Modern Day Realism

The books I most enjoyed as an adolescent reader were realistic fiction.  I liked to connect to the characters-imagine what it was like to walk in their shoes.  I devoured any thing by Beverly Cleary or Judy Blume.  From pesky little sisters to girls trying to increase their bust size…I loved it all.

These books had characters that were easy to relate to.   They were much like me…young, growing, changing.  They fought with their siblings, stayed exasperated at their parents, and had a growing interest in the opposite sex. 

Young adult books today still have the same themes, but now there is another layer of problems added to the mix…disease, homelessness, homosexuality, traumatic events, learning disabilities.  Books today paint a harsher picture of the tween/teenage life.

A common them I have noticed recently is autism.  Many authors are exploring the difficulties of autism through the eyes of family, friends, or the child themselves.

Rules by Cynthia Lord is a story about twelve-year-old Catherine who just wants a normal life, with a normal summer, and new friends.  It is very difficult to accomplish with a little brother who is autistic.  This is a heartwarming story that might encourage children to see things from someone else’s point of view.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine is told through the voice of Caitlin, a ten-year-old girl with Asperger’s syndrome.  It is a story of how Caitlin copes with life after a tragedy strikes.  This book was powerful for me because it gave me a glimpse of the point of view of a child dealing with Asperger’s.  I think it would be a wonderful book to help children understand what challenges children with autism must face and how they can support and assist them with those challenges.  Beware...this book covers some harsh real world issues.  I recommend you read it first to ensure it is appropriate for your own child.

Both of these books are wonderful discussion starters.  Both can be very warm, yet very complex with great examples of how important it is for everyone to have friends to lean on.