Young adults are typically one of the most difficult target audiences for public libraries. There is a myriad of reading programs for children and adults, but teens can often be a difficult group to engage. Why is this? When reading fiction, most people like to read about a character they can relate to (Miller, 2013). Representation is important ‐ if a young reader cannot relate to the main character, they are likely not to care about what happens to them. Translation: if a reader cannot see themselves in the story, they may abandon it. When this happens repeatedly, the reader’s interest in reading may decrease. Michael Cart (2016), author and the former president of the Young Adult Library Services Association, explains that the value of young adult literature is found in how it addresses the needs of the reader and many young adult readers are in search of self ‐ growing, changing, and morphing from the condition of childhood to adulthood. He continues, “By addressing these needs, young adult literature is made valuable not only by its artistry, but also by its relevance to the lives of its readers” (Cart, 2016). If educators, librarians, and parents want to encourage teens to read, then they need to make sure that those young minds have a diverse collection of material from which to choose. Even if the community itself is not diverse, the world is and teens need access to materials that reflect an accurate portrait of global society (Diaz, 2013).
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