From: Nancegar at aol.com <Nancegar>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 20:45:57 EST

I think what makes POSTCARDS a YA is that we see much of the story through 17-year-old Jacob's eyes. Most adult books with teenage or child protagonists are told from an adult perspective, as if the adult is looking back on earlier years but with the understanding of adulthood. In a YA, the protagonist's viewpoint is restricted to the perspective and insights of a youngster. We do see Geertrui's story through her adult memory of herself as a young girl, but again, if I remember correctly, she doesn't bring an adult perspective to those memories.

I think it's important to keep in mind in relation to "edgy" YAs that YAs have been expanding both up and down in age recently. We're now seeing younger and younger kids reading YA literature -- and no wonder, since kids are growing up in many ways much earlier now than they did only 10 or so years ago.

Nancy Garden

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Received on Mon 24 Mar 2003 07:45:57 PM CST