Adult Lessons of YA Fiction

“One of the great values of literature is its ability to convey experiences different from our own, to let us see inside the heads of characters from different time periods, different countries, different races, classes, and, yes, ages. Every time a grownup reads a YA book, they widen their perspective in important ways.” 

Amid recent articles dismissing recent works of young adult fiction as unimportant, embarrassing and works of “juvenilia”, comes Julie Beck’s piece in today’s TheAtlantic.com.  The Adult Lessons of YA Fiction discusses the importance of revisiting the “elemental truths” found in the YA fiction that we once loved as kids and how they can be every bit as meaningful to us as adults. 

We couldn’t agree more. 

Banks on Bulldozer

Michael A. Banks, writer and editor of science fiction and non-fiction recently shared with us how Stephen Meader’s Bulldozer inspired him at an early age and helped shape his goals as a writer:

 

I first read Bulldozer in 1959, at the very beginning of the Space Age.  Anything seemed possible, what with satellites orbiting Earth and men to follow.  I was constantly exploring how things worked and trying to do more with my chemistry set and microscope than was possible.  I built models, I read books, magazines and newspapers.  With my friends I even built miniature Interstate highways on the dirt floor of an abandoned barn, using our Doepke and Tonka bulldozers, graders and other toys.  My area had no organized sports to offer, and even the pickup baseball games I so enjoyed were given rather short shrift as I packed all my other activities–including Scouts–into days that always seemed to need more hours.

 

Through all of this I had a fine example–a role model–to inspire me to keep going and try new things: young Bill Crane and his bulldozer.  This inspiration carried on into my young adult years, when Bill’s failures as well as his successes began to ring true.  With the realization that I had no real support and would face failures came more inspiration, because that was exactly Bill’s situation.  Decades after reading Bulldozer, I can look back over my own doubts and opposition, and feel good that I faced them and made it through them to succeed–just as Bill Crane and Stephen W. Meader himself did.  Overcoming the doubts and opposition were in themselves successes, and further inspired me to continue striving for my goal: I became a writer, and next year will see my 45th book published., 

The Great Summer Reading List

It’s officially summer. 

It’s the time of year when teenagers sleep until noon, swimming pools rarely stay tranquil, and friends linger on patios watching children run barefoot through the neighborhood way past dark. Its also when many people perfect the art of slowing down and relaxing with a good book. 

Although some of our favorite Meader summer-ish titles such as Topsail Island Treasure and Everglades Adventure didn’t make the list, TIME editors have compiled a list of The 12 All-Time Great Summer Reads. The perfect way to kick-off your summer reading.

Now all you need is the hammock.

 

 

 

Literary Humor

Quote of the Day

Fiction and poetry are medicines. They heal the rupture that reality makes on the imagination.

-Jeanette Winterson

Sweets For Your Sweetie

In time for Valentine’s Day, check out our website for sweet deals on FOUR Stephen Meader classic books.  Hardcover editions of T-Model Tommy, Clear for Action!, The Sea Snake and Lumberjack – all at the paperback price!

Long Live Bookstores!

There is no substitution for the weight of a book in your hands, the feel of the pages on between your fingers, savoring the illustrations, or even the moment when a book’s cover alone has the power to stop you in the aisle of a bookstore. Hardly surprising sentiments from a publisher of books. I adore browsing through a bookstore and I thoroughly enjoyed this article by Alexandra Petri in the Washington Post.

Dear Barnes and Noble