I fall down, I get up again: Resiliency in YA Lit

I fall down, I get up again: Resiliency in YA Lit

by Juliet White

One of the main differences between YA lit and adult fiction is hope. However dark young adult novels get— and some are dark enough that we crave night vision goggles—a ray of hope filters through the pages.

Resilience is a life skill that we all need, but it’s not something we’re specifically taught in school. Thankfully, humans have always drawn life lessons from art and that’s true of YA lit, too. The sheer doggedness displayed by the characters populating these books provide us with a well of inspiration for getting through the rough stuff. From fantasies like Kristin Cashore’s Graceling Realm series to Ibi

Zoboi’s American Street, resilience is an ever-present theme.

Before YA was acknowledged as its own vibrant form of literature, we saw a lot of “problem” novels. Books explored a particular issue, from eating disorders to teen pregnancy. Critics complained that, in some of these stories, the characters took a backseat, rather than being fully fleshed out. Still, these tales focused on the descent into a problem and, many times, the process of emerging on the other side.

In 1999, Laurie Halse Anderson’s groundbreaking book Speak came out. The novel was exceptional for its unflinching exploration of the aftermath of rape. Melinda

Sordino starts high school as a pariah. No one wants to be associated with the girl who called the cops to shut down an endof-summer party. What Melinda’s peers don’t know is that she was assaulted at the party. Throughout the book, Melinda wraps herself in a protective layer of silence until, by the conclusion, she reclaims her voice. Sexual assault is one of the hardest topics for people to discuss. That’s why it’s so crucial for readers to be able to spend time with characters who have had similar experiences. Books like Courtney Summers’ All the Rage and E.K. Johnston’s Exit, Pursued by a Bear continue to show that trauma may mark us, but it doesn’t have to define us.

In literature, LGBTQ+ youth can see themselves in the pages of authors like David Levithan, Julie Anne Peters, Malinda Lo, Bill Konigsberg, Nina LaCour, Meredith Russo, and more. There are plenty of struggles in YA queer lit, and the need for “coming out” stories endures. But this genre has expanded to embrace narratives where labels around sexuality aren’t always integral to the plot, and resiliency may be tied to other issues entirely.

Out of all the genres, fantasy books most often address grit and persistence. Quest narratives require characters to undergo grueling trials to achieve a goal. However, the most engaging aspect of YA fantasies often isn’t the physical journey. It’s the emotional one. Only by passing through fire does a protagonist realize his or her true strength. You’ll discover this theme again and again in novels by fantasy writers like Scott Westerfeld, Kendare Blake, and Maria V. Snyder—to name but a few.

One of this year’s most breathtaking YA fantasies is Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (published in March 2018). In a richly-crafted world, that draws on West African mythology, Zélie embarks on an epic quest to recover her people’s magic and end their oppression. The author expertly juggles multiple perspectives, with each central character hitting rock bottom, yet still summoning the strength to go on.

In April 2018, Justina Ireland’s genre-bending Dread Nation, was released. Jane McKeene is the magnetic star of this layered alternative history slash fantasy. The novel is set in a post-Civil War version of the United States in which the

dead came back to life during the Battle of Gettysburg. Jane shows us that dealing with zombies requires much less resilience than living in an inherently racist society. While she shouldn’t have to face either, she is the ultimate survivor.

Since many YA historical novels are set in turbulent times, resilience remains a popular thread. The Librarian of Auschwitz, by Antonio Iturbe, is a heartrending read that is based on the true story of Dita Kraus. In Auschwitz, fourteen-year-old Dita takes responsibility for eight books that have been smuggled into the camp, literally risking her life to protect them. The narrative never shies away from the utter horror of Dita’s circumstances but her resilience shines through and, at the book’s conclusion, a spark of hope remains.

Ruta Sepetys is another author who has conquered the challenges of the YA historical novel. Whether she’s crafting a tale about a girl fighting to forge a better life for herself in 1950s New Orleans (Out of the Easy) or of characters attempting to survive a sinking ship at the end of World War II (Salt to the Sea), hardship and endurance remain constants.

It’s hard to predict which upcoming releases will portray resilient characters in an uplifting way. However, there are some overlooked gems already available that explore this theme. In Yaqui Delgado Wants To Kick Your Ass, by Meg Medina, Piddy Sanchez overcomes bullying. Nina Berry’s The Notorious Pagan Jones features a celebrity actress turned reform-school-girl, who struggles for redemption and a comeback. Finally, Jennifer Mathieu’s Moxie reminds us of the guts it takes to protest, when the repercussions are all too real.

Life always present challenges, and the prospect of rising again can feel exhausting and overwhelming. But, no matter what other fantasies our favorite authors weave for us, the resilience of the human spirit is no fiction.

As a kid, Juliet White slept with a flashlight in her bed for late-night stealth reading. You can find her obsessing about libraries @JulietWrites on Twitter, or visit her at julietwhite.com.