events" books (which are Juvy fiction) and we both agreed that while well-written they are terribly depressing (but since the kids in the book always figure a way out of their troubles, hurray!). She told me she had told her daughter of her concerns about the book and her daughter (age 10) had cocked her head and said, "But Mom, it isn't REAL, it's a BOOK." So, even the little kids understand.

Besides, kids see carnage and death on tv and the movies every day. Today's Young Adults are better equipped to deal with bad things in books than the generations that came before them.

The Wall Street Journal is just all whine-y because YA fiction seems to be taking over. Writers of adult books are writing YA because it sells. Adults are buying YA fiction because it is cheaper (hardcovers anyway) and in the news constantly.

I had a guy buy two copies of "Hunger Games" yesterday. One because his wife read about it in "People" magazine and sent him in to buy it. I told him it was quite good (for a YA book) and so he bought himself one too (they were going on a cruise together). The WSJ would not want to hear that. They can take their crappy opinion and stuff it. YA books are just like adult books, some are great and some are not, but the difference these days is THEY ARE SELLING WELL because adults will buy their kids books before they will justify buying books for themselves.

Oh, and I have to mention one more thing. Incest? the books that brings to mind are V.C.Andrews "Flowers in the Attic" books which were originally published as Adult Fiction and continue to be categorized in that section 30 years after they were first published. Sadly, some moron at the publishers decided that they should also be repackaged as Young Adult books (because they have kids in them, right?). V.C. Andrews has been dead for years, which is too bad, cause I'd like to ask her what she thinks about her books being directed to teens. [It's one thing to steal it off your mother's bookshelves and secretly read it, as I did, but to be sitting on the Young Adult shelves--unbelievably gross].

Speaking of fiction, how about Ms. Gurdon's memory of what young adult books used to be like. Has she ever read anything by the Brothers Grimm? How about Raul Dahl? That guy was fucked up! Hell, even Shel Silverstein had a lot of dark shit "hiding" just barely under the surface. Fuck, what about The Narnia series? I'm sure I could think of more given just a little time. Do we get to count the bible under "young adult fiction"? That's got more war, murder rape and general nastiness than any book in history.