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Non-Fiction

The Quest for Youth

Capturing the attention and imagination
of the fickle teen reader.

By Liam O'Donnell

Originally published in the
Canadian Bookseller Magazine May/June, 2001.

If you're a modern teenager, life in the 21st century can be pretty hectic. You're probably holding down a job, struggling to get homework done and busy discovering the joys of a driver's license. Add to that the constant barrage of media from TV, Internet and magazines and who has time to read books?

Canadian publishers are well aware of the stiff competition for a teenager's attention and, along with some resourceful booksellers, are working hard to ensure that teens make time to discover the joys of a really good read. Here's a look at what's on offer this spring from Canadian publishers and some recent gems that have teens dropping the TV remote and picking up a book.

Fantasy Staying Hot

Aside from the day to day distractions of teenage life, publishers and booksellers have to contend with the ever-changing tastes of their audience. "We went through scary and we're moving away from the California Diaries type of story. Fantasy books are popular now." notes Lynn Popham, at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Manitoba. There are no prizes for guessing which bespectacled wizard is behind it all. "Harry Potter has led to an interest in that type of fantasy," claims Nora Flynn, co-owner of Granny Bates Children's Books in St. John's Newfoundland.

That's good news for HarperCollins who have just released "Whisperings of Magic" by Karleen Bradford. "Whisperings of Magic" is the follow up to Bradford's earlier fantasy novel, "Dragonfire" and picks up three years after the defeat of The Usurper, by Catryn the young servant girl turned Seer. Fans of the Catryn's first adventure will enjoy meeting the heroine again, a little older and much wiser, as she reunites with her companion Dahl, to defeat an evil that has returned to stalk the land.

Also recently released is "The Light-Bearer's Daughter", the third installment in O.R. Melling's "Chronicle of the Faerie" series. Melling's blending of Celtic legend and modern Canadian characters has earned her a large following of fans and they won't be disappointed with this latest adventure filled with bog people, faerie kings and dark secrets. In "The Light-Bearer's Daughter" 11 year old Dana is heart broken when her father tells her of plans to emigrate to Canada, thousands of kilometres from Ireland, where Dana's mom disappeared eight years earlier. As Dana struggles with the impending move she is drawn into the world of the Faerie and charged with carrying a message from the King of the Faeries. If she completes her mission she will be granted her heart's desire but will it be enough to unlock the secrets of her mother's disappearance?

Thistledown Press are also adding a new fantasy title to their 2001 list. "The Turning Time", the third book in Linda Shaw's popular Freyan Trilogy, reunites readers with Kerstin Speller, now 18 years old, as she returns to her homeland and faces prejudice against her friends from neighbouring Uglessia, Freya's old rival nation. Earlier installments of the Freyan Trilogy have fast become fantasy favourites in schools and libraries across Canada, and "The Turning Time" promises to enthrall old fans and capture a few new ones along the way.

Talking Teen to Teen

Fantasy may be hot right now but it's not the only game in town. "Teens also like to read about other teens, coming of age stories are always popular," says McNally Robinson's Lynn Popham. Jesse Stothers, Editorial Co-ordinator at Thistledown Press agrees, "We want to create books that are responsive to a teenager's reality but don't hit them over the head with issues."

From Thistledown Press this spring comes "Offside" by Cathy Beveridge. It's the story of teenager who inadvertently creates a dependency amongst his hockey teammates when they use a cold remedy which they believe to be a performance enhancer. Although fictional, the novel is based on true events and deftly blends the world of hockey with issues like depression and drug use.

Red Deer Press also has some hard hitting contemporary fiction lined up for this year. In "The Game" by Theresa Toten, issues like substance abuse serve as a catalyst for Dani Webster who wakes from a pill induced stupor to find herself in a psychiatric ward for "teens with troubles". This incident leads Dani to confront a deeper emotional trauma that she cannot explain. Intelligent writing that talks directly to teens, "The Game" is challenging fiction that holds plenty of positives about compassion and friendship.

Raincoast Books are also creating a stir with a new line of innovative fiction well worth investigating. Among them "Finnie Walsh", by Steven Galloway, has received praise across the country and for good reason. This distinctly Canadian coming of age story is told with a humour and candour more often found in the works of John Irving, than in the arena of Young Adult fiction. Steeped in hockey folklore, "Finnie Walsh" spans the friendship of two boys from their first meeting in the third grade to the inevitable events that put to rest ghosts from the past and finish deeds long left undone. It's another refreshing example of contemporary Canadian fiction that speaks directly to its audience and reflects what it is grow up in Canada.

Tapping into the Past

Historical fiction has always been another popular area for Young Adult novels and recent publications in 2001 promise to carry on that tradition. "If I Just Had Two Wings" by Virginia Frances Schwartz from Stoddart Kids tells the story of Phoebe, a 13 year old slave trapped on a cotton plantation in 1861. Her dreams of flying away to the freedom in Canada lead her on an harrowing adventure along the Underground Railroad. Tales of the Underground Railroad are not a new feature in Canadian historical fiction but Schwartz's rich language, honest characters and romantic undercurrents will appeal to early teens.

A less explored time of Canada's past is uncovered in "The Hungry Year" by Connie Brummel Crook and also released from Stoddart Kids. Set in 1787, known as the Hungry Year, 12 year old Kate arrives in Canada from the United States with her father and twin brothers, only to face crop failures and a harsh winter. When her father fails to return from a hunting trip, Kate is forced to grow up quickly and survive the winter, while hundreds die around them. Crook is an expert at weaving historical fact with gripping fiction. This latest offering promises to join her other titles as a favourite in classrooms across the country.

Another notable historical novel comes from Vancouver based Ronsdale Press. "Hurricanes over London" by Charles Reid looks back at the Battle of Britain during World War II, when London was under siege by German bombers. Modern day teenager Jamie Davis discovers his grandfather's wartime journal and opens the door to a past filled with unsung heroes and seen through the eyes of his grandfather, then a teenager very much like himself. The past leads to the present neatly as Jamie gets involved in an adventure to find the missing parts needed to restore a Hurricane. This sharp, fast paced story works well in bringing many of Canada's uncelebrated heroes to light, while helping close the generation gap between grandparents and teenagers.

Marketing Outside the Mainstream

With such great titles available, the trick for both publishers and booksellers is getting them into the hands of readers. For booksellers who do a lot of business with schools a lack of awareness among teachers often makes this a frustrating endeavor. "Courses in Young Adult literature are woefully lacking for teachers," states Virginia Davis, Collection Consultant at National Book Service in Toronto. N.B.S. deals exclusively with schools and libraries across Canada and Virginia regularly conducts workshops for teachers and librarians highlighting the newest and best in children's literature. Virginia notes that this tactic can work with parents as well, "Since parents are still buying gift books for their older children, informational book talks would bring results." From informal workshops to bibliographic lists of great titles, booksellers can help spread the word about what's out there for teens.

As always the book tour is a great way to create exposure for an author and their latest release, especially if the book can be tied into a local element or theme. Connie Brummel Crook's "The Hungry Year", takes place around Peterborough, Ontario, so a tour of bookstores in that area was sure to be a success. "People came out in droves," says Karen McMullin, Marketing Manager at Stoddard Kids, "they are very supportive of their local history." Stoddart Kids also wanted to highlight the issues of hunger dealt with in the book. To do this they asked everyone coming to bring a non-perishable food item which was donated to a local food bank. Another simple touch that gave their book event appeal to both the public and the press.

While book tours are proven publicity vehicles, some publishers are turning to newer means of promotion, like the Internet, to connect with readers. "We have to look outside mainstream media for promotions and teens are comfortable communicating online," explains Dennis Johnson of Red Deer Press. The Alberta based publisher recently held a successful online chat session with Wendy A. Lewis, author of "Graveyard Girl", a haunting collection of linked stories that looks at the fairy tale expectations created by teenagers and the unexpected, often harsh, realities that life brings instead. Wendy A. Lewis was logged on and available to chat, via email, with readers across the country about her work and life as a writer. Red Deer have also teamed up with other teen web sites to promote their titles. It's a method that has worked well for them and they plan to do more in the future.

While the Internet is still a favourite among teenagers, many publishers agree nothing beats hand-selling by knowledgeable staff. "We look to the independent booksellers for hand selling our titles," says Susan McIntosh of Groundwood Books in Toronto, "their staff are often better informed and work harder to sell a quality title by word-of-mouth." Susan credits word-of-mouth and hand selling as a main factors to the early success of "The Breadwinner" by Deborah Ellis. Now short listed for three Canadian awards, "The Breadwinner" is a clear example of booksellers playing a integral role in the success of a title.

Finding a Fit in the Store

Another tricky issue with Young Adult titles is where to place their books in a store. Some teenagers don't have a problem heading to the kid's section to look for new titles, while others feel they've outgrown the children's department. Nora Flynn at Granny Bates Children's Books advises that if space is limited then mixing Young Adult titles in with younger children's novels should not cause a problem, provided you're knowledgeable with the books and able to get a hand to them quickly. Larger stores with the luxury of space can create a separate Young Adult section but this can also be seen as childish to a discerning teen. McNally Robinson Booksellers have a few unique solutions to this problem. At one of their smaller Winnipeg stores they have an alcove set aside for teen novels that allow shoppers to browse in relative privacy. At a larger store they've gone a step further and created a "P.G. 15" area on the main mezzanine, away from the kid's section and beside the adult fiction section. In this section they stock about 30 "adult titles for teens". This can include anything from "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman to J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye". By rotating titles weekly and consistently offering a wide range of authors, the "P.G. 15" section has become a very successful part of the store that teenagers can call their own.

Moving Beyond the Border

Although Young Adult stories are diverse, encompassing many genres, there is a unanimous agreement from booksellers that Canada should be proud of their authors. "We're entering a golden age for Young Adult literature," muses Linda Browne owner of Howland-Wells Books, an internet book retailer based in Toronto. "there are writers developing who will be big." Evidence of this could be seen at the recent Bologna Children's Book Fair, where the international rights for a few Canadian Young Adult titles where sold and others like Sharon E. McKay's "Charlie Wilcox" attracted the attention of publishers from France, Holland and the U.K.

Who knows, maybe the next Harry Potter will sport a scar the shape of a Maple Leaf and come from Newfoundland. Here's hoping!