Why Lauren Myracle

This blog is focusing on Lauren Myracle because her books have a tremendous impact on young adult readers, particularly young girls. Often, adults fear that young readers will not be able to handle difficult subject matter, or serious situations depicted in literature; however, these are the actual situations youth face in daily life. Lauren states that she always tried to write authentic stories about the topics important to young girls (Corbett, 2011). Not only are her books tackling relevant topics, they are doing them in innovative ways. The Internet Girls series of books, TTYL, TTFN, L8R G8R, and YOLO, are written entirely in the language and format of text speak, the vernacular teens use when writing to each other via instant message, text message, and email (Hardwick, 2006). This is the reality of how modern teens communicate. But presenting her books in a way that feels genuine to teens, she is more likely to reach them.

Myracle explains that the controversy in her books serves a purpose. In her book Shine, she writes about a teen whose friend is the victim of a hate crime because he is gay. She states that as a result, she has had teens email her and approach her at school assemblies to “come out”, knowing she will be accepting (Lee, 2011). It is our responsibility, as librarians, to be well read, not only so that we can perform reader’s advisory, but also so that we can be prepared to face instances of materials challenges in our own libraries; what better way to prepare for challenges, than to read and research an author who has topped the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books several times in the last decade? When a book is challenged, one of the initial things a librarian should ask, both of themselves and of the person challenging the book, is “have you read it?”. By reading and researching challenged texts, we are better prepared with solid reasoning for those texts, and others like them, remaining in our collections.

On a more personal note, when I was a teenager, there were not nearly as many books out there that addressed the concerns, difficulties, and awkward happenings of teen life. Additionally, teens now have the additional pressure of being part of an always connected through their phones and social media. I felt like a lot of Myracle's books zero in on the concerns of teens, especially teen girls, in our complicated modern society.

Photo Reference

Primm, C. (2012). Lauren Myracle visits Meadows. [digital image]. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/meadowslibrary/mrs-primm-s-blog/laurenmyraclevisitsmeadows